Substitute Father

Substitute Father
Bonnie K. Winn

Three orphaned children were definitely not on his shopping list!Luke Duncan never would have believed that going grocery shopping would lead to becoming foster father to three orphans. But no matter how he met them, it was clear that Brian, Hannah and Troy needed him. Now all he has to do is convince the social worker assigned to their case that a single man can be the perfect caregiver.Too bad the social worker is Kealey Fitzpatrick. After their disastrous blind date, he would have sworn she'd never darken his door again.

From the way his sister looked, Luke knew he was in trouble

“What’s wrong with you?” Rachel asked without preamble.

“Wrong?”

“Yes, genius. Kealey’s been assigned as caseworker to the kids. Which means she has control over whether you can keep them.” Her tone grew caustic. “Couldn’t you have dipped her hands in acid, or set fire to her shoes to really show your feelings?”

Exasperated, Luke stared at his sister. “She was on the date with me. She knows we didn’t hit it off.”

“If there was the slightest possibility she’d forgotten, it was certainly diplomatic of you to remind Kealey that you can’t stand her.”

“Do you think she’ll hold it against me?”

“You’d better hope not. For the children’s sake.”

Luke glanced toward the living room. In a matter of hours he’d turned his life upside down. And now the fate of three innocent children depended on whether he could change his tone with Kealey Fitzpatrick.

He shook his head, knowing he had a better chance of getting rid of his sisters before they drove him crazy.

Dear Reader,

As a hopeless romantic, I am always drawn to a hero who protects and inspires. Luke Duncan is that kind of hero. Protector of children and animals, he is a man without equal.

Enter stage left, a heroine who no longer believes people with integrity like his exist. Throw in three orphans, a menagerie of pets and strays, and you have Substitute Father.

This book is special to me for many reasons. I hope you will fall in love with the characters as I have, perhaps even reserve a spot in your heart for the pets who love us for who we are, rather than who we wish to be. And, most of all, I hope you enjoy the journey I’m about to take you on.

Sincerely,

Bonnie K. Winn

Substitute Father

Bonnie K. Winn

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

Dedicated to my brother, Gary Yedlovsky, a true hero in every possible way.

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

EPILOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

Greenville, Texas

LUKE DUNCAN IDLY scanned the metallic streamers that hung over the cash register of the grocery store’s film counter. It looked to him as though the booth contained enough lottery tickets for half the smallish town.

“Feeling lucky?” the clerk asked, following his gaze to the lottery tickets.

Luke glanced at the sacks of groceries resting in his cart. “Actually, I need to pick up my pictures. Name’s Duncan.”

She nodded and turned to a drawer holding the developed film. As she did, he maneuvered his cart to the end of the counter to clear a path for the other customers. It was clever of the store’s management to position the film and lottery counter so close to the exit. The location made it easy for patrons who had already paid for their groceries, to pause and purchase a bit of the state-run fantasy.

“Did you say Duncan?” the clerk asked, sifting through the drawer.

He leaned over the counter, trying to read the names on the plump yellow envelopes. “Yes, Luke Duncan. I brought in my film about a week ago. I had two rolls.”

“Here’s one of them,” the clerk announced, placing the packet on the counter.