Texas Daddy. Jolene Navarro

      

      The Cowboy’s Second Chance

      Being a devoted dad is former bull rider Adrian De La Cruz’s top priority. So when Mia suffers a rodeo injury and winds up recovering alongside Adrian’s first crush, Nikki Bergmann, he becomes even more protective of his daughter—and his heart. Nikki is back in Clear Water solely to recover, and he knows she has no intention of staying. But as the bond between Mia and Nikki grows, Adrian can’t help falling for her once again. Until Nikki’s long-buried secret comes to light, and Adrian must decide if he can forgive the past, or face a future without the woman he’s never been able to forget.

      “I thought we made a good team tonight.”

      It had been a long time since she felt like she belonged anywhere, let alone on a team. Adrian was one of the true good guys. With his profile to her, she could study his features. He was still good-looking, and the years added maturity and depth. She didn’t really understand why he was still single.

      He put his hands into the front pockets of his worn-just-right jeans. With a quick turn of his head, he glanced at her before looking back to the sky. “Anyway, I was wondering if you liked live music.” He looked down. “Mia is going to her first sleepover since the accident.” He took a deep breath. “So I was wondering if you would want to go to Kerrville with me. A friend from the bull-riding days is playing at a restaurant, and I thought going there would be better than sitting alone and worrying about Mia. Would you want to go with me?”

      “Are you asking me on a date?”

      Dear Reader,

      Thank you for taking a trip to Clear Water, Texas, with me. This small town has become my go-to place to visit and Adrian is one of my favorite guys in town. He has been there to help out since the first book and I wanted to see his happy ending. Each story I got to know him a little better and knew I would love spending time with him.

      Nikki was new to me. I knew Adrian needed someone who would shake up his world and that’s what she did. It was important for me to get her story right for her ultimate gift of love. A story of redemption and forgiveness. We’ve all made mistakes or trusted the wrong people, but God’s love is bigger than anything that can harm us in this world. He uses it all for good. Family, healing and love are all wrapped tightly around this story. Coming from a family of three girls, I loved writing the sister scene. I hope you enjoy Adrian and Nikki’s adventure to everlasting love. Find me on Facebook at Jolene Navarro, Author.

      Warm regards and blessings,

      Jolene Navarro

      A seventh-generation Texan, JOLENE NAVARRO fills her life with family, faith and life’s beautiful messiness. She knows that as much as the world changes, people stay the same. Vow-keepers and heartbreakers. Jolene married a vow-keeper who shows her holding hands never gets old. When not writing, Jolene teaches art to inner-city teens and hangs out with her own four almost-grown kids. Find Jolene on Facebook or her blog, jolenenavarrowriter.com.

      Texas Daddy

      Jolene Navarro

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      Rejoice always, pray continually,

      give thanks in all circumstances;

      for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

      —1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

      To My Sisters

      Tracye Ward and Amanda Warren

      Through times of joy, tribulations, grief and

      happiness you have been there. As different

      as we are, we are also the same. Love you.

       Acknowledgments

      First, foremost and always with all my heart,

      thank you to my hero, my husband, Fred Navarro.

      He gave me the time I needed to pull this story

      together and has been known to do the dishes

      without even being asked.

      Thank you to Alexandra Sokoloff, Linda Trout,

      Carol Green Kiar, Laura Stephens, Gail Hart,

      Jenna Neal, Vaun Murphrey, Melody Robinette,

      Linda Fry, Deann Alford Landers and the

      West Texas Writer’s Academy class of 2015

      for brainstorming this story.

      Plotting is always more fun with a group.

      To my writer friends of San Antonio Romance

      Authors. You are an endless source of inspiration.

      Teri Wilson, Patricia Walters-Fischer,

      Lupe Gonzalez, Mary Brand, Manie Culver,

      Suanne Schefer, Willa Blair, Ani Stubs,

      Curtis Copley, Troy Bernhardt, Joni Hahn

      and Pamla Morsi. Just to name a few.

      To Storm Navarro and Sasha Summers

      for everything.

      And to Emily Rodmell, my editor, and Pam Hopkins,

      my agent. Thank you for taking the stories

      I have in my dyslexic brain and helping me

      polish them to be the best they can be.

      Thank you for this dream

      of being a Harlequin author.

      Contents

       Cover

       Back Cover Text

       Introduction

       Dear Reader

       About the Author

       Title Page

       Bible Verse

       Dedication

       Acknowledgments

       Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three