Shes Running From The Law
Alexandra Hunt is living a lie. In fact, thats not even her real name. But after the death of her estranged husband, Alex and her four-year-old daughter were at the mercy of ruthless people: her powerful, possibly crooked former in-laws. When they came after her child, Alex saw no choice but to flee. Small town Fredericksburg, Texas, offers unexpected sanctuary. Until she meets her next-door neighbor, by-the-bookand devilishly handsomeTexas Ranger Zane Winchester!
Single father Zane has to admit he has a thing for sweet, pretty Alex. Yet while the attraction is mutual, shes definitely hiding something. And Zane cant abide a liar. He needs to find out Alexs secrets before he can truly allow her into his and his teenage daughters lives. But when he discovers the truth, will he help Alexor turn her in?
Dammit, Alex. Frustration roughened Zanes voice to a growl. Everythings private with you, everythings too personal to share.
She drew back, stung.
Some days I catch myself obsessing, what is she keeping from me? Then I think, everything. You say this part of a relationship is for getting to know one another, but whenever I try, you shut me out. You change the subject, you refuse to answer questions, you get hostile. And over the past couple of days, you kiss me or give me that look and the question gets forgotten. I think I prefer the direct hostility. It feels more honest.
Tears blurred her vision. A dozen scathing replies came to mind, but she choked them all down. Because shed been a fraud from day one. She didnt have the right to fight with him over it.
Im obviously not ready for this, she said. Maybe I never will be. Maybe Im damaged goods. Youre a great guy, and you should hold out for someone with more to offer.
Alex, wait He scrambled off the bed.
She paused in the doorway and gave him a sad smile. On the bright side, you wont have to worry about my distracting you with kisses anymore.
Dear Reader,
I have enjoyed writing my Hill Country Heroes books almost as much as I enjoyed visiting the Texas Hill Country region! For my last book in the miniseries, I wanted to come up with a special hero, someone quintessentially Texan. Meet Zane Winchester, Texas Ranger, a brave lawman devoted to his community and his daughter. Unfortunately for Zane, sometimes raising a teenager can be just as tricky as tracking down bad guys.
Single mom Heather Hargrove is facing her own parenting challengesnamely how to keep her four-year-old out of the clutches of her wealthy and corrupt former in-laws. When desperation forces Heather into hiding under a false identity, she winds up living right next door to Zane. Just how is she supposed to keep her secrets from a man trained to solve cases and see through lies? Just as troubling, how is she supposed to keep herself from falling for the handsome neighbor who manages to make her laugh in the midst of her problems and values her advice as a parent?
Writing this book, I grew to care not only about Heather and Zane but their community of friends and family. Follow me on Twitter and Facebook to get the latest announcements on whether any of the characters might be popping up in future stories!
Happy reading,
Tanya
Rescued by a Ranger
Tanya Michaels
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Three-time RITA® Award nominee Tanya Michaels writes about what she knowscommunity, family and lasting love! Her books, praised for their poignancy and humor, have received honors such as a Booksellers Best Bet Award, a Maggie Award of Excellence and multiple readers choice awards. She was also a 2010 RT Book Reviews nominee for Career Achievement in Category Romance. Tanya is an active member of Romance Writers of America and a frequent public speaker, presenting workshops to educate and encourage aspiring writers. She lives outside Atlanta with her very supportive husband, two highly imaginative children and a household of quirky pets, including a cat who thinks shes a dog and a bichon frise who thinks shes the center of the universe.
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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
Excerpt
Chapter One
Oh, God, what have I done? Panic crowded Heather Hargroves chest. Faced with the scariest threat of her life, shed boltedpotentially making her circumstances even worse. In an attempt to calm herself, Heather watched her four-year-old daughter contentedly snore beneath a blanket on the leather sofa. Josies safe. For the moment, anyway.
I wont let anyone take her from me.
Although theyd fled Houston earlier that day, the reality of Heathers situation was just as grim here in Dallas. She did not have the long-term resources to fight Eileen and Phillip Hargrove. Her wealthy former in-laws were one of the most powerful couples in the state of Texas. Theyd be nearly impossible to beat in a custody battle even if they let themselves be constrained by anything as plebeian as conscience or law. When Heather had first become engaged to their son, the Hargroves had attempted to end the relationship by bribing one of her former foster mothers to lie about her. With pockets as deep as theirs, who knew what kind of damaging testimony they could buy? If Heather had faced them in court, she would have lost Josie, her entire world. But her failure to appear this afternoon meant the judge could rule automatic forfeiture of custody.
Here. Bryce Callahan walked back into the condo living room carrying two mugs. One was chipped at the top and featured a cartoon alien. The other was a shiny cobalt blue, printed with the logo of his software company. Sorry I cant offer you anything to add to your coffee. I got used to drinking mine black because I never remember to buy sugar.
When she took the drink without comment, he added, I did see a jug of milk behind the take-out boxes in the fridge, but I think its been there since Christmas.
She tried unsuccessfully to smile. You should probably throw it out, then.
With St. Patricks Day only three weeks away? Pshaw. Itll fit right in with all the other green beverages.
Heather cradled the warm mug between her hands. The last thing her jangled nerves needed was caffeine, but she was grateful for the heat. After the rainy five-hour drive, she felt frozen from the unrelenting damp and pervasive fear. Im sorry I came here, Bryce. I didnt really think this through. Shed been operating on desperation and adrenaline.
Hey, what are old friends for? You dont have to apologize, Red. His crooked smile and the unimaginative nickname took her back to when shed been eighteen. I told you at that fundraiser to call me if you ever needed anything, remember? Their chance encounter at a charity gala last April had been the one bright spot of a mortifying evening.
Hed handed her his business card, eyes filled with worry, and said he hoped to hear from her soon. Prior to that night, the two college friends hadnt seen each other since Bryce had flunked out of the University of Texas. The computer genius had prioritized all-nighters leveling up in video games above attending 8:00 a.m. sociology lectures.
Tonight, in plaid pajama pants and a black T-shirt boasting Total Domination, his sandy brown hair in need of a trim, Bryce looked more like the bighearted slacker he used to be than the successful game designer he was now. At the benefit, she hadnt even recognized him in his tux. Of course, shed been preoccupied, trying to deal with her uncharacteristically hostile husband at the last social function theyd attended as a married couple. Unlike his father, Christopher Hargroves favorite form of manipulation had always been charm, not bullying. But, by last spring, Christopher had become fed up with her questions about his familys shadier dealings and her insistence that they couldnt raise their daughter with the Hargroves flagrant disregard for rules.
Christopher had believed consequences were for other people, but being rich, good-looking and well-connected hadnt saved him when he wrapped his sports car around a tree the month after Heather left him. The Hargroves blamed her, said his self-destructive actions had been fueled by his pain over losing his wife and daughter. Eileen Hargroves ice blue eyes had bored holes into Heather at the funeral. You killed him, you ungrateful nobody. You killed my son! And you will pay.
Heather shivered, and coffee sloshed over the rim of her mug.
Easy, Bryce cautioned, taking the hot cup away from her. He turned to set it on the coffee table, but the surface was buried under gaming magazines, napkins from local fast-food restaurants and illegible notes scrawled in half a dozen spiral notebooks. With a shrug, he shoved a stack of papers to the floor, then blinked at the corner hed uncovered. Huh. I forgot this had a glass top.
What am I going to do? Heather asked. It was a rhetorical question. Her mess wasnt his problem.
Ill tell you what youre not going to dolet those soulless bastards take Little Red. He lowered his voice to a whisper as he glanced at Josies fiery curls. I know I only saw you with her father from across the ballroom, but he was clearly bad news.
It had been obvious to anyone with eyes and ears what kind of night she and her husband had been having. Bryce hadnt bothered trying to catch up with her about old times; hed simply waited until Christopher went to the restroom to say hi and give her his number. Shed called Bryce for moral support after she and Josie had moved into an apartment. Shame welled inside her, humiliation that it had taken her so long to admit her husband would never change. Her old friend had seen Christophers true colors in a single evening. Why had it taken her years?
In her defense, Bryce had only witnessed her husband drunk and antagonistic. He hadnt seen the determined charmer whod pursued her or doted on her during their first blissful year of marriage. Plus, Bryce had been looking through the eyes of an adult, not the eyes of a young woman whod grown up in the foster care system and felt cherished for the first time in her life.
Chris had his moments, she said softly. She liked to think that some of her late husbands good qualities would live on in Josie.
Bryce waved a hand. My point was, you make his parents sound about a thousand times worse than him.
Agreed. But running was a mistake. All shed ever wanted growing up was a family of her own, yet now shed endangered her daughters chances of a normal home life. Josie was still reeling from losing her father. How could she be expected to cope if Heathers impulsive actions landed her in jail? After her arguments with Christopher about operating outside the rules, her failure to appear made her a terrible hypocrite.
Youre not thinking about going back? Bryce asked dubiously.
Dread knotted her stomach. Her in-laws had scared the hell out of her from the day shed met them. At first, it had been because she hadnt believed she was good enough for their sonan opinion Eileen Hargrove reinforced at every opportunity. But over the past few years, shed become apprehensive for other reasons. Christopher had joked that Hargroves were above the law...because we can afford to be. Though Heather lacked specific details, she knew her father-in-laws criminal activities werent limited to bribing his way out of traffic tickets.
Not that I can prove it.
I cant go back, she finally said. They have unlimited funds and a lawyer who makes great white sharks look cuddly in comparison. From things shed overheard during her marriage, Phillip Hargrove might also have judges and state officials in his back pocket.
You mentioned funds. Bryce peered at her through his wire-rim glasses, his concern unmistakable. Need a loan?
She rose, crossing to the expensive ottoman to hug him. You are a prince. Why couldnt I have fallen for you in college? Shed been nineteen and vastly inexperienced with men when shed met Christopher at a museum near campus.
A diligent scholarship student like you with a wastrel like me? Pshaw. You couldnt have been expected to put up with this. He gestured toward the cluttered tabletop and the magazines now scattered haphazardly on the unvacuumed carpet. It would be an affront to your artistic sensibilities. Now stop trying to change the subject, and tell me if you need money.
No. At least, not yet. If Im careful. When shed first considered leaving Christopher, shed begun quietly squirreling away cash. It had taken her a long time to work up the courage. Shed later supplemented her new bank account by selling jewelry. Shed realized she might have to pay for a contentious divorce, but at the end of the day, despite his faults, shed known Christopher loved Josie. Shed prayed that would guide him to some reasonable decisions.
Eileen and Phillip Hargrove didnt love anyone. They saw Josie, the only child of their only child, as the Hargrove heir, belonging to them by rightsas much a possession as Eileens BMW or Phillips Jag.