A Temporary Arrangement

A Temporary Arrangement
Roxanne Rustand

Much more than she bargained for…All Abby Cahill wanted was a quiet summer job in the beautiful Wisconsin woods. But the hospital where she' s filling in turns out to be overcrowded, understaffed and decidedly stretched for cash. And as if she didn' t have enough on her hands, the only vacancy in town for " single woman with mutt" is at the farmhouse of wildlife biologist Ethan Matthews, whose son is with him for the season, along with several newborn puppies.Ethan is a handsome, solitary man who seems to need Abby as much as she needs… Problem is, she' ll never find out what she needs. At the end of August she' s got to go back to her job in the city teaching nursing. And leave this temporary arrangement, which is starting to feel too darn comfortable. For all three of them.

He was silent for a long moment

Abby had the oddest feeling he was assessing her—truly looking at her—for the first time. “Go on, get inside,” he finally said.

“Thanks, Ethan. For this place…for the groceries. And for taking care of my dog. I definitely owe you.”

Inside the cabin she locked the door and leaned against it, wondering if the past few minutes had just been in her imagination.

Ethan didn’t really want her here. She was at his ranch only to help with meals and stay with his boy, Keifer, when Ethan went off on his late-evening research jaunts.

Which was fine. She had a great job waiting for her in California and she certainly wasn’t interested in any casual short-term flings.

Especially not with Ethan Matthews.

Dear Reader,

Writing the BLACKBERRY HILL MEMORIAL series has been such fun! Northern Wisconsin must be one of the loveliest places on earth, especially in the fall, when the leaves of the hardwoods are afire with brilliant color, in contrast to the dark green pines and sparkling, sapphire lakes. Author Lyn Cote lives on one of those stunning lakes, and visiting her and her husband each fall is an annual delight. She and I must hit every bookstore, garage sale and resale shop in the county…and I don’t even want to guess at all the calories we consume! Those Wisconsin visits were the inspiration for this series.

In A Temporary Arrangement, Blackberry Hill Memorial is facing the challenges common to many small-town hospitals, but there are darker problems in this idyllic place—hidden threats that jeopardize the future of the new director of nursing. And for a wildlife biologist who spends most of his time alone, threats come in the form of someone clearly bent on revenge and a lovely newcomer who just may steal his heart.

If you’ve missed the other two BLACKBERRY HILL MEMORIAL stories, Almost a Family and A Man She Can Trust, check for them at www.eHarlequin.com.

I love hearing from readers, and can be contacted at R. Rustand@juno.com or Box 2550, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406-2550, or at my Web sites, www.roxannerustand.com and www.booksbyrustand.com. You can find a free, downloadable cookbook at the first Web site, along with a contest, reviews and more. If you send a SASE to the P.O. box, I’ll be happy to send you some bookmarks.

Wishing you the best for your own happily ever after!

Roxanne Rustand

A Temporary Arrangement

Roxanne Rustand

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author Roxanne Rustand’s love of romance began when a friend gave her a wonderful novel and dared her to put it down. She did—at four o’clock the next morning. Completely hooked, she read romance for several years before starting to write one of her own. Roxanne is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition, and works at a residential psychiatric facility. As a wife and mother of three, she tries hard to balance family, career and writing commitments…. even when it means retreating to a hotel for the weekend to meet her deadlines.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

With many thanks to my dear friend, author Lyn Cote, and her husband, Steve, for their hospitality during our wonderful “writers’ retreat weekends” in northern Wisconsin. And to Diane, Jacquie and Pamela for your invaluable friendship and support.

I feel so very blessed to know you all.

This one is for you, Emily, with thanks for all the wonderful treats and lunches and suppers you made while I was locked away in my office. You’re the sweetest daughter ever!

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 ONE

ABBY CAHILL breathed in the crisp, pine-scented air, then stepped inside Blackberry Hill Memorial Hospital to start a new chapter in her life.