From Daredevil to Devoted Daddy

Product Description A summer romanceSince the cliffs surrounding her Mediterranean home claimed her husbands life, JeanneMarie Rousseau has been a single mom to her young son, Alexandre. She keeps her heart well guarded, until the handsome Matthieu Sommer arrives at her cosy B and BOr a new beginning?Alexandre is enchanted by Matts sense of fun, and the sparkle in his eyes reminds JeanneMarie how to smile. Matts passion for mountain climbing might worry her for the future, but shes sure this dashing daredevil only wants a holiday romance. However, what if moonlit dances and walks along the beach are just the start? About the Author Barbara McMahon was born and raised in the southern U.S., but settled in California after spending a year flying around the world for an international airline. She began writing when her children started school. Nowshe and her husband have moved to the Sierra Nevada of California, Barbara loves to hear from readers. Readers can also contact Barbara at her website, www.barbaramcmahon.com. Excerpt. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. The soft sighing of the sea as it kissed the shore should have soothed JeanneMarie Rousseau, but it did not. She stared at the expanse of the Mediterranean sparkling in front of her. The sun was high overhead in a cloudless sky. The sweep of beach at her doorstep was pristine white, dotted here and there with sun worshippers on colorful towels. To a stranger, it appeared a perfect relaxing retreat. Off the beaten track, St. Bartholomeus was an ideal spot for those seeking respite from the hectic frenetic pace of modern life. To live here yearround would be the dream of many.To JeanneMarie, it was home. Sometimes joyful, but today it held a lingering hint of sadness.Today was the third anniversary of her husbands death. She still missed him with an ache that never seemed to ease. Intermingled with that was anger, however, at the careless way hed treated liferisking his safety every time he went climbing. Now, not even thirty, she was a widow, a single mother and the owner of an inn in a locale that was thousands of miles from her family. She shook her head, trying to dispel her melancholy thoughts. She had much to be grateful for and her choice of residence was hers to make. She shouldnt secondguess her decision over and over. But sometimes she just plain missed American food, family discussions and longtime friends she saw too infrequently.Yet this small strip of land reminded her so much of Phillipe, she couldnt bear to leave it. Theyd spent several holidays together, enjoying the sea and exploring the small village. Or just sitting together on the wide veranda and watching the sunset, content to be together, never suspecting it wouldnt last forever.And for him there had been the added attraction of Les Calanques, the cliffs that offered daily climbing challenges to men and women from all over Europe.Her son, Alexandre, was napping. She was alone with her memories and homesickness. She took a moment to sit on the veranda, remembering happier days. The worst of her grief had long passed. Now she could think about their life together, mourn his death and get on with the practicalities of living.She would have returned to America after Phillipes death, but she wanted her son to know his grandparents. Alexandre was all Phillipes parents had of their only child, except for the photographs taken through the years. Her own parents came to visit annually. They spent lots of time via computers between their trips. And they had six other grandchildren. The Rousseaus only had Alexandre.And it wasnt as if she didnt love France. It had been her lifelong desire when younger to attend school here and maybe even work for a while. Shed not planned on falling in love with a dashing Frenchman. But love had won out and shed been living in France for more than a decade now. Those first years of marriage had been so marvelous.What