Author Description

Jane Vanderfeld has stopped in the small town of Benden, Missouri, after fleeing her home, and her unloving mother a few weeks ago. She is determined to show her own young daughter, Lexie, a happy and fulfilled childhood. The complete opposite of Jane's own sad childhood. Jane is out of money, and refuses to touch her family's money for fear of being located. Nathan Wilson's life, in his mind, is over. He is angry and bitter after being injured during his service as a Marine five years ago. Literal scars from a land mine cover the entire left side of his body. When he returned as damaged goods, his high school sweetheart left him. His dreams of marriage and fatherhood are in the past. Nathan's life revolves around his job as the Benden police chief and his home life with his mom, Lucy. Nathan was used to being the best looking man in the room, and has not yet found a way to accept his new, damaged body. At the annual Benden July festival, Jane and Lexie arrive in town and begin to change Nathan's life, when they are the first girls to stop by the Kiss a Cop booth. Nathan believed no woman would ever kiss him again and Jane is the first woman to look at him as an attractive man in a very long time. Nathan's mother offers the girls' a place to live, and his life changes in ways he never thought possible. Hope, that he can find marriage and fatherhood with Jane, worm their way into his mind, even as he keeps his guard up. Jane changes every life she touches, bringing joy and happiness to the damaged souls of this quaint, close knit, Midwestern town. Jane is finally able to express her happiness in a way she never could growing up and she does her best to be friends with everyone. Jane loves Nathan, but she has secrets from her past that she is not willing to share. Nathan is trying to keep his distance from Jane, even as his feelings for her grow. He is unable to believe that a woman as beautiful as Jane can see past his scars and fall in love with him. Will Jane and N