Her Sister's Secret Son

Her Sister's Secret Son
Lisette Belisle

AN ACCIDENTAL BRIDE?Though she'd spent a lifetime in her flamboyant twin's shadow, Rachel Hale adored selflessly, single-handedly raising her late sister's son. But with no time for dating, Rachel couldn't give her beloved nephew the daddy he deserved. Until a granite-eyed man from Maine discovered little Dylan was his….Strong, honorable and stubborn, Jared Carlisle would stop at nothing to claim his kin. Still, knowing how much a boy needed a mother, he proposed making Rachel his bride. In a twinkling, Rachel was sharing a home and a family with Jared. But would she–or only Dylan and her twin–ever share Jared's love?

He was a Carlisle. Blood ties were indestructible. And instinct told Jared that little Dylan Hale was his son.

There were simply too many clues to ignore. Still, he needed more than instinct and clues before he disrupted so many lives.

He had a son. A son.

The word whispered through him and stole into his heart. Then he remembered Rachel, Dylan’s aunt, the only mother the eight-year-old knew. He remembered Rachel’s innocent blue eyes, her soft pink mouth….

Jared’s lawyer shuffled some papers on his desk. “Rachel Hale, the aunt, has no legal right to the boy. If DNA tests come back positive and this goes to court, you’ll win hands down.”

Somehow the words didn’t reassure Jared. He would win.

Which meant Rachel would lose.

Dear Reader,

Many people read romance novels for the unforgettable heroes that capture our hearts and stay with us long after the last page is read. But to give all the credit for the success of this genre to these handsome hunks is to underestimate the value of the heart of a romance: the heroine.

“Heroes are fantasy material, but for me, the heroines are much more grounded in real life,” says Susan Mallery, bestselling author of this month’s Shelter in a Soldier’s Arms. “For me, the heroine is at the center of the story. I want to write and read about women who are intelligent, funny and determined.”

Gina Wilkins’s The Stranger in Room 205 features a beautiful newspaper proprietor who discovers an amnesiac in her backyard and finds herself in an adventure of a lifetime! And don’t miss The M.D. Meets His Match in Hades, Alaska, where Marie Ferrarella’s snowbound heroine unexpectedly finds romance that is sure to heat up the bitter cold….

Peggy Webb delivers an Invitation to a Wedding; when the heroine is rescued from marrying the wrong man, could a long-lost friend end up being Mr. Right? Sparks fly in Lisette Belisle’s novel when the heroine, raising Her Sister’s Secret Son, meets a mysterious man who claims to be the boy’s father! And in Patricia McLinn’s Almost a Bride, a rancher desperate to save her ranch enters into a marriage of convenience, but with temptation as her bed partner, life becomes a minefield of desire.

Special Edition is proud to publish novels featuring strong, admirable heroines struggling to balance life, love and family and making dreams come true. Enjoy! And look inside for details about our Silhouette Makes You a Star contest.

Best,

Karen Taylor Richman, Senior Editor

Her Sister’s Secret Son

Lisette Belisle

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

In loving memory of Leo and Simonne Thibodeau and Ellen Thibodeau Paradis

Special thanks to my husband, Frank, and my children, Christine, Denise and Marty for always being there through the laughter and the tears. I love you all.

LISETTE BELISLE

believes in putting everything into whatever she does, whether it’s a nursing career, motherhood or writing. While balancing a sense of practicality with a streak of adventure, she applies that dedication in creating stories of people overcoming the odds. Her message is clear—believe in yourself and believe in love. She is the founder and past president of the Saratoga chapter of Romance Writers of America. Canadian-born, she grew up in New Hampshire and currently lives in upstate New York with her engineer husband, Frank.

She’d love to hear from her readers. She can be reached at: P.O. Box 1166, Ballston Lake, NY 12019.

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 One

It was Maine, it was August and it was hot.

The sun blazed unmercifully through the tall windows of the Henderson Courthouse. Overhead, ceiling fans whirred—the only sound as the jury filed in and took their places.

The building was old and musty smelling. The fans kept the air moving, stirring up dust, cobwebs and old memories—memories Jared Carlisle preferred buried.

Seated among the spectators, he shifted uncomfortably. He should have felt satisfaction at seeing his old rival brought to justice. Instead, he felt pity—well, perhaps a hint of satisfaction….

As if drawn, his gaze strayed to the opposite side of the aisle where a woman’s glowing red hair drew him like a magnet. She sat with the Pierces, yet somehow apart. Only one person had hair that pale shade of copper—like the heart of a flame where it burns bright and true. Laurel Hale. She was still the most beautiful girl—woman—Jared had ever seen. And she was still with Drew Pierce.

Time hadn’t changed his gut reaction—a primal urge to challenge Drew’s possession. Whether animal attraction or conditioned reflex, it was insane. Laurel had once taught Jared a valuable lesson about love—what it was and what it wasn’t. Now, a bright flash of her eyes and the angry tilt of her delicate chin brought him back to the present. Jared smiled ruefully when he realized she was glaring at him—her exquisite face flushed with visible resentment. Her mouth tightened; she looked away and stared straight at the judge.

Casting a jaundiced eye on the proceedings, the judge ordered, “Let’s get on with it.” During the trial, he’d lost patience with the spectators, the reporters, the defendant and his fancy lawyers who were up from Boston. That didn’t cut much ice up here. If anything, their slick delivery probably cost Drew several points with the jury.