Once Upon a Christmas. Pamela Tracy

      

      The Rancher Meets His Match

      Raising three sons and running his ranch keeps single dad Jared McCreedy busy from sunup to sundown. Becoming involved with feisty single mom Maggie Tate is not on his to-do list. But he needs her help dealing with his youngest son’s learning problem. Like Jared, Maggie doesn’t want any romantic complications in her life...especially with a man whose take-charge attitude makes her temper flare—and her pulse race. But the risk of opening her heart is great and she has her daughter to think about. Then again, it is the season for faith and miracles....

      Jared was out of his comfort zone.

      He was used to women who wore comfortable shirts tucked into jeans. Maggie Tate wore enough pink to be a flamingo. She didn’t look old enough to be a parent, let alone one who gave advice when the going got tough.

      “The most important things I can tell you are don’t be afraid to ask for help, take all the advice that is offered and also be willing to sacrifice to get it.”

      “Sacrifice?”

      “Time mostly. You asked me for advice,” Maggie reminded him. “Funny, but it all goes back to something we talked about the first time we met. Here’s the truth. When dealing with Caleb, patience isn’t a virtue—it’s your only barrier between sanity and chaos.”

      Great, Jared thought, because if he remembered correctly, she had told him on that first meeting that patience was seldom found in a woman and never in a man.

      PAMELA TRACY

      is an award-winning author who lives with her husband (he claims to be the inspiration for most of her heroes) and son (he claims to be the interference for most of her writing time). She started writing at a very young age—a series of romances, all with David Cassidy as the hero. Sometimes Bobby Sherman would interfere. Then, while earning a BA in journalism at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, she picked up the pen again. (This time it was an electric typewriter on which she wrote a very bad science-fiction novel.)

      First published in 1999, Pamela is a winner of the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Book of the Year award and has been a RITA® Award finalist. Readers can write to her at www.pamelakayetracy.com or c/o Love Inspired Books, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 01279. You can find out more about Pamela by visiting her blog, Craftie Ladies of Suspense, at www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com.

      Once Upon a Christmas

      Pamela Tracy

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      MILLS & BOON

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      For the Lord searches every heart

      and understands every motive behind the thoughts.

      —1 Chronicles 28:9

      To my vintage shopping buddies

      and fellow English teachers—Marianne Botos,

      Lyn McClelland and Stacey Rannik—

      you guys keep me stylish and sane. Thanks so much!

      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

       Epilogue

       Dear Reader

       Questions for Discussion

       Excerpt

      Chapter One

      “I didn’t hit her.” Small arms folded across his chest, bottom lip at a salute, five-year-old Caleb McCreedy looked ready for battle.

      Only three months into his kindergarten year and he’d managed what his two older brothers hadn’t.

      A trip to the principal’s office.

      “My lunch box hit her,” Caleb finished. He made a face and paused as if in deep thought.

      John Deere baseball cap in hand, Jared McCreedy shifted uncomfortably on one of the hard brown chairs in the too small office and frowned. His youngest son was no stranger to battle. He had the example of two older brothers. They, however, knew better than to bring it to school.

      Mrs. Ann Tyson, principal of Roanoke Elementary for all of three months, turned to Jared as if expecting him to do something besides sit and listen as the story unfolded. Although his memories of being in trouble a time or two should have helped him speak up, they