Homeward Bound

Homeward Bound
Marin Thomas

She's Homeward BoundHeather Henderson swore never to return to the one-horse Texas town where she'd raised hell as a teenager, and she meant it. Until her self-appointed guardian-turned-mayor, Royce McKinnon, the man who'd made sure she'd had what she needed when her own parents didn't, shows up at her college dorm one night with unexpected news.And This Time She's StayingA feed store on the verge of bankruptcy is her father's legacy, and although she wants nothing to do with the venture, turning the business around is the best way to prove to the townsfolk that she's changed. And maybe the only way to show the uppity mayor that the scrappy brat he used to watch over is a woman now–and woman enough for him!

“Hey, man, I don’t want any trouble.”

The kid turned and lost himself in the crowd. Royce saw the angry sparks in Heather’s green eyes. She opened her mouth, but before she squawked a single protest, he snatched her arm and tugged her toward the exit. He made it as far as the door before she dug in her heels. It was either stop or drag her the rest of the way. He stopped.

“How dare—”

“Not now.” He flung open the door. His hand firmly against her back, he propelled her out of the bar.

The waiter’s eyes widened. “Problem, Mayor?”

“Problem’s leaving.” He followed Heather outside, grateful she hadn’t put up a bigger fuss. He grinned at the outrage on her face.

Compared with her teen years, tonight’s rescue had been relatively painless.

Dear Reader,

If there’s one thing I dislike, it’s someone telling me I can’t do something. That’s a surefire way to motivate me to prove that person wrong. In that respect, the heroine in this story is a lot like me.

Royce McKinnon, mayor of Nowhere, Texas, throws down the gauntlet when he tells Heather Henderson she doesn’t have what it takes to run her deceased father’s feed store.

Royce took Heather under his wing when her mother ran off, leaving a young Heather with a negligent alcoholic father. Heather admits she probably would have turned into a “statistic” if Royce hadn’t kept her in line and in school. But she’s all grown up now and doesn’t want or need Royce’s unsolicited advice.

Heather is Homeward Bound, not only determined to prove she’s capable of managing an almost-bankrupt business, but also determined to uncover the deep, dark secret she suspects is the real reason Royce doesn’t want her returning to Nowhere.

Sit back and enjoy the show as Heather challenges Royce’s sanity with her feminine wiles and spunky spirit. Who can resist a small-town girl with an attitude!

I’m always happy to hear from readers. Please visit me at www.marinthomas.com.

Happy reading!

Marin

Homeward Bound

Marin Thomas

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

To my high school girlfriends from Janesville, Wisconsin—

Jenny, Lynn, Sue, Holly, Kay and Dana:

What a talented bunch of girls we were at Craig High School. We had brains, beauty, athletic talent, acting talent, singing talent, musical talent…and even a salutatorian among us. We’ve come a long way in our individual lives and careers. Through the years and across state lines we’ve manage to keep in touch. I treasure our friendships and feel blessed to have so many fond memories of our high school days together…well, except for the spring break trip to Sue’s family cabin our senior year….

Books by Marin Thomas

HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE

1024—THE COWBOY AND THE BRIDE

1050—DADDY BY CHOICE

Contents

Prologue (#ua54ea79e-0131-5a14-bf7e-05a50c630cc8)

Chapter One (#u81ec8d81-4c27-5f39-b338-0bd7807fdfc5)

Chapter Two (#u6c29bce4-3b23-5730-b383-3246f82ee5d5)

Chapter Three (#ufa9d833a-f947-59f3-8bba-7552a4cf1aab)

Chapter Four (#u3e365afa-a79f-50d2-9f65-fac19c97e950)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Prologue

Smoke tendrils curled into the air above the burned wreckage of the single-wide trailer. The debris continued to smolder under the late-May sky, the scorched ruins contrasting starkly with the bold pink-and-rose Texas sunset. The stench of singed fabric, melted rubber and seared wood saturated the air.

“Sheriff thinks it was accidental.”

Royce McKinnon shifted his attention from the yellow Caution tape strung around the rubble to his aging foreman, Luke. “Probably was.”

“Bet my best whittlin’ knife he drunk himself stupid, then passed out with a lit cigarette stuck in his craw.”