Child Wanted

Child Wanted
Renee Andrews

A Mother’s Second ChanceLindy Burnett can hardly believe it: She’s found her son. In the three years they’ve been separated, Lindy has thought of nothing else but her little boy. But Jerry doesn’t remember her—and he’s about to be adopted. His would-be father, schoolteacher Ethan Green, would do anything for the child—except give him up. Ethan has no idea of Lindy’s connection to the boy, but there is no denying the connection Ethan feels to her. His painful past makes him hesitant to trust her, but their mutual love for Jerry might be strong enough to help them find their way home…to each other.Willow’s Haven: Where families find each other

A Mother’s Second Chance

Lindy Burnett can hardly believe it: she’s found her son. In the three years they’ve been separated, Lindy has thought of nothing else but her little boy. But Jerry doesn’t remember her—and he’s about to be adopted. His would-be father, schoolteacher Ethan Green, would do anything for the child—except give him up. Ethan has no idea of Lindy’s connection to the boy, but there is no denying the connection Ethan feels to her. His painful past makes him hesitant to trust her, but their mutual love for Jerry might be strong enough to help them find their way home...to each other.

“So, did y’all catch anything, Jerry?” Lindy asked.

“No, ma’am,” he said, “but Mr. Ethan said we’re going to get some Popsicles anyway.”

Her gaze moved from Jerry to Ethan, and he saw a hint of appreciation in her eyes that went straight to his heart.

“Yeah, sometimes those fish do play hide-and-seek,” she said, “but I’m hoping they won’t play so well the next time.”

“Me, too,” Jerry said, nibbling the end of his Popsicle.

“I got you a peach one,” Ethan said.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she said. “But thank you.”

Jerry glanced at Ethan, and then watched Lindy as she tried hers. “Do you like it, Miss Lindy?”

She nodded. “I like this,” she said, giving him a tender smile. “I like this very much.”

Ethan watched her, eating his Popsicle and sitting beside his future son, and he knew she wasn’t just talking about the Popsicle. She, like Ethan, enjoyed the feeling of sitting on the porch with a little boy, spending time together on a beautiful early summer day.

And he found himself suddenly wondering if what she liked so much about this moment included him.

RENEE ANDREWS spends a lot of time in the gym. No, she isn’t working out. Her husband, a former All-American gymnast, owns a gym and coaches gymnastics. Renee is a kidney donor and actively supports organ donation. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys traveling with her husband and bragging about their sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren. For more info on her books or on living donors, visit her website at reneeandrews.com (http://www.reneeandrews.com).

Child Wanted

Renee Andrews

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

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

—Ephesians 4:32

This book is dedicated to the ladies who lunch: Connie, Gay, Linda and Marie. Life is so much better when I get to spend time with all of you!

Contents

Cover (#u8238c454-519c-55d4-82d1-267ec73e853b)

Back Cover Text (#u276e560a-6359-51c7-aaee-d28a8ea36e02)

Introduction (#ubadd93ef-4f7f-527f-ad72-5a15efe6753e)

About the Author (#u0f69ee3d-1ac3-53b1-9c1a-8620eee6908a)

Title Page (#u693d363b-3815-5ba5-b67c-e03db000b2f9)

Bible Verse (#ufe35bed8-2158-5364-b285-83aaef8ba110)

Dedication (#u3ebc6338-fb9f-51aa-be22-036ef63d5d87)

Chapter One (#u5dd65ed2-7d03-5e9e-9d80-0b814144f75e)

Chapter Two (#u1be40f02-62f0-542a-99bf-a3978f15ee5b)

Chapter Three (#ud57ef981-0a1d-57aa-bfcd-0e7757fe71ff)

Chapter Four (#u79ebb221-8a21-5684-84ca-caace833b3ac)

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)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Dear Reader (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One (#ubf17a766-3d5e-5513-a423-67f7de17765a)

“Jerry, this is Mr. Green.”

Ethan Green crouched to eye level with Jerry Flinn as Mrs. Yost, the social worker, introduced the four-year-old boy to the thirty-year-old man. “Hey, Jerry. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

Talk about an understatement. Every day for the past three years, Ethan had prayed for the sandy-haired, freckle-faced child. He was fisting his hands in the fabric of his navy T-shirt as he edged backward, his eyes darting from the social worker to Ethan to the couple that ran the children’s home in this tiny town of Claremont, Alabama, where Jerry had been placed merely three days ago.