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Hunter's Vow
SUSAN MEIER
Abby Conway spent the past seven years in Brewster County waiting for her first love, Hunter Wyman, to ride back into town. Her fantasies painted him as a knight on a white horse. Reality revealed a polished businessman. Either way, Abby knew that when Hunter discovered the secret she'd kept hidden, he would try to reclaim what was his.As Hunter's persuasive gray eyes and strong arms stirred up a soul-searching passion, Abby found herself torn between temptation and self-preservation. She didn't want his grandiose gifts of reconciliation. She wanted the one promise her beloved wasn't ready to give–she wanted Hunter's Vow to forever love and cherish.
“I know why you’re here,” she said quietly.
Hunter sighed heavily. “Oh, God. I’m not quite sure where to start…what to say.” He gave her another genuine, heartfelt smile.
The tenderness of his expression hit her right in the heart, but despite her fantasies she recognized she couldn’t take that personally. Any kindness Hunter extended was merely courtesy necessary for good communications and a good relationship for Tyler’s sake….
“Tyler’s at school right now, but he’ll be home about three.”
Hunter’s brow furrowed. He stared at her. “Excuse me?”
She cleared her throat. “Tyler, our son, is at school right now. But he’ll be home about three.”
Hunter grabbed Abby’s wrist to interrupt her. “Tyler? Our son?” he repeated, his face white with shock. “We have a son?”
She wet her dry lips. “Hunter…”
“Abby, do you really believe I would have left you?” He caught her gaze. “That I would have left a child…my son?”
Dear Reader,
This holiday season, as our anniversary year draws to a close, we have much to celebrate. The talented authors who have published—and continue to publish—unforgettable love stories. You, the readers, who have made our twenty-year milestone possible. And this month’s very special offerings.
First stop: BACHELOR GULCH, Sandra Steffen’s popular ongoing miniseries. They’d shared an amazing night together; now a beguiling stranger was back in his life carrying Sky’s Pride and Joy. She’d dreamed Hunter’s Vow would be the marrying kind…until he learned about their child he’d never known existed—don’t miss this keeper by Susan Meier! Carolyn Zane’s BRUBAKER BRIDES are back! Montana’s Feisty Cowgirl thought she could pass as just another male ranch hand, but Montana wouldn’t rest till he knew her secrets…and made this 100% woman completely his!
Donna Clayton’s SINGLE DOCTOR DADS return…STAT. Rachel and the M.D. were office assistant and employer…so why was she imagining herself this widower’s bride and his triplets’ mother? Diana Whitney brings her adorable STORK EXPRESS series from Special Edition into Romance with the delightful story of what happens when Mixing Business…with Baby. And debut author Belinda Barnes tells the charming tale of a jilted groom who finds himself all dressed up…to deliver a pregnant beauty’s baby—don’t miss His Special Delivery!
Thank you for celebrating our 20th anniversary. In 2001 we’ll have even more excitement—the return of ROYALLY WED and Marie Ferrarella’s 100th book, to name a couple!
Happy reading!
Mary-Theresa Hussey
Senior Editor
Hunter’s Vow
Susan Meier
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Books by Susan Meier
Silhouette Romance
Stand-in Mom #1022
Temporarily Hers #1109
Wife in Training #1184
Merry Christmas, Daddy #1192
* (#litres_trial_promo)In Care of the Sheriff #1283
* (#litres_trial_promo)Guess What? We’re Married! #1338
Husband from 9 to 5 #1354
* (#litres_trial_promo)The Rancher and the Heiress #1374
? (#litres_trial_promo)The Baby Bequest #1420
? (#litres_trial_promo)Bringing Up Babies #1427
? (#litres_trial_promo)Oh, Babies! #1433
His Expectant Neighbor #1468
Hunter’s Vow #1487
Silhouette Desire
Take the Risk #567
SUSAN MEIER
has written category romances for Silhouette Romance and Silhouette Desire. A full-time writer, Susan has also been an employee of a major defense contractor, a columnist for a small newspaper and a division manager of a charitable organization. But the greatest joy in her life has always been her children, who constantly surprise and amaze her. Married for twenty years to her wonderful, understanding and gorgeous husband, Michael, Susan cherishes her roles as mother, wife, sister and friend, believing them to be life’s real treasures. She not only cherishes those roles as gifts, she tries to convey the beauty and importance of loving relationships in her books.
Contents
Chapter One (#u4452ef3b-0424-57e6-888d-41cbdb48810e)
Chapter Two (#u034a144d-59b0-558e-aadd-b65d9c27815f)
Chapter Three (#u5658c3fc-3791-5937-b577-52f4c5e87aaa)
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 One
Abby Conway had always believed Hunter Wyman would return to Brewster County for her.
Except in her dreams and fantasies, he had been wearing armor and riding a white horse. Handsome, virile, masterful, he would swoop down, securely grasp her wrist and scoop her up, nestling her between his hard chest and the horse’s reins. His warmth would enfold her, his strength would protect her.
She never once pictured him standing on the back porch of her bed-and-breakfast, shielding himself from a heavy April downpour with a neat black umbrella. Though she had clearly envisioned his beautiful gray-green eyes and his chiseled features, she never saw an expensive taupe trench coat casually slung over the shoulders of an even more expensive black suit.
And never, ever, in her dreams had she been standing in her kitchen, her red hair haphazardly tied in a knot at the top of her head, her jeans and sweatshirt threadbare and outdated, her nose dotted with flour.
“Hunter,” she said weakly because, frankly, that was all she could manage.
He smiled. “Abby.” Though almost seven years had passed and volumes and volumes of pain stood between them, his eyes warmed, his smile grew. “It is so damned good to see you.”
Abby’s eyes misted and her heart thumped. “It’s so damned good to see you, too,” she said, and swallowed the lump of emotion that tightened her throat.
“May I come in?”
She knew there was no reason to keep him out, yet she glanced around uneasily. Old habit, she supposed.
“Sure.”
She pushed on the ancient wooden screen door and granted him entry. Careful, polite, he stepped into her green-and-yellow kitchen. Holding the door open, he turned to lean his umbrella against the wall of her porch, then faced her with another broad smile.
“I can’t believe I’m really here.”
“I can’t believe you’re really here, either,” she said, meaning it. Her mind was working a thousand miles a second, pulling her out of her fantasy and grounding her in truth and reality. If he wanted her, he could have come back years ago. Given that he hadn’t, she had to force herself to see and understand that he was here only for his son.
Honesty compelled her to admit that if Hunter had come to claim Tyler after leaving her to have their baby by herself, there was a part of her that wanted to rail against him for the suffering of seven long, difficult years. However, there was another part of her that was too cold and tired to fight. In the last four years, the family fortune had been eaten up by medical bills and both of her parents had died. She was alone and broke and needed help, but more than that she was beginning to see that Tyler missed the influence of a man. She could raise him by herself, but Tyler would know life only as a one-dimensional struggle.
So, if Hunter Wyman wanted to be in his son’s life, Abby was willing to admit he needed to be there. Pragmatic and poor, she was also willing to concede his return was better late than never.
“I think I know why you’re here,” she said quietly.
Hunter sighed heavily. “Oh, God, what a relief. I wasn’t quite sure where to start…what to say.” He gave her another genuine, heartfelt smile. “I should have known better.”
The tenderness of his expression hit her right in the heart, but despite her fantasies she recognized she couldn’t take that personally. Any kindness Hunter extended to her was merely courtesy necessary for good communications and a good relationship for Tyler’s sake.
“Tyler’s at school right now, but he’ll be home at about three….”
Hunter’s brow furrowed. He stared at her. “Excuse me?”
She cleared her throat. “Tyler, our son, is at school right now. But he’ll be home at about three.”
Hunter grabbed her wrist to interrupt her. “Tyler? Our son?” he repeated, his face white with shock. “We have a son?”
She gaped at him. He couldn’t possibly be denying it! “You knew very well I was pregnant when you left.”
“Abby, your parents told me our baby had died.”
The blood drained from her face. “What?”
Hunter dropped her arm and ran his hand across his eyes. “Your parents told me you’d miscarried, Abby. That you didn’t want to see me…that you blamed me for losing the baby because I’d upset you…That’s why I left town…” He rubbed his fingers over his eyes again. “Oh, dear God.”
Oh, dear God was right, Abby thought, falling to one of the chairs around her kitchen table. As if the impact of seeing Hunter after so many years wasn’t enough, the realization that her parents could have been so cruel finished the job of buckling her knees. Her parents hadn’t liked Hunter, but Abby never thought they’d hated him enough to ruin her life—or to deprive Tyler of a father.
She wet her dry lips. “Hunter…”
“Abby, do you really believe I would have left you?” He turned, caught her gaze. “That I would have left a child…my son?”
At eighteen, alone, scared, pregnant, listening to the explanations of two parents she believed loved her, Abby had thought it all made sense. At twenty-five, looking into Hunter’s candid eyes, his compelling face, she knew the truth. It hurt so much that her hands began to tremble. “Oh, God.”
Hunter drew a long breath. “Okay, let’s not panic,” he said. “I came here to apologize to you for leaving without saying goodbye and to get your forgiveness so we could both let go of the past. The plan has changed a little bit, but that doesn’t mean we can’t work this out.”
The first half of his words reassured her, the second half didn’t sound like Hunter at all. Confused, she surreptitiously peeked at his sedate trench coat, his expensive black suit, the shoes that probably cost more than she’d paid for Tyler’s entire school wardrobe, and it suddenly hit her that seven years had passed. Seven winters, springs, summers and falls. Seven Christmases. Seven Thanksgivings.
Though the daydream that got her through many a difficult day had been having Hunter Wyman ride up on a white stallion to take her and Tyler away from all their troubles, the truth of the matter was she didn’t really know this man at all.
Worse, he said he had come to get her forgiveness so he could let go of the past—which meant he wanted to let go of her.
He wanted to forget her.
He had as much as come right out and said it.
“Why didn’t you tell me about Tyler?” Hunter demanded of his best friend and partner, Grant Brewster, as he paced the floor of Grant’s den.
Tall, muscular, black-haired Grant leaned back on the burgundy leather chair behind the huge mahogany desk. Though Norm Brewster had died the year before, the familiar study was still the headquarters for the Brewster fortune and the old chair still the seat of power.
Grant crossed his arms on his massive chest. “How the hell was I supposed to know you didn’t know?”
“How could I have known?”
“You left town in the middle of the rumors that Abby was pregnant. The whole town knew she was having your baby. I figured you had your reasons for leaving and if you wanted me to know them, you would tell me.”
Hunter sighed. “Her parents told me she had miscarried.”
Grant conceded that point with a nod.
Hunter sighed wearily. “I should have realized they lied.”
