Harlequin Heartwarming March 21 Box Set

by Claire McEwen

  Better than okay. Perfect.

  “If you have any questions or need my help, call me. I’ll be in my office for a bit, working on my benefit forms,” Wade muttered, “but call me whenever. Anytime. For whatever you need. I mean it.”

  Sean drawled, “It sounds like you’re busy, Doc.”

  Brisa intended to glare at Sean, but her sister already had it under control. “I want to walk out with you.”

  Wade tangled their fingers together and led her away. When they were in the ER lobby, Brisa asked, “Which Reggie Beaumont fan do I need to watch out for?”

  Wade bent his head closer to hers to answer. “Short brunette. You’ll find Reggie’s jersey number on her lanyard, but maybe she’s a Dr. Wade McNally fan. She smiled at me on the way out.” His low voice raised the shiver again and Brisa couldn’t stop it. Her eyes locked onto his.

  “We need to talk, Dr. McNally. I have someone in mind for your second date, the one I owe you since Mira didn’t work out.” Brisa had every intention of being that second date. She’d stated her plan clearly. All Wade had to do was agree and surrender.

  He tipped his head back and studied her face. “No more blind dates. I’m giving up on love. It’ll just be me and my gold medal–winning astronaut daughter.” His lips curled.

  So he was going to be difficult. Fine. She deserved a little of that.

  “Give it one more shot. Please. For me.” Brisa raised her eyebrows. She knew a hundred different flirting tricks, but none of them were right for Wade.

  “Okay, but I’m planning the date. I want it to be impressive, something that could convince this woman, the only one in the world who might be right for me, that I’m her match.” Wade waited. “Do we have a deal?”

  Brisa smiled and threw her arms around him. “I love a good negotiation. Count me in, Doc.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  WHEN WADE PARKED in front of The Amazing Space Race Escape, he glanced over at his daughter. Thea was still buckled in, but the urge to leap, run, slam, and all other things “Thea,” was easy to read in her expression. He hoped this worked out the way it did in his head.

  “Are you sure this is a good date idea?” he asked her as she unbuckled her belt. He’d liked his first suggestion better, returning to the bar at the top of the Sandpiper Hotel, but Thea and Vanessa had agreed with Mira and the rest of the pool group: Thea was his number one secret weapon in the war for Brisa’s affection. No one else had another like her.

  The Amazing Space Race Escape would display all of Thea’s beauty perfectly.

  “Dad, we’ve been over this,” Thea said slowly. “Brisa likes me.” And that was it. That was the single most important argument any of them had made.

  It was strong.

  “Okay, let’s work out how we’re going to do this,” he said. “What are we going to say to win her over?”

  Thea paused as if to give the question serious study. “I’m going to remind her that she doesn’t have a boyfriend anymore. You don’t have a girlfriend.” She held her hands out at both sides as if there was nothing else to add.

  “You think that will do it?” Wade smiled as Thea shoved messy hair off her face. When he’d picked her up, Thea’s hair had been in a neat ponytail. He suspected this change was another of Thea’s tactics. Brisa did hair like it was second nature. Thea had a lot of hair. To remind her that he was also cool enough to attract a date sometimes, Wade held his hands out at his sides like Thea had.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Nothing.” He checked the parking lot. Still no Brisa.

  “Relax. You look nice. We know Brisa approves.” Thea put her hand on his shoulder. He took that to mean reassurance. He could use reassurance. For some reason, this single date felt big. Really important. “I know Brisa will love this escape room. She enjoyed the planetarium, said it felt like she was flying through space. Here, we will be in a malfunctioning biodome racing against the clock to save our party from extinction.” She clasped her hands together. “What could be more romantic than that?”

  Candlelight. Satiny pink dresses. Silky warm skin. Bare feet in an empty glass-bottomed pool.

  All those things made Wade’s list ahead of escape room, but Brisa had turned into the parking lot.

  “Don’t mess this up, Dad. Brisa is pretty enough to have lots of choices, even if she really likes me.” Thea met his stare to make sure he understood how important her advice was.

  “Grab the flowers.” Wade pointed at the back seat and opened his door.

  By the time Thea made it out of the SUV to stand next to him, Brisa had parked and gotten out of her car. She stopped in front of them. “Surprise. I’m your date.”

  Wade smiled slowly. “Surprise. I know.” He motioned at Thea to hand Brisa the flowers. “I brought my good luck charm.”

  He watched Thea wrap her arms around Brisa’s waist and hoped they weren’t making a huge, gigantic, child-crushing, heartbreaking mistake. A three-way love story between him, Brisa and Thea was dangerous, but there was no arguing that Brisa’s smile brightened at whatever Thea had whispered in her ear.

  “Hold these for me,” Brisa said and turned Thea around. With some complicated, quick twist, she’d wrapped Thea’s hair up into a functional bun, and then held her hand out for her flowers. “I need to teach you how to do that on your own.”

  “Or you could spend lots of time with me and do it yourself,” Thea said as she rapidly fluttered her eyelashes.

  “Thea, take this inside and pay for the escape room, please. The reservation is under our last name.” Wade held out his credit card and shooed her toward the door. A minute to talk to Brisa alone. He had to have one.

  After Thea was inside, he said, “I asked Thea for help planning the kind of date that would convince a woman to fall in love. I should have been more specific.” He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for Brisa to respond.

  Her chuckle was sweet, but she stepped up beside him and pressed her lips against his. “Just needed one small improvement.” She relaxed against him when he wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her close and Wade relaxed for the first time since he’d seen Reggie Beaumont with a ring box.

  Brisa was here.

  Brisa was here with him.

  “If you need time to get over Beaumont, I understand. We can go as slowly as Thea will allow us,” he said, content to stand forever on the sidewalk with her.

  Brisa shrugged. “Reggie and I are friends. We were always only friends. He’s as much a plotter as I am, so this is just the latest Brisa Montero mess that has to blow over, but my heart was never involved. I don’t want it to splash all over you.”

  “That guy is not smart. At all. I’m glad.” He smiled as she did.

  “He never brought me to an escape room. I don’t know how this works.” Brisa pointed at a gnarly green alien who was clearly part of the reason people might want to escape.

  “We’re on a malfunctioning Mars biodome and we have only an hour to solve all the puzzles required to restore it or we will die a ghastly, oxygenless death. That’s the main thrust of the story.” Wade shook his head. “Thea’s ghoulish excitement over dying on another planet took some adjustment this morning.”

  Brisa pressed her forehead against his shoulder as she laughed. “I bet. It’s a good thing she’s here. Thea told me I was too old to be an astronaut. Have they relaxed the rules?”

  Too old? Stunned, Wade had to remember to close his mouth. He’d ask for details but that sounded so much like something Thea would say that he really didn’t want to hear the ins and outs of that conversation. “I had to bring her. I’m not sure either one of us is smart enough to solve the puzzles and I don’t want to die on Mars, not before I kiss you once or twice or a thousand times.”

  Brisa narrowed her eyes. “Are you sure? I have no military experience. I’m not
a surgeon. Thea’s great, but we still don’t know if I like other children, kids who act their age. What about your ideal woman?”

  Wade shook his head. “It’s the weirdest thing. Your father helped me understand how wrong I was. You may or may not remember that I had this idea that I was going to prepare Thea so she’d never be as lost as I was when she grew up.

  “She’d learn to budget properly. She’d get a good education, a safe job, smart friends. It probably sounds a lot like your father’s list for you. We both had to face life alone to start with.” He enjoyed the way Brisa’s arms tightened around his waist. As if she would do what she could to make sure he didn’t feel that way again. “But as a dad, I realized that what I had to do first was love Thea, and that was the easiest piece of the whole puzzle. It didn’t have to make sense. I’ll listen to lectures about dark matter and swim coaches and spaceship engineering. No logic is required. Thea is Thea and I love her more than life. How in the world could I make a list of logical, reasonable characteristics and ever expect to experience the same kind of love? That makes no sense. I think that’s what it takes to get through this life. A love that means more than logic.”

  “So you want a love that makes no sense?” Brisa asked, her lips pursed as she evaluated that.

  “More than that, real love, the kind you and I want, it’s beyond understanding, beyond plotting and planning. It finds us,” he said.

  “Are you kissing?” Thea asked in her loud stage whisper from the doorway to The Amazing Space Race Escape. “The Martian says she has to start our clock, or we’ll run over into the next reservation.”

  Wade waved a hand. “One minute, Thea. We’ll be right there.”

  She closed the door, but Wade knew her nose was still pressed against the glass. “Good. A ticking clock. Anyway, now I don’t have to rush into anything. Thea has the network she needs to be safe now and the future will always be a question mark, so I can take my time. Vanessa. Steve. You. Reyna. Sean. Your father. You’re a part of that foundation I want for me and for Thea. If falling in love takes a while, I’m okay.” Was he saying this correctly? He wanted Brisa. He’d prove they worked with enough time. He waited for her answer.

  “No rush. I’m glad. But what if I’ve set you up with the right woman this time?” Brisa beamed. “What if falling in love only takes a minute? You okay with that?”

  His smile grew. “Even better.”

  * * *

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  ISBN-13: 9781488074493

  The Doctor and the Matchmaker

  Copyright © 2021 by Cheryl Harper

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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  “We have to work together…”

  “Do we?” Aidan asked.

  Natalie and Aidan had different perceptions of what was important. For her, raising the little boy in an environment where love and nurturing would help him blossom was everything. For Aidan, his status as uncle outweighed all the other benefits.

  She jumped off the swing and sent him a smile. “Sometimes taking a moment to breathe when your world falls apart around you is a win. That’s what Danny needs right now. A chance to breathe and find his support system.”

  “I’m his uncle. I’m his support system.”

  There was no denying he was Danny’s family, but so was she. Danny had reached the top of the rock climbing wall for the first time. Celebrating that was important. A win for Danny was having someone in his corner.

  For now, she was that person…

  Dear Reader,

  Friendship is such an integral part of life. During my first year of law school, three women accepted me into their study group. We bonded over study sessions, where we’d work and then share stories of our lives. We supported each other through disappointments and celebrations.

  In The Sheriff’s Second Chance, Georgie Bennett emerged as an independent heroine who accepted the friendship so many offered. This trilogy has highlighted friendship as Georgie, Lucie and Natalie have shared more than cookies. They’ve commiserated over their ups and downs.

  This time, Natalie Harrison experiences good and not-so-good times. Natalie’s world is upended when her best friend dies, and she becomes Danny’s guardian. When Danny’s soldier uncle, Aidan, arrives, he sees how Natalie’s friendships have guided her through this time and questions whether he needs similar relationships in his life. Strong yet stark, Aidan struggles with how to relate to people, most of all Natalie.

  This book is a celebration of friendships in its many forms. I’d love to hear stories of the friendships that have impacted your lives. Please feel free to email me at tanyaagler@gmail.com or catch up with me on social media.

  Tanya Agler

  The Soldier’s Unexpected Family

  Tanya Agler

  Tanya Agler remembers the first set of Harlequin books her grandmother gifted her, and she’s been in love with romance novels ever since. An award-winning author, Tanya makes her home in Georgia with her wonderful husband, their four children and a lovable basset, who really rules the roost. When she’s not writing, Tanya loves classic movies and a good cup of tea. Visit her at tanyaagler.com or email her at tanyaagler@gmail.com.

  Books by Tanya Agler

  Harlequin Heartwarming

  A Ranger for the Twins

  The Sheriff’s Second Chance

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.

  This book is dedicated to my daughter, Ellie. Every day, she makes my world brighter in unexpected ways, from dancing on the fireplace hearth to discussing history with passion and flair. I love you always, and I’m so proud to be your mom.

  This book is also dedicated to my father and both of my grandfathers. The three of them served in the military and will remain in my heart forever. And to all four of my children and my husband, Jamie, thank you for your encouragement and supporting me through the writing and editing of this book.

  CONTENTS

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

 
Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Epilogue

  CHAPTER ONE

  “THIS IS GOING to be so much fun.” Natalie Harrison flipped over the plans for the parade float and then twisted the papers one more time. Now the images were right side up, although she’d much prefer to toss the schematics in the park’s trash can and start with a new and exciting design. Something with pizazz and flair and…

  “Aunt Natalie, are you lying?” Danny tugged on her floral sundress, the pleading in his voice stopping her in her tracks.

  She laid the plans on a nearby picnic table. The summer breezes from the North Carolina mountains cooled the morning air and her bare arms. She glanced at her six-year-old ward and sent him a smile. “Of course I’m not.”

  “My mom told me it isn’t nice to lie.”

  Natalie brushed away a strand of her red hair, along with the wave of grief at the mere mention of Danny’s mom. Shelby Murphy had been her best friend since their college days.

  Three months hadn’t dulled the ache left from Shelby’s sudden death from an undetected brain aneurysm. As long as Natalie lived, she’d never forget opening her front door and finding Danny there, out of breath, tears cascading down his cheeks, saying his mom wasn’t waking up.

  With the Fourth of July fast approaching in two weeks, Natalie would do everything in her power to make it a great day for Danny.

  Though bittersweet, what a day it was going to be for everyone, considering Hollydale was no longer the sleepy hamlet of her youth. Now it usually ranked in the top three “must visit” destinations this side of the Great Smoky Mountains. The downtown district’s renovation brought tourists flocking to the shops and businesses from now until the last leaf fell in October. The influx of dollars had led to more elaborate summer celebrations, with the parade attracting huge crowds that stayed for the famous, or infamous, pie baking contest and fireworks display.