Vanessa's Match. Judy Christenberry

      “Why wouldn’t my sister want us to get together and share life with her?” Rick asked

      “Lindy is so young—she’s still just a child. What if she fears I may not care for her as much as I did, because I’m in love with you?” Vanessa replied.

      “Are you?”

      “Am I what?”

      “In love with me?”

      Vanessa felt her cheeks burn and she looked away. She wouldn’t answer his question. She couldn’t. Instead she took a different approach. “Rick, I’ve worked for four years on my advanced degree. I have six more months of work. Then I’ll be able to pursue a career I love.”

      “Okay,” he said with a sigh. “Six months isn’t forever.” It just seems like forever when I want to marry you now!

      Dear Reader,

      We’ve come to the end of the CHILDREN OF TEXAS series. In the first four books Vanessa played a secondary role to her sisters’ and brother’s stories, and has been patiently waiting for her time in the sun.

      As the youngest of the Barlow family, Vanessa had to grow up a bit before she was ready for her own story. In the meantime, she, along with Will and Vivian, looked for and found her other siblings. Each one was brought into the family and made to feel a part of it. The family has grown and babies have appeared.

      Though Vanessa loves her siblings, and their babies even more, she has been lonesome at times because she didn’t have anyone special for herself. I wanted Vanessa to have her reward, but, as we all know, no reward really fills a void unless you work for it. I hope you’ll cheer on Vanessa through her struggles, and share in her happiness at the end.

      It’s been a pleasure to bring you this family and all of its stories. I hope that you, too, have a family to share with. But remember, family doesn’t have to be of the same blood. Just reach out to those around you whom you love—and form your own family.

      If you have any comments or questions, you can reach me at my Web site, www.judychristenberry.com.

      Happy reading!

      Vanessa’s Match

      Judy Christenberry

      

www.millsandboon.co.uk

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      Judy Christenberry has been writing romances for over fifteen years because she loves happy endings as much as her readers do. A former French teacher, Judy now devotes herself to writing full-time. She hopes readers have as much fun with her stories as she does. She spends her spare time reading, watching her favorite sports teams and keeping track of her two daughters. Judy lives in Texas.

      Contents

      Prologue

      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

      Epilogue

      Prologue

      “I need your help.”

      Even through the haze of sleep, Vanessa Shaw recognized the voice that woke her at—She focused with difficulty on the bedside clock. Two a.m. Why was Dr. Cavanaugh calling her now? He was the head of the Psychology Department and Vanessa’s supervisor in her quest for her doctorate of psychology. For him to phone in the middle of the night, she knew the matter must be urgent.

      “Yes, Dr. Cavanaugh, what is it?” she asked, clutching the phone with one hand and rubbing her eyes with the other.

      “Sorry to wake you, Vanessa, but I need you.”

      “Of course. Anything I can do.” One didn’t say no to Dr. Cavanaugh, even at two a.m.

      Her mentor took her at her word and, without pausing, launched into an explanation. “There’s a fifteen-year-old girl in the hospital right now having her stomach pumped. She attempted suicide following her mother’s death in a car accident. The family attorney called and asked me to supply someone to be with her when she awoke and to help her through this tragedy.” Not waiting for a comment, he continued. “You’re the most senior female in the program, and a very good student. I’ve seen your work with some desperate cases, so I immediately thought of you.”

      Vanessa sat up. Surely he didn’t expect her to fill the role he’d described. “Thank you, sir, but—”

      “She’s part of the Austin family.”

      It was a name she recognized instantly. The Austins had donated millions to the university.

      “I don’t have to tell you how important this family is to the university.” The doctor’s voice deepened. “Or to your future.”

      It wasn’t a threat; it didn’t have to be. Vanessa knew what she had to do.

      She cleared her throat. “Yes, sir, I’ll be right there.”

      Chapter One

      Vanessa smiled as her patient, Lindy Austin, played with Vanessa’s niece, Jamie. Turning two and sweet as spun sugar, Jamie made Lindy laugh as they played with the plastic dollhouse and the toddler babbled on. Vanessa suspected it had been a while since Lindy had laughed like that.

      Ever since she’d received the call that sent her to the hospital in the middle of the night five days ago, Vanessa had taken care of Lindy, and eventually brought her here to her mother’s house in the Highland Park section of Dallas, where Vanessa still lived. Lindy had said she couldn’t face going back to the condo she’d lived in with her mother.

      Only Vanessa had gone to the condo to pack some clothes for Lindy. And she’d been disturbed by what she’d found. Richard Austin, Lindy’s half brother, had a lot to answer for. At the time of the accident he’d been in Japan on business and had ordered his attorney to make sure Lindy was taken care of. That had been the extent of Richard’s involvement. Because of the Austins’ connections to the university Dr. Cavanaugh got involved, but he knew little about Richard Austin.

      Vanessa had so many questions about the man. But she couldn’t ask Lindy. The teen reacted badly to the mere mention of his name, which made Vanessa even more determined to protect the girl. How, she wasn’t sure, but she’d find a way.

      “Vanessa?” Betty, the housekeeper, came into the morning room, breaking into her thoughts.

      Vanessa looked up quickly. There was a hint of urgency in the housekeeper’s voice that alarmed her.

      “What is it, Betty?”

      “You have a caller. Shall I show him to the library?”

      Vanessa paused. She started to ask the name of the visitor, but Betty’s gaze darted to Lindy and then back to Vanessa. So the caller was about her charge. “Yes, thank you.”

      She looked at her sister, Jamie’s