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Kidnapped At Christmas
Barb Han
Suddenly a father!When the blonde beauty who shared his bed a year ago tells him he’s a father, Wyatt Jackson is stunned. But the attempted abduction of their newborn daughter drives him to uncover the dangerous secrets of Meg Anderson’s past. Can Wyatt crack the case before it’s too late?
This Christmas brings the revelation that he’s a father.
Now he needs to keep his little family safe when they become a target...
When the blonde beauty who shared his bed a year ago tells him he’s a father, Wyatt Jackson is stunned. But the attempted abduction of their newborn daughter drives the Texas cowboy to uncover the dangerous secrets of Meg Anderson’s past. Can Wyatt crack a twenty-year-old cold case before Meg’s Christmas becomes her last?
Crisis: Cattle Barge
USA TODAY bestselling author BARB HAN lives in north Texas with her very own hero-worthy husband, three beautiful children, a spunky golden retriever/standard poodle mix and too many books in her to-read pile. In her downtime, she plays video games and spends much of her time on or around a basketball court. She loves interacting with readers and is grateful for their support. You can reach her at barbhan.com (http://www.barbhan.com).
Also by Barb Han (#u44bc1709-5adc-598a-b538-5369751a2076)
Sudden SetupEndangered HeiressTexas GritStockyard SnatchingDelivering JusticeOne Tough TexanTexas-Sized TroubleTexas WitnessTexas Showdown
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Kidnapped at Christmas
Barb Han
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-07936-5
KIDNAPPED AT CHRISTMAS
© 2018 Barb Han
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)
Brandon, I’m amazed by your brilliance and kindness.
I’m so very proud of you. Jacob, I can’t wait to play the
games you’re working so hard to create. Tori, I love to
watch you dance. From Twinkle to Transformation to
It Is Done you have so many stories to tell.
Babe, my guy, for being my best friend and
partner in crime. I love you.
To Michelle Spall for helping me see a new way
to define home. I’m so grateful for your friendship
and am looking forward to many more dance mom
antics together.
Contents
Cover (#ud0dadea2-94a2-53e0-9509-e7c611fa6137)
Back Cover Text (#u501a2f9f-9f71-5eb0-8dd3-37e10cb87ebf)
About the Author (#ubede61f3-9544-5e6c-81b4-d6582198d684)
Booklist (#u18e4c0e9-4380-52d4-8639-6477c9a292ba)
Title Page (#ua50a6488-a156-5f8b-b0d5-257e5b6ca2e3)
Copyright (#u33889fde-4241-5e4b-9aba-db2f8163e6f4)
Dedication (#u53344c55-7cd1-542e-9c4c-976722d62393)
Chapter One (#u5be352d4-7d20-5f85-8878-56cb636f707a)
Chapter Two (#ue84749bc-01c9-54a3-a74e-1e8a922ceece)
Chapter Three (#uce8c1720-0a59-5250-b899-583f4ab1de3b)
Chapter Four (#uff771e72-4f49-5685-9ae9-0cb35da130ed)
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)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#u44bc1709-5adc-598a-b538-5369751a2076)
“Why can’t I think of one word to say to him?” Meg Anderson looked down at her sleeping angel, trying to psych herself up for the conversation that needed to take place with the baby’s father.
“You’re the best child advocate in Texas, Meg. The words will come.” Meg’s best friend and business partner, Stephanie Gable, walked over and ran her finger along two-month-old Aubrey’s cheek.
“He deserves to know about her, right?” Meg already knew the answer, but she asked anyway. She’d do just about anything to gain a few more minutes of courage before walking out the door.
“He does.” Stephanie’s sympathetic tone struck a chord.
“I’m being totally unfair to her by keeping her from her father.” Tears burned the backs of Meg’s eyes.
“That’s right. If you can’t do it for yourself, think of Aubrey.” Stephanie seemed to be catching on. “It’ll work out.”
“What if he rejects her?” Meg tamped down the panic causing her heart to gallop.
“Then it’s his loss.” Stephanie didn’t hesitate.
Meg made eyes at her friend. “You’re absolutely right.”
“What’s the worst he can say?” Stephanie shot her what was supposed to be a nerve-fortifying look.
“I don’t think I want to go there, not even in theory,” Meg answered honestly. The rejection from her mother still stung even ten years after she’d walked out.
“You face bigger challenges every day and win.” Stephanie was making good points, and yet Meg’s courage still escaped her.
“Work challenges. This is personal.” She twisted her fingers around the corner of the baby blanket swaddling her infant daughter, Aubrey. “And I’m pretty sure the statute of limitations and good taste has run out considering our daughter is two months old and I still haven’t told him about her. How am I supposed to explain that?”
“If he’s too stupid to figure out how you guys made a baby, he’s definitely not worth all this stress.” Stephanie laughed.
The joke was meant to ease the tension, so Meg smiled as she rolled the edge of the blanket in between her thumb and forefinger.
Normally the ploy would work. Not today. Not when Meg’s thoughts were careening out of control.
“Okay, I can see my bad attempt at humor isn’t helping. How about this? I’ll take Aubrey to the park while you feel him out. See if he’s ready.” Stephanie’s calm demeanor had little impact on Meg’s frayed nerves. “You had good reasons for waiting. And he’d be crazy to turn his back on that little girl.”
“A total nutcase,” Meg agreed, gazing down at the sleeping bundle.
“She’s perfect.” Stephanie could hold her own with anyone in an argument. She was a huge asset to One Child—One Advocate. “She might just be the best baby in the world, bar none, and it would be his loss if he walked away from her.” Stephanie smiled at Aubrey with the kind of sheer adoration reserved for aunts. She might not be a blood relative, but Stephanie was the closest thing to family Meg had aside from her daughter.
“The man should be given the option to be part of her life.” Meg was steeling her resolve by picking up Aubrey. Holding her daughter, so much innocence, inspired her to do the right thing even when her nerves were frayed and her stomach threatened to revolt.
“I’ll be right down the street with her at the park. You give me the green light and I’m there at the restaurant. If you don’t pick up on the vibe that he wants to know or if he makes one wrong move before you tell him you can always do this another time.”
“Will you text me first so I don’t seem rude or obvious if I have to whip out my phone in front of him?” Meg hedged. Thinking through an exit strategy made her feel less trapped.
“Great idea. I’ll take the baby for a lap or two before checking in.” Stephanie picked up her purse. “The fresh air will be good for us both, and the park is so pretty this time of year. Plus, the mayor’s lighting the Christmas tree at noon.”
“She’d love that. It’s probably just all these hormones and this time of year giving me jitters.” The first part was true enough. Meg didn’t want to acknowledge how much the thought of seeing Wyatt Jackson again affected her. This was the first time the Christmas season had brought a feeling of renewal and hope instead of sadness and dread. The magic of the holidays had always escaped Meg until having Aubrey. Facing Wyatt with the news he was a father stamped out all the newly gained warm-and-fuzzy sentiment.
Stephanie shot a sympathetic look. “I know. Everything in town’s been strange ever since Maverick Mike Butler’s death this summer. The whole town’s been on edge. But everything’s calming down and slowly returning to normal. It’s only a matter of time before the sheriff finds the person responsible and we can put all this behind us. You have a new baby and lots of memories to look forward to. And it’s nice to focus on something besides murder for a change.”
Meg nodded. The town had been through a lot since its wealthiest and most infamous resident was killed on his ranch this past summer. But it was more than that. The holidays brought back a memory of being interviewed for hours. The unspoken accusations had been so obvious that even a ten-year-old girl had understood them. Meg shivered involuntarily, thinking about the past. She couldn’t bring herself to talk about it with anyone. She needed to focus on something else. Bad thoughts had a way of multiplying, causing her to tumble down a slippery slope of pain and regret.
Meg turned her attention to her sleeping baby. The change in Meg this year was because of Aubrey. That little girl brightened everything she touched. Her baby held a special kind of magic that made Meg want to believe in miracles again, precisely the innocent sentiment that would end up crushing her in—she checked her watch—less than five minutes.
She shouldered the diaper bag. “Ready?”
When Meg had become too sick to drive herself to a doctor visit, Stephanie had stepped up to help. Not long after, her work partner had found herself in a bind when her two-year relationship ended and she had no place to live. Meg had volunteered to room together and the friendship had blossomed from there. It was nice to have that in her life after keeping herself isolated for so long.
Stephanie examined Meg with a questioning look. “I am.”
“It’s just a conversation,” Meg said to herself as she walked outside, bracing herself against the blast of frigid air. Her small SUV was parked in the lot behind the office. “I speak to people every day.”
“And you’re pretty darn good at it, too.” Stephanie closed and locked the door behind them. It was Friday and they’d let the receptionist go early so she could watch the tree-lighting ceremony. “But anything about this guy gives you pause and I’m only two blocks away. I can be at the restaurant in less than five minutes.” Stephanie snapped her fingers.
Meg froze as an awkward thought struck. “What if he doesn’t remember me?”
“It’s only been a year, Meg. You said that he’d been clear about not being the type to settle down, but I seriously doubt you’d spend time with anyone who was that much of a jerk.” Stephanie jangled her keys. “Besides, I’m following you in my car in case you both remember all too well and decide to get to know each other again while I babysit.” Stephanie wiggled her eyebrows.
Meg held back the laugh trying to force its way out of her throat. Wyatt Jackson didn’t want anything to do with her.
“I had to email him half a dozen times in order to get a response. If he remembers me at all from a year ago, he obviously wasn’t too impressed.” Meg secured Aubrey in her car seat in Stephanie’s car. The baby stretched but didn’t wake. She’d had a bottle twenty minutes ago so, fingers crossed, that should buy Meg a couple of hours to do what she should’ve done months ago before the baby arrived. Shoving the guilt aside, she climbed into the driver’s seat.
Meg glanced around with that awful feeling of someone watching her. Her stress levels were already on an upward trajectory and this made it worse. It was probably nothing more than the thought of facing her baby’s father that had her insides braided and the tiny hairs on her arms standing at attention. Or maybe it was the time of year. The holidays. The cold. The memories...
Meg glanced at the rearview. No one was there. She started the vehicle.
