The Soldier's Promise
Here today, gone tomorrow? When former army ranger Josh Manning comes to close-knit Covenant Falls, he knows he won't be staying long. As soon as he's renovated the cabin he's inherited from a late fellow soldier, he and his ex-military dog, Amos, are getting out fast. That is, until Mayor Eve Douglas drops by.Eve, a young widow, has a precocious son and a band of misfit pets. Definitely not his type. Besides, she deserves much more than he can give. Unless, against all his instincts, he's ready to make one more promise.
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Here today, gone tomorrow?
When former army ranger Josh Manning comes to close-knit Covenant Falls, he knows he wonât be staying long. As soon as heâs renovated the cabin heâs inherited from a late fellow soldier, he and his ex-military dog, Amos, are getting out fast. That is, until Mayor Eve Douglas drops by.
Eve, a young widow, has a precocious son and a band of misfit pets. Definitely not his type. Besides, she deserves much more than he can give. Unless, against all his instincts, heâs ready to make one more promise.
âI donât stay in places long.â
âMaybe itâs time you did.â
Josh touched Eveâs face again, this time letting his fingers linger and trace the line of her jaw. His body ached with longing. He wanted to dig deep under that calm serenity and ignite the fire he felt in her. But he couldnât. âIâm a wanderer and youâre a nester, and I would bet everything I have that youâve never had a one-night stand, or one-week stand, and thatâs all I know. All I want. No complications.â
He was lying. He did want more, he just hadnât known it until now.
But it wouldnât work. He would leave one day, and it could break two hearts. Maybe three.
He stepped back.
She gave him a long, steady look, then nodded. She started to turn, then stopped. âAbout Nick?â
âYou can bring him over tomorrow afternoon.â Bad decision, but the boy would be here with his mother. No temptation then. At least that was what he told himself.
âThank you,â she said softly, and as he closed the door he wondered exactly what she was thanking him for.
Dear Reader,
Most of my story ideas come from todayâs newspaper headlines. Life often holds more wonders than a writerâs imagination.
All my writerâs bells rang when I read a New York Times story about military dogs being retired because of post-traumatic stress disorder. Many are adopted by their handlers or the general public.
There were also news stories about veterans returning with PTSD and successful programs matching these vets and dogs rescued from the street. The matches often worked miracles for both.
My writerâs âwhat ifâ mechanism shifted into high gear, and Joshua Manning immediately strode into my mind. He was a throwaway kid whoâd raised himself and saw the military as the family he never had. But when a wound meant leaving the service, he had no idea of what to do or where to go. None except saving the military dog handled by a friend whoâd died saving Joshâs life.
And where better to heal than Covenant Falls, a fictional small town with a big heart and a lady mayor with an even bigger one.
Josh and his Amos, and Mayor Eve Douglas, her young son and their motley crew of rescues climbed into my heart and wrote their own story. I hope they will touch you as they did me.
Patricia Potter
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patricia Potter is a bestselling and award-winning author of more than sixty books. Her Western romances have received numerous awards, including an RT Book Reviews Storyteller of the Year Award, a Career Achievement Award for Western Historical Romance and a Best Hero of the Year Award. She is a seven-time RITA® Award finalist for RWA and a three-time Maggie winner. She is a past president of the Romance Writers of America.
Besides writing, Patricia has a passion for accumulating dogs, specifically rescue ones. Sheâs learned that you donât choose dogs, they somehow find you. She currently has two rescue Australian Shepherd sisters with two distinctly different personalities, but both overflowing with love.
In addition to dogs and books, she also loves travel and recently visited the magical, history-seeped Adriatic Coast, Spain and France.
To our returning veterans and the dogs that protect them.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
TRACER BULLETS RIPPED through the night like shooting stars.
He hit the sand along with other members of his team. A rocket-propelled grenade exploded a few feet away, sending shrapnel slicing and burning his skin. Then the enemy poured out from rocks like locusts.
Adrenaline surged through him, smothering the pain. He slid behind a rock, called in copter support and aimed his M16 at the figures multiplying in front of him.
He cursed. Intel had said there was only a small group of Taliban here. One of their high-level couriers was supposedly passing this way.
He fired steadily but the enemy kept coming as his own men fell around him. The smell of gunpowder and the deafening sound of explosions filled the cold night air.
He glanced around. Four of his ten men were down. To his right he heard a steady return of fire. Dave? What about the other four?
