It Takes Two

It Takes Two
Joanne Michael

Abby Miller has everything she wants…Abby' s come to this small town in northern Quebec to research beluga whales. And her dog, Figgy, is all the company she' s interested in. But then she meets widowed captain Marc Doucette and his brokenhearted daughter. Turns out they may be exactly what she needs.Too bad Marc' s dead set against everything Abby and her job represent. But can he keep up his stand once he sees how good Abby–and Figgy–are for his daughter? And can he deny that there might be other–more personal–reasons to change his mind?SINGLE FATHERSometimes he gets things right. Sometimes he needs a little help.

“I have rules of my own.”

“Oh?” Abby raised an eyebrow.

“Once we’re on board, I’m the captain and what I say goes. If I think the situations warrant it, your plans may have to change. I won’t put us or this boat in danger. Can you live with that?”

“I think so,” Abby said. “I have to ask, though… Well, you know I’m here to do research, and you’ve already made your feeling on that score pretty clear. Why are you agreeing to my chartering your boat?”

Marc shrugged. “Simple economics. You need a boat and I have a boat. Besides—” he grinned “—what’s the old saying? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?”

Abby smiled back, and he was suddenly struck by how beautiful she was.

“True,” she said, “but are you sure you want to strike a deal with the devil?”

“As long as the devil’s paying, you bet.”

Dear Reader,

There is something magical about the village of Tadoussac, Quebec. Maybe it’s the bay that’s ranked as one of the thirty most beautiful in the world. The town is on the North Shore where the Saguenay River fjord meets the St. Lawrence River. That’s certainly the draw for the resident pods of beluga, minke and even the occasional blue and fin whales who call the area home. Then again, it could be the miles of trails and paths crisscrossing the wooded hills, or the scores of artisans, musicians and gourmet chefs who contribute so much to the local flavor.

I fell under the spell the first time I rode the ferry across the Saguenay River. As if on cue, a small pod of brilliant white beluga appeared. Since then, I’ve been back several times and the beluga are always there to greet me.

I have tried to remain true to the village’s unique character. There really is a marine interpretive center and I encourage you to visit the Centre d’Interprétation des Mammifères Marins (the Marine Mammal Interpretive Center) if you go. There, the staff with the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals is doing some excellent and important work. Check it out at www.gremm.org.

One of those people is Lucia DiIorio, a scientist researching the impacts of man-made sound on the beluga. Lucia’s willingness to share information was of great help. Likewise was the rest of the staff and I hope they forgive the architectural license I took.

But that’s the thing about Tadoussac; it’s full of welcoming people eager to share their special knowledge and talents. People like Bruno at Mer et Monde Ecotours who patiently guided me on my very first sea kayak excursion (www.mer-et-monde.qc.ca).

As for the allure of Tadoussac, don’t just take my word for it. The folks at www.tourism@tadoussac.com are ready to help you plan your adventure, and whether you’re into nature, whales, music, art, history, food or all of the above, get ready to make some wonderful memories. Oh, and be sure to say hi to the beluga for me.

Joanne Michael

It Takes Two

Joanne Michael

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joanne Michael would be the first to say making the jump from print and photojournalist to romance writer was neither the easiest nor most expected turn her life has taken. But four years ago, jump she did. After spending nearly twenty years reporting on everything from crime to politics to local festivals and personalities, Joanne got her introduction to the world of romance writing from fellow Harlequin author Nadia Nichols. (Nadia is also the one who got Joanne into dogsledding, but that’s another story.) Together they coauthored Her Sister’s Keeper under the name Julia Penney.

Now Joanne writes books full-time, but still manages to keep her fingers in the world of news as a freelancer. When not writing, Joanne can be found on the trails with a team of huskies, or exploring the roads of northern Maine by bicycle (depending on the time of year, of course). She lives at the top of Maine with her husband and best friend Patrick, her father, Mike, a small kennel of sled dogs, one very spoiled house dog, two cats and a variety of forest critters that wander through.

Joanne Michael can be reached at joannemchl@yahoo.com.

For Lowell

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

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE