For the children
Thanks to a troubled childhood, Laney O’Connor knows the struggles faced by the offspring of society’s most desperate women. These young innocents need a safe place, which Laney seeks to provide at Charity House. When foreclosure threatens her haven, she’ll let nothing stop her from keeping the orphanage open. Not even handsome hotel owner Marc Dupree. A series of misunderstandings put Laney and Marc at odds, but telling him the truth would mean breaking a promise—and jeopardizing the funds Charity House needs. And as Marc and Laney struggle with faith and trust, a secret from the past could ruin everything....
Marc Dupree’s words threw Laney completely off guard, as did his soft tone.
“Are you still in need of money, Miss O’Connor?”
“Yes,” she admitted before she could stop the word from rushing out. Why, why did she find herself wanting to lean on this man, when she knew he was dangerous to everything she held dear?
For a long moment Dupree stared at her, those blue-blue eyes piercing straight through her, as though he could see inside every one of her secrets. “Then I have a proposition for you.”
A number of terrible possibilities came to mind. For the past twenty-four hours Laney had experienced nothing but fear and desperation. The feeling of falling into a pit with no way out had been dreadful, panic-inducing. Terrifying.
Was she about to fall deeper into that pit, thanks to this man and his...proposition?
No. She couldn’t lose hope. For the sake of the children she had to believe good would come out of this awful situation.
“What kind of proposition are you suggesting?”
“Come work for me at my hotel.”
RENEE RYAN
grew up in a small Florida beach town. To entertain herself during countless hours of “lying out,” she read all the classics. It wasn’t until the summer between her sophomore and junior years at Florida State University that she read her first romance novel. Hooked from page one, she spent hours consuming one book after another while working on the best (and last!) tan of her life.
Two years later, armed with a degree in economics and religion, she explored various career opportunities, including stints at a Florida theme park, a modeling agency and a cosmetics conglomerate. She moved on to teach high school economics, American government and Latin while coaching award-winning cheerleading teams. Several years later, with an eclectic cast of characters swimming around in her head, she began seriously pursuing a writing career.
She lives an action-packed life in Lincoln, Nebraska, with her supportive husband, lovely teenage daughter and two ornery cats who hate each other.
Charity House Courtship
Renee Ryan
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to
your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
—Philippians 2:3, 4
To Sheila Vittitow and Jean Smith.
Your dedication to serving the Lord
always humbles me. Thank you for your stellar example. I’m honored to call you ladies my friends!
Contents
Chapter One
Denver, Colorado
June 1879
Laney O’Connor hesitated outside the legendary Hotel Dupree, unsure how best to proceed. Suspended in her moment of indecision, she took a slow, calming breath. The gesture did little to dispel her increasing agitation. She was, after all, about to commit a brazen act.
Could she pull this off?
Did she have any other choice?
A wave of doubt crested. With a hard swallow, she shoved the unwanted emotion into submission. This was no time for uncertainty.
Yet here she stood, motionless, hardly daring to breathe.
Lifting her gaze, she studied the ornate building in front of her. Not out of curiosity, but