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His Honour, Her Family
Tara Randel
She could be The OneIf he’ll let her in.The rustic mountain town is the ideal place for crime scene investigator Deke Matthews to heal after a tragedy left him questioning everything. But there’s another reason he’s here, and moonlighting as an adventure guide provides the perfect cover. It doesn’t include falling for his boss. Attorney Grace Harper’s back in Golden, Georgia, only long enough to save her family business. Just when Deke has found the woman to share his life…Meet Me at the Altar
She could be The One
If he’ll let her in.
The rustic mountain town of Golden, Georgia, is the ideal place for crime scene investigator Deke Matthews to heal after a tragedy left him questioning everything. But there’s another reason he’s here, and moonlighting as an adventure guide provides the perfect cover. It doesn’t include falling for his boss. Attorney Grace Harper is back in Golden only long enough to save her family business. Just when Deke has found the woman to share his life with...
TARA RANDEL is an award-winning, USA TODAY bestselling author of fifteen novels. Family values, a bit of mystery and, of course, love and romance are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Tara lives on the west coast of Florida, where gorgeous sunsets and beautiful weather inspire the creation of heartwarming stories. This is her eighth book for Harlequin Heartwarming. Visit Tara at tararandel.com (http://www.tararandel.com) and like her on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pg/TaraRandelBooks/about/) at Tara Randel Books.
Also By Tara Randel (#u814b1cb9-63d4-557d-b6b7-6bf353ac817e)
Meet Me at the Altar
The Lawman’s Secret Vow
The Business of Weddings
His One and Only Bride
The Wedding March
The Bridal Bouquet
Honeysuckle Bride
Magnolia Bride
Orange Blossom Brides
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk).
His Honour, Her Family
Tara Randel
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-09472-6
HIS HONOUR, HER FAMILY
© 2019 Tara Spicer
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)
Version Date: 2018-11-23
She pulled away. “I think we should head back.”
“Grace, I’m sorry if I stepped over the line.”
“It’s...” She waved her hand as if to brush the kiss away, and the gesture hit him like a punch to the gut.
“You work for me, Deke. And without my brother’s extra pair of hands, I can’t risk messing up and having you leave me shorthanded.”
Her words sobered him. Work. She was all about work.
Sliding from the boulder, he held out his hand to help her down. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t disappointed by her decision, but he understood. She’d been looking out for her family for years before he came into her life. Wasn’t he here because of that same loyalty to family? Grace wasn’t the type to throw caution to the wind and start something with him that might affect the family business in a negative way. Made him admire her all the more for her stand, while at the same time, his heart wavered with a funny ache.
Dear Reader (#u814b1cb9-63d4-557d-b6b7-6bf353ac817e),
Welcome back to the Meet Me at the Altar series. In His Honor, Her Family, we continue spending time with the Matthews brothers. This book features Deke Matthews and a woman who is more than his match.
When a work tragedy has Deke rethinking his life, he takes a leave of absence and escapes to the mountains of North Georgia for much-needed solace. He wants silence and a chance to reflect on his future, including the law enforcement job that has been his entire focus. What he gets is Grace Harper.
Grace has always put her family first, despite her personal goal of escaping Golden, Georgia. Deke’s arrival makes her question things, and soon the undeniable attraction Deke and Grace share brings about some great moments and difficult decisions.
Then there’s the ongoing Matthews family quest to find out who, exactly, their widowed mother is dating. And the enchanting town of Golden. Nestled in the mountains, the colorful spot is full of rich characters and picturesque locations. If you love stories set in small towns, you’ll fall for Golden.
There are so many twists and turns in life, but the secret is how we handle each upheaval thrown our way. Join me for Deke and Grace’s journey as they discover the meanings of commitment, family and, most important, love.
Happy reading!
Tara
To my wonderful editor, Kathryn Lye.
Thanks so much for your insight and support.
It is a pleasure working with you.
Contents
Cover (#udfb5b226-89f3-5f42-ac6b-33452ab41289)
Back Cover Text (#u12534dc6-587d-58b2-896b-9ce7b414f0e1)
About the Author (#ud17c78dd-7d9f-5f57-9a2c-098cd4572c7e)
Booklist (#u370512c4-ecc0-5871-b536-7233ad8081a4)
Title Page (#u37201e4f-82c5-5f20-b639-469077ef9678)
Copyright (#u76ddc189-5159-50d0-984b-f40001d22868)
Introduction (#udf5d72d8-10f4-5949-adde-99ac45dd9839)
Dear Reader (#ub467868d-5e49-59ca-b52f-411273592899)
Dedication (#u220f2429-b843-5151-9f93-a3eda4d435a2)
CHAPTER ONE (#ubbe64c25-4634-5858-836b-de70e628df65)
CHAPTER TWO (#u41f3e0a1-2771-5a69-bf0c-dc52d7289688)
CHAPTER THREE (#udd112935-0c9e-53b1-a1a3-fd3f4a25fded)
CHAPTER FOUR (#uf383a2a6-c885-5f43-b3a6-d53bab7faf06)
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)
Excerpt (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE (#u814b1cb9-63d4-557d-b6b7-6bf353ac817e)
GRACE HARPER LOOKED up from the paper-strewn desk as the office door opened, bringing with it a warm breeze blowing in leaves that had yet to be swept away from the outside entrance. A tall man strode to the counter with purpose. He removed his polarized sunglasses, his dark gaze meeting hers as he brushed a stray leaf from his short brown hair.
“I’m here about the job,” he said, his deep voice succinct and to the point.
Thank goodness. She’d been back at the Put Your Feet Up vacation and rental business office for only two days. It was Wednesday and already she wanted to pull her hair out. As much as she desperately needed a new outdoor guide—thanks for bailing, Nathan—the idea of holding a job interview on top of straightening up the mess Mama had left behind was enough to give her a pounding headache. Which, she believed, was already knocking at her temples.
She sent him a pleasant smile. “What would you like to know?”
He nodded toward the door. “From the help-wanted sign out front advertising for a tour guide, and the fact that you offer outdoor vacations, I’m guessing you’re shorthanded. So what would the job entail?”
“First, yes, we’re shorthanded. My mother normally handles the office, but she was injured, so I’m filling in temporarily.” She stuck out her hand. “Grace Harper.”
Strong fingers enveloped hers. “Deke Matthews.”
“Well, Mr. Matthews, I need someone who can hike, fish, canoe, kayak and zip-line, to start with.” She handed him a brochure. “Our packages are listed here. I also need you to be able to manage a group of people and have first-aid knowledge.”
He scanned the glossy paper in his hands. “Isn’t it rather late to be hiring a guide with the summer season so close? It’s already the end of May.”
Biting the inside of her cheek, she wanted to scream, “Yes.” Instead, she answered, “I’m afraid my mother’s accident set us behind and our only other guide has been out of touch.”
“I suppose you’ll want someone to start right away?”
“That would be ideal.”
He folded the brochure and met her gaze with his serious expression. “Then I’d like to apply.”
“That would be fine, but I’d like to ask you a few questions first. Get an idea if you’re a good match for the job.”
“Go ahead.”
“Do you have any experience in specific outdoor activities?”
“I was a senior counselor at summer camp when I was a teenager.”
She swallowed in disappointment. “Anything more recent?”
“I’ve been hiking the Appalachian Trail for the past two weeks.”
Okay, that was pretty hard-core outdoorsy stuff.
“Any experience leading tour groups?”
“No, but I like the outdoors. I think this will be a good fit for me.”
She didn’t need an employee who thought he was a good fit, she needed someone who knew what he was doing. And who would keep her from traipsing through the woods or venturing out on the lake. She was an attorney, for Pete’s sake. Not a tour guide. Not anymore.
