The Tender Branch — Nancy Kennedy

Tall, slender Gillian Carmichael had come home. She was still young, her hair still the same beautiful wheat-gold color it had always been, but she was a widow now. Her life with Jack, the carefree young artist she once thought she loved, was over. She vowed never to let anyone else hurt her. All she wanted now was security.

Gillian's job in the newly opened law offices of Upton and McPhail gave her just that -- until Kasey Whitman appeared. There was something strangely disturbing about this man with the compelling dark eyes…something that stirred an elusive chord of memory in her mind. Why was she suddenly afraid of her own feelings? Why was this handsome stranger so determined not to leave her alone?



Tall, slender Gillian Carmichael of the wheat-gold hair had thought she loved her young, irresponsible husband Jack, but his name for her--Jill--probably explained their relationship better than anything else could. The lighthearted moments with Jack were the only good ones; Jack was an artist, not made to withstand the hard jolts of life.

Gillian herself had been raised to be self-reliant. To her, debt was an almost disgraceful thing. When Jack was killed, Gillian returned to Riverton, Oregon--to 15 Peppermint Lane, the home that had always meant security to her.

Neither her aunts nor her father must know that she was in debt. She must get a job. And through her best friend, Nora Cummings, Gillian did just that--in the newly opened law offices of Nora's friend Bure Upton and Peter McPhail.

Then, one day, Kasey Whitman came into the office to see Bruce--a strangely disturbing man who disturbed even Gillian, who had vowed never to let anyone else hurt her.

There was a mystery behind Kasey Whitman...something that tried to stir a chord of memory in Gillian's mind-- which eluded her. Why should this man with the compelling dark eyes make her afraid that her regained security was threatened? If only he would go away. But Kasey had no thought of leaving Gillian alone...

Hero: Kasey Whitman
Heroine: Gillian Carmichael