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Family By Design
Callie Endicott
He hired her…now he can’t imagine life without herWidower Simon Kessler is doing just fine on his own. Or at least he thought so, until he met Rachel Clarion. Rachel instantly connects with his daughter, and her instincts are spot on when it comes to his wife’s struggling clothing line– a legacy he’s determined to preserve.Can Rachel save the business and, just maybe, his cynical heart?
He hired her
...now he can’t imagine life without her
Widower Simon Kessler is doing just fine on his own. Or at least he thought so, until he met Rachel Clarion. Rachel instantly connects with his daughter, and her instincts are spot-on when it comes to his wife’s struggling clothing line—a legacy he’s determined to preserve. Can Rachel save the business and, just maybe, his cynical heart?
As a kid, Callie Endicott had her nose stuck in a book so often it frequently got her in trouble. The trouble hasn’t stopped—she keeps having to buy new bookshelves. Luckily ebooks don’t take up much space. Writing has been another help, since she’s usually on the computer creating stories instead of buying them. Callie loves bringing characters to life and never knows what will prompt an idea. So she still travels, hikes, explores and pursues her other passions, knowing a novel may be just around the corner.
Also by Callie Endicott
Emerald City Stories
A Father for the Twins
Moonlight Over Seattle
Montana Skies
The Rancher’s Prospect
At Wild Rose Cottage
Kayla’s Cowboy
That Summer at the Shore
Until She Met Daniel
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Family by Design
Callie Endicott
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 9781474094740
FAMILY BY DESIGN
© 2018 by Callie Endicott
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)
Rachel was intrigued.
“Preserving the business for Livvie was desperately important to my wife. It also connects Livvie to her mother. I have to keep Liv’ing Creations going for my daughter’s sake.”
It was a motivation that Rachel understood.
She didn’t know much about Simon, though one of the Carthage residents had mentioned he was a successful businessman. But wanting to save the design house for his daughter—when it would be easier to sell or close the operation down—must mean he had a good heart.
“I admire your goal,” she said, “but I’m not sure what I could do to help. Are you trying to find models who might turn things around?”
Simon leaned forward in his chair. “Actually, I realize this isn’t what your agency generally deals with, but I have a special proposal for you...”
Dear Reader (#uc66128d9-cdea-5cf0-b7b4-e2b7eac7f63e),
I’m sometimes asked how I come up with characters or book plots. When it comes to the Emerald City Stories, it began with Nicole George, the sister of Emily, who was the heroine of At Wild Rose Cottage. I wondered what Nicole’s life might be like. What if she wanted to stop being a supermodel and try something new? At that point, her friends Adam, Rachel and Logan seemed to stand up and introduce themselves.
Nicole’s story was told in Moonlight Over Seattle. And I was pleased to continue the series with Adam Wilding in A Father for the Twins. Now it’s Rachel Clarion’s turn. She’s a woman whose beauty seems almost otherworldly to widower Simon Kessler. But underneath it all, he discovers a strong woman who might be the key to not only saving the design business his wife left to their young daughter, but to redesigning a new happy family.
I always love hearing from readers and can be contacted on my Facebook page at Facebook.com/callie.endicott.author (http://Facebook.com/callie.endicott.author).
Best wishes,
Callie
To Mom
Contents
Cover (#uf3270dc7-db67-5f85-83f2-be4255e08908)
Back Cover Text (#u29e70208-915e-52fa-93a6-de8d577aeebf)
About the Author (#u7bb5b4a5-3379-59f1-a03a-615f91c4ed23)
Booklist (#uff849c74-221d-5415-94f8-1870bade22de)
Title Page (#ua7ee5a2a-93cf-59e4-ab5f-83bcc9796083)
Copyright (#uf22a9e36-fc4b-52df-b799-b84d15126804)
Introduction (#u1b65bf20-aac0-5815-af98-c1262f88698c)
Dear Reader (#u35f9838c-ecf5-54c1-a32a-78edf3391d80)
Dedication (#u8840b5b1-2f37-5eda-a8aa-0ad50404c685)
PROLOGUE (#u36c417b1-b0d1-53e7-bbfe-1026aa140278)
CHAPTER ONE (#u3f61c639-990c-588c-80c3-eb9fc77ed08b)
CHAPTER TWO (#ua639a0c0-adec-5cfe-ab3d-b5ad4785bafe)
CHAPTER THREE (#u1c194040-a9ce-51a6-acf8-3f3c744e89a4)
CHAPTER FOUR (#u7365541f-1161-5545-a719-8e1091d43c2b)
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)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SIXTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
EPILOGUE (#litres_trial_promo)
EXCERPT FROM THE RANCHER’S HOMECOMING BY ANNA J. STEWART (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
PROLOGUE (#uc66128d9-cdea-5cf0-b7b4-e2b7eac7f63e)
RACHEL CLARION STARED at the check she held... It was intended to compensate for the loss of a successful modeling career, but all she wanted to do was tear it into a thousand pieces.
Weeks ago, her agent, Kevin McClaskey, had made inquiries to see if anyone was interested in hiring her. The answer was no. He’d been given excuses about her being out of the public eye for too long, and that regardless, people might think more about the accident than the product being sold.
Rachel thought there was more to it.
She glanced at the check she held, then touched the faint marks on her jaw; she’d come to terms with what had happened, but the insurance company had boiled it down to dollars and cents. The money was supposed to pay for negligence, pain and lost earnings. But what could compensate for a year and a half of surgeries, self-doubt and the endless gossip and speculation of the paparazzi and mainstream press?
The slip of paper drifted to the floor.
All right, she was still trying to come to terms with what had happened. It shouldn’t be this difficult—her modeling career hadn’t been a childhood dream. She’d become a model by chance when she was fourteen. Her parents were down-to-earth people who ran a popular catering company. One day she’d been helping them cater a spring clothing photo shoot in Seattle, Washington, and the next day she was in front of the camera because one of the models had come down with the flu.
The doorbell rang and Rachel hurried to answer it, finding her close friend Nicole George had arrived early for the evening gathering.
“Hey, Nicole.”
Nicole looked at her closely. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing, really.” Rachel closed the door and retrieved the check from the floor. Managed right, the settlement would ensure she’d stay financially independent. “I got the money today. It’s making me think about stuff.”
She put the check away and settled on the couch with Nicole at the other end. Soon they’d be joined by Logan Kensington and Adam Wilding. Adam and Nicole were two of the hottest supermodels in the business, and Logan was a photographer whose services were always in demand. Rachel couldn’t help wondering if it would make a difference to their friendship now that she was no longer modeling herself.
She chided herself for even thinking the question. Her friends weren’t shallow, even if her ex-husband might be. Rachel wasn’t sure about Hayden any longer. It felt as if he’d left because of her scars, yet he’d stuck around for several months after the accident. Ultimately the endless round of doctors and surgeries and meetings with lawyers had chipped away at their marriage until they’d both questioned what was left.
It was also possible that since Hayden was regarded as one of the best-looking men in the business, he couldn’t handle being married to a woman who was now pitied and facing the end of her career. Still, they’d had a myriad of problems, so her appearance could only be part of why he’d left.
“Earth to Rachel,” Nicole intoned.
“Sorry.”
Nicole’s eyes were sympathetic. “I can only imagine what that check represents to you. Some people would be dancing in triumph, but life isn’t just about money.”
“Yeah. It’s like a final judgment saying my career is over, my marriage is finished and money is the only thing left.” Rachel made a face. “Sorry, I hate it when I whine.”
“Whine all you like. You deserve it.”
“But feeling sorry for yourself doesn’t help.”
“True,” Nicole acknowledged, “it just keeps you stuck in the same place.”
“And that isn’t good enough, so I’ll have to build a new life and look forward to the process.”
“You can do it. You’re one of the smartest and bravest people I’ve ever known.”
Rachel grinned. “You’re just saying that because I’m feeding you dinner.”
“You got me. I’m a sucker for your chicken lo mein.”
The doorbell rang again and Rachel let Adam and Logan into the apartment.
“Hi, guys,” Nicole greeted them. They fetched bottles of mineral water from the fridge and relaxed in the comfortable chairs across from the couch.
