More Than I Could

MORE THAN I COULD A Coming Home Novel Adriana Locke Contents Books by Adriana Locke Synopsis Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Epilogue Coming Home Series Flirt - Chapter One Acknowledgments About the Author MORE THAN I COULD Copyright 2023 by Adriana Locke Cover Designer: Kari March Photographer: J. Ashley Converse Photography Models: Dane Peterson and Maddi Hansen Content Editor: Marion Making Manuscripts Copy Editor: Editing 4 Indies, Jenny Sims Proofreader: Michele Ficht Umbrella Publishing, Inc. Copyright Law: If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, this book has been pirated and you are stealing. Please delete it from your device and support the author by purchasing a legal copy. All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the above copyright owner of this book or publisher. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked statue and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. This book is for Ashley. You’re one of the strongest, smartest, most incredible women I know. I’m lucky to call you a friend. Books by Adriana Locke Carmichael Family Series Flirt Fling Fluke Flaunt Flame Landry Family Series Sway Swing Switch Swear Swink Sweet Gibson Boys Series Crank Craft Cross Crave Crazy The Mason Family Series Restraint The Relationship Pact Reputation Reckless Reputation Relentless Resolution The Exception Series The Exception The Perception Dogwood Lane Series Tumble Tangle Trouble Standalone Novels Sacrifice Wherever It Leads Written in the Scars Lucky Number Eleven Like You Love Me The Sweet Spot More Than I Could Standalone Novellas Battle of the Sexes 608 Alpha Avenue 907 For Keeps Way Sign up to receive an email for all new releases at www.adrianalocke.com. Synopsis MORE THAN I COULD This grumpy single dad falls hard for the nanny. Chase Marshall is many things: · An attentive single dad · Jaw-droppingly gorgeous · My employer for the next thirty days He’s also the bane of my existence. He swears I’m a never-ending headache—the most infuriating woman he’s ever met. If I’m so irritating, then what’s up with the lingering looks when he thinks I’m not watching? The seemingly innocent touches while making breakfast? The smirk that graces his kissable lips after one of our verbal spars after his daughter has gone to bed? One minute he’s coming to my rescue. The next second he’s complaining about how I fold his work shirts. Fine. Fold them yourself. It turns out that the only time I don’t get under Chase’s skin is when I’m under him. And that’s where things get complicated. From USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke comes a grumpy, blue-collar single dad that falls hard for his new nanny. This small-town romance is a standalone novel with tons of heat and even more heart. More Than I Could is a standalone in the Coming Home series, where one author a month will be delivering a brand-new story about coming home. Chapter One Chase “Why does this always happen to me?” My middle brother, Luke, sighs through the phone. His question, overly dramatic per usual, is rhetorical—or should be. We both know the answer. But he’ll wait for a response because he likes to wallow in self-pity and because I’m a fool for answering his call in the first place. Damn him. “Oh, I don’t know,” I say, returning his exasperation. “Ever think that maybe you’re just an asshole?” “No.” “Well, maybe start there and work backward.” My windshield wipers squeak, working overtime to clear the rain from my view. Unfortunately, the precipitation hasn’t let up all day. I’m soaked to the core, my bones ache, and the intense pain in my shoulder exacerbates my frustration—the frustration my brother compounds. I want to get home. “That’s pretty rich coming from you.” Luke laughs. “Hey, you called me.” “And you answered.” I remove one hand from the steering wheel and stretch my arm to the side, desperate for relief. “Do you want anything? Or did you call to remind me not to have an odd number of children?” “Huh?” I sigh. “Never mind.” “So back to this thing with Alyssa,” he says, not missing a beat. “I don’t think she’s coming back.” She won’t if she’s smart. I instantly regret that thought because it’s not fair. I’m cold and exhausted and have a fourteen-year-old girl waiting at home for our weekly pizza-and-movie night. Luke might be a pain in the ass—and more of a diva than my daughter—but he’s a solid guy. I still don’t want to do this with him. “Are you listening to me?” Luke asks. “I’m having a crisis over here, and you’re acting like it’s no big deal.” “Do you want to know what happened to me today?” “Well, I—” “I was fifty feet in the air fixing a power line when an old lady came around the corner. She doesn’t see the cones, plows ahead, and clips the back of the truck. Jason jumped out of the way, or else he’d be dead. I fucked up my shoulder on the corner of the bucket.” Thank God that was all that happened. My jaw pulses