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Addie Gets Her Man
Angel Smits
The one thing she's been missing in life?The last time Addie Hawkins loved a man, it ended tragically. Years later she's doing fine, even managing to ignore the hole in her heart—mostly. But things start to unravel when widower Marcus Skylar and his teenage son, Ryan, move into her old childhood home.Being around them forces Addie to face past decisions while also bringing her a sense of healing she never thought possible. Yet even if Addie is ready to give love another chance, can she convince Marcus that family is worth the risk of letting go of his pain and opening his heart again?
The one thing she’s been missing in life?
The last time Addie Hawkins loved a man, it ended tragically. Years later she’s doing fine, even managing to ignore the hole in her heart—mostly. But things start to unravel when widower Marcus Skylar and his teenage son, Ryan, move into her old childhood home.
Being around them forces Addie to face past decisions while also bringing her a sense of healing she never thought possible. Yet even if Addie is ready to give love another chance, can she convince Marcus that family is worth the risk of letting go of his pain and opening his heart again?
ANGEL SMITS shares a big yellow house, complete with gingerbread and a porch swing, in Colorado with her husband, daughter and Maggie, their border collie mix. Winning the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart® Award was the highlight of her writing career, until her first Harlequin book hit the shelves. Her social work background inspires her characters while improv writing allows her to torture them. It’s a rough job, but someone’s got to do it.
Also By Angel Smits (#u8b75dc5e-5d60-5802-9914-eee9436e0f88)
A Chair at the Hawkins Table
Last Chance at the Someday Café
The Ballerina’s Stand
The Marine Finds His Family
A Family for Tyler
Seeking Shelter
A Message for Julia
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Addie Gets Her Man
Angel Smits
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-08472-7
ADDIE GETS HER MAN
© 2018 Angel Smits
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)
“What about you? Ever been in love? Married? Almost married?”
Something changed with that question, and as soon as Marcus looked in Addie’s eyes, he regretted asking. She’d been happy, enjoying sharing her life with him. But now there were shutters in her eyes that fell just as he got a glimpse of the pain.
“Once upon a time,” she whispered. “I believed in the fairy tale for me.” She fell silent. He didn’t ask anything more; he didn’t want to twist the knife that she obviously felt.
They’d reached the white picket fence surrounding her yard. He almost asked how a girl who lived in a house with a white picket fence could live in it alone, but he didn’t.
“Thanks for walking with me,” she hastily said and pushed the gate open, just as hastily closing it between them. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.” This time she rushed into the house, not looking back, not even to wave goodbye.
Why did he feel so disappointed?
Dear Reader (#u8b75dc5e-5d60-5802-9914-eee9436e0f88),
The hardest part of writing any book, for me, is the ending. I want to make sure I get it right so you, and I, feel the satisfaction of the happy ending that is romance.
But each book’s ending is also a moment to say goodbye to characters I’ve lived with, intimately, for months. In the case of my A Chair at the Hawkins Table series, for years.
Addie Hawkins has been with me since page one, since the Hawkins siblings first lost their mother and gathered around that dining room table to remember her. The joy I feel at finally giving her the happy ending she deserves makes saying goodbye easier. I hope you love Marcus as much as Addie and I do, and enjoy the final chapter of the series.
In this case, however, it’s more than a goodbye to these characters. It’s the last of the Superromance line. This has been my literary home for over ten years and eight books. And as a reader, for many years before that.
I have to thank so many people. The editors for letting me finish this series. That means so much to me. My fellow authors, who have given me friendship and guidance. And mostly all of you Superromance readers, who bought, read and love my stories and characters as much, if not more, than I do.
I’ll never forget any of you, and I hope our paths cross again. Please visit my website at angelsmits.com for the latest developments in the next stage of my writing journey. I’ll look for you there—and on the bookshelves of the future.
Angel Smits
The entire A Chair at the Hawkins Table series has been about siblings. And I’m lucky to have two very special ones of my own.
This is dedicated to Jeff Strong and April Wilkerson. I love you both, and am so glad you’re a part of my life. Thank you.
And to Ron. You always believe.
Contents
Cover (#u6fe554de-3aa1-5ac1-acab-0b16921fd303)
Back Cover Text (#ue942d7d0-3969-5125-a37b-ff229de06ef1)
About the Author (#u0c782a72-ce1d-5d8d-80e0-1ea76ea738e5)
Booklist (#u99d69e51-261e-544b-82d0-a1c64d1d8c46)
Title Page (#u0615f245-4aaa-5681-b348-d075450c6743)
Copyright (#u4a3ba058-dea9-5c59-9dfa-638e75b75de3)
Introduction (#uc78c778e-40d4-51ac-a5fe-a463b4533709)
Dear Reader (#ua8c39518-153e-5ea0-bffc-0d3fbd610ed1)
Dedication (#u31c4fadc-300a-5a75-8738-4942fbe39e42)
CHAPTER ONE (#u0ed08b26-52fe-5ad7-b819-39ad6b33a78c)
CHAPTER TWO (#u03fc71c7-f459-5d0d-9133-c720d36a53d6)
CHAPTER THREE (#u74729e54-872d-5a95-a235-ea1a105c30f5)
CHAPTER FOUR (#u1508f0e7-762b-5484-9293-47e8047a5e23)
CHAPTER FIVE (#u0724061a-5506-536a-afaa-92f802fa47b4)
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)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINETEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY (#litres_trial_promo)
EPILOGUE (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE (#u8b75dc5e-5d60-5802-9914-eee9436e0f88)
ADDIE HAWKINS STOOD next to her car, letting the remaining heat of the day wash over her. The Someday Café’s parking lot was nearly full, and from here, she could see the lobby was overflowing. Standing room only. Hopefully, they weren’t violating any fire code.
Addie was so proud of Tara. Her little sister had grown into a competent, beautiful young woman. Tara’s diner had nearly been destroyed in last month’s flooding. But she’d survived; she’d rebuilt, and tonight was the grand reopening.
Taking a deep breath, Addie turned to grab the baker’s box from the backseat of her car. Her special chocolate chip peanut butter cookies were nestled inside. It was a peace offering as well as a grand opening—uh, reopening—gift.
Tara had asked for the recipe, but Addie hadn’t been ready to share it then. She still wasn’t. This was a compromise.
“Please tell me that box is for me.” Her brother DJ’s voice came from behind her.
“Not a chance.” She smiled and almost took pity on him when she turned to face him and saw his smile fade. “These are Tara’s. You might be able to sweet-talk her out of one.”
“One?” He grimaced. “That’s lame.”
They walked toward the entrance together. “Where’s Tammie?” Her sister-in-law was in the last trimester of her pregnancy, and she hadn’t had an easy time of it.
“She’s already inside. Tyler—” He grinned as he mentioned his son. “He was ready to come over around noon, so we compromised. They were here about an hour ago.” His grin was indulgent and satisfied. The man was head over heels in love with his wife, with his whole family, and Addie was pleased to see it. They’d been through a lot to be together. DJ hadn’t even known about Tyler until he was eight, and once they’d found each other, a madman had nearly stolen everything. But here they were now, happy and their family expanding.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Doc says she’s right on schedule.” Was that a sweat breaking out on his brow? It was no secret that this whole having-a-baby thing was freaking out the former marine. Addie bit back a smile. The day they’d found out it was going to be a little girl, he’d nearly passed out in the doctor’s office. Tammie and Tyler still loved sharing that tidbit of information with everyone.
DJ hurried ahead and opened the door. Voices, the sound of clattering dishes and the delicious aroma of Tara’s cooking flowed over them. “Do you see Tara?” she yelled over the din.
DJ was taller than most everyone in the room, but he shook his head. “Wyatt and Emily are in the back corner. At the big table. Should be a little quieter over there,” he yelled and led the way through the crowd. Addie gripped the box, praying she wouldn’t drop it.
Getting through the room was a challenge. Everyone knew Wyatt and, of course, Tara, so by association the rest of the family were part of the community, as well. “Hi, Addie,” “Hi, DJ,” rang out half a dozen times.
As she moved, Addie glanced around. Everything looked great, just like it had before the flooding, before the raging river had torn through, destroying most of Tara’s hard work. Thankfully, they’d managed to save all the furniture.
Tara had purchased several old wooden tables when she’d first bought the worn-out diner. The big three-leaf dining table where Wyatt was seated looked newly cleaned and polished. The mismatched chairs that sat at those tables looked just like Mom’s after six kids had gotten through with them. It was a wonderful eclectic mess, just as Tara had planned.
A wave of homesickness washed over her, but Addie swallowed it and kept walking.
As usual, she took stock of who was here. Her older brother, Wyatt, called it her mother-hen mode. Just then, as if catching her in the act, he shot her a wink. Like always, he sat at the head of the big table while the others talked and ate.
Tammie looked great considering she was within days of delivering the newest Hawkins to the world. Wyatt’s wife, Emily, was beside her, and next to her sat Mandy, her other sister, holding little Lucas on her lap. His tiny hand smacked the wooden tabletop, eliciting a giggle from his pudgy cheeks. Hard to believe he was nearly a year old.
Even Jason and Lauren were here. She’d known they were flying through on their way home from Lauren’s European tour. She wondered if it just so happened that the ballet tour ended the same time as the grand reopening, or if they’d worked something out with her management company. Considering Jason was Tara’s attorney, anything was possible. Either way, it was great to have them home.
Tyler sat at the other end of the table, imitating his father’s gestures as he explained something quite intense to the little girl in the next chair. He was definitely ruling the roost. The boy had brought so much life to the entire Hawkins family when he’d come into it last year.
