Tail of Two Hearts. Charlotte Carter
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Family Blessings
Chase Rollins has much to be grateful for. A new home, a new career running the Fluff & Stuff pet store and new friends. But he could have so much more. Lovely bookstore clerk Vivian Duncan just might be the perfect wife. But when Viv becomes a foster mother to four-month-old Theo, Chase knows he has a problem. A life with Vivian will mean a life with children—and that’s one challenge he’s not sure he’d ready to tackle. Can Viv and Theo convince him that a family is the biggest blessing of all?
The Heart of Main Street: They’re rebuilding the town one step—and heart—at a time
Viv glanced at her baby and then at Chase.
“He’s getting fussy. Would you mind picking him up and holding him for a minute?”
“Me?” Chase’s eyes widened. He went very still.
“Hold him close to you, up against your chest,” Viv prompted. “He’ll feel more secure that way.”
But would Chase feel secure?
He pulled Theo to him. Immediately, the baby dropped his head to Chase’s shoulder and heaved a sigh.
Chase felt something stir inside him.
How in the world would he ever make Viv understand that he couldn’t be the man she wanted him to be?
The Heart of Main Street: They’re rebuilding
the town one step—and heart—at a time.
CHARLOTTE CARTER
A multipublished author of more than fifty romances, cozy mysteries and inspirational titles, Charlotte Carter lives in Southern California with her husband of forty-nine years and their cat, Mittens. They have two married daughters and five grandchildren. When she’s not writing, Charlotte does a little stand-up comedy, “G-Rated Humor for Grown-ups,” and teaches workshops on the craft of writing.
Tail of Two Hearts
Charlotte Carter
MILLS & BOON
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And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
—1 Corinthians 13:13
I’d like to thank my fellow authors
of the Heart of Main Street continuity series. With such a complicated story with recurring characters and overarching story lines, it takes exceptional communication and cooperation among the authors. Arlene James, Carolyne Aarsen, Brenda Minton, Lissa Manley and Valerie Hansen, you made my work easy. And thanks to Emily Rodmell, our editor, who kept us all going in the right direction.
Thanks to Gina H. and Laura W.
from the Harlequin Forums for the
lovely Thanksgiving table decorations.
Special thanks to Charlie; you know why.
Contents
Chapter One
Vivian Duncan stepped out of Happy Endings Bookstore onto the sidewalk in the small Kansas town of Bygones. Watching leaves and bits of paper racing down the street blown by a brisk breeze, she inhaled the crisp November air. Only a few weeks until Thanksgiving, one of her favorite times of the year.
Her mother made the best turkey and stuffing, and her older siblings who had moved away from home always made it a point to come back for the holiday.
A gaggle of laughing and shouting schoolchildren barreled past her en route to Fluff & Stuff, the pet store that had opened on Main Street in July. Vivian was on her way there as well, just two doors down the street. The colorful awnings above each of the new stores fluttered in the breeze.
She hoped the owner of Fluff & Stuff, Chase Rollins, would help her put together a special event at the bookstore to promote books about dogs.
Who better to ask for help on the topic than Chase?
As she opened the door, she faced the big green-cheeked parrot near the cash register who squawked his greeting, “What’s up? What’s up?” He proudly bobbed his head and did a little dance on his perch.
“Hello, Pepper.” Vivian smiled at Chase’s recently acquired bird that was looking for a new home.
“Good birdie! Good birdie!” he vocalized.
“I’m sure you are.” She looked around for Chase. Hearing the high-pitched voices of the youngsters she’d seen running into the shop, she headed toward the back where puppies were kept in a pen.
She eased