A Woman's Heart

A Woman's Heart

by

Gael Morrison

A WOMAN'S HEART

Reviews & Accolades

"...a story of love and sacrifice, with a touch of tropical magic thrown in. I loved this heartwarming story."

~
Vanessa Grant, bestselling author of Writing Romance

Published by
ePublishing Works!

www.epublishingworks.com

ISBN: 978-1-61417-401-1

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Please Note

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Copyright © 2012, 2013 by Gael Morrison. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

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Thank You.

Dedicated with love to

My mother and father

Ruby and John Friesen,

sailors of the South Seas

and to

Jann Crowley

whose heart is an inspiration

Chapter 1

"My lawyer, Mr. Moore," Peter Strickland murmured. He tore his gaze from Jann Fletcher's disconcertingly blue eyes and ushered her into Moore's office.

The Fletcher woman nodded at Moore then turned back to Peter. Her long cotton skirt and wispy blouse seemed more suited to the beach than to an upscale Honolulu lawyer's office.

"Have a seat," Peter said, directing her to one of Moore's black leather chairs. "I appreciate you meeting me on such short notice."

Somehow he was able to stop himself searching the space beyond her, knowing already there was no baby carriage parked against the wall in the corridor outside. The need to see his sister's baby, to truly believe he existed had driven Peter mad in the week since Jann Fletcher's letter had arrived. Only seven days, but they'd been filled with paperwork, lawyers and travel arrangements.

"I hoped you would bring Alexander with you," he said.

"It's Alex's nap time," she replied, her voice warm and slow with the lilting drawl of an islander.

It should have been sharper, Peter thought, and crisper, should have matched her red hair.

"Besides..." She frowned. "I don't know why you asked me here."

"I wanted to thank you." He didn't like it that he was obligated to this woman. "I wanted to tell you in person how grateful I am for all you've done for my nephew." He banished Claire from his mind, couldn't think of his sister now. He wanted only to concentrate on her baby.

"It was my pleasure."

"It must have been difficult."

"No," she denied, the lie obvious in the pain angling through her eyes, smudging their blue with blackness.

"A young woman like you... single." As his sister had been single. Peter cleared his throat. "The last six months can't have been easy." If he kept his mind focused on Jann Fletcher's hardships, he might stop thinking of Claire's, of how alone his sister must have felt, how frightened.