Love Inspired June 2021--Box Set 1 of 2

by Patricia Johns

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  ISBN-13: 9781488071157

  Her Small Town Secret

  Copyright © 2021 by Brenda Minton

  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.

  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

  For questions and comments about the quality of this book, please contact us at CustomerService@Harlequin.com.

  Love Inspired

  22 Adelaide St. West, 40th Floor

  Toronto, Ontario M5H 4E3, Canada

  www.Harlequin.com

  “A food competition? I’d lose without a doubt, Will.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure,” he replied. “Wasn’t it you who told me the owner has confidence in her food?”

  “It would certainly allow the town to form their own opinions about my food.” Kara slumped. “But if it goes badly, it could be the nail in my café’s coffin.”

  “Not going to happen. I’ve eaten your crepes.” Will took both of her hands. “And trust me, darlin’, there’s no way you’ll lose.”

  She smelled amazing. Like vanilla. Will took a deep breath. “I promise you won’t regret taking this chance.”

  “I won’t, because only with great risk—” Kara gave him a quick kiss on his cheek “—comes great reward.” She smiled at him.

  If he gazed long enough into the liquid blue pool of her eyes, Will believed he might drown. But for once, he didn’t care...

  Lisa Carter and her family make their home in North Carolina. In addition to her Love Inspired novels, she writes romantic suspense. When she isn’t writing, Lisa enjoys traveling to romantic locales, teaching writing workshops and researching her next exotic adventure. She has strong opinions on barbecue and ACC basketball. She loves to hear from readers. Connect with Lisa at lisacarterauthor.com.

  Books by Lisa Carter

  Love Inspired

  Coast Guard Courtship

  Coast Guard Sweetheart

  Falling for the Single Dad

  The Deputy’s Perfect Match

  The Bachelor’s Unexpected Family

  The Christmas Baby

  Hometown Reunion

  His Secret Daughter

  The Twin Bargain

  Stranded for the Holidays

  The Christmas Bargain

  A Chance for the Newcomer

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com.

  A Chance for the Newcomer

  Lisa Carter

  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

  —Philippians 3:13–14

  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

  Dear Reader

  CHAPTER ONE

  Fire Chief Will MacKenzie had just gotten off the phone with the county fire commissioner when his administrative assistant poked her head around the door of his office.

  “Kara Lockwood, from the Mason Jar, called again. The reopening inspection was on your calendar this week.” The fifty-something woman chewed her lip. “And it’s Friday afternoon...”

  He’d spent the better part of a frustrating week in back-to-back conferences with the mayor and the town council, arguing against shutting down the Truelove fire station.

  But it wasn’t looking good. If the proposal went forward, he’d have to uproot his son again. Health-wise, Maddox had come so far. Relocating could set back his three-year-old son, socially and emotionally. He scrubbed his forehead.

  And yes, the fire safety inspection had slipped his mind. Newly remodeled and under new ownership, the restaurant couldn’t reopen Saturday without his inspection.

  The Mason Jar was an iconic Truelove landmark. A place to eat and also to enjoy community. The diner’s months-long closure had been a sore trial to the town. Its new owner a source of great speculation. And the reopening, highly anticipated.

  “My fault.” Grabbing a clipboard, he pushed back his chair. “Should anyone need to reach me, you know where I’ll be.”

  Nadine followed him into the outer office. “Then you’ll head home, right?”

  He glanced at his office. “I really should—”

  “You’re not going to solve this budget crisis today, Chief.” She wagged her finger. “Your father will be home from radiation. Enjoy your weekend with Maddox and recharge your batteries.”

  Working with the department since his dad was chief, Nadine Phillips sometimes forgot he wasn’t still Rick MacKenzie’s teenage son.

  At thirty-one, Will was Truelove’s youngest fire chief. But he came from a long line of firefighters. A year ago when the fire chief, who had replaced his dad, opted to take a job with a larger department in North Carolina, he’d jumped at the chance to come home with his son and ailing father to Truelove.

  But home was proving more elusive to find than he’d anticipated.

  “Hang in there.” She sat down at her desk. “God will make a way.”

  Will slumped. “Even when there seems to be no way forward?”

  “God works in ways we cannot see.” She rested her hands in her lap. “Prepare to be amazed.”

  He’d settle for life returning to normal. Or as normal as it could be with his dad battling cancer and his son starting to ask why everyone else had a mommy but him.

  But how did Will explain to his young son that his mother had walked away without a backward glance? Liz hadn’t even waited for Maddox to be released from the NICU before she moved on without either of them.

  Nadine looked at him over her monitor. “Keep the faith, Chief.”

  Easier said than done. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in God, because he did. There were no atheists in flame-engulfed buildings.

  But somehow, in the bitterness of his wife’s desertion, watching first his son and then Pops suffer, he’d become disconnected from God. Lost in a smoky haze. And he wasn’t sure how to find his way back to Him.

  “Think I’ll walk to the diner.”

  Nadine nodded. “Good idea. Clear your head. See you Monday morning.”

  Heading through the open bay, he set out across the village green for the beloved diner. Despite the leafing of the old oaks lining both sides of the square in mid-March, spring hadn’t yet managed to fully throw off winter’s chill.

  Forming a horseshoe around the small town nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the river gushed with a heavy spring runoff. His heart felt as cold as the severe, snow-laden winter from which Truelove only recently emerged.

  Clipboard under his arm, he crossed Main Street. Finding the front entr
ance bolted, he glanced at his watch. Perhaps he should’ve phoned ahead. But safety inspections were best unannounced and unscheduled.

  He peered inside. A light shone through the porthole window of the kitchen door. He rapped his knuckles on the glass-fronted entrance.

  Will knocked again. Louder and more insistently this time. The porthole door swung open. Backlit against the kitchen lights, a slender, silhouetted figure appeared.

  The woman flipped a light switch. Standing on the other side of the glass, he got his first look at the new manager of the Mason Jar. Kara Lockwood wasn’t what he’d expected.

  She wore her blond hair in a simple, straight style that skimmed her jawline and framed her heart-shaped face. Her complexion creamy, there was a hint of color on her lips. And unusual for casual, mountain living, she wore a breezy pink skirt that reminded him of spring. But her eyes were as purply-blue as ripened summer blueberries.

  He pointed to the TFD badge pinned to his uniform and raised the clipboard. She hurried to unlock the door and let him inside. A bell jangled above his head.

  “I’m Chief Will MacKenzie.”

  She motioned him farther into the front dining area. “I was afraid you weren’t coming today.”

  Wow, she was pretty. Very petite. Rather delicate-looking. At six feet tall, he towered over her.

  “I meant to do the inspection earlier in the week, but first it was one thing.” It wasn’t like him to be so verbal. “Then another. And...” Just stop talking already.

  She tapped her finger on her chin. “I would imagine that whole fighting fires thing keeps you busy, too.” She smiled.

  A strange yearning arose inside him. Something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

  He shuffled his feet. “I’m sorry about the delay.”

  Cherry blossoms cascaded across the fabric of her skirt. And a miniature Eiffel Tower.

  She tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear. “No harm. As long as the Mason Jar opens tomorrow morning.”

  He frowned. “I’m afraid I can’t promise that. The restaurant may fail to meet the safety codes.”

  She bristled. “It’s crucial that the Mason Jar reopen on time.”

  “You will have to resolve any code violation issues before I can authorize the reopening.”

  She lifted her chin. “Why do you assume there will be issues?”

  There were always issues when dealing with an attractive woman. Outside the line of duty, he steered clear of romantic entanglements. Been there. Done that. Never again.

  “Let’s get this inspection started, shall we, Ms. Lockwood?”

  * * *

  Kara tried not to take his all-business demeanor personally.

  And yes, the fire chief was handsome. Incredibly so with his dark, brooding looks. Short, dark hair. Dark brown eyes. Strong, square jawline. Much younger than she’d expected. Only three or four years older than she was.

  His open-collared white shirt reflected nicely against the smooth tan of his corded neck. Yep. He was extremely handsome.

  If she was into that sort of thing. Which she wasn’t. With her culinary dream nearly within reach, she didn’t have time for a social life.

  The contractors had finished the last items on the punch list yesterday. Thankfully, the paint fumes had dissipated. There remained only the piney scent of the industrial-strength cleaner she’d used to mop the black-and-white-tiled floor.

  Chief MacKenzie stopped behind the counter and cast what felt to her like a critical gaze over the refurbished dining area. But maybe she was being oversensitive. She hadn’t changed much in the classic, homey decor. The last thing she wanted was to put off loyal customers. She’d saved most of her changes for the menu.

  It was odd she and the fire chief hadn’t crossed paths before. But perhaps, not so odd. She was a newcomer and up to her bouillabaisse in renovations. He was obviously a busy person.

  She’d sunk every dime she possessed and then some into the café. But if the Mason Jar didn’t pass inspection, she didn’t know what she would do. She’d run out of time and money.

  Before she could stop herself, she checked his conspicuously bare ring finger. Which most likely meant nothing. Maybe jewelry went against a firefighter code.

  Or perhaps some men didn’t wear their wedding ring. Not that she would know. In her quest to build a professional resumé, she’d never had much time for relationships.

  She ushered him into the commercial-grade kitchen.

  He inspected the electrical panel. “You’ve labeled the circuits.” He ticked off an item on his clipboard. “No exposed wiring. Good.”

  Over the next thirty minutes, the chief checked the sprinkler system, the fire alarm and the kitchen hood exhaust system. “Please show me where you’ve stored the fire extinguishers.”

  After he inspected the extinguishers, she brought him into the supply room. He gave the large cardboard box in the middle of the floor a disapproving glance.

  She knotted her hands together. “I was putting away the contents when you arrived.”

  He didn’t say anything, but made a jot on the clipboard. Her heart pounded.

  She’d worked in restaurants her entire adult life. But this was her first time facing the clipboard as an owner. She’d never had as much at stake. Chief MacKenzie had the power to shut down her dreams before they ever got off the ground.

  “I’ll need to examine the exits.” He bent over the clipboard. “They must be well lit, accessible and clearly identified at all times.”

  “There’s only the front entrance and this back—”

  “Yoo-hoo!” The kitchen door swung open. “Kara? Deliveries to make.” Pleasantly plump ErmaJean Hicks’s denim-blue eyes widened. “And Chief MacKenzie, too. How marvelous!”

  A small, adorable little boy peeked from behind the old woman.

  Even if the child hadn’t been wearing a red plastic firefighter hat and a black T-shirt proudly declaring Firefighter in Training, Kara would’ve guessed straightaway the dark-eyed, dark-haired boy had to be connected to Fire Chief MacKenzie.

  * * *

  Will stiffened. “Maddox? Where’s Pops?” He looked from his son to ErmaJean. “What’s going on?”

  “After your dad got home from radiation, I told him Maddox and I would be fine for a few more hours until you were off duty. Rick needed to rest.” Round as an apple, ErmaJean hugged his son to her side. “We had errands to run, didn’t we?”

  Will’s stomach knotted. The radiation had taken a toll on his once-vibrant father. “I’m sorry, Miss ErmaJean. You should’ve called me. You’ve done so much already. Watching over Maddox whenever Pops has a treatment.”

  Divorced, married or spinster, the Miss was an honorary title of respect bestowed on any Southern lady who was your elder.

  “Not a problem. Maddox and I had a lovely afternoon.” She smiled at his son. “Snickerdoodle cookies were involved. He’s a good helper in the kitchen.”

  He reached for Maddox. “Thank you, Miss ErmaJean, but I’ll take it from here.”

  “Nonsense. Maddox and I wouldn’t dream of interrupting, Chief.” The seventy-something woman gave Kara an oh-so-innocent glance. “Especially when you’re working.”

  He stifled a groan. Just what he didn’t need. For the old woman to get the wrong idea about him and the Mason Jar manager.

  ErmaJean was a member of the Double Name Club. But at least today she wasn’t accompanied by her other two accomplices in matchmaking mayhem—GeorgeAnne Allen and IdaLee Moore.

  The elderly ladies were infamous for poking their noses where they didn’t belong. They took the town motto—Truelove, Where True Love Awaits—a little too seriously.

  He brandished the clipboard like a shield. “Ms. Lockwood and I just finished with the fire safety inspection.”

  “Ms. Lockwood? Why so formal?
” ErmaJean’s brow rose. “Don’t tell me this is the first time you two have met?”

  Will didn’t like the speculative gleam in her eyes. “We—I—”

  “How remiss I’ve been in not introducing you before now. But with the chief such a frequent Mason Jar customer, I expect you’ll be seeing lots of each other.”

  Before the diner closed for renovations, he’d been a regular for breakfast and lunch.

  ErmaJean winked at them. “I can’t wait to tell GeorgeAnne and IdaLee.” She rubbed her blue-veined hands together. “They’ll be tickled purple.”

  Kara cocked her head. “Tell them what?”

  Someone ought to warn newcomers about the Truelove matchmakers. Create a public service announcement. For the safety and well-being of all concerned.

  The three older women were a force of nature not to be deterred. They were determined to help everyone find their true love—whether the couple wanted a happily-ever-after or not.

  In his case, definitely not.

  Yet, braver hearts than his had tried and failed to avoid the Double Name Club’s matchmaking machinations.

  Maddox tugged at Kara’s skirt. “Hi,” he whispered.

  She crouched beside him. “Hello there.”

  Maddox stuck his thumbs in the belt loops of his jeans. “What’s your name?”

  “Kara.” She smiled. “What’s yours?”

  “Maddox.” Lifting his hand, he touched a strand of her hair. “You’re very prwetty, Miss Karwa.”

  Her cheeks pinked. “Thank you, Maddox.”

  “Do you have a wittle boy at home?”

  “No, I don’t.” The corner of her mouth upturned. “But if I did, I’d want him to be just like you.”

  Okay, score one for the new manager. She liked children. And judging from his usually slow-to-warm son, she was good with kids.

  “Dis kitchen is de biggest kitchen I ever saw.” Maddox gave the commercial kitchen an appraising glance. “Are you a good cooker, Miss Karwa?”

  Will smiled.

  She glanced over the little boy’s head to ErmaJean. “As a matter of fact, there are quite a few people who’ve been known to travel miles to sample my food, sweetie pie.”