âYou must be Olivia Kendall.â
His voice was as thick as if he were thinking of making love to her. He clearly was not, but Zachâs low, Iâve-waited-for-you-all-my-life tone had seduced her when theyâd met the first time.
Sheâd been unable to forget him. He obviously hadnât bothered to remember.
Seeking composure, she crossed to his desk and offered her hand. âCall me Olivia.â For their sonâs sake she had to feel out the situation and wait for the right moment to remind Zach of their past.
When he closed his fingers around hers, memories flooded back, images of his hand on her waist, at her breast, the scent of him as he lowered his head to kiss her. She gritted her teeth, recognizing the texture of his palm as if she were touching her own skin.
Why had this man remained such a part of her? As if what she wanted to feel didnât matter. She backed up a step. He had to release her. Curiosity flickered in his gaze, but not recognition.
Her first love had forgotten her.
Dear Reader,
Welcome to Bardillâs Ridge, Tennessee, and to the Calvert family. Youâre about to meet three cousins who find love in their own Smoky Mountain backyards.
Put yourself in Olivia Kendallâs shoes. You thought your sonâs father, a Navy pilot, died five years ago during a training mission. Then you see him on the news, a small-town sheriff, foiling a bank robbery in Tennessee. Youâve gotten over himâor have you? Youâve made a life that doesnât include him. You could even choose not to tell him about his son, but a man has a right to know he has a child.
And besides, whereâs he been?
Now think about Zach. He lost one of his best friends and his memory in the crash that ended his Navy career. He lost his ability to believe he had a right to life or happiness. When Olivia comes to town he discovers he has a five-year-old son and a lover he doesnât remember. Together, Olivia and Zach find love that heals the wounds of their past and forges the family that is their future.
Iâd love to hear what you think. You can reach me at [email protected]. Come back to Bardillâs Ridge in November when Zachâs cousin Dr. Sophie Calvert abandons her bodyguard groom, Ian, at the altar.
Best wishes,
Anna Adams
To Debbie, my cousin, but much moreâmy sister
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
EPILOGUE
Six Years Ago
OLIVIA KENDALL HAD three problems. She was pregnant, she couldnât find her babyâs father, and the moment her own fatherâJames Kendall of Kendall Pressâfound out, he was bound to fire her to avoid the shame of her unwed motherhood.
Six months out of Columbiaâs School of Journalism, sheâd spent the summer and fall learning Kendall Press from the mail room up. She couldnât afford to get fired. Even if she found Lieutenant Zach Calvert, sheâd need a salary to support her unborn child.
Behind her the door opened, and every head in the room bent toward the monitors in front of them. After his daily management meeting, her dad always hunted her down to remind her she was wasting her time and his with her learn-it-all attitude. He crossed the quiet, equipment-filled room. âAny news today?â
Her job this week was her favoriteâscanning the wires for good stories. âPlenty.â She clipped the word, tugging down the hem of her blouse. She couldnât be more than seven weeks along, but James Kendall hadnât reached the top of the media heap by ignoring other peopleâs secrets.
He stopped beside her desk and pulled up a chair. âYouâre always defensive at work because Iâm right.â Lowering his voice so that it was covered by the computerâs hum, he flicked the screen she was reading. âYou shouldnât distract yourself from your true job with these menial tasks.â
âLearning how Kendall Press runs is my job, Dad.â
âIâll teach you. My father taught me.â
âThe same father who suggested you park me with him and Grandma while you sowed more wild oats?â Her mother had died in childbirth. Her dad had never remarried.
âFather may have appreciated the value of a good nanny, but he left me a strong company and Iâm passing you an empire. Who else can show you how to nourish it?â
He was in his CEO frame of mind. Olivia inched away from him, too stressed to deal with her dad or her curious co-workers. âIâm busy.â And their same old argument meant nothing compared to the fact that her childâs father had disappeared. A Naval pilot, Zach had embarked on a two-week training mission over a month ago.
The weeks had passed. He hadnât called. He hadnât shown up. Sheâd left countless messages on his cell phone. Heâd never given her a number for his apartment or his office. She couldnât even say where he worked for sure. Theyâd always arranged to meet somewhere neutral. Heâd been in Chicago since the end of summer to train on some sort of equipment heâd avoided discussing. Sheâd seen his apartment once, and only because theyâd been desperate for each other and her father had been home that night.