A Reason To Stay

by Linda Charles

  ‘You deserve today.’

  She looked up. Nancy stood in the doorway, with moist eyes and a scrunched hanky in her hand.

  ‘Thanks, Nancy, I could always rely on you to boost my ego.’

  Nancy came over and gave her a hug. ‘No, I mean it, pet. You’ve changed everything, but I still can’t get over you marrying someone you met in Mindalby. That part I never saw coming.’

  Still amazed at the change in her life, Rach shook her head. ‘No, that was pretty special.’ Who knew coming back to Mindalby would be such a life-changer? That it would save her life, her soul and her very being?

  Moving gently aside, she picked up the salad and placed it in the fridge.

  ‘Remember, it started with you,’ she teased. Nancy let out a little giggle. Rach knew her foster mother was tickled over the part she’d played in her love life. Together they stepped out onto the verandah. She gazed across at their family and friends and wondered how she could ever have walked away from any of them.

  Caitlyn ran up to her.

  ‘Ready for a photo shoot? Come on now, where’s Dad?’

  There was a collective light-hearted groan from Caitlyn’s family. She’d appointed herself as chief photographer for the day and had started taking photos from breakfast.

  Mike jumped onto the verandah and stood beside her. He was beaming and had done so all day.

  Since Caitlyn and Mike’s family’s arrival, life had been hectic. But she wouldn’t have it any other way. Every bedroom in his house had two or three bodies in it, and she loved it. It reminded her of the Henderson home. Caitlyn was always the last to bed and each night she’d walk down the hall and call out goodnight to everyone by name, and everyone responded in turn. It was a ritual she enjoyed.

  Caitlyn knelt before them with her camera in hand.

  ‘Closer, closer. That’s it.’

  Rach glanced across at Mike. ‘Happy?’

  He gave a gentle laugh, his eyes going dark. He pulled her in and kissed her, causing much laughter. ‘Oh, yes. Today just tops everything.’

  Mike’s father rushed forward and took the camera from Caitlyn.

  ‘Caitlyn,’ he said, ‘join your father and Rach; let me take a shot of all of you.’

  Caitlyn ran behind her and Mike, and kissed them each in turn on the cheek. Wriggling between them she rested her arms about their shoulders, her head poking between them. ‘This is the best, isn’t it?’

  Rach had to agree. There had been a lot of give and take in the last few days as the families settled down together. Molly had lost her place on the lounge, the whole clan joined them on their late evening jog around town, and her early morning starts included Caitlyn who loved nothing more than to taste-test her latest creations.

  After the photo shoot she kept a hold of Mike’s hand and squeezed it. He gave her a cheeky wink and her heart swelled in her chest. Now that she had him she wasn’t going to let him go. Rach was going to spend the rest of her life with the man she loved. She pulled him to her and kissed him. Now that she had him she was going to take full advantage of the situation.

  Thank you for reading A Reason To Stay. I hope you enjoyed it.

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  You’ve just read a book in the Mindalby Outback Romance series. The books in this series are:

  Cotton Field Dreams — SE Gilchrist

  Starting Over — Susanne Bellamy

  More Than A Promise — Lauren K. McKellar

  A Daughter’s Choice — Lee Christine

  The Start of Something New — Stacey Nash

  Making Memories — Kerrie Paterson

  A Reason to Stay — Linda Charles

  This book was published by Escape Publishing. If you’d like to sample some more great books from my fellow Escape Artists, please turn the page.

  Bestselling Titles by Escape Publishing...

  Look out for the other Mindalby Outback Romance titles, available from Escape Publishing!

  Cotton Field Dreams

  SE Gilchrist

  Mindalby, a small town, a community, a home. But when the mill that supports the local cotton farmers and employs many of the town’s residents closes unexpectedly, old tensions are exposed and new rifts develop. Everyone is affected and some react better than others, but one thing is certain: living on the edge of the outback means they have to survive together, or let their town die.

  Sasha comes to Mindalby to recover from a traumatic event, plan her next move, and seek out information to avenge her beloved uncle — the last thing she wants is a relationship. But when she meets local single dad, Cole, she can’t help but be drawn to his warmth and his humour, and his two engaging children. Cole says and does all the right things, and Sasha finds herself falling, but will all of her secrets destroy the relationship before it has a chance to begin?

  Starting Over

  Susanne Bellamy

  Mindalby, a small town, a community, a home. But when the mill that supports the local cotton farmers and employs many of the town’s residents closes unexpectedly, old tensions are exposed and new rifts develop. Everyone is affected and some react better than others, but one thing is certain: living on the edge of the outback means they have to survive together, or let their town die.

  When fashion designer Serena Quinlan arrives in Mindalby for the annual cotton festival, she is hoping to do two things: meet local leather worker Paul Carey and check out all the 50-year-old men to see if they might be her father. She doesn’t expect the explosive attraction she feels towards Paul, nor the untimely and unwanted arrival of her ex-fiance. When her search for her father leads to unexpected results, Serena will be torn between the past she came searching for and the possibility of a future she never expected.

  More Than A Promise

  Lauren K McKellar

  Mindalby, a small town, a community, a home. But when the mill that supports the local cotton farmers and employs many of the town’s residents closes unexpectedly, old tensions are exposed and new rifts develop. Everyone is affected and some react better than others, but one thing is certain: living on the edge of the outback means they have to survive together, or let their town die.

  Asher is barely keeping her head above water, which is impressive given the drought-stricken land around her. Between her job at the real estate agent, her father’s reliance on the bottle, her estranged mother’s pushy texts, and her gorgeous daughter, Dakota, she has no time for relationships…even if Flynn Carmichael is the most beautiful man she’s ever seen. But Flynn is only in Mindalby for a short time, and Asher and Dakota have no space in their lives for a man not willing to put down roots.

  A Daughter’s Choice

  Lee Christine

  Mindalby, a small town, a community, a home. But when the mill that supports the local cotton farmers and employs many of the town’s residents closes unexpectedly, old tensions are exposed and new rifts develop. Everyone is affected and some react better than others, but one thing is certain: living on the edge of the outback means they have to survive together, or let their town die.

  Lynsey Carter’s relationship with her father is fraught, so when she hears that the cotton mill that is her birthright has closed down (and her father is lying low), she returns to Mindalby to support her mother and seek out answers. She hasn’t been back since high school, since she left her heart behind with Julian Stone.

  But Julian didn’t want it, or her; he wanted a life in Mindalby. Torn between family loyalty and duty to the community, between the life she’s built for herself and the passion for Julian she just can’t seem to shake, Lynsey needs to decide if he
r home-coming is for a visit – or for real.

  The Start of Something New

  Stacey Nash

  Mindalby, a small town, a community, a home. But when the mill that supports the local cotton farmers and employs many of the town’s residents closes unexpectedly, old tensions are exposed and new rifts develop. Everyone is affected and some react better than others, but one thing is certain: living on the edge of the outback means they have to survive together, or let their town die.

  When crisis counsellor Morgan Harris returns to his home town of Mindalby after the town’s cotton mill closes, he has a hard time breaking through the townsfolk’s tough exterior and getting them to accept the help that he is offering. Mental health services are few and far between out in the bush, and Morgan has to fight ingrained prejudices before he will really be able to engage with the people who need him the most.

  However, he has no problems engaging with Hannah Burton, the younger sister of his high school best friend. Their attraction is instant and insistent, and very inconvenient. Morgan is here to work, and Hannah is fighting battles of her own – trying to save the family farm from going under in the face of the mill’s closure.

  Making Memories

  Kerrie Paterson

  Mindalby, a small town, a community, a home. But when the mill that supports the local cotton farmers and employs many of the town’s residents closes unexpectedly, old tensions are exposed and new rifts develop. Everyone is affected and some react better than others, but one thing is certain: living on the edge of the outback means they have to survive together, or let their town die.

  Callie has been the IT manager at the Mindalby cotton mill for all of her adult working life, and when it closes down, she realises that she has let everything else slide – including her own dreams. Seizing on the closure as a sign, she decides to open up a craft and quilting shop in town, pursuing her own interests and hobbies and taking a risk for the first time since her husband ran off with her best friend.

  Helping her every step of the way is Nathan, her best friend’s ex-husband and the man that Callie could never have. Suddenly, Nate seems to be everywhere, sharing this adventure, offering her a hand. But Callie has been burned before. Is she able to learn to trust her heart again?

  HEART OF THE TOWN, a collection of the first four Mindalby Outback Romance stories, is available in print in August 2018.

  Can its determined inhabitants save a dying country town? Four different writers tell the story of Mindalby, a beautiful country town threatened with extinction when its cotton mill closes.

  Cotton Field Dreams by SE Gilchrist

  Sasha comes to the small town of Mindalby to recover from a traumatic event with vengeance on her mind – the last thing she wants is a relationship. Local single dad, Cole, is drawn to this smart determined nurse, but could Sasha' secrets destroy the relationship before it has begun?

  Starting Over by Susanne Bellamy

  When fashion designer Serena Quinlan arrives in Mindalby for the annual cotton festival she meets local leather worker Paul Carey and commissions him to create accessories for her designs. Their mutual attraction is powerful, but hampered by Serena's search for her father and the arrival of her ex-fiance. When Serena uncovers the truth of her birth, will it blow their budding relationship apart?

  More than a Promise by Lauren K McKellar

  Asher is struggling to keep her head above water. With her job at the real estate agent, her father's addiction to the bottle, her absentee mother's increasingly pushy text messages and trying to be a good mum to daughter Dakota, she has no time for relationships…even if Flynn Carmichael is the most beautiful man she's ever seen.

  A Daughter's Choice by Lee Christine

  Lynsey Carter's relationship with her father is fraught, so when she hears that the cotton mill that is her birthright has closed down (and her father is lying low), she returns to Mindalby to support her mother and seek out answers. Torn between family loyalty and duty to the community and an old passion for Julian Stone, her high school sweetheart, Lynsey has a lot to deal with. More than that, she has built a life for herself away from Mindalby. How can she stay there now?

  Don’t miss HERE TO STAY, the second collection of Mindalby Outback Romance stories, available in print in November 2018. Featuring stories from Stacy Nash, Kerrie Paterson and Linda Charles.

  Can its determined inhabitants save an endangered country town? Three different writers tell the stories of the people of Mindalby, a vibrant community threatened with extinction when its cotton mill closes.

  The Start of Something New by Stacey Nash

  When crisis counsellor Morgan Harris returns to his home town of Mindalby after the town's cotton mill closes, he reconnects with Hannah, the sister of his high school best friend. They are attracted to each other, but Hannah has problems of her own, trying to save the family farm from going under...

  Making Memories by Kerrie Paterson

  Callie was the IT manager at the Mindalby cotton mill for all of her adult working life, so when it closes down, she realises that she has let everything else slide - including her desire for Nate, the man she thought she couldn't have. Nate is back, but Callie has been burnt before. Will she be able to trust her heart again?

  A Reason to Stay by Linda Charles

  Rachael, a successful lawyer in Sydney, returns to her foster family and the only place that ever felt like home: Mindalby, to help with the failing family bakery and rediscover her love of baking. She also discovers attractive Irishman Mike O'Malley...

  Echo Springs

  Leisl Leighton, Daniel DeLorne, TJ Hamilton and Shannon Curtis

  Wholesome country living isn't what it used to be… This town has a dark side, but what will these cops sacrifice to save it? A compelling suspense, set in the outback.

  Blue lights in the red dust...

  Echo Springs on the edge of the outback – a town where everyone knows your name, and your business. But the wholesome country living and welcoming community aren't what they used to be. Echo Springs has a dark underbelly, and it is seeping ever outward.

  Four cops...

  The small police station is overrun, and officers are working overtime to stem the tide of illegal activity from graffiti through to murder. From prickly Leila to heartsore Ben, Cooper with something to prove to Mac who's driven to succeed, the Echo Springs force is determined to keep the town safe.

  Putting everything at risk...

  But the stakes are higher than they've ever been, and it's not just the town these officers have to keep safe. It's their hearts as well. With bullets flying and bodies piling up, they will have to decide how much they're willing to risk and what they're willing to lose.

  Look out for these stories September 2019.

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  ISBN: 9781489263667

  Title: A Reason To Stay

  Copyright © 2018 by Linda Charles

  All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises (Australia) Limited, Level 13/201 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2000.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired
by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

  ® and ™ are trademarks of Harlequin Enterprises Limited and are used under license to the Publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in Australia, New Zealand, the United States Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries.

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