A Father for Zach

A Father for Zach
Irene Hannon

How to help a fatherless little boy deal with painful memories? Widowed mother Catherine Walker hopes a fresh start and a new home on Nantucket Island is the answer. But when she hires a handsome carpenter to help with renovations, she soon discovers that Nathan Clay's tool set also includes a smile maker.Suddenly her son is happier. And so is she. Yet Nathan has a painful past of his own, one that may keep them apart. Unless they can both rebuild their hearts and lives.

“How about you nap for a few minutes while I get the pizza ready?” Nathan asked the boy.

For once Zach didn’t argue. But instead of folding himself into his mother’s embrace, he lifted his arms to Nathan. “Will you carry me?”

Taken aback, Nathan checked with Catherine again.

“If you don’t mind,” Catherine said.

He swallowed past the lump in his throat. “I don’t mind in the least.”

Wrapping his arms around Zach, he hoisted the boy onto his hip and stood, then extended a hand to Catherine.

She accepted his hand and rose. “Let me show you to Zach’s room.”

The little boy shifted in his arms, emitting a soft sigh, and nestled closer to his heart. Nathan’s throat constricted as he stroked a comforting hand over his back. In his whole life he’d never held a child. But the boy felt right in his arms. And good.

IRENE HANNON

Irene Hannon, who writes both romance and romantic suspense, is the bestselling author of more than thirty novels. Her books have been honored with a coveted RITA

Award from Romance Writers of America (the “Oscar” of romantic fiction), a HOLT Medallion and a Reviewer’s Choice Award from RT Book Reviews.

A former corporate communications executive with a Fortune 500 company, Irene now writes full-time. In her spare time she enjoys singing, traveling, long walks, cooking, gardening and spending time with family. She and her husband make their home in Missouri.

For more information about her and her books, Irene invites you to visit her Web site at www.irenehannon.com.

A Father for Zach

Irene Hannon

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.

—Hebrews 11:1

To my mom, Dorothy Hannon—and our special

memories of Nantucket.

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

Epilogue

Questions for Discussion

Chapter One

Nathan Clay gazed out over the sparkling blue waters off Nantucket, scanned the pristine white beach and took a long, slow breath.

What a change from the tiny, windowless cell he’d left behind four days ago—his home for the past ten long years.

The juxtaposition was surreal.

Settling back in the white folding chair, he tugged at his unaccustomed tie, surveyed the seventy-five wedding guests assembled on the lush, garden-rimmed lawn that abutted the beach, and tried not to feel out of place. But it was a losing battle. He doubted anyone else in this high-class group had served time in prison. Especially the Supreme Court justice on the other side of the aisle, who was a longtime friend of the Morgan family.

The family his sister, Marci, would be marrying into in just a few minutes.

Talk about moving up in the world.

She deserved it, though. Marci had worked hard to build a better life. To rise above their tough upbringing.

He wished he could have done as well.

Then again, his childhood had been even rougher than Marci’s or his big brother’s had been. Thanks to the secret that had darkened his life for more years than he cared to recall.

Bile rose in his throat, and he forced himself to swallow past it, to suppress the ugly memories. Those days were history. They couldn’t hurt him unless he let them. And he’d resolved never again to give his past that kind of power.