A single father with a houseful of boys, Judd Tanner didn't know much about raising his orphaned goddaughter. But he preferred to fumble with Tillie's braids and bows rather than ask Leslie McVay for help. Women, he knew, were experts only at one thing--leaving. So when the pretty drifter suddenly had little Tillie smiling and his boys behaving, Judd was left scowling... .

All Leslie had wanted was a safe, quiet place to hide from her memories. But living near the Tanner family, she discovered, was the wrong place to hide from life. And . . . from love. Leslie knew her love for four wonderful children and one very protective father could help her face the past. But would it be enough to convince Judd that she was really home to stay?