The Storekeeper and the Lady — Dorothy A. Bell

A Laura Creek Sweet Romance – Book 3 1882 Blue Mountains, Oregon. Quinn O’Bannon found his niche managing the Laura Creek Mercantile. His cousin Wren, the owner of the mercantile, would like him to choose a wife and settle down. Free to take up his own pursuits and interests, out from under his big brother’s influence, Quinn is at last making his own way, his way. As a bachelor, flattered, he’s sought after, included in every social gathering, and considered an asset to the company. He enjoys the experience and yes, he likes to test it, see how far he can go with his easy smile and playful ways. All is fun and games until one day a young woman, with three children in tow, enters his store and brazenly, in broad daylight, defiantly steals a coil of rope. The boy accompanying her swipes some apples. Laura Creek is a small town and thieving is practically unheard of. Quinn had, as a boy, thieved, stole his share of apples. Now, though, on the other side of the counter, he doesn’t care for the game at all. After the thieving vixen and her gang’s appearance, things come up missing from his brother’s farm, his cousin’s porch, and lumber and building materials are disappearing from the loading dock. Quinn thinks he knows who’s doing the pilfering, but why specifically from the O’Bannons and no one else in town mystifies him. Who is she? And where’s the gang’s hideout? The mystery surrounding this young woman’s appearance begins to interfere with his social life, and his flirtation with two pretty and highly eligible young ladies of interest. Orphaned with no home and very little hope, Tru McAdam, in charge of what’s left of her family: her brother Ryder, her baby brother Jewel and her little sister Melody arrive in Laura Creek seeking vengeance on the O’Bannons. It was an O’Bannon who cheated their father at cards and won their home. It was an O’Bannon who drove their father to commit suicide and their mother to fade away, die of shame and hopelessness. Quinn O’Bannon, the son of the lying cheat responsible for Tru and her brothers and her sister’s current homeless state, isn’t exactly who and what Tru thought he’d be. Turns out there’s a generous and thoughtful man behind Quinn O’Bannon’s boyish façade. His flirtatious smile and flashing dark eyes make him hard to resist, and nearly impossible for her to maintain any level of hatred. Much to Tru’s dismay, she soon comes to the conclusion Quinn O’Bannon is why she’s here. Destiny brought her to Laura Creek under the guise of vengeance. But vengeance, it turns out, does not yield satisfaction. No, she’s here to meet her destiny. Quinn O’Bannon is her destiny. And something else. She was led here with a purpose. Quinn is part of that purpose, but there is more. Quinn’s despicable, dangerous and deranged daddy, the man responsible for the homeless McAdam children, is on the loose again. He must be stopped. Tru McAdam fulfills her destiny in more than one way in this tale.