One night is all it takes One night of loosened inhibitions and Natalie Simmons' world has come completely unraveled. It must have been the experience of the white-water rafting. Or maybe it was the result of being dumped and on the rebound. Either way, she let down her guard - and now she's pregnant with a stranger's baby. A stranger who is a thrill-seeking river guide, a nomad beholden to no one. What does Evan Murphy know about settling down or being a father? They couldn't be more wrong for each other, which is why Natalie is so determined to go it alone. But Evan's got other plans.

Fifteen years ago golden girl Tasha Simmons had run from Emmett's Mill, leaving behind everyone she loved. Including Josh Halvorsen, her high school sweetheart, whom she'd hoped to marry. She'd never told him the secret that shamed her into leaving. And when Tasha learned that Josh had married and moved on, she'd known the man of her dreams was lost to her forever. Yet now that Tasha's had to return to Emmett's Mill, she can't avoid Josh, handsome as ever, a single father who hadn't forgotten their love. Or forgiven her for leaving.

Nora Simmons experienced her first kiss when she was just ten years old. Ben Hollister was twelve and visiting his grandparents in Nora's hometown, Emmett's Mill. But after that summer—and one very memorable kiss—Ben and Nora didn't see each other again. Until now… Ben, who's become a high-powered lawyer, has inherited his grandparents' rambling old Victorian, which he plans to sell. He needs Nora, the town's best landscaper, to help him get the house in shape. As much as they fight their attraction, it's obvious the sparks are still there. So Nora doesn't understand why Ben wants to leave Emmett's Mill—leave her—again.…

Widower Dean Halvorsen is concentrating on just two his construction business and raising his teenage son. He doesn't really care about anything else. Not anymore. Then Annabelle Nichols comes to Emmett's Mill, California, with her baby daughter, Honey. Before Dean quite knows how, Annabelle is working in his office and turning his world upside down. Still, the more time he spends with Annabelle and Honey, the more he realizes what's missing in his life. But Annabelle is all wrong for him. Of course, when something—or someone!—is all wrong, that doesn't mean things won't work out just right.

John Murphy gets the shock of his life when he finds three abandoned girls on his doorstep. Once he takes them in, it isn't long before the little tykes bring out his fiercest protective instincts. So when their mother shows up at his Emmett's Mill ranch, he's ready to do battle. Except Renee Dolling isn't what he expects. She clearly loves her girls and wants to make up for past mistakes. John wants to trust her, but he's got the girls to think about. Unless Renee can prove she's the mother her daughters deserve…and the woman this solitary rancher needs.

Aubrey Rose can't stand Sammy Halvorsen when they first meet. It's only because she's a sucker for a sweet baby that she agrees to be a nanny to his infant son. She gets that Sammy's in pain, but he's so busy burying his sorrow he's forgotten to be a father. As she comes to know Sammy, however, she starts to fall for him. So how can she make him see that his child needs him? And when he does, will he still need her, too?

Marissa has never needed a special ops agent… until now. After accidentally tangling with a drug dealer, she's desperate for protection. And the only guy she knows who's trained in this sort of thing is Archer Brant—the man she left because his job is too dangerous. Yeah. Kind of funny that she's now the one in a heap of danger. But the fact is, she trusts Archer with her life. Tucked away in his remote cabin, it's easy to remember why they once were so good together. Even with the threat lurking, Marissa longs to rekindle the romantic sparks between them. Being with Archer this way, she sees a different side of him. Sees more than the job. Sees the man who could give her the loving future she wants.