скачать книгу бесплатно
Something To Treasure
Virginia McCullough
If anyone can save him, she's the oneJerrod Walters hopes relocating to the coastal town of Two Moon Bay can be the fresh start he and his young daughter need. But the single dad is caught off guard when a beautiful PR professional offers to promote his diving excursions to legendary shipwreck sites.There’s so much he admires about Dawn Larson, starting with the woman's upbeat, can-do personality. Dawn’s boundless capacity for joy might be the only thing capable of bringing him back to life after his tragic loss…
If anyone can save him, she’s the one
Jerrod Walters hopes relocating to the coastal town of Two Moon Bay can be the fresh start he and his young daughter need. But the single dad is caught off guard when a beautiful PR professional offers to promote his diving excursions to legendary shipwreck sites. There’s so much he admires about Dawn Larson, starting with the woman’s upbeat, can-do personality. Dawn’s boundless capacity for joy might be the only thing capable of bringing him back to life after his tragic loss...
After a childhood spent on Chicago’s sandy beaches, VIRGINIA MCCULLOUGH moved to a rocky island in Maine, where she began writing magazine articles. She soon turned to coauthoring and ghostwriting nonfiction books, and eventually began listening to the fictional characters whispering in her ear. Today, when not writing stories, Virginia likes to wander the world.
To contact the author, please visit www.virginiamccullough.com (http://www.virginiamccullough.com), or find her on Twitter, @vemccullough (https://twitter.com/vemccullough), and Facebook, www.Facebook.com/virginia.mccullough.7 (https://www.facebook.com/virginia.mccullough.7).
Also By Virginia McCullough
Girl in the Spotlight
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk).
Something to Treasure
Virginia McCullough
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-08086-6
SOMETHING TO TREASURE
© 2018 Virginia McCullough
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.
® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
“I like you, Jerrod. I get the sense you like me.”
Dawn shook her head. “What I mean is, are we ever going to acknowledge this thing between us?”
His head jerked back. In an instant, the air around her changed. The sound of the waves lapping the shore grew louder.
“Say something, will you?” Was he going to leave her standing there feeling like a fool?
“I don’t know what to say, except that I’m sorry.” He took a couple of steps away from her. “You don’t want to like me in any way other than as a client and casual friend.”
In for a penny, in for a pound. In an instant that old saw had popped into her head. Why? Maybe because she was trembling and wasn’t thinking straight. But the adage fit. She’d taken a chance and might as well commit to it all the way. “Is that so? Well, then tell me, why is that?”
“Because the good things about you don’t make up for what’s missing in me.”
Dear Reader (#ua16373bd-4ee7-5463-8d75-f1dc24fc31a9),
Welcome back to Two Moon Bay, Wisconsin, a small town on Lake Michigan. In Something to Treasure, the town is a place where both a newcomer and a longtime resident hope to find the changes and challenges they’ve been seeking. I’m delighted to offer a new look at the town so many readers were drawn to in my debut Harlequin Heartwarming book, Girl in the Spotlight.
Something to Treasure is about valuing the past and learning from the tragedies and losses it sometimes leaves us with. Two single parents, Jerrod and Dawn, meet when each is at a crossroads. Will they stay stuck in the past, or will they find the courage to take a chance on the future? Dawn and Jerrod’s story is about the fragility and strength of family bonds, the value of friendships and community, and a belief in possibilities.
Enjoy Something to Treasure, a story of hope, healing and second chances. I hope you’ll visit my website and sign up for my mailing list at www.virginiamccullough.com (http://www.virginiamccullough.com), or find me on Twitter, @vemccullough (https://twitter.com/vemccullough), and Facebook, www.Facebook.com/virginia.mccullough.7 (https://www.facebook.com/virginia.mccullough.7).
To Happy Endings,
Virginia McCullough
For my two grandsons, CJ and Kyle, adventurers in training.
Contents
Cover (#u1dea19de-7178-5b14-8b9f-eda568e9fb6d)
Back Cover Text (#u1b5adffc-5428-5b15-ae3e-8791d867a1f8)
About the Author (#u7496db77-c4ad-558c-8315-ac5974a67bf9)
Booklist (#uef8cbbd2-4c9c-527a-9597-8d622a73b769)
Title Page (#ubc9d3003-acf5-5209-89a5-48192df61a6d)
Copyright (#u67f2a1f6-746f-59f6-964f-307d93769355)
Introduction (#ub57b913e-74ff-5b1d-8aea-b1bed2e791fc)
Dear Reader (#u26d90bce-3c7d-5cb5-9b79-7e7ec5927ef3)
Dedication (#ubaf14789-f36b-5ba1-9517-34456a131e61)
Chapter One (#ud27768b0-06de-5a23-a199-b3c2903fd55c)
Chapter Two (#u7607cfc6-ea23-5923-bacd-7604edce60c6)
Chapter Three (#uca5b4152-e967-5366-8521-28d7fcc778ea)
Chapter Four (#udd279df4-4f51-56ec-b0c6-00b8c6afe53f)
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
Chapter One (#ua16373bd-4ee7-5463-8d75-f1dc24fc31a9)
CLUTCHING THE WOODEN plaque to her chest, Dawn Larsen laughed with joy at the sound of applause, along with the loud chant, “Speech, speech, speech.” Tingling with excitement, and almost reeling from a jolt of nervous energy, Dawn stepped up to the microphone to give her colleagues what they demanded.
“And to think I almost didn’t come to the conference this weekend.” She grinned at Barb, the conference chair and her good friend, who stood to the side of the podium. “But thanks to Barb, I’m here. She’s encouraged me every step of the way.”
Dawn held up the plaque and turned it so the audience could see the engraving: Outstanding Public Relations Campaign of the Year. “My clients, the owners of the party planning business, get some credit, too. Party Perfect is a great firm and a joy to promote. And this award is especially gratifying because my peers in public relations have honored me in this way.”
“Two firsts for you this weekend, Dawn,” Barb said, coming to stand next to her. “Your first conference presentation and your first award.”
Once again, the one hundred or so attendees broke into applause. Dawn took that as a signal to end her speech and called out, “Thanks again, everyone.” She gave the audience a quick wave and went to her seat at the panelists’ table, still in shock over receiving the award.
Barb quickly gave the group a rundown of the afternoon programs and then directed everyone to tables in the hall set up for their afternoon coffee break. “I’ll check out the snacks for us,” Barb said before heading out of the meeting room.
Her face still warm with excitement, Dawn stayed put. She wasn’t finished coming down to earth. Gradually, though, her heartbeat slowed and she began to feel like herself again.
She even tried to wiggle her toes inside her black high heels. If her feet could speak, though, they’d beg to be set free from the prison of the shoes. But then she ran her fingers down her opposite arm, enjoying the feel of the silky fabric of her new spring green suit. She chose the perfect color for her fair skin, and for this very occasion, her debut as a speaker at this professional conference. A milestone for Dawn. The award was the icing on the cake.
Finally, her attention back in the present, Dawn noticed a woman lingering in the room. She was occupying herself with looking out the meeting room window. Not much to see from the twenty-third floor, since the glass was being pelted with sleet that blocked the view of Lake Michigan. This April storm had started about the time Dawn had backed out of the driveway of her house in Two Moon Bay, Wisconsin, almost two days ago.
“Hi,” Dawn called out to the tiny older woman with a halo of salt-and-pepper curls. And who was wearing sensible flats, too.
“Hi, yourself,” she said, turning away from the window and approaching the table. “I’m Kym Nation. An old friend of Barb’s. Congratulations on your award, and that terrific talk. And I hung back in the room because I wanted to ask you about that town you’re from.”
Dawn shook the woman’s outstretched hand, amused at the teasing sparkle in Kym’s eyes. She pointed to a chair at the now empty panelists’ table. “Have a seat and tell me what you’d like to know about my corner of the world.”
Kym plunked a thick portfolio on the table. She folded one leg under her as she settled in the chair. “So, you really are from that place with the outrageously cute name, Two Moon Bay?”
Dawn chuckled at Kym’s mock skepticism. “I am, indeed. But people usually call the town’s name charming—or romantic and alluring. Not cute.”
Swatting the air, Kym said, “I know, I’m just joshing you a little. Couldn’t resist.” Her expression becoming serious, she added, “You see, not long ago, I talked to an old acquaintance of mine. He was telling me about his plan to relocate to Two Moon Bay—I had to get my road atlas out and find out where it was.” She paused. “That was a couple of months ago. He might even be there as we speak.”
“Really? Does he happen to have a business?” Dawn asked, more as a joke from one businesswoman to another than a serious question.
“As a matter of fact, he has a tourist business...diving and water tours,” Kym said. “I knew him a few years back when I was based in Key West. We’ve stayed in touch—the occasional phone calls and emails, that sort of thing. He contacted me because he needs some promo help. Brochures, ads, feature stories. And that’s just a start.”
“Tell me more,” Dawn said, curious about the newcomer to her hometown. “It’s true, the party planners are terrific clients, but I’m looking for some fresh challenges.”
“Well, okay, then,” Kym said, her features animated. “He runs scuba diving excursions and much tamer water tours for kids and older folks—anyone of any age who doesn’t want to dive but would like to spend a little time out on a boat. He told me he leased dock space up in Two Moon Bay. He plans to take divers out to some legendary shipwrecks off the coast. That’s his specialty, shipwrecks.” Kym’s eyes sparkled. “I didn’t know there were any wrecks up your way?”
Playfully taking the bait, Dawn held up her left hand and ran her opposite index finger along the outside of her thumb. “People describe Wisconsin like a mitten, and this is the peninsula that forms the thumb. Two Moon Bay is along the lower edge of the peninsula. And there are shipwrecks up and down the whole coast—in all the Great Lakes, as a matter of fact.” She made big circles in the air with her index finger.
Kym threw up her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, I get it. Seems he was raised on one of those lakes and had relatives who worked on boats way back when. Must have sparked something in him, because he’s been exploring shipwrecks all over the world for years now.”
“Was he a client of yours?” Dawn asked.
Kim paused, frowning. “Not exactly. He had a couple of dive boats in Key West back when my husband and I ran a tourist information kiosk near the docks.” She rubbed at what seemed like an imaginary spot on the back of her hand. Without looking up, she said, “We got to know all the folks doing tours and such.”
Why the hesitation, and why so serious all of a sudden?
“My ex-husband and I got our scuba diving certifications at home and then did some diving in the Caribbean on a vacation once.” Dawn left her discussion of diving at that. Otherwise, she might have meandered into unpleasant memories. She’d only mentioned it to reassure Kym she had what it took to promote a marine business. She trembled a bit inside, but brushed the negative memories out of her mind.
Scuba aside, promoting an outdoor venture appealed, especially now that the cold Midwest winter would soon give way to spring. It wouldn’t be long before the orchards transformed the landscape into clouds of pink and white blossoms and tourists flocked to town.
“We have kayaking and diving businesses operating on the shore in Wisconsin all summer.” In a deliberately amused tone, she added, “By the way, Kym, you wouldn’t believe the number of books written about shipwrecks—just in Lake Michigan alone.”
“So, is it okay if I pass on your information?” Kym patted her portfolio. “I already picked up your press kit off the display table.”
“By all means,” she said. “I’d be happy to talk to your friend. What’s his name?”
Kym stared out into the empty room. “Jerrod Walters.”
Dawn waited, sensing Kym was gathering her thoughts.
“Uh, I don’t want to overstate this, but he’s not...” Kym paused. “He’s not an exuberant kind of guy.”
Hmm...what did that mean? “Could you elaborate on that a little?”
Keeping her gaze lowered, Kym fidgeted with a corner of her portfolio. “Let’s just say he’s known some trouble.”
Dawn released the breath she’d been holding and folded her arms across her chest. “It’s a good thing that’s not a disqualifier. I’ve had a spot of trouble now and again myself.” She expected to see Kym smile at that, but she didn’t.
Despite the woman’s somber expression, Dawn wouldn’t second-guess a referral just yet. Even one new client could mean a solid return on the investment she’d made to come to this conference. Besides, much as she’d enjoyed working with Party Perfect, the thought of a guy with an adventure business whetted her appetite. Hadn’t she come to the conference because she wanted to stretch professionally? This might be the opportunity she’d been looking for.
