There’s no better place to spend Christmas than on the Chesapeake Bay, where it’s always the perfect season to start over.
Former police officer Paul Thompson has come to the little town of Pleasant Shores to heal his PTSD. The prescription involves volunteering, therapy and, most of all, a stable routine for his young son. Falling for Amber Rowe, however, would make that stability impossible. Even though she immediately bonds with little Davey, Amber’s future is filled with uncertainty, and Paul can’t bear to see his son love and lose someone else.
Amber got to know Paul’s late wife while writing a book about cancer. In doing so, she learned a secret that could tear Paul’s world apart. Keeping her distance is the best way to avoid unwittingly causing turmoil for a man she’s come to care about more than she ever intended. But as Christmas draws near and their joint volunteer project develops, so does the depth of their feelings. And soon, Amber will have to choose between keeping a promise and committing to a risky love...
Praise for the novels of Lee Tobin McClain
“Lee Tobin McClain dazzles with unforgettable characters, fabulous small-town settings and a big dose of heart. Her complex and satisfying stories never disappoint.”
—Susan Mallery, New York Times bestselling author
“Fans of Debbie Macomber will appreciate this start to a new series by McClain that blends sweet, small-town romance with such serious issues as domestic abuse.... Readers craving a feel-good romance with a bit of suspense will be satisfied.”
—Booklist on Low Country Hero
“[An] enthralling tale of learning to trust.... This enjoyable contemporary romance will appeal to readers looking for twinges of suspense before happily ever after.”
—Publishers Weekly on Low Country Hero
“Low Country Hero has everything I look for in a book—it’s emotional, tender, and an all-around wonderful story.”
—RaeAnne Thayne, New York Times bestselling author
Also by Lee Tobin McClain
The Off Season
Cottage at the Beach
Reunion at the Shore
Safe Haven
Low Country Hero
Low Country Dreams
Low Country Christmas
Look for Lee Tobin McClain’s next novel in The Off Season miniseries, available soon from HQN.
For additional books by Lee Tobin McClain, visit her website, www.leetobinmcclain.com.
Lee Tobin McClain
Christmas on the Coast
For Grace
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
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
EPILOGUE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
EXCERPT FROM BOOK FOUR OF THE OFF SEASON SERIES BY LEE TOBIN MCCLAIN
CHAPTER ONE
AMBER ROWE WOKE up to the sound of a child crying and pushed herself to a seated position on the couch. “Hannah?”
Heart pounding, she looked around the living room of her little beach cottage and then checked her phone. Just 11:15 p.m.
Outside, a dog barked, and something, maybe a cat, yowled over the rattling November wind. Amber shoved her fingers through her hair, reflexively pressed at the scars on her abdomen and sucked in a deep breath, let it out. She’d been sleeping so heavily, dreaming.
It hadn’t been her daughter crying. Hannah wasn’t a small child anymore, but a thriving college freshman two states away.
She heard the dog bark again, closer, and the same howling sound. It couldn’t be a child, could it? Had to be a cat, or... She cocked her head, listening.
Was that a cat or a child?
Shoving her blanket and travel books aside, she crossed the living room, flipped on the porch light and opened the door. “Hello?”
Silence for a moment, and then one deep, baying bark, shockingly close, made her jump. She peered into the darkness just beyond the porch light’s circle and saw a big, dark dog.
Then the wail of a child pierced her heart, and she rushed onto the porch. She made out a small form hugging the dog’s neck.
“Hey, buddy, what’s wrong?” She kept her voice warm and soft, knelt to make herself smaller and less frightening. “Do you want to come in?” She held out a hand, too concerned about the child to be afraid of the large dog.
The child—a little boy in superhero pajamas—buried his face in the dog’s neck and continued sobbing, flinching as a gust of cold wind ruffled his hair.
This wouldn’t do. “I have hot chocolate,” she said, leaning forward enough to touch the child’s arm.
The dog growled.
She pulled her hand back. “Don’t worry, big boy, I have a biscuit for you, too.” She kept a canister of them for Ziggy, her sister’s goofy goldendoodle, and King, her brother-in-law’s German shepherd.
“His name’s Sarge,” the boy mumbled, turning his head sideways on the dog’s neck to look at her.
That rang a bell, but she couldn’t stop to think about why. “Come inside and we’ll find your parents.” She held the door open and gestured, and the boy came in slowly, the dog beside him. Both of them had muddy feet. The boy, who looked to be four or five, politely wiped his Spider-Man slippers on the mat before following her across the room.
They reached the kitchen and she was glad to note that his sobs were slowing down. “You have a seat and I’ll start some hot chocolate. And we’ll get Sarge a biscuit.” She filled a cup with water and stuck it in the microwave, then shook her tin of dog treats.
Sarge, who appeared to be a bloodhound, lifted his head and sniffed the air, but didn’t leave the boy’s side.
She extracted a large dog biscuit and held it out to the dog, and he took it delicately despite the strings of drool hanging from his saggy jowls. He flopped down on the floor and started to crunch. Apparently, he’d decided she wasn’t a danger to his charge.
“I’m Miss Amber,” she said, smiling at the child. “What’s your name?”
“Davey.” He studied her with big teary eyes. “I’m cold.”
“Of course you are.” She stepped into the living room, grabbed an afghan off the couch and wrapped it around his shoulders. Then she fumbled in the cupboard and found instant hot chocolate and some stale marshmallows, and pulled almond
