Rancher To The Rescue. Arlene James

      

      First comes rescue...

      Then comes love at the Three Brothers Ranch

      Coming to the aid of a woman in her broken-down car, Jake Smith finds the answer to his childcare problems. Kathryn Stepp needs a job, and the widower needs a nanny for his son. As they help each other, Jake is caught between attraction and his refusal to marry again. But sometimes a woman doesn’t just fall for a hero—she rescues him right back.

      ARLENE JAMES has been publishing steadily for nearly four decades and is a charter member of RWA. She is married to an acclaimed artist, and together they have traveled extensively. After growing up in Oklahoma, Arlene lived thirty-four years in Texas and now abides in beautiful northwest Arkansas, near two of the world’s three loveliest, smartest, most talented granddaughters. She is heavily involved in her family, church and community.

       Also by Arlene James

      Three Brothers Ranch

      The Rancher’s Answered Prayer

      Rancher to the Rescue

      The Prodigal Ranch

      The Rancher’s Homecoming

      Her Single Dad Hero

      Her Cowboy Boss

      Chatam House

      Anna Meets Her Match

      A Match Made in Texas

      Baby Makes a Match

      An Unlikely Match

      Second Chance Match

      Building a Perfect Match

      Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

      Rancher to the Rescue

      Arlene James

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      ISBN: 978-1-474-09483-2

      RANCHER TO THE RESCUE

      © 2019 Deborah Rather

      Published in Great Britain 2019

       by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

      All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

      This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      Version: 2020-03-02

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      “You made all this?”

      Kathryn ducked her head shyly. “I even hooked the rug.”

      Impressed, Jake lifted his eyebrows. This was a woman of immense talent. “I suppose you painted the cabinets in the kitchen, too.”

      “Who else? There’s no one here but me.”

      “I thought you lived with your mom.”

      Kathryn dipped her chin, dropping her gaze. “I—I did. She passed ten months ago, and before that she was far too immobile to stencil cabinets.”

      Jake let that sink in. After a moment, he muttered, “We ought to get on our way.”

      He mused that, if things went well with the shop, maybe he and Frankie could find their own place and hire Kathryn Stepp to decorate it.

      Suddenly an idea sprang into his mind. What if he could convince his brother to hire Kathryn? Jake would benefit from this, too.

      At least that was what he told himself.

      It was a far more comfortable thought than the idea that he might like having Kathryn Stepp around the ranch.

      Dear Reader,

      How difficult it is to remain obedient in the face of apparent calamity! Yet, obedience is exactly how we should respond when things look most dire. Sometimes the only way to remain obedient seems to be to withdraw from the world around us. That was Kathryn’s reaction when an accident made an invalid of her mother.

      Perhaps it doesn’t occur to us—perhaps it shouldn’t—that God will use our obedience to bring many blessings into even the most hopeless situation, but that’s exactly what He does. Likewise, He uses difficulty to build strength in us, strength of character, strength of faith. When Jake understands that more than one kind of strength exists, he finds the courage to love again.

      Fortunately, we don’t have to find obedience or strength within ourselves. God is always there, always working on our behalf. May you always hold to Him, our shield and salvation.

      God bless,

       Arlene James

      As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

      —2 Samuel 22:31

      For Pattie Steele-Perkins.

      You’ve