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A Home With The Rancher
April Arrington
HELP WANTEDWidowed single dad Mac Tenley is determined to save his family's struggling guest ranch, the Elk Valley. And as a father of three rambunctious kids, he needs help – fast. But the only applicant for his entry-level ranch hand position is a beautiful mystery woman from New York City…with no experience!Undercover real estate developer Dani Vaughn is desperate to earn her ruthless father's approval. To do that, she must convince Mac to give up Elk Valley. Getting hired is easy. Getting used to ranch life is tougher, and getting the handsome rancher to sell is near impossible. Especially now that she's falling for Mac and his family. But Dani's secret still stands between her and happiness. Will the truth drive Mac away?
HELP WANTED
Widowed single dad Mac Tenley is determined to save his family’s struggling guest ranch, the Elk Valley. And as a father of three rambunctious kids, he needs help—fast. But the only applicant for his entry-level ranch hand position is a beautiful mystery woman from New York City...with no experience!
Undercover real estate developer Dani Vaughn is desperate to earn her ruthless father’s approval. To do that, she must convince Mac to give up Elk Valley. Getting hired is easy. Getting used to ranch life is tougher, and getting the handsome rancher to sell is near impossible. Especially now that she’s falling for Mac and his family. But Dani’s secret still stands between her and happiness. Will the truth drive Mac away?
APRIL ARRINGTON grew up in a small Southern town and developed a love for movies and books at an early age. Emotionally moving stories have always held a special place in her heart. April enjoys collecting pottery and soaking up the Georgia sun on her front porch.
Visit April at Twitter.com/april_arrington (http://Twitter.com/april_arrington) or Facebook.com/authoraprilarrington (http://Facebook.com/authoraprilarrington).
Also By April Arrington (#u49e8906d-ad4a-5d59-9bca-d7c2c116aacc)
Men of Raintree Ranch
Twins for the Bull Rider
The Rancher’s Wife
The Bull Rider’s Cowgirl
The Rancher’s Miracle Baby
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
A Home with the Rancher
April Arrington
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-08097-2
A HOME WITH THE RANCHER
© 2018 April Standard
Published in Great Britain 2018
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.
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www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
“Having second thoughts?”
Dani glanced up, the grin on Mac’s handsome face making her catch her breath.
Oh, boy. She was in more trouble than she’d initially thought.
“Nope.” She ripped her attention away from him and focused on Jaxon and the girls as they chased each other across the field. “I’m happy to help.”
“So you say.” Mac’s grin grew. He glanced at his kids before leaning in to whisper, “But my girls can be a handful.”
She smiled and tapped his chest with a finger. “I can be a handful myself, in case you haven’t noticed.”
His laughter faded and he studied her from head to toe. “Oh, I’ve noticed.”
He shifted closer, his fingers caressing her elbow.
“What’re y’all whispering about?”
They sprang apart. Maddie stood a couple of feet behind Mac, frowning, and waiting for an answer. Nadine and Jaxon stood at their sister’s side with smug grins.
“Nothing.” Dani stumbled back.
Oh yeah. She was definitely in over her head.
Dear Reader (#u49e8906d-ad4a-5d59-9bca-d7c2c116aacc),
Writers deal with thousands of words on a daily basis. We weigh syllables to create the right rhythm, sift through phrases to find those with the most impact and scrutinize words we’ve typed for hours, trying our best to decide which ones to cut and which ones to save.
Over time, a few have become my favorites. One, in particular.
Home.
There’s something about it that warms my heart and helps me breathe easier. Something simple and precious. Something that has little to do with bricks or shingles and so much to do with the people I love and admire. Because that’s how those people make me feel. Warm and welcome. Valued and forgiven. There’s no greater home in the world than the one you find in someone who has seen you at your worst...but still loves you just as much as when you’re at your best.
In A Home with the Rancher, Dani Vaughn wants to be seen. To be noticed and loved. And Mac Tenley has been searching for home for a long time. What they find in each other is more than either ever expected.
As always, thank you for reading.
April
Dedicated to Billie Ann
Doesn’t matter where we are...Sharing laughs on the day job, gossiping over cheese sticks in a restaurant or kicking back in a cool movie theater on a hot summer day. With you, every place feels like home.
You’re more than a coworker or friend—you’re family.
And I thank my lucky stars God put us on the same path.
Contents
Cover (#u6641b7a5-6616-5831-82a3-a15f3fd122c0)
Back Cover Text (#u9ef66844-f391-5731-9faf-93240b4706fd)
About the Author (#u9ded3ce7-6981-5442-bc17-bca13f5769ce)
Booklist (#ub8615c39-00d3-5eee-abd1-b40cb3e70ab3)
Title Page (#ufb3e980c-a199-533c-aef9-57099d09c0fb)
Copyright (#uc8c3274e-a238-512d-809d-19875f46988e)
Introduction (#ueaedae75-5e2a-54b1-bb78-2847c1c74cc1)
Dear Reader (#u8541951a-3c62-5b28-9feb-6ea34c447dc9)
Dedication (#u94f821aa-5050-5252-b7cb-a6d4782b81ce)
Chapter One (#u9b31bbee-9cf0-5c11-a548-abf1c84d6005)
Chapter Two (#ue29bfbf8-ed3b-58ab-a8b0-35ae078e286c)
Chapter Three (#u7100f922-ceb7-58c2-9d3e-3d4a85571533)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#u49e8906d-ad4a-5d59-9bca-d7c2c116aacc)
Lies always multiplied. That was one reason Danielle Vaughn never told them.
“I said what’s your name, ma’am?”
Danielle eyed the older man straddling the wooden fence and cringed, wondering how big this lie would get. At the moment, it stuck in her throat, feeling sharper and thicker than the angular mountains shrouded in dense fog at the man’s back. And it beat heavier through her veins than the rhythmic pound of a hammer in the distance.
He scoffed and the straw of hay clenched between his teeth flopped against his scruffy jaw. “You got one, don’t you, gal?”
“Danielle Vau—” She bit her tongue and winced. Jones. That was the one she’d settled on. Her lips trembled. Wasn’t it? “Danielle Jones. I’m here to see Mac Tenley.”
The man’s expression remained bored and he looked away, chewing on the hay and shifting to a more comfortable position on the top fence rung. “Mac’s busy. Whatcha want with him?”
His land. Or rather, her father wanted it. Danielle swallowed hard against the churn in her stomach. Despite his dismissive laughter and her misgivings, she’d promised to acquire it for him.
She glanced up at the sign hanging over the entrance of the gravel driveway, the words Elk Valley Ranch barely discernable on the weathered wood. Judging from first impressions and the photos she’d seen in the New York boardroom of Vaughn Real Estate, the guest lodge and cabins that lay beyond the winding drive would need a ton of work.
“My name is Danielle,” she repeated, returning her eyes to the man. “But I go by Dani.”
He stilled, his wrinkled brow furrowing as he faced her. “Dani Jones?”
She nodded.
His eyes narrowed then traveled down the length of her. His jaw slackened, the hay falling out of his mouth and his loud guffaws echoing across the peaceful Tennessee landscape. “Hey, Tim! Get a load of this.”
Dani stiffened.
The distant pounding stopped and moments later, a younger man rounded the bend in the driveway, carrying a hammer and frowning. “You think you could do at least ten minutes of work today, man?”
“Aw, forget that, Tim.” The man jumped off the fence, jabbed a thick finger in her direction then doubled over with laughter. “This puny girl here’s the man Mac said was coming to interview as new hand.”
Puny? Girl? Dani’s face heated and she gritted her teeth, wishing she wore her stilettos instead of flat-soled sneakers. She’d shove the sharp edge right up his chauvinistic—
“Mac’s gonna...” The man sucked in quick breaths between bouts of laughter. “Mac’s gonna have a fit.”
“I hate to spoil a boy’s good time.” Dani edged around the chuckling buffoon and extended her hand. “So I’ll just ask a man for assistance instead.” She smiled. “Tim, was it? I’m Dani. It’s nice to meet you and I’m sure it’ll be even nicer working with you since it’s obvious your help is lacking.” She jerked her chin over her shoulder as the man stopped laughing. “Would you please tell me where I can find Mac Tenley?”
Tim grinned, his handsome face lighting with amusement. “Yes, ma’am.” He took her hand, squeezed gently then pointed toward the lush line of poplar and cedar trees obscuring the winding driveway. “Just follow the drive up to the lodge and go on in. The office opened a half hour ago and Mac’s probably still in there.”
“Thank you.”
Tim’s grin widened and he tipped his Stetson. “Look forward to working with you.”
Dani nodded, her smile faltering at the kind gleam in his eyes. It was one thing to think up a lie and rehearse it in your head. It was quite another to actually tell it. Especially to an honest, hardworking man like Tim.
She returned to the battered compact car she’d parked at the ranch’s entrance, her lip curling as she passed the lazy cowboy standing by the fence.
That fool she had no qualms about deceiving.
He scowled and muttered under his breath, eyes dark with disdain.
