THE BAD BOY'S BABY

THE BAD BOY'S BABY            CINDI MADSEN

There are certain words that have always described Cam Brantley: Town bad boy. Soldier. Protector. But never, ever dad. Until he returns home from his latest military tour to discover the girl he had one smoking-hot night with is now mom to the adorable two-year-old Zoey. Who has his eyes.

Plenty of words could describe Emma Walker these days. Mom, dutiful granddaughter, budding designer, the town’s golden child. But when her longtime crush Cam Brantley comes back to town, she knows the perfect word to describe herself: screwed.

Cam and Emma are both shocked to discover he truly wants Zoey in his life. But Cam’s not sure he’s ready to be a dad, and Emma can’t gamble her daughter on maybes. As the long-simmering heat between Cam and Emma reaches a boiling point, he’ll have to work past his demons in order to be the man both girls need.

Each book in the Hope Springs series is a standalone, full-length story that can be enjoyed out of order.
Series Order:
Book #1 Second Chance Ranch
Book #2 Crazy for the Competition
Book #3 The Bad Boy's Baby

MY REVIEW:

     Sometimes our decisions can have a lasting effect on what our futures will hold.  Yet when our past has been so rocky and the tapes in our heads bring us nothing but heartache, fears and pain.  What hope does that really give us?  That our dreams and our decisions either well thought out or spur of the moment could ever work out?

     Well, those are the questions Emma Walker and Cam Brantley former classmates have asked themselves since leaving high school many times.  For totally different reasons.  Yet, three years ago soon after breaking up with a boyfriend of two years, who said she was just too boring and basically not good in bed too vanilla.  So to prove him wrong she dressed in a very short skirt, did her hair and makeup, and went to the Triple S bar & grill.   While sitting at the bar she sees the guy she crushed over all through high school Cam Brantley.

     Cam had joined the Army right out of high school and was home on leave before shipping out on another tour the next day.  He was talking to his brother, Heath, about their good for nothing drunk father.  And the fact that he had gotten a stripper pregnant and that they now had a 5-year-old brother.  Heath was saying that he would keep an eye on him the way Cam did for him.  Cam was telling Heath their father was the perfect reason why he was never getting married or having kids ever.

     When Cam looks over to the seats next to him he sees Emma and ask if she is that girl that had all the answers in school?  She rolls her eyes and says yes.  She scoots over and buys him a drink then he buys her one.  They leave together only getting as far as the parking lot and into his truck.  One thing leads to another…

     Fast forward three years Emma puts herself through architecture school getting her degree.  Although she has not been able to land a job with a firm she has been given more responsibility with the construction company that she is working with.  One of which is one the job at the newest B & B on the mountain where she used to go hiking all the time.  She designed the new cabins that will be the rooms that they will be renting out for the visitors.  This is the first job in fact that she is the architect on the job where she drew up the plans on her own.  Although to cover his ass her boss has the architect he usually uses checking off each step along the way to be sure.  What is the ironic part the job is it’s for her best friend Quinn and her boyfriend Heath.  Yeah, that’s right Cam’s brother.

     Now on this Monday like the past several she knocked on Quinn and Heath’s B & B’s front door so she could have morning coffee with them before her crew arrived.  Then she could talk to them about the progress of the cabins she had designed.  As she got ready to knock a second time the door opens she fell into a hard wall of none other than Cam.

     When Quinn comes to great her and brings her to the kitchen for coffee.  The air is filled with tension of all kinds of energy.  All day she avoids Cam.  Most of the next until he corners her.  He wants her to know that she doesn’t need to feel awkward around him for what happened between them three years ago.  They agree kind of when he turns to leave she blurts out that she has a child.  He secretly is attracted to her and wanes but not totally he asks how old?  She says two.  Nothing remotely clicks so she can tell so she has to say it.  She says something to the effect of we do great alone always have and always will.  So no worries and she knew he never wanted any kids because she remembered from that night because she heard him and Heath talking about never wanting to get married or have kids.  So she could, she could see the faint beginnings of understanding of what she said.   Then she said, “We have a daughter.”

     See how these two strangers work through the mind fields called their lives.  Not only that see how they have to plan for the future, but also lay the past to rest.  Can they do it for Zoey their daughter?

     I really enjoyed this story because it kept it on an upbeat note.  Especially, when you have two characters with dark past.  Yet, the upbeat was not that sugar sweet that was to unbelievable.  I give this 5 ++++ stars.  Provided by netgalley.com.  Follow us at: www.1rad-readerreviews.com.