The Gambler — Lily Graison

The last two volumes in the Willow Creek Series in one book. The Gambler - Emmaline Hunt only had one thing she could call her own. A piece of land that held a secret not even her drunken stepfather knew about. When he gambles it away in a high stakes poker game, Emmaline does the only thing she can. She tries to steal the land deed back.Tristan Avery has seen his share of bloodshed while sitting at a gaming table and knows its time to lay low when he wins a wad of cash and a piece of land. Especially after his opponent ends up dead at his feet. High tailing it out of town is his only option but things take a drastic turn when he finds a woman in his hotel room trying to rob him blind. The botched robbery attempt is only the start of his troubles when Tristan finds his new land occupied by the same girl who tried to rob him. When he realizes he?s left her homeless, and killed her stepfather, his conscience forces him to do the right thing. Taking her to his hometown and setting her up with a new life will make up for all he?s taken from her. But Emmaline has other plans. She wants her land, and Tristan?s money, and she?ll do whatever it takes to get them. All she has to do is convince him she?s there to stay, outwit him, find a way back home and not let a single soul know she has a gold mine bursting at the seems with untapped wealth. The Rancher - Laurel Montgomery wanted a new life, one that didn't include a man. She'd had enough of their pretty lies and broken promises but one night of reckless abandon weeks before taking a job as the new schoolteacher in Willow Creek would come back to haunt her. The man she thought to never see again turns out to be the father of one of her new students. A man so handsome and rugged he takes her breath away. Too bad she's sworn off men forever. If only the stubborn man would take no for an answer. Holden Avery was love-struck the moment he saw Laurel Montgomery and cursed himself for a fool every waking minute since letting her walk out of his life. When she turns up in Willow Creek he's handed the second chance he didn't think he'd ever get but thoughts of pursuing Laurel are cut short when a stranger shows up in town. A man who claims to be Laurel's husband. The happily ever after Holden thought to finally have is plagued with obstacles but he sets off to prove he's the man Laurel wants. Convincing her to give him a chance is nearly impossible but he's waited too long to find her to give up now. One way or the other, Laurel Montgomery would be his wife.