STUART,
Bachelors & Babies Series book 10
Bachelors & Babies Series book 10
By Caroline
Clemmons
Clemmons
Western
historical romance
historical romance
Published
March 1, 2020
March 1, 2020
About the
book:
book:
He is building for the future . . .
She is escaping the past . . .
Trouble could destroy their family
Stuart McGee needs the bounty from capturing the two men he2527s
trailing. That reward will allow him to buy the ranch of his dreams. When he
encounters the men, he is forced to kill them or be killed. He learns they2527ve
killed a young couple. The big surprise is there2527s a baby in their cabin. What
is Stuart supposed to do with a baby girl?
trailing. That reward will allow him to buy the ranch of his dreams. When he
encounters the men, he is forced to kill them or be killed. He learns they2527ve
killed a young couple. The big surprise is there2527s a baby in their cabin. What
is Stuart supposed to do with a baby girl?
Georgina Potter has to get away from home. Her family treats her
as a screw-up. She is determined to prove them wrong. Starting over as a
mail-order bride might not be the best way but it2527s the only way she can get
away from her family. When she arrives she learns her groom has married someone
else. What is she going to do with no money, no groom, and nowhere to stay?
as a screw-up. She is determined to prove them wrong. Starting over as a
mail-order bride might not be the best way but it2527s the only way she can get
away from her family. When she arrives she learns her groom has married someone
else. What is she going to do with no money, no groom, and nowhere to stay?
When Georgina and Stuart marry, neither is convinced it2527s the
right choice. Baby Adeline captures the affection of both. Can working together
as parents ignite romance for Georgina and Stuart? When trouble comes, will
their fledgling relationship disintegrate or become stronger?
right choice. Baby Adeline captures the affection of both. Can working together
as parents ignite romance for Georgina and Stuart? When trouble comes, will
their fledgling relationship disintegrate or become stronger?
Read an Excerpt:
Claud waited just inside his office.
“So this is the child? Cute little thing.”
“So this is the child? Cute little thing.”
“She is, isn2527t she? Adeline, this is
Sheriff Iverson. I don2527t know enough about children to know if she2527s good or
not.”
Sheriff Iverson. I don2527t know enough about children to know if she2527s good or
not.”
Claud led the way back inside. He
glanced over his shoulder and grinned. “You going into the dairy business,
too?”
glanced over his shoulder and grinned. “You going into the dairy business,
too?”
“As if you hadn2527t guessed I brought
the cow so Adeline could have fresh milk. Cow slowed us some. The wagon
belonged to her folks. Apparently they didn2527t have living kin. After I
collected her supplies I loaded whatever I could onto the wagon. Figured she2527d
want the things when she was older.”
the cow so Adeline could have fresh milk. Cow slowed us some. The wagon
belonged to her folks. Apparently they didn2527t have living kin. After I
collected her supplies I loaded whatever I could onto the wagon. Figured she2527d
want the things when she was older.”
Claud motioned Stuart near. “I2527ll make
you a deal. You take Miss Potter off my hands and I2527ll dismiss her fine.”
you a deal. You take Miss Potter off my hands and I2527ll dismiss her fine.”
“Have you considered what people are
going to think about me having a young woman living out at the ranch with me?
You know what the devil they2527ll say. Her reputation will be ruined.”
going to think about me having a young woman living out at the ranch with me?
You know what the devil they2527ll say. Her reputation will be ruined.”
“She came here to get married to a
stranger. She2527d be a heck of a lot better off married to you than to Brick.”
stranger. She2527d be a heck of a lot better off married to you than to Brick.”
Stuart had wondered if he2527d have to
marry to get someone to care for Adeline. He2527d planned to marry sometime but he
hadn2527t figured on the wedding being now. “I agree with that. Brick2527s head is
thick as his name.”
marry to get someone to care for Adeline. He2527d planned to marry sometime but he
hadn2527t figured on the wedding being now. “I agree with that. Brick2527s head is
thick as his name.”
He thought for a few seconds then
exhaled. “I don2527t have any other candidates in mind for a wife. Okay, I2527ll go
talk to her.”
exhaled. “I don2527t have any other candidates in mind for a wife. Okay, I2527ll go
talk to her.”
“I2527ll bring you a chair.” Claud
carried a chair and set it in front of the cell. “Miss Potter, my friend Stuart
has something to discuss with you.”
carried a chair and set it in front of the cell. “Miss Potter, my friend Stuart
has something to discuss with you.”
She stared at Adeline and a soft smile
formed on her face. “Is that your child? She2527s precious.”
formed on her face. “Is that your child? She2527s precious.”
He told her how he found Adeline. “I
reckon she2527s mine now. Only people who2527d take her seemed more interested in the
things on the wagon than in her. I2527m not set up for a baby but I2527m not going to
let her go to anyone unless they2527ll treat her like their daughter and give her
a good home.”
reckon she2527s mine now. Only people who2527d take her seemed more interested in the
things on the wagon than in her. I2527m not set up for a baby but I2527m not going to
let her go to anyone unless they2527ll treat her like their daughter and give her
a good home.”
“That2527s commendable.”
He set Adeline on the floor and she
toddled to the cell. “Ma ma ma.” She held up her arms for Miss Potter to lift
her.
toddled to the cell. “Ma ma ma.” She held up her arms for Miss Potter to lift
her.
Miss Potter smiled and knelt so she
could touch Adeline through the bars. “I can2527t lift you this way, dear. I can
play patty cake.” She demonstrated.
could touch Adeline through the bars. “I can2527t lift you this way, dear. I can
play patty cake.” She demonstrated.
Adeline laughed and sat down in front
of her. She tried imitating Miss Potter.
of her. She tried imitating Miss Potter.
“I think her mother or father must
have shown her patty cake, don2527t you? She seems to know the game.”
have shown her patty cake, don2527t you? She seems to know the game.”
“Looks like it. Here2527s the thing. I
need a mother for Adeline. Since you came here to marry a stranger, are you
willing to marry me and come to my ranch? The house is sound and plenty large
for a family. It2527s not so far out of town that you2527d be isolated all the time.
I generally come in once a week unless the snow is too deep.”
need a mother for Adeline. Since you came here to marry a stranger, are you
willing to marry me and come to my ranch? The house is sound and plenty large
for a family. It2527s not so far out of town that you2527d be isolated all the time.
I generally come in once a week unless the snow is too deep.”
Claud stood behind him. “I guarantee
he2527s not near as strange as Brick Larson. Stuart is hard working and honest and
has a good ranch and house.”
he2527s not near as strange as Brick Larson. Stuart is hard working and honest and
has a good ranch and house.”
Without standing she looked at Claud.
“What about my fine? Is he willing to pay that?”
“What about my fine? Is he willing to pay that?”
Claud looked down. “The fine will be
dismissed if you marry Stuart.”
dismissed if you marry Stuart.”
She stood. “In that case, how can I
refuse?”
refuse?”
Stuart picked up Adeline. “We2527ll have
to marry right away so I can get on the way to my ranch.”
to marry right away so I can get on the way to my ranch.”
“That2527s satisfactory. I would like to
change clothes before the wedding.”
change clothes before the wedding.”
Stuart looked at Claud and raised his
eyebrows. Let him explain away this one.
eyebrows. Let him explain away this one.
“Miss Potter… um… the station agent
had your luggage brought over. You see… he was afraid if it was left any longer
that it might be stolen or vandalized. There2527s a room behind my office where
you can change clothes.”
had your luggage brought over. You see… he was afraid if it was left any longer
that it might be stolen or vandalized. There2527s a room behind my office where
you can change clothes.”
Claud didn2527t look at her during his
explanation and as he let her out of the cell.
explanation and as he let her out of the cell.
She stopped and looked him in the
face. “You2527ve had it all along, haven2527t you? You were just being spiteful. That
is childish.”
face. “You2527ve had it all along, haven2527t you? You were just being spiteful. That
is childish.”
Claud raised a hand. “Now, Ma2527am—”
She stabbed a forefinger at his chest.
“Now I2527m not sorry I gave you a black eye.”
“Now I2527m not sorry I gave you a black eye.”
She flounced her skirts as if she were
in a ball gown. Or, as Stuart thought a woman in a fancy ball gown would. He2527d
never actually attended such a function.
in a ball gown. Or, as Stuart thought a woman in a fancy ball gown would. He2527d
never actually attended such a function.
Claud shook his head. “She has a
temper. You may regret this.”
temper. You may regret this.”
He couldn2527t suppress a chuckle. “If I
do, you2527ll hear about it.” He scooped up Adeline and carried her to the front
of the office.
do, you2527ll hear about it.” He scooped up Adeline and carried her to the front
of the office.
Universal Amazon
buy link http://mybook.to/Georgina
buy link http://mybook.to/Georgina
About Author
Caroline Clemmons:
Caroline Clemmons:
Through
a crazy twist of fate, Caroline Clemmons was not born on a Texas ranch. To compensate for this illogical error,
she writes about handsome cowboys, feisty ranch women, and scheming villains in
a tiny office her family calls her pink cave. She and her Hero live in North
Central Texas cowboy country where they ride herd on their two rescued indoor
cats and dog as well as providing nourishment outdoors for squirrels, birds,
and other critters.
a crazy twist of fate, Caroline Clemmons was not born on a Texas ranch. To compensate for this illogical error,
she writes about handsome cowboys, feisty ranch women, and scheming villains in
a tiny office her family calls her pink cave. She and her Hero live in North
Central Texas cowboy country where they ride herd on their two rescued indoor
cats and dog as well as providing nourishment outdoors for squirrels, birds,
and other critters.
The
books she creates in her pink cave have made her a bestselling author and won
awards. She writes sweet to sensual romances about the West, both historical
and contemporary as well as time travel and mystery. Her series include the
Kincaids, McClintocks, Stone Mountain Texas, Bride Brigade, Texas Time Travel,
Texas Caprock Tales, Pearson Grove, and Loving A Rancher as well as numerous
single titles and contributions to multi-author sets. When she2527s not writing,
she loves spending time with her family, reading her friends2527 books, lunching
with friends, browsing antique malls, checking Facebook, and taking the
occasional nap. Find her on her blog,
website,
Facebook, Twitter,
Goodreads, and Pinterest.
books she creates in her pink cave have made her a bestselling author and won
awards. She writes sweet to sensual romances about the West, both historical
and contemporary as well as time travel and mystery. Her series include the
Kincaids, McClintocks, Stone Mountain Texas, Bride Brigade, Texas Time Travel,
Texas Caprock Tales, Pearson Grove, and Loving A Rancher as well as numerous
single titles and contributions to multi-author sets. When she2527s not writing,
she loves spending time with her family, reading her friends2527 books, lunching
with friends, browsing antique malls, checking Facebook, and taking the
occasional nap. Find her on her blog,
website,
Facebook, Twitter,
Goodreads, and Pinterest.
Join
her and other readers at Caroline2527s
Cuties, a Facebook readers group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/277082053015947/
for special excerpts, exchanging ideas, contests, giveaways, recipes, and
talking to like-minded people about books and other fun things.
her and other readers at Caroline2527s
Cuties, a Facebook readers group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/277082053015947/
for special excerpts, exchanging ideas, contests, giveaways, recipes, and
talking to like-minded people about books and other fun things.
Click
on her Amazon Author Page
for a complete list of her books and follow her there.
on her Amazon Author Page
for a complete list of her books and follow her there.
Follow
her on BookBub.
her on BookBub.
To
stay up-to-date with her releases and contests, subscribe to Caroline2527s
newsletter here and
receive a FREE novella of HAPPY IS THE BRIDE, a humorous historical wedding
disaster that ends happily—but you knew it would, didn2527t you?
stay up-to-date with her releases and contests, subscribe to Caroline2527s
newsletter here and
receive a FREE novella of HAPPY IS THE BRIDE, a humorous historical wedding
disaster that ends happily—but you knew it would, didn2527t you?