Contents
Acclaim for Patty Campbell
Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Thank You For Reading
About the Author
Also by Patty Campbell
HEART OF A MARINE
Copyright © 2021 by Patty Campbell
ISBN: 978-1-953735-59-1
Published by Satin Romance
An Imprint of Melange Books, LLC
White Bear Lake, MN 55110
www.satinromance.com
Smashwords Edition
Names, characters, and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.
Published in the United States of America.
Cover Design by Ashley Redbird Designs
Acclaim for Patty Campbell
For Heart of a Marine
“A hero to fall in love with.”
—Author Keira Montclair
For Jelly’s Big Night Out
“This is a wonderful real-life down-to-earth story of an outstanding sister who gives up her freedom to raise her sister. Yes, there are tears. And yes, there is a happy-ever-after!”
—Author Haven Raines
“A great read with characters you will really enjoy.”
—Ms. Goodreads.
For Once a Marine
“The storyline was entertaining with high drama near the end.”
—Cocktails and Books Review
“I loved this story by Patty Campbell. The story was riveting, and I didn't want to put this book down.”
—Author Molly Jebber
This first Wounded Warrior book is dedicated to the Wounded Veteran’s Relief Fund. All author royalties for the sale of the series will be donated to WVRF to further their mission. Please check them out at www.wvrf.org.
Chapter One
Big-boned, big girl, full-figured—how Marla hated those stupid metaphors. At five-foot-six, she weighed one hundred sixty pounds. Size twelve, just like Marilyn Monroe, but unfortunately due to the nubile teenage models marketed by Victoria’s Secret, Marilyn’s charms were no longer fashionable.
Her fraternal twin sister Charlene, on the other hand, was the same height, with one hundred twenty pounds of lingerie-model curves. Charlene wore her thick, golden blond hair like a privileged princess. Rusty brown eye color was the only thing they had in common. Victoria’s Secret, eat your heart out.
Marla got the brains. She dearly loved Charlene, but she sometimes wondered what was going on upstairs, except for her insatiable appetite for men. To give Charlene credit, she was very successful in her quest.
Now what was Char doing walking toward her at the construction site today? She shaded her eyes from the bright sun and gazed across the cluttered lot.
“Oh, lordy lord, Marla,” her sister said. “How can you stand it? Is he here every day? That man makes my mouth water and my knees quake.”
“Give me a clue, Char. Is it the leer or the tool belt?”
“Are you kidding me? You must be blind. He’s nothing but rippling muscles and he’s got the sexiest little hitch in his walk. Yum. He’s the spittin’ image of Gerard Butler. This guy is hot. Have you noticed how he looks at you? I’m jealous. You should talk to him.”
Marla rolled her eyes and blew out a long sigh. “I do talk to him, much more than I care to. Dwayne Dempsey is a royal pain. It’s a new argument from him every day. Just because he’s the contractor he thinks he knows more about this project than I do.”
Charlene had that moony-eyed grin on her face. “Well, he is the contractor.”
“Oh, for the love of goats, Charlene!” What was the use? “I own this building. He’s supposed to follow my design, my blueprints, not argue about every little detail.” She wasn’t sure Charlene recognized the difference between employer and employee.
Marla wouldn’t admit it, but she did have eyes, and she considered Dwayne Dempsey quite good-looking. Mouth-watering actually. She also knew how much he enjoyed flirting with the fat girl.
Dwayne looked up from his cell phone, hitched up his jeans, and winked at Charlene. He turned and waved when a man in the construction trailer yelled, “Yo, Gunny, over here!”
“Oh, lordy. I want him.”
“Take him, please. You’re welcome to him.”
Charlene scrunched her eyebrows. “Who’s Gunny?”
“Dwayne. He’s a retired marine. His men call him that. Now, what are you doing here?”
Charlene dragged her gaze from Dwayne’s back and shoulders as he walked away. Hand on her heart, she sighed. “Look at his perfect butt in those beat-up jeans. I don’t know how you stand it.”
Marla took the roll of blueprints and tapped her twin on the head. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“What question?”
Marla rolled her eyes. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh. I thought we’d go for lunch. We have to strategize for the singles dinner thingy. Remember? You promised you’d go with me. It’s tomorrow night.”
Darn it! She’d forgotten all about her promise to Charlene and her brothers. Charlene had wheedled her about it to the point where she was ready to agree to anything just to get her to stop. It must have been the fact she was exhausted and so worried about the financials for this apartment house condo conversion. She’d better find a buyer for that great new listing she got before she had to start pinching pennies on this project.
Marla blew an annoyed sigh and thumbed across the screen of her iPhone. She had every minute of the day accounted for. “Why didn’t you call me last night and give me a heads-up? I’m swamped today.”
“I just found out an hour ago that Harry and Barry could meet us for lunch. You know how hard it is to get them to sit for an hour. It was today or never.”
Grrr, this meant she had to talk to Dwayne, to let him
