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Their Surprise Daddy
Ruth Logan Herne
Instant FamilyCruz Maldonado has vowed to provide for his beloved cousin’s orphans. With his estranged mother’s health failing, they might soon be Cruz’s only family. But the kids’ immigration status brings complications. Mostly “Miss Rory”—their idealistic young teacher—and Cruz’s court-appointed co-guardian. Cruz has the means to give the kids a good home, yet Rory Gallagher wonders whether he has the heart. That is until she glimpses the sweet small-town boy inside the polished, handsome Wall Street exterior. Soon they both begin to wonder if this temporary partnership could turn into more—a chance to raise the children as husband and wife.
Instant Family
Cruz Maldonado has vowed to provide for his beloved cousin’s orphans. With his estranged mother’s health failing, they might soon be Cruz’s only family. But the kids’ immigration status brings complications. Mostly “Miss Rory”—their idealistic young teacher—and Cruz’s court-appointed co-guardian. Cruz has the means to give the kids a good home, yet Rory Gallagher wonders whether he has the heart. That is, until she glimpses the sweet small-town boy inside the polished, handsome Wall Street exterior. Soon they both begin to wonder if this temporary partnership could turn into more—a chance to raise the children as husband and wife.
Cruz didn’t move.
He sat right there while Rory smooched little Javier and ruffled his hair, and when she was done kissing him, Cruz leaned in and kissed the boy, too. They said one last good-night, then he followed her out, into the hall. Before they were halfway down the stairs, she paused and looked back. “You surprised me in there.”
“Because I knew prayers?”
“Not that.” She stayed on the second step and faced him. “You kissed them good-night.”
“I believe that’s customary with small children, isn’t it?”
“It is, but you don’t have small children, do you?”
He shook his head.
“And I don’t expect you do a lot of babysitting in Manhattan.”
“No, again.”
She almost spoke again, then stopped herself. “I just thought it was nice, that’s all. You made them smile.”
She started back down the stairs to rejoin the others. Five little words made her stop again.
“That’s why I did it.”
She turned and looked up, and when she did, her heart did that shuffle-step dance once more.
Multipublished, bestselling author RUTH LOGAN HERNE loves God, her country, her family, dogs, chocolate and coffee! Married to a very patient man, she lives in an old farmhouse in upstate New York and thinks possums should leave the cat food alone and snakes should always live outside. There are no exceptions to either rule! Visit Ruthy at ruthloganherne.com (http://www.ruthloganherne.com).
Their Surprise Daddy
Ruth Logan Herne
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
“And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says the Lord Almighty.
—2 Corinthians 6:18
To my dear friend Mia Ross,
who has shared a delightful number of years
with me… Thank you for always being
a shining light of common sense and humor!
We are so blessed to be able to work together!
Acknowledgments (#u56b2b744-d86f-5702-9b05-003e1875c985)
To my sons, Luke and Zach, whose lives in Lower Manhattan help me mold characters from all walks of life, and to my amazing editor, Melissa Endlich, whose keen eye helped hone the lump of coal into a polished gem of a story! Thank you!
To show respect for our police forces across the USA, all men in the Grace Haven series have been given names of fallen police officers, both local officers here in my upstate area (A. J. Sperr and Daryl Pierson) and from the 2014 fallen-officer list provided on the Downed Officers website. My husband and I have friends and family who wear the uniform with pride and grace, and our respect for them never falters. Cruz Maldonado was named for Deputy Sheriff Steven LaCruz “Cruz” Thomas of California.
Huge thanks to my beautiful friends Karen and Matt Varricchio of Canandaigua for their help on locations, seasonal workers and life in a Finger Lakes town. We love you guys!
Contents
Cover (#u73e3f7ce-a39a-5085-a77a-e27c912488f2)
Back Cover Text (#ub340cae1-b733-5390-aad9-476258597e44)
Introduction (#u40f90821-8de7-58d8-b5b9-f8704d7f0306)
About the Author (#u604ba0ea-7233-51cc-a074-b8aab6fda28b)
Title Page (#uba8b419b-1684-5e4d-bddd-9d17b19f7d20)
Bible Verse (#uac66d3f6-51eb-525a-b259-0d0cf068d65b)
Dedication (#ub3989f12-5c75-5352-a188-0fac8b225d6c)
Chapter One (#u87045b1f-a08b-568d-910c-f2f6517b5a73)
Chapter Two (#ufe650fcd-0077-5e50-ad80-fe56c68f1b74)
Chapter Three (#u1500c1a5-48b9-5289-adc9-b23abd8abf8e)
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)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Dear Reader (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#u56b2b744-d86f-5702-9b05-003e1875c985)
One minute Cruz Maldonado was a sought-after Manhattan financial investor with a law degree, a force to be reckoned with on Wall Street.
The next he was the guardian for two children whose existence probably sprang from the jaws of Mexican cartels.
This couldn’t be happening. And yet, it was.
Cruz frowned as he drove his pricey rental car toward the Grace Haven town hall. The long midsummer day gave him a good view of the hometown he hadn’t seen in years. At some point he’d greet the mother he hadn’t visited since his father’s funeral, the woman who’d raised him to be just as tough and jaded as she was.
You need to come home, Cruz, Reverend Steve Gallagher had told him during the unexpected phone call that morning. Two kids, no records, a falsified paper trail and your mother’s dealing with heart disease complicated by type 2 diabetes, seriously compromising her health. It would be wrong of me to make any decisions without you.
Cruz didn’t just tamp his emotions down. He fought them into submission. For long years he hadn’t heard from his mother. His phone calls went straight to voice mail. His Christmas gifts came back, unopened. By the fifth year, he’d stopped trying and worked to make himself one of New York City’s toughest investment funds managers, respected in international circles, and he’d succeeded.
And now this.
He checked his watch. Whatever was going on, whatever mess his mother had gotten herself into, he had every intention of returning to the city the next morning. By afternoon he’d hand in the keys of the upscale rental car and return to his desk overlooking the Hudson. Tomorrow afternoon couldn’t get here soon enough.
He parked the car and strode inside, legally and mentally prepared to put an end to the nonsense. He rounded the corner of the quaint town hall, then thrust out his arms to keep from barreling into a young woman carrying a small child. “Whoa.”
“Whoa?” The little boy placed tiny hands over his mouth and giggled out loud. “He finks you’re a horse, Miss Wory.”
“Does he now?” The woman—the beautiful woman—raised her eyes to his while his grip kept her from slipping to the floor.
“No. He doesn’t.” Cruz held her gaze and her attention as he quickly corrected the boy’s assertion. He arched his right brow, nice and slow. “He doesn’t think you’re a horse at all. In fact, that would be about the last thing he’d think while looking at you.”
“’Cause she’s not, siwwy.” The child giggled again, a happy sound, about as unfamiliar to Cruz now as it had been when he was growing up in Grace Haven. “She’s my teacher!”
Cruz made sure she was steady before releasing her arms, then acknowledged the boy’s statement with a frank glance of appreciation. “I lived here for eighteen years. I never had a teacher that looked like this.” She had gorgeous eyes, a mix of caramel and gold that matched her long tawny hair.
She started to reply, but then the boy turned her way, plainly worried. “Huwwy, Miss Wory! Huwwy.”
She hustled the child to the restrooms down the hall while Cruz entered the small courtroom marked “Judge Murdoch” on the door.
“Cruz.” Reverend Steve Gallagher saw him come through the door and quickly moved forward extending his hand. “Welcome home.” Steve oversaw a local church and the antiquated abbey abutting Casa Blanca, the picturesque vineyard and event center where Cruz grew up.
This wasn’t home, and it hadn’t really been home when he lived there, but he wasn’t going to argue with the cleric. Steve Gallagher was a fine man and a great neighbor. Cruz gripped his hand. “It’s good to see you, Reverend Gallagher.”
“Good to see you, too, son, but we’re all grown up. Steve works just fine.” The reverend clasped his hand in a firm, friendly grip. He motioned to the man standing nearby. “This is Judge Murdoch. Your mother’s case was brought to his attention.”
As Cruz reached out to shake the other man’s hand, Steve added, “Thanks for getting here so quickly.”
Cruz turned his attention back to Steve. “You left me little choice, and I’m fairly certain you knew the summons was out of left field and issued it, anyway.”
“Because you and your mother haven’t spoken in years.” Direct and honest, two qualities Cruz had always liked about Steve.
“My father played intermediary. Once he was gone, well...” Cruz shrugged. “My mother made it plain I wasn’t needed or welcome here.”
“You’re needed now.”
Cruz was needed, but not in this full-of-itself, old-fashioned town. He was needed right where he’d been up until five and a half hours ago, tucked in Lower Manhattan, making more money than most men see in a lifetime. “Reverend, I—”
“Ah, Rory, perfect.” The reverend smiled beyond him, as if he’d said nothing. “I’m glad you’re back.”
“It seems I’m not the only one being offered limited options,” she told Steve. Cruz had to hand it to her. Dissing clergy wasn’t a skill that got practiced much, even in Manhattan.
Steve Gallagher laughed, unaffronted. “True enough. Cruz, meet my niece, Aurora Gallagher. She’s the summertime pre-K teacher here in Grace Haven. And this—” he reached out and palmed the little guy’s head “—is Javier. He’s the youngest of your new responsibilities.”
Cruz stared from the cute kid to the minister. “Reverend Gallagher—Steve,” he corrected himself. “You’ve got this all wrong. There’s no way I can—”
“I found a toad, Reverend Steve!” A little girl sporting twin ponytails bounded through the door. Her presence hiked the room’s energy level as she slid to a stop near Steve’s legs.
“A lively one at that,” Steve replied. The gray-green toad bounded to the floor from her tiny fingers. “Cruz.” His tone changed. Softened. “This is Liliana.”
The girl didn’t peek up at him like her brother had done. She lifted her gaze as if excited by all life had to offer, brows raised, brown eyes sparkling, and grinned.
Elina.
The child was the absolute image of her mother, his beloved cousin, playmate and childhood best friend. Through all the turbulence of his parents’ marriage, Elina had looked after him, played with him and sheltered him. He owed her. He owed her so much, and yet he’d let time and space separate them long ago, and never looked back.
He swallowed hard, facing Elina’s daughter, and knew what he had to do, but hated having to do it because the last place Cruz wanted to be was in Grace Haven, New York.
“Tara, can you take the kids down the hall to see the aquarium? Cruz, you remember my daughter, Tara, don’t you?”
Cruz smiled and extended a hand in greeting. “I believe you had pigtails and braces when we last met.”
“An awkward stage only recently corrected,” Tara replied, laughing. She shook his hand, then took the little fellow from her cousin. “I’ll keep these guys busy for a few minutes while you make plans.”
The only plan Cruz intended to make involved a checkbook and an escape route.
“Our church is part of the ICM,” Steve told him.
