Their Surprise Daddy

Coming back to Grace Haven hadn't made Cruz Maldonado's Bingo card in years. He'd walked away from his mother's anger, her antagonism, her pride and her caustic nature. He'd never done anything right. He had no reason to believe that had changed since he went away, but when a local pastor-- one of Cruz's childhood mentors-- tells him he needs to come home or his cousin's children would be thrust into the foster care system, Cruz has little choice.

He'll oversee the legalities and get back to Manhattan in time to broker the major deal he'd been working on before Pastor Steve's call came through. But one look at Javi's face... And Lily's gaze... stopped him in his tracks. He saw their mother in their faces, their voices, their actions. His, too, so how could he walk away?

He couldn't.
But why did the pastor have to pair him with the annoying kindergarten teacher who'd turned his mother in for falsifying data for the children?

Rory Gavigan did what she was required to do when she discovered that Rosa Maldonado wasn't the children's grandmother. Not only that, Rosa didn't have legal custody of the children. She couldn't legally register them for school, for sports, for anything without swearing to a statement she knew to be untrue. She was living a lie on papers she'd manufactured. Papers that would never stand up under scrutiny. Her failing health meant the kids could be left adrift at any moment. The time to fix this was now, but it wasn't just Rosa who didn't appreciate her intervention. Clearly the handsome Manhattan financial wizard wasn't too thrilled with her, either, but, hey--

Not her fault.
She was supposed to be checking out possible places to rent or own for her own day school for preschool kids of diminished means but overseeing Javier's and Lily's care took precedence right now. And as she gets to know Cruz better... as their feelings for one another grow... it seems like a Cinderella-style happy ending might be in store. Except he's bought the property she wanted for her preschool, then resold it within a day to a major hotelier looking for a generous footprint in the popular vacation and event-hosting destination. He made money on the deal. Lots of money, but Rory isn't in this for the money.

She's in it to help kids in need.
Clearly they're not on the same page.

But as Cruz faces his mother's diminishing health and the love of the small town, he realizes that maybe there's a second chance here in Grace Haven.
With his dying mother...
And with the woman he's come to love.