“Believe me, you’re not going to be happy about this.”

Confusion called out from Kevin’s piercing brown eyes. “Just spill it, Leah.”

As the old adage went, a picture was worth a thousand words, which was why Leah chose to remove the photograph from the clear plastic folder. A photograph that resided among others of friends and family and all those precious in her life, including one of her and Kevin taken during their final vacation in Mexico that for some reason she hadn’t had the desire to remove. But this particular photo was the most precious of all.

She dropped the wallet back into her bag and offered the picture to Kevin without explanation. Clarification would come soon enough.

He studied the photo for a time before his gaze snapped to hers. “Who is this?” Her gift. Her miracle. Her entire world.

“She’s your daughter, Kevin.”

Dear Reader,

After I learned I was expecting my first child, I couldn’t imagine how I would handle all the sleepless nights, the countless diaper changes, the absolute fear of failure. Believe me, I had more than a few “what was I thinking?” moments during that pregnancy. But after my daughter’s birth, it didn’t take long before I couldn’t imagine my life without her.

As remarkable as becoming a parent can be, it does tend to alter your schedule, to say the least. You can’t always sleep when you feel like it, you don’t always have ample alone time. You can’t routinely party until dawn or travel cross-country on a whim. After all, an innocent child is counting on you to provide the most basic of needs—food, clothing, shelter and, most important, love. In other words, it is true what they say—having a baby does change everything. And that is what inspired me to write a story about a confirmed bad-boy bachelor, who has made more than his share of mistakes, and his unanticipated journey into fatherhood that leads to his redemption.

I hope you enjoy His Best Mistake, where Kevin O’Brien discovers that living for the moment isn’t nearly as rewarding as living for the ones you love.

Happy reading!

Kristi Gold

His Best Mistake
Kristi Gold

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kristi Gold has always believed that love has remarkable healing powers and feels very fortunate to be able to weave stories of love and commitment. As a bestselling author, National Readers’ Choice winner and Romance Writers of America RITA® Award finalist, Kristi has learned that although accolades are wonderful, the most cherished rewards come from personal stories shared by readers and networking with other authors, both published and aspiring. You may contact Kristi through her Web site, www.kristigold.com, Facebook or through snail mail at P.O. Box 24197, Waco, Texas 76702 (please include an SASE for response).

In loving memory of my wonderful mother,

Jean.

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

EPILOGUE

PROLOGUE

“IT’S APLASTIC ANEMIA…it can be fatal…”

As a senior staff writer for a prominent sports magazine, Kevin O’Brien possessed an extensive vocabulary. But the words aplastic anemia meant nothing to him. Fatal did.

Not five minutes ago, he’d been in his Houston loft packing for a trip after arranging a rare interview with a well-known pro-football player. Now his physician brother was pretty much telling him he could be biting the big one, reaching the finish line and every other clichéd description of death that came to mind.

No way could this be happening now. He had a great career that had been years in the making. He’d been involved in an eight-month relationship with a woman who had come to mean more to him than he’d ever thought possible. He was only thirty-five, and he still had too much left to do to die. But in light of the grave look on Devin’s face, he might not have any choice in the matter.

Needing to sit, and fast, Kevin raked a newspaper from his favorite lounger and dropped down on the chair. “Are you sure about this?”

“I’m positive.” After taking a seat on the sofa, Devin leaned forward and said, “You have a dangerously low level of red and white blood cells and platelets. That means you fall into the moderately severe range for the disease.”

Kevin thought about how he’d lived life on the edge, driven to achieve prominence in his field, and how sometimes he would exchange sleep to get ahead. He’d also made more than his share of mistakes along the way. “What in the hell caused this?”

“It’s idiopathic, which means no known cause. It only happens to about three in every one million people in this country annually.”

Lucky me. “So do I just sit around and wait for it to kill me, or is there something you can do to treat this?”

“I’m an E.R. doctor, Kevin, and a relative, so I can’t treat you. I only agreed to order the lab work as a favor when you started having the nosebleeds and fatigue. But I know a good hematologist who’ll manage your care.”

Kevin’s anger began to build. Anger directed at his brother who was obviously bent on deserting him, which wasn’t exactly logical. But he didn’t have a firm grip on logic right now.

He pushed out of the chair and began to pace. “Can’t you tell me anything about what I’m facing, Dev, or did Mom and Dad waste all that money on your training?”

His brother held up his hands, palms forward. “Calm down, Kevin.”

If he had more energy, he’d put his fist through the wall. “You try remaining calm when someone just handed you a death sentence.”

“It doesn’t have to be a death sentence. You can have a bone-marrow transplant.”

After inhaling a few deep breaths, Kevin reclaimed his spot in the lounger. “What does that entail?”

“You’ll have to undergo a process to destroy all your bone marrow before the transplant. That involves roughly two weeks of chemotherapy. Post transplant, you’re looking at six months to a year of recovery time. You’ll have to limit your contact with the general public until your immune system is back to normal.”

Aside from being tired as a dog, Kevin didn’t feel all that sick. Therefore, he had no intention of letting this disease interfere with his work. “No way can I consider the transplant for at least three months. Preseason football starts in a couple of weeks and I have at least ten interviews scheduled. I have to make a living.”

“Not if you’re dead.”

His brother’s proclamation packed the punch of a right hook. “There’s no medicine I can take to stop this?”

Devin sighed. “You could have transfusions for a few months, but that’s only supportive care, not a cure. Eventually you’ll have to have the transplant in order to survive.”

At least that was something positive. But he still had questions. “Does this transplant come with a guaranteed cure?”

“Nothing is one-hundred-percent foolproof, Kevin. The transplant preparation itself poses risks. But if you want a shot at a full recovery, it’s your only alternative. Fortunately, you have an identical twin who’s a perfect genetic match as a possible donor.”

Not an option. Not when he’d barely spoken to his brother over the past few years. “I’m not going to ask Kieran to do that, and even if I did, he wouldn’t agree. Give me another choice.”

“We could test the other siblings to see if they’re a match and I’d be willing to be tested, too. Or you can search for a match through outside donor registries. But with either of those options, you’re increasing your chances for rejection.”

“I can’t expect any of you to turn your own lives upside down for me, so I’ll just take my chances and go with the donor registry.”

Devin looked as frustrated as Kevin felt. “You’re shutting out the family like you always do, Kevin. Don’t be so damn stubborn.”

“I’m being practical.” Practicality had always served him well when it came to masking his emotions. And right now, his emotions were running the gambit from fury to fear. But fear was counterproductive and he vowed not to give in to it. “I don’t have time to deal with this now. I have to catch a plane in less than two hours and I have an interview to conduct in about four.” Anything to get his mind off the news.

“Cancel the trip and get someone to cover for you, Kevin. Until you see the hematologist and decide on a treatment plan, your immune system can’t handle even the slightest infection. Airplanes are breeding grounds for those infections.”

Great. Not only had he been presented with the prospect of losing his life, he could very well lose his job. “I’ve worked too damn hard to establish myself with the magazine to blow it all to hell now.”

Devin nailed him with a glare. “A certain amount of denial is expected in this situation, but you’d better start facing reality—and soon. You’re sick and you have no chance to get better unless you get the medical attention you need.”

His mind wanted to reject that reality, but his gut told him he’d better heed his brother’s advice. “I’ll cancel the trip.”

“Good,” Devin said as he stood. “I’ll call the hematologist and have him work you in tomorrow. In the meantime, you should talk to Mom and Dad because you’re going to need all the support you can get, especially during the chemo phase. It’s tough.”

If he told his parents now, his mother would immediately warp into overprotective mode, exactly what she’d been doing since the day he’d been born the sickly twin. He preferred to avoid that scenario for as long as possible. “I’ll wait to tell Mom and Dad until I know exactly what’s going to happen next.”

“Fine, but don’t wait too long, Kevin. And there’s one more thing you need to know. You have a fifty-fifty chance of being sterile because of the chemo. If you’re serious about your girlfriend, you need to discuss this with her. But since she’s a doctor, she’ll be able to help you sort through all the information.”

Right now Kevin was on information overload, yet one thing had become all too clear. He couldn’t burden Leah with his problems, not when she was so close to finishing her fellowship. Not when he might not be able to give her the one thing she’d always said she wanted—a lot of kids. More important, if the treatment failed to cure him, he didn’t want her to watch him die. “Leah and I broke up.” A lie, but he planned to make it the truth, and soon.

“I’m sorry it didn’t work out,” Devin said. “And I’m sorry I never got to meet her. I hear she’s a nice lady.”

She was more than nice. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

His brother walked to the exit but paused before opening the door. “I’ll notify you later today when I have an appointment time. Try to get some rest and call me if you need me, even if it’s only to talk.”

“Thanks, Dev. I appreciate it.”

“You bet. And one more thing. It’s okay to be afraid.”

When Kevin couldn’t come up with a response, his brother walked out the door, leaving him alone to plan what he needed to do next, and that involved making several phone calls.

He thought about canceling his flight first and contacting the magazine after that. But one call took precedence over the others, and it happened to be the one he dreaded the most.

Better to get it over with now, before he had time to reconsider. He walked into his office and picked up the phone, clutching the receiver in his hands for a few seconds before he hit the speed dial that would connect him with the hospital where Leah spent most of her time.

After he waited several minutes for her to answer the page, she greeted him with her usual, “Dr. Cordero.”

Just the sound of her voice filled him with overwhelming regret. “Hey, Leah. It’s Kevin.”

“I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. From what you told me this morning, I thought you’d be on your way to Dallas about now. Is your flight delayed?”

“No. I just wanted to talk to you.”

“I’m glad you called. It gives me the chance to say goodbye to you twice in one day.”

He was about to say goodbye permanently, and that was tearing him up inside. “I have something I need to tell you.”

“Is everything okay, Kevin? You sound strange.”

He was anything but okay. He might never be okay again. “Look, Leah, I’ve been thinking, and the truth is, my life is crazy right now, and so is yours. I’ve decided it’s better if we take a break for a while.”

A span of silence passed before she said, “A break? Or do you mean break up?”

He brought out all the old excuses that he kept on hand like a favorite pair of worn jeans. “It’s getting too serious between us. I’m not ready to settle down, and I doubt you are either.”

“I see. So this is the infamous break-up speech. Might have been nice if you’d taken the less cowardly route and told me in person.”

If he’d done that, she would’ve sensed he was lying, and he might have buckled under her scrutiny. “I’m busy, Leah.”

“But not too busy to whisk me away on a four-day resort vacation a week ago?” She released a bitter laugh. “What was that, Kevin? A few last-minute screws just for grins? And all those things you said about how much you cared about me. I should’ve known better than to believe you.”

At the time he’d meant every word he said. God, he still did. “I do care about you, Leah.”

“And I hate you for doing this to me, Kevin.”

He could hear the tears in her voice and despised the fact that he’d put them there. “I’m sorry.” A totally inadequate statement, but the only thing he knew to say.

“I’m sorry, too. Sorry we ever met and that you turned out to be such a bastard. Heaven help the next woman who becomes involved with you.”

When she hung up the phone, Kevin experienced an overwhelming sense of loss the likes of which he’d never known. Although he still believed he had no choice but to let Leah go, he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d just made the greatest mistake of his life.

What life he had left.

CHAPTER ONE

O’Brien’s Sports Scene

June Edition

OVER THE past several months, I’ve learned one important lesson—facing death will definitely change your life…

He immediately highlighted the text and punched the delete button with a vengeance. He had no business personalizing a syndicated column targeting a readership focused on fantasy teams, play-off berths and trade deadlines. But the fact that he’d even considered revealing his life-and-death battle to the general public indicated exactly how much his life had changed. How much he had changed.

During his battle with the disease that had nearly killed him, Kevin had become much more introspective, more settled. Hell, he’d even bought a house in a Houston suburb. A year ago, he never would’ve envisioned exchanging cross-country jet-setting for a home office. If he hadn’t gotten sick, he wouldn’t have spent so much time contemplating his mistakes, either, and he’d made plenty. One particular mistake continued to haunt him daily, but he couldn’t dwell on that decision now. Not if he wanted to make his Monday-morning deadline.

When the doorbell chimed, Kevin leaned back in his chair and released a rough sigh. Most likely his mother had dropped by unannounced to question why he hadn’t attended the traditional O’Brien Sunday lunch, when in reality she’d come to make sure he hadn’t suffered a relapse. As much as he appreciated her concern, he’d become increasingly annoyed by her obsession over his well-being. Then again, Lucine O’Brien had that obsession down to a fine art where he was concerned.

The bell sounded again and for a moment Kevin contemplated ignoring the summons. Not a good idea. His car was parked in the drive, which could cause his mom to panic and place an unnecessary call to the paramedics. Leaning to his right, he pulled back the curtain to the window facing the front lawn. But instead of finding his mother’s minivan parked at the curb, he caught sight of another car. A very familiar car.

No way could it be her. First of all, she didn’t know where he lived. Secondly, she hated him, which is what she’d said verbatim the last time he’d spoken to her by phone all those months ago. Then again, he didn’t know another solitary soul who owned a cherry-red Volkswagen convertible.

Curiosity sent Kevin to the front entry to seek verification that his past had in fact landed on his doorstep. Verification that came when he peered through the sidelight window and laid eyes on the woman standing at the edge of the walkway, motionless, as if her feet were frozen to the cement.

He’d recognize that body from a football field away, even though it was encased in a loose, flowing, sleeveless aqua dress instead of her standard scrubs. He couldn’t mistake those exotic, almond-shaped hazel eyes that almost matched the tone of her skin. He’d witnessed those eyes grow heavy and hazy when he’d made love to her—and darker when he’d riled her temper. He also couldn’t forget that silky, brown, chin-length hair streaked with blond, either. He recalled in great detail how it had felt against his bare skin.

From the moment he’d met her, Dr. Leah Cordero had become one of his major weaknesses. Not only was she beautiful and smart, she had been the best lover he’d ever known. Sexy as hell. Wild and uninhibited. Incredible. The kind of woman who brought a man to immediate attention. Every part of him.

And he’d better make damn sure he was decent before he faced her again, which is why he waited a few moments before opening the door. He also needed time to assess why she might have sought him out. Maybe she’d decided to give him another piece of her mind, this time in person. Maybe she’d somehow learned he’d been sick, the lie he’d lived with—and almost died with—for twelve long months. And just maybe, if luck prevailed, she wanted a second chance. And believing that would make him the ultimate fool.

LEAH HAD only one reason to confront Kevin O’Brien, even though she’d been tempted to hold off the revelation until another day. Yet she’d recently decided that taking the high road seemed the prudent thing to do. Unfortunately, it didn’t look as though she’d get the chance to speak her mind today because either he wasn’t at home or he was avoiding her. That meant she would have to return later, if she didn’t lose her nerve.

Leah started back to her car but paused in the middle of the walkway to turn and take one last look at the massive abode Kevin had purchased in her absence. An amazing house, to say the least. And the fact he’d settled in a family-friendly neighborhood was also remarkable. That caused her to question whether he lived with someone, namely, a woman.

Frankly, what Kevin O’Brien did or didn’t do wasn’t any of her concern. He could live with ten women, for all she cared. He didn’t matter to her anymore…at least that’s what she thought until he walked out the front door and came toward her.

As hard as she tried to ignore the impact Kevin still had on her, Leah couldn’t. Couldn’t ignore his steady, self-assured gait, his aura of strength—it had captured her attention the night they’d met in a premier Houston nightclub on one of the very rare occasions when she’d been out on the town. She surely couldn’t ignore the longer length of his hair or the shading of whiskers on his normally clean-shaven face, although those unexpected aspects didn’t detract from his incredible looks. But she had to remember her mission. Remember that what had once existed between them had ended in the span of a three-minute phone conversation almost a year ago.

Kevin paused a few feet before her and hooked his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans. “Hey,” he said in a voice that sounded almost remorseful.

Leah mustered all the fortitude she possessed, using recollections of their last verbal exchange to bolster her courage. “Hello, Kevin.”

He sized her up with one lengthy, slow visual excursion. “You look great.”

So did he. Nothing better than a sexy man dressed in white T-shirt and faded jeans. But she didn’t plan to pay him any compliments, even if she did intend to be coolly polite. “Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

“I’m all yours.”

At one time, Leah had honestly believed that. But not now. Not ever.

When she noticed a few people milling around the front lawn next door, she decided the last thing she needed was an audience when she lowered the boom. “Can we go somewhere more private?”

“We can go inside,” he said. “I’ll give you the grand tour.”

“I wouldn’t want to bother anyone else who might be inside.”

Kevin frowned. “I’m the only one here.”

“You don’t have a roommate?”

“Nope. It’s just me.”

At least that answered her question. Still, she didn’t dare spend a moment alone in a house with Kevin O’Brien. Particularly in a house with a bed. Or a sofa or a floor, for that matter. “I’d prefer the front porch.”

“It’s a lot cooler in the house, Leah.” He studied her through narrowed eyes. “Or are you afraid I’m going to make a move on you if we’re alone together?”

Yes, and equally afraid she might forget that he’d trampled her emotions and make an inadvisable move on him. “That wouldn’t be a first, Kevin.”

“You know me well enough to know that I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do, Leah.”

Aside from breaking her heart. “I still think remaining outside would be better.”

His expression showed a hint of impatience. “Could we at least go into the backyard and sit in a chair under some shade?”

That sounded like a solid plan to Leah. Kevin might need a chair once she was done. “Okay.”

He gestured toward the drive to his left. “Right this way.”

“Just a minute.” Leah returned to the car, opened the door and grabbed a bag from the backseat. A bag that contained two items representing her reasons for the spontaneous visit.

After slipping the strap over her shoulder, she walked with Kevin down the lengthy drive, keeping a reasonable berth between them. Even a brush of arms would bring about old memories she didn’t care to relive, although at times she had relived them in her mind. Each wonderful, exciting and heartbreaking moment. She’d foolishly been bowled over by his easy charm, intrigued by his complex personality. Completely drawn in by his expertise as a lover. She’d learned quite a bit about him in their eight months together. Clearly she hadn’t learned the most important detail before she’d fallen totally in love with him—he wasn’t in the market for a permanent commitment.

Once they rounded the corner of the house, Kevin opened a black iron gate that provided the entry through a white brick wall surrounding the backyard. When he motioned her forward, Leah stepped into what she would deem a perfect oasis, right down to the rock waterfall feeding into a crystal-blue diving pool and a state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen adjacent to a small cabana.

“Wow.” That was the only thing Leah could manage around her surprise.

“Pretty great, huh?”

She turned and caught Kevin’s smile. Big mistake. That smile had been the death of her determination to resist him on more than one occasion. After a brief mental pep talk, Leah said, “It’s very nice. Great for entertaining.”

“Yeah, but I haven’t had a chance to do much entertaining yet. I’ve only been here a month.”

As if she really believed a month wasn’t enough time for him to entertain various bikini-clad beauties. “Corri told me you’d only recently moved in.” The only solid information his sister-in-law had provided when Leah had worked up the nerve to contact her.

His smile faded into a frown. “Is that how you found me?”

“Yes. I called her after I stopped by your loft and discovered you’d moved.”

“Didn’t she give you my new phone number?”

“She did, but I decided we needed to speak in person.” She’d actually considered delivering the news by phone, affording him the same non-courtesy that he’d afforded her when he’d ended their relationship. Instead, she’d opted to be an adult and engage in a face-to-face meeting, although at the moment she questioned her wisdom.

But she was here now, so she might as well get down to brass tacks. On that thought, she asked, “Can we sit down now?”

“Sure.” Kevin guided her to a table situated beneath a copse of pines and oaks and pulled out a brown-striped chair.

Leah took the designated seat while Kevin chose the chair across from her, thankful for the table that put much-needed space between them. She set her bag on the ground at her feet and tightly clasped her hands on the glass surface. “These trees help with the heat.” At least from a meteorological standpoint. Noticing all of Kevin’s finer details didn’t help Leah’s internal heat in the least. It seemed he’d lost some weight, but he’d undeniably gained some muscle. He’d always been in great shape, but his biceps looked larger. His chest looked broader. His abs looked tighter beneath the T-shirt. And if she knew what was best, she’d keep her eyes off his attributes.

“The Houston heat in June’s always brutal, especially at four in the afternoon,” he said, drawing her attention back to his face.

“I had a busy morning, otherwise, I would have been here much earlier.” She’d spent the better part of the day engaged in an internal debate, until she’d forced herself to stop procrastinating.

After another brief bout of silence, Kevin asked, “How’s your fellowship going?”

Though she was avoiding the news she’d come to deliver, Leah saw no reason not to be civil. “It’s going well. The hospital rotations can be tough, but I work part of the time in a clinic.”

“Which means more normal hours,” he said.

Odd that he remembered all the details they’d discussed during their time together. Then again, he had been very attentive, both in and out of bed. “I’m really looking forward to finishing in August so I can finally start utilizing what I’ve learned.” She would have been finished now had she not taken a necessary break in her hometown before returning to Houston two months ago.

Kevin brushed a leaf from the table with a sweep of his hand. “Have you decided where you’re going to practice?”

In some ways, that decision had been made for her. “I’m going home to Mississippi. Since my fellowship has focused on healthcare for the indigent, I plan to work part-time in a free clinic, and possibly open my own practice to pay the bills.”

“You won’t miss the big-city lifestyle?” His tone hinted at disappointment, or maybe she was reading too much into it.

“I’d miss my family more.” She also needed their support, now more than ever.

“I’m sure you’ll do great, wherever you land,” he said. “Good luck.”

For some reason, she’d wanted him to say he would miss her. That he’d made a huge error in judgment by letting her go. That he wished she would stay in Houston. And that was insanely ridiculous. Even if he did say all those things, she couldn’t believe him.

The conversation died for a time until Leah sent a quick glance in his direction to find him rubbing his eyes. “You look tired. Obviously you’ve been burning the midnight oil.” Or burning up the sheets with his latest babe.

“Just been busy with work.”

“Traveling a lot?”

“Actually, no. For the most part I’m working from home now. I write a nationally syndicated column and I maintain a sports blog for the magazine.”

That surprised her almost as much as the longer length of his hair. “You’ve always loved interviewing all those sports superstars. What on earth happened?”

His expression showed definite discomfort. “Things change, Leah.”

Yes, but she suspected he hadn’t. Maybe he wasn’t traipsing all over the country searching for his next female conquest, but she had no doubt women were still seeking him out on a regular basis, and he was gladly accommodating them. That didn’t matter to her any longer, or it shouldn’t.

She’d come here to say something important, and she needed to say it now. Yet when Kevin centered his dark eyes on her, Leah temporarily misplaced her train of thought. And when he leaned over and traced a fingertip along her jaw, she stiffened and muttered, “Don’t.”

If he so much as touched her again, Leah might momentarily forget how badly he’d wounded her, heart and soul. She refused to do that. Refused to succumb to his charm that he wielded like a net to ensnare unsuspecting females. She’d already been there and she wasn’t going back.

“Sorry.” His features turned sullen as he once more leaned back in his chair. “Do you mind telling me why you’re here?”

“Not to take up where we left off, Kevin.” Lying wasn’t the norm for Leah. In fact, she always demanded honesty under normal situations. Yet nothing about this situation was normal. She’d do whatever seemed necessary to discourage him, even if that meant fabricating an intimate relationship with another man. “Besides, I’m seeing someone.”

Kevin leaned forward and studied her a long moment. “Who is he?”

Leah was taken aback by the question, as well as the jealousy in his tone. A typical male I-don’t-want-you-but-I-don’t-want-anyone-else-to-have-you reaction. As it was with her job, she had to think quickly. “He’s someone I’ve known for a long time. We met up again when I was visiting my parents in Mississippi.” Not exactly a lie, but not the whole truth, either. She had seen her childhood friend, J. W. Camp, a few times when she’d been home. But J.W. was more like a brother to her, a detail she chose to omit. “He owns his own business. He’s a good man. Solid. Steady. Honest.”

“And you don’t believe I’m any of those things?”

At one time, she had. “It doesn’t matter what I think, Kevin. It’s over between us.”

“Is your relationship with this guy serious?” He sounded almost dejected.

Leah started to issue a denial, but reconsidered. “Look, Kevin, I’m not here to talk about my personal life with you. But we still have something very important to discuss.”

“Then talk. I’m listening.” His tone held a touch of anger, very unlike the Kevin she’d known before. He was usually all about gentle persuasion, deadly charm, but now he seemed much more serious. Or maybe he simply wished she would get out of his life for good.

That’s precisely what she’d planned to do—to stay out of his life—as soon as she presented her actual rationale for being there. With that in mind, she opened the bag, withdrew her wallet and held it firmly in her grasp. “First of all, I’ve agonized for weeks over what I’m about to tell you,” she began. “I’ve spent a lot of sleepless nights trying to figure out exactly how to tell you. But a few days ago, it occurred to me that putting it off any longer wouldn’t make it any easier. You’re still going to be mad.”

He sent her a cynic’s smile. “That would be a switch, you making me mad instead of the other way around.”

Leah could only pinpoint one time when he’d made her mad—furious in fact—and that had been the day he’d called it off between them without fair warning. “Believe me, you’re not going to be happy about this.”

Confusion called out from Kevin’s piercing brown eyes. “Just spill it, Leah.”

As the old adage went, a picture was worth a thousand words, which was why Leah chose to remove the photograph from the clear plastic folder. A photograph that resided among others of friends and family and all those precious in her life, including one of her and Kevin taken during their final vacation in Mexico that for some reason she hadn’t had the desire to remove. But this particular photo was the most precious of all.

She dropped the wallet back into her bag and offered the picture to Kevin without explanation. Clarification would come soon enough.

He studied the photo for a time before his gaze snapped to hers. “Who is this?”

Her gift. Her miracle. Her entire world. “She’s your daughter, Kevin.”

CHAPTER TWO

KEVIN LOOKED as stunned as Leah had been when she’d confirmed the pregnancy all those months ago. She waited patiently for his verbal reaction, and when she didn’t receive one, she said, “Her name is Carly.” Named for Carl, the little boy her parents had fostered when Leah had been in her teens. A special little boy no one had wanted because of his myriad medical problems. But Leah had loved him dearly, had helped care for him until the day he went into the hospital and never came out. He’d been the reason she’d chosen pediatrics as her specialty, but Kevin knew that. Not that he would remember.

Kevin stared at the photo before centering his gaze back on her. “How old is she?”

“Three months.”

“And you’re just now telling me?”

She’d considered not telling him at all, but she’d changed her mind after her mother reminded her of all the children who’d come to them with no medical histories, no knowledge of their own parents. “I called you a week or so after I confirmed the pregnancy. Some woman answered and I hung up. I planned to call you the month Carly was due, but before I could do that, I went into labor four weeks early. It all happened very fast.”

He looked alarmed. “Is she okay?”

“She’s fine. Perfect. A little underweight, but she’s catching up.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know how this happened. We were always careful.”

“Not always, Kevin. Remember that wild time we had on our trip to Cabo last summer?” The trip where Kevin hadn’t been himself. She’d learned the reason for his attitude a week later when he’d dumped her. “I had one too many margaritas the last night we were there. You had too much testosterone.”

“But I—”

“Not quickly enough. Besides, we both know that coitus interruptus is not a fail-proof form of birth control.” Yet that night she hadn’t been thinking clearly, and it had had little to do with alcohol because she hadn’t been intoxicated. The overriding passion between them had been the only thing that mattered. A passion that had often clouded her common sense.

When he still seemed doubtful, Leah added, “All you have to do is look at her, Kevin. She’s the mirror image of you.” So much so, she ached every time she looked at her baby girl. Their baby girl.

“Where is she now?” he asked as he continued to focus on the photo.

“With my roommate, Macy.” All the more reason why Leah needed to leave as soon as possible, before the baby woke from her nap and Macy—a confirmed kid phobic—had to deal with Carly.

Kevin stared at the picture a few more moments, and when Leah couldn’t stand the silence any longer, she said, “Say something.”

He leveled his gaze on hers. “I don’t know what to say, Leah. This is one helluva shock.”

She understood that all too well. She also acknowledged that he might have a difficult time coping with the news. He might decide not to cope with it. For that reason, she retrieved an envelope from the bag and offered it to him. “Here.”

After a brief hesitation, he took it from her. “What is this?”

“It’s a document that will terminate your parental rights if you sign it. You’re under no obligation to be involved in her life, emotionally or financially.”

A flash of dismay crossed his expression. “After everything you’ve told me about the abandoned kids your parents fostered, you’re willing to raise her by yourself?”

If she had a choice, Leah would prefer raising her child in a two-parent home. But that wasn’t an option, at least not with Kevin. “We’re doing fine.” For the most part. “I also have a good support system at home.”

“You mean your new boyfriend.”

Leah opted not to comment on that supposition. “My parents insist I move back in with them when I return to Mississippi. You don’t need to worry about whether or not Carly’s going to be cared for if you decide to sign the papers.”

Without offering any response, Kevin lowered his head, the envelope and photo still in his grasp. He appeared so visibly shaken, Leah fought the urge to hold him.

Instead, she gathered her things and stood. “I realize this is a lot for you to think about, so I’m going to give you that time to think. If you’d prefer to walk away from this situation, I’ll understand. All you have to do is sign the documents, have them notarized and mail them back to me in the envelope I’ve provided. I’ve already addressed it. In the meantime, I have the same cell number if you need to reach me.”

It took all of Leah’s strength to leave without any answers from Kevin. She wasn’t certain what to hope for—that he sign the papers to sever his parental rights, ending their relationship, once and for all, or that he decide to be a father to Carly, gaining a permanent place in his child’s life—her life—for years to come. Either way, she would have to deal with the consequences of her actions. Her mistakes.

But Leah didn’t view her baby as a mistake. Falling in love with Carly’s father had been a grave mistake. Thing was, a part of her still loved him, and probably always would.

SHORTLY AFTER DAWN the following morning, Kevin traveled to Bodies by O’Brien, the health club owned by his twin brother, Kieran. His reasons behind the visit were twofold—a workout to clear his mind and counsel from someone he could trust.

Even though he’d barely slept the night before, adrenaline sent Kevin through the double doors at a quick clip and straight to Kieran’s office where he found his brother seated behind his desk.

“Do you have a few minutes?” Kevin asked as he stood in the open doorway, clutching his gym bag in a death grip.

Kieran looked up from a stack of papers and tossed the pen aside. “Come in. You’re saving me from approving invoices, and you know how much I hate the business end of the business.”

Spoken like a die-hard personal trainer, Kevin decided. But saving Kieran from accounting was a far cry from what Kieran had saved Kevin from—certain death—by providing his bone marrow. The ultimate gift, as far as Kevin was concerned. Since that time, they’d put aside their differences and had become as close as they’d been when they were kids, one of the few positives resulting from his illness.

Kevin crossed the room and dropped down in the chair in front of the desk. He decided to ease into the conversation while preparing to get into the crux of the matter at hand. “How’s it going with the wedding plans?”

Kieran smiled. “At least we finally have a place to have it, which is good considering the ceremony’s in less than a month.”

“Where did you decide to do it?” Kevin asked.

“Logan’s father-in-law offered his garden. It’s going to be damn hot, but Erica wants an outdoor wedding. And it shouldn’t be too bad at sunset. Are you still willing to stand up for me under those conditions?”

“You bet.” Kevin would gladly brave the elements to fulfill his duty as Kieran’s best man, although he’d never really been “the best man.” Not even close.

Kieran inclined his head and sized him up. “If you don’t get a haircut before the wedding, people won’t be able to tell us apart. I don’t want my bride kissing the wrong man.”

Kevin ran a hand through his hair and laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind. In the meantime, I’m going to let it grow out. I kind of want to hang on to it a little longer since I lost so much during the chemo.” The same chemo that could have altered his chances of having a child, which reminded him of why he’d come to see his brother.

In preparation for the boom-lowering, Kevin drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Leah came by the house yesterday.”

Kieran leaned back and rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I’ll be damned. What did she want?”

Kevin reached into his gym bag, pulled out the items Leah had given him yesterday and offered the photo to Kieran. “She brought me this.”

Kieran took the picture and stared at it for a long moment before he turned his attention back to Kevin. “Is this what I think it is?”

“If you’re thinking that’s my daughter, you’d be right.” My daughter. Never in a thousand years would he have believed he’d be saying that. Nor did he expect to feel what he’d felt after learning the news.

“She looks exactly like our baby pictures.” Kieran shook his head. “Man, this is a shock.”

“Yeah. What a way to start a week.” What a way to change your life in a matter of minutes.

Kieran laid the photo on the desk and slid it toward Kevin. “I can’t believe Leah waited this long to tell you.”

“Considering what I did to her, I can’t really blame her. And as it turns out, she did try to tell me. She hung up when some woman answered, and I’m fairly sure that woman was a home health-care nurse who was giving me transfusions at the time. But I understand why she would assume otherwise.”

“She assumed she’d been replaced,” Kieran said.

Kevin couldn’t fault Leah for that, either. “She was going to try to tell me again right before the baby was born, but she went into premature labor.”

Kieran frowned. “The baby’s okay?”

Exactly the same thing Kevin had asked the baby’s mother. “She’s healthy, according to Leah. And since Leah’s a pediatrician, she should know.”

Kieran grinned. “As far as I’m concerned, Kev, this is damn good news. I say tell Leah the whole story, and maybe you’ll get another chance with her.”

If only that was a possibility. If only he’d done things differently, told her about his illness instead of using his pat confirmed-bachelor excuse. If only he hadn’t done irreparable damage to their relationship by trying to protect her, maybe he wouldn’t be in this predicament now. Then again, he wasn’t certain he would do anything differently, even knowing what he knew now. The last thing she’d needed during a pregnancy was dealing with his problems. “I don’t see any reason to tell her the whole story.”

“You can dole out the advice, Kevin, but you can’t follow it.”

Kevin couldn’t remember giving his brother any advice worthy of notice. “What are you talking about?”

“When you were in the hospital, you told me I needed to drop my guard and confide in Erica or risk losing her. I did that, and look how well it turned out. Now you have a chance to do the same thing, and you’re not even going to try.”

“There’s no point in trying. It wouldn’t change anything.”

“Why do you think that?”

Because a few major issues still prevailed. Issues that prevented Kevin from attempting to win Leah back. “First of all, Leah hates lying and even if my intentions were good, she’d have a hard time buying it. Secondly, she wants a big family, and I might not be able to give her that because of the chemo.”

“Why don’t you let her decide if that matters?”

On to the most important issue. “It’s too late for us, Kieran. She’s already involved with someone from her hometown. I’m pretty sure he’s the reason why she’s decided to set up practice in Mississippi once her fellowship is done. And I’m also sure that’s why she gave me this.” He held up the envelope. “If I sign on the dotted line, I’ll terminate my parental rights.”

“You’re not seriously considering that, are you?” Kieran looked and sounded incredulous.

Kevin had seriously considered it all through the night. Yet every time he thought about walking away from his daughter—a child he had yet to see, the only child he might ever have, he hurt like hell. He hurt just as deeply when he thought about walking away from Leah. Again. “On the one hand, I keep telling myself no way would I let another man raise my child. On the other, maybe that would be the unselfish thing to do. Maybe I’m not cut out to be a father.”

“Just don’t make any rash decisions until you take one more important step,” Kieran said.

Kevin suspected his brother was about to ask him to do something he wasn’t prepared to do. Not until he knew which road he was going to take. “If you’re going to say I need to tell Mom and Dad about the baby, I’m not ready to do that.”

“That’s not what I was going to say.”

Kevin’s impatience was nearing the breaking point. “Then just say it, Kieran, so I can go work out.”

“Forget the workout. Go see your baby girl, Kev.”

“THERE’S SOMEONE here to see you, Leah.”

At the sound of her roommate’s announcement, Leah looked up from Carly, who’d drifted to sleep at her breast. “I didn’t hear the doorbell.”

Macy moved into the room and secured a band around her wavy blond hair. “That’s because he didn’t ring the bell. I was on my way out when I found him standing on the doorstep, looking like a stray dog.”

Leah suspected she knew the identity of that stray dog. “Did you manage to get his name?”

“I didn’t bother, but I can tell you what he looks like. Dark hair, dark eyes, good-looking in a slick kind of way. Come to think of it, he looks just like her.” She pointed toward the still-sleeping infant in Leah’s arms.

Oh, great. “Leave it to Kevin to show up unannounced,” Leah muttered, though she had no cause to criticize him. Yesterday she’d done the same thing.

Macy’s eyes widened. “Kevin, as in the baby-daddy Kevin?”

“That’s the one.”

“I thought you weren’t going to tell him.”

“I changed my mind.” Or lost her mind, as the case might be.

When Leah moved the baby to her shoulder and stood, Carly released a little whine of protest. “Hold her for a minute. She needs to be burped.”

Macy looked as if Leah had asked her to perform an appendectomy on the dining-room table. “I don’t know nothin’ ’bout burpin’ babies.”

Leah grabbed a towel from the side of the rocker, draped it over Macy’s shoulder and handed Carly over. “Just pat her back a couple of times.”

When the baby released a moderate belch, to say Macy looked frazzled would be a grave understatement. “What if she hurls on my scrubs?”

“That’s what the towel’s for, but she’s not going to hurl.” Leah, on the other hand, fought a twinge of nausea over the thought of facing Kevin.

After buttoning her blouse, she took Carly back into her arms, popped a soft kiss on her cheek and laid her in the bassinet positioned next to her bed. “Tell him I’ll be right out as soon as I’m presentable.”

Macy scowled. “Who cares what you look like? He’s the sperm donor, not your prom date.”

Ignoring her friend, Leah moved in front of the bureau’s mirror and ran a brush through her hair. “Be that as it may, he’s still Carly’s father.”

“He’s a jerk, Leah. He doesn’t deserve to be a father.”

Leah stared at Macy from the mirror’s reflection. “You’ve never even met him.”

“But I know what he did to you, and that makes him an A-one jackass in my book.”

Leah turned and leaned back against the bureau. “Just tell him I’ll be with him in a minute, okay?”

Macy shrugged. “Fine. Mind if I kick him in the jewels on my way out? If I do it hard enough, that could prevent him from procreating again.”

Leah pointed the brush at the door. “I would prefer you deliver my message without any violence and then go to work.”

“You’re absolutely no fun,” Macy said as she did an about-face and marched out of the room.

Going back to the mirror, Leah took a long look at her appearance and grimaced. Her face showed the signs of fatigue, right down to the bloodshot eyes. Balancing a baby’s needs and a busy schedule had begun to take its toll. She applied a little lip gloss then scolded herself for believing she had to make herself up to see Kevin. Macy was right; this wasn’t a date. At least not in the traditional sense. A date with destiny could be in the offing, depending on Kevin’s reasons for showing up unannounced.

She walked back to the bassinet to find Carly still snoozing, her fists balled up at her chest, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Evidently her daughter was having a sweet baby dream, completely unaware that the man responsible for her birth was waiting in the next room.

Leah wondered if Kevin would ask to see his child. If so, maybe she should change Carly into something more appropriate than the yellow, hand-me-down sleeper. Another silly idea. Carly was an infant, for goodness sake, and she wasn’t required to impress her father. If Kevin couldn’t see past his daughter’s apparel to the blessing beneath, then Macy was right—he didn’t deserve to be in Carly’s life. As if he really wanted to be involved with his baby, something she genuinely doubted.

After drawing in a deep breath, Leah walked into the tiny living room to discover Kevin seated on the floral chintz sofa, looking somewhat weary. He also looked incredibly handsome in an expensive navy silk suit with a white tailored shirt, sans tie. She hated the flutter of awareness, the remembrance of a time when she would have greeted him with a kiss. Hated that he could still move her so easily into those memories, those feelings that were best left unfelt.

“A phone call might have been nice,” she said on the heels of her exasperation. “But then you were always full of surprises, Kevin.” Some very nice surprises, and some not so nice.

He came to his feet, his gaze fixed on hers. “I had an appointment downtown this morning. Since I was so close, I decided to stop by.”

That explained his business apparel, even if it didn’t provide all the answers Leah required. “How did you find us?”

“Your address was on the envelope you gave me, remember?”

Actually, she hadn’t remembered. “Did you have a business meeting?”

“I met with my accountant.” He pulled an envelope from the inside of his jacket pocket. “This is the outline of the trust fund I’m setting up for Carly. The actual documents haven’t been drawn up yet because I want you to look over this first and make any changes. You’ll have complete access to the funds and if you need more, you only have to tell me.”

After a brief hesitation, she took the envelope from him. “As I’ve said before, I don’t expect you to be financially responsible for Carly if—”

“I know what you said, but she is my responsibility, and I want to provide for her.”

Leah wondered if a monetary obligation was the only tie he planned to have with his baby. Still, she’d gladly accept anything that would give her child a better life, at least until she had all the student loans paid off and her private practice up and running. “I’ll take a look at it and get back with you. Anything else?”

“I’d like to see her.”

At least that answered one of Leah’s questions, and prompted some concerns. But now that she’d involved Kevin in the situation, she had no good reason to deny him, particularly when he seemed so sincere. “She was sleeping when I left her a few minutes ago, but I guess you could take a peek.”

Leah led Kevin into her bedroom that also served as the nursery. When she moved to the bassinet, she discovered her daughter wasn’t sleeping at all. Instead, Carly was intently focused on the multicolored mobile dangling above her.

Leah sent a quick glance over her shoulder to see Kevin standing near the door, as if uncertain what he should do next. “She’s awake, so you can come closer.”

He took his place beside Leah and stared down on Carly, who favored him with a smile, as if she somehow sensed he was a special guest.

“She’s started smiling a lot in the past month,” Leah said.

Kevin didn’t respond, but the awe in his eyes spoke volumes. “She’s beautiful.”

Leah couldn’t agree more. “She’s a good baby, as long as she’s fed and dry. But she does have an occasional bout of mild colic and a little bit of a temper that comes out when she doesn’t get what she wants right away.”

He remained quiet for a time before asking, “May I hold her?”

Leah certainly hadn’t prepared for the question, even though that would be a logical request from a first-time father. Regardless, she gestured toward the rocker next to the crib. “Have a seat and I’ll hand her to you.”

After Kevin complied, Leah lifted the baby from the bed and laid her in the crook of his arm. Carly smiled at him again and Kevin smiled back. “Hey, kiddo. I’m your dad,” he said, his voice soft, almost reverent.

Leah couldn’t count the times she’d envisioned this scene, under very different circumstances. She’d often engaged in the happy-family fantasy of three. A pipe dream that would never come to pass, even now. But she couldn’t refute how natural he looked holding his daughter. Couldn’t discard the surge of emotions, the threat of tears as Kevin closed his eyes and pressed his lips against Carly’s forehead as he held her close to his heart.

This beautiful man, who had never mentioned wanting children, looked as if he, too, was battling his own emotions over seeing his child. But Leah had to remember this was only one special moment. Possibly a goodbye moment.

A brief time later, Kevin slowly stood and laid the baby back in the bassinet. When he faced Leah again, he pulled another envelope from his pocket. “I stayed up most of the night thinking about these papers.” He opened the flap and withdrew the document. “And here’s what I really think about them.”

After setting the envelope on the rocker, he turned, systematically shredded the paper and tossed the remains into the nearby trash bin. “She’s my daughter, Leah, and I want to be a part of her life. I need her in my life.”

When Leah was able to speak around her shock, she asked, “You’re absolutely sure about this?”

“Yes, and I want to prove it.”

Leah hugged her arms tightly to her midriff. “How do you propose to do that?”

“By taking care of her while you’re working.”

And Leah had just thought she couldn’t be more astounded. “That’s not necessary. I have her enrolled in a good day care.”

“And I have a flexible schedule—I can devote my time to her.”

This proposition was almost more than she could digest. “Do you understand what that entails, Kevin? All the feedings and changing and bouts of endless crying?”

“I understand that completely, and I’ll handle it. And now that I’m here, there’s something else I want to address.” He looked around the area, focusing on the double bed crammed into the corner. “Does Carly have her own room?”

“It’s only a two-bedroom apartment, and I have a roommate, which is why Carly’s in here with me.”

He sent her a sly grin. “Oh, yeah. Your roommate. The one who looked like she wanted to castrate me before she left.”

At least Macy hadn’t delivered the groin kick. “She’s nice when you get to know her.”

He gave her a Yeah, right, look before surveying the room again. “I don’t know a lot about babies, but isn’t Carly going to outgrow that bed soon? And it seems to me you don’t have room for a bigger one.”

That ruffled her maternal feathers. “This apartment is all I can afford right now, Kevin, and I promise you that she’ll have a full-size crib when the time comes, even if I have to sleep on the floor.”

He looked altogether cynical. “That’s a great idea, Leah, sleeping on the floor. I’m sure that’s going to provide you with a lot of rest before you have to make life-or-death medical decisions.”

Leah recognized he had a point, and she had another suggestion. “Then I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

He cracked another crooked smile. “The one with the flat cushions? That’s going to be great for your back, which if I remember correctly, bothers you if the bed’s too firm.”

When exasperation began to surface, Leah bordered on demanding his departure. “Again, I’ll make do for the next two months. Carly won’t suffer in any way, shape or form.”

“I’m thinking there’s a better solution that will prevent any suffering or sacrifice for either of you.”

Leah was almost afraid to ask. “What would that be?”

“A new place to live. A better place.”

“I’ve told you I can’t afford—”

“At my expense.”

She mulled that over for a moment, greatly tempted by the offer. Kevin was a financial wizard with a portfolio that rivaled any corporate CEO’s. Many times he’d given her fiscal advice and ways to plan for her future after her fellowship. He had the funds to finance a bigger apartment. A place where Carly could have her own nursery, allowing Leah to sleep in her own bed. “You’re really serious about paying my rent for a bigger apartment?”

“Not an apartment. A house.”

Maybe even in a neighborhood with a park where Leah could take the baby on her days off. The deal was getting sweeter by the moment. “A house would be great, but all the homes near the hospital are incredibly expensive.”

“I was thinking more along the lines of a newer subdivision about fifteen minutes out. A great house in a great neighborhood. Four bedrooms, four baths, almost four thousand square feet. Gourmet kitchen and a big backyard with a pool.”

Leah laughed. “That’s a little bit of overkill for two people, don’t you think?”

“Three people.”

Leah swallowed hard. “I’m not sure what you’re getting at, Kevin.” In reality, she knew exactly what he was getting at.

And he confirmed her suspicions when he smiled and said, “I’m talking about my house, Leah. I want you and Carly to move in with me.”

CHAPTER THREE

“ARE YOU serious?”

Kevin wasn’t at all surprised by Leah’s reaction, even if he was surprised by his own spontaneous offer. But come to think of it, the whole idea made perfect sense. “I’m dead serious.”

She sent him a champion scowl. “You’ve lost your mind, Kevin.”

Possibly for thinking she’d actually agree to it. But he wasn’t willing to give up…yet. “It’s a good arrangement, Leah. You can go to work in the mornings without having to drop Carly off anywhere. I can take care of her during the day and you can take over when you come home at night if you’re not too tired. Hell, I can even have dinner waiting for you.”

Her skepticism showed in her expression. “You don’t cook.”

“Not true. I made you dinner one night at my apartment.”

She smiled. “You heated up a dinner that your sister-in-law was kind enough to prepare for us.”

Kevin returned her smile, mostly from remembrance of one of many great evenings they’d shared. “You didn’t complain. In fact, I don’t remember you issuing any complaints the entire night.” Or in the morning, when he’d made love to her again for the second time. Or maybe it had been a third time…

Leah cleared her throat, jerking Kevin back into the present. “Lack of cooking skills aside, exactly what do you know about taking care of a baby?” she asked.

Not much. “I have several nieces and nephews that I’ve taken care of a time or two.” Under direct supervision from their parents during family get-togethers, a detail he’d rather not reveal at the moment in light of Leah’s cynical look.

When Carly whimpered, Leah scooped the baby up in her arms and laid her on the bed. “Hand me a diaper and the wipes,” she said as she began to undo a maze of snaps down the legs of Carly’s footed pajamas.

Kevin looked around a few moments before Leah added, “The box is in the corner and the wipes are on the dresser.”

He retrieved a disposable diaper and a plastic container clearly indicating baby wipes. After handing the items to Leah, he sat on the edge of the mattress next to his daughter.

“Do you want to do this?” Leah asked, looking expectant.

If he even made an attempt, then he’d prove just how little he did know. “Since we’ve only recently been introduced, I’ll watch while you change her.”

“You haven’t done it, have you?”

She was too damn intuitive for her own good. For his own good. “No.”

“That’s what I thought,” she muttered as she untaped the diaper, slipped it from beneath Carly, rolled it up and tossed it into the nearby pail.

Kevin tried to concentrate on the rediapering task, but he was distracted by the baby noises Carly began to make. “Did you hear that?” He sounded as if his daughter had just recited the preamble to the Constitution.

“She started the cooing phase a week ago,” she said as she refastened all the snaps with the skill of a baby-changing artist.

When Carly smiled at him again, Kevin said, “She sure is a happy girl.”

Leah picked up the baby and held her against her shoulder. “She’s not going to be happy for long since it’s past time for her nap.”

That was his cue to leave. He stood and said, “Fine. I’ll go so she can take her nap. I’ll call you later to discuss the move.”

“I didn’t say I was going to move in with you, Kevin.”

At least she hadn’t said she wouldn’t, which meant he still had a shot at pleading his case. “Just think about how convenient it would be if we lived together.”

She laid the baby back in the bassinet then turned and sent him a wry smile. “It’s not the convenience that worries me.”

He knew exactly what was worrying her—the possible fallout from their proximity. “Listen, I have two master suites, one on each end of the house, with two bedrooms in between. One of those rooms would be Carly’s. And you’d have your own private bath, with a whirlpool tub.” Hell, now he sounded like a real-estate salesman.

“I’m sure it’s nice, Kevin, but I’m not interested.”

“Aren’t you even the least bit tempted?” He brought out the big guns—a wink.

Leah rolled her eyes, indicating he’d lost his ability to entice her. “Temptation got us into this situation in the first place.”

He couldn’t argue that point. He did intend to argue his case for cohabitation. “You wouldn’t have to be around me unless it involved Carly. In fact, you’ll be gone most of the day, which leaves only a few hours at night when you’d have to tolerate my presence.”

“True, but frankly, I’m not sure I trust you even for five minutes.”

He battled a bite of anger, even knowing he’d done nothing to earn her trust to this point. “Look, Leah, you’re going to be moving in August. That gives me less than two months to get to know my baby before you take her out of state. I can’t do that when she’s in a day care all day.”

“You can still see her before I leave and after I move to Mississippi, provided that’s what you want.”

“You mean every other weekend? Maybe a holiday or two? That’s not a hell of a lot of time for us to build a relationship.”

She sighed. “We’ll work it out later. Right now your daughter needs to sleep.”

Your daughter. That alone fueled Kevin’s determination. He’d give Leah some space and in the meantime, he’d prepare for the best-case scenario—having Leah and Carly in his home—even though he wouldn’t be stunned if she refused him. “Okay,” he said as he backed toward the bedroom door. “I’ll be in touch in a few days. Call me if you change your mind before then.”

“I’m not going to change my mind, Kevin.”

THE MINUTE her roommate breezed through the front door, Leah could no longer maintain her silence. “You’re not going to believe what Kevin did.”

Macy laid a hand across her forehead with all the polish of a practiced drama queen. “With a baby on the premises? Has he no shame?”

Leah blew out a frustrated breath. “He asked me to move in with him.”

Macy dropped down on the sofa and leaned her head back against the cushion. “Please tell me you didn’t agree, Leah.”

“Of course not.” Although admittedly, she’d thought of nothing else but Kevin’s proposition for most of the day.

“Good. For a minute there, I thought you’d lost your mind,” Macy said as she toed out of her clogs.

Leah took the chair opposite Macy and propped her heels on the coffee table. “He says it would only be temporary. Just until I move back to Mississippi in August.”

Macy frowned. “If you’re not going to do it, then why are you telling me this?”

Leah didn’t understand why revealing the details to Macy seemed so important, but it did. “I only want you to realize that it’s not what you think. Kevin wants to get to know Carly, and I can’t very well keep him from her now that I’ve involved him in her life.”

“Her life,” Macy added. “Those are the key words. That doesn’t mean you have to shack up with him. He can have her for a few hours during the weekend.”

That sounded logical, yet Leah acknowledged why that might not seem adequate to Kevin. “He also offered to watch her during the day while I’m at work.”

Macy smirked. “You must not think too highly of your kid, leaving her in the hands of a monument to bad influence.”

Leah regretted telling her roommate all the unflattering details of Kevin’s past. “He’s not an ogre, Macy.”

“No, he’s a player who probably has a revolving door in his bachelor boudoir.”

Leah fell silent a few moments before she continued. “He owns a house with four bedrooms, four baths and a pool.”

Macy perked up like a puppy awaiting a treat. “A pool? Wading or in-ground?”

“In-ground. With a waterfall and a hot tub.”

“Well, heck, you stay here with the baby and I’ll move in with him.”

Leah was astounded at the sudden spear of jealousy hurling through her over that thought. “He’s not your type, Macy.”

“Yeah, I know. He’s much too pretty for me. I prefer a less refined guy. Someone who’s good with his hands.”

“Kevin’s definitely good with his hands.” Among other things.

Macy leaned forward and nailed Leah with a serious stare. “I honestly believe you’re considering his proposition.”

“Absolutely not.” Realizing the sheer defensiveness in her voice, Leah tempered her tone. “You’re right. Pool or no pool, it wouldn’t work.”

Macy tugged the band from her hair, sending a blond crop of curls cascading down her shoulders. “Maybe you’re worried it would work. Maybe you’re afraid you’ll get reeled in again. But hey, nothing wrong with convenience sex, as long as you don’t let all that emotional garbage enter into it. And as long as you double up on the condoms.”

“I’m not in the mood for any kind of sex.” Not exactly a lie. She hadn’t even thought about sex for months…much. “Besides, I’ve told him I’m seeing someone.”

Macy’s mouth hung open a few moments before she snapped it shut. “When do you have time to see anyone?”

“I don’t and I’m not. I only want him to believe that I’m off the market.”

“What are you going to tell him if he asks for details about this mystery man?” Macy asked.

“I’ve already covered that. I’ll pretend my new lover is J.W., my friend from Mississippi.”

Macy snorted. “You mean that mechanic who called here one night and told me he had a really big toolbox then asked if I wanted to check it out?”

Good old J.W. “Yes, but don’t worry about him. He’s all hat and no cattle.”

“Huh?”

“He’s all talk and no action.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Macy slapped her hands against her thighs and stood. “I have to hit the shower now because I am in the mood for a little lovin’. I have a date with some prime beef tonight and he’s picking me up in less than an hour.”

Leah experienced some unwarranted and unwanted envy. “I’ll vacuum so he doesn’t injure his knuckles when they drag the floor.”

Macy rolled her eyes. “You do that, Leah. And just one more question. Did you make it clear to Kevin that you’re not interested in playing the happy-family game with him?”

“I tried, but knowing Kevin, he’s not going to let it go easily.” In fact, Leah wouldn’t put anything past him.

“I NEED to borrow one of your kids.”

After the declaration spewed out of Kevin’s mouth, he’d give a month’s pay for a camera to capture the confused look on his brother-in-law’s face.

“What in the hell are you talking about, Kevin?”

“If you’ll let me in the house, Whit, I’ll tell you.” He didn’t relish the thought of explaining the situation to his sister, Mallory, but desperation had sent him across Houston during rush-hour traffic for some much-needed assistance.

After a moment’s hesitation, Whit held open the door and muttered, “Come in.”

Kevin entered the living room to find Mallory seated on the edge of the sofa wearing a pink silk robe. A bottle of champagne and two glasses were set out on a hideous, hairy rug covering the hardwood floor. A cozy scene indicating an intimate celebration. His timing royally sucked.

“Is something wrong with your cell phone, Kevin?” his sister asked, her tone less than amicable.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to look contrite. “Sorry. I just assumed that since it’s six o’clock on a Monday, I wouldn’t interrupt anything but dinner.”

“It’s almost seven.” Whit dropped down next to Mallory and rested a hand on her thigh. “If you’d shown up five minutes later, I wouldn’t have answered the door.”

Kevin eyed the spread on the floor. “Is it your anniversary?”

“No.” Mallory tightened the robe’s sash and moved closer to her husband. “Whit found out today he’s going to design a multimillion-dollar home for a prominent corporate CEO. We’re celebrating.”

Kevin offered his hand to his brother-in-law for a shake. “Congratulations.”

Whit smiled with pride. “Thanks. I beat out a dozen other architects, so I’m pretty happy about it. I’ll begin working on the design in a few weeks.”

“Sounds like a good deal,” Kevin said. “Who is this tycoon, anyway?”

Mallory sighed. “Let’s cut the chitchat, you two. And Kevin, what are you doing here?”

“He wants to borrow one of the girls,” Whit said before Kevin could respond.

Mallory scowled. “What for?”

Now came the nitty-gritty. The explanation that might take a while. With that in mind, Kevin selected the club chair across from the sofa and prepared to confess. “I’ll try to be brief.”

“Good idea,” Whit said. “We have to get back to the celebration and you’re not invited to watch.”

Kevin launched into the details of his reunion with Leah, learning about Carly and his most recent proposition. He concluded by saying, “She hasn’t agreed to move in with me yet, but even if she doesn’t, I still want to learn how to take care of the baby. That’s why I’m here.”

As soon as the astonishment left Mallory’s expression, she leaned forward and folded her hands in her lap. “Does this mean the two of you could possibly get back together?”

Obviously he’d been born into a family of frustrated matchmakers. “No, it doesn’t. She’s not interested.”

“Even after you told her about your illness?” she asked.

“I haven’t told her, and I don’t intend to.”

Whit shook his head. “You’re making a huge mistake, bud.”

Maybe so, but Kevin didn’t intend to complicate matters any more than they already were. “I have my reasons for keeping the information to myself.”

“I can’t imagine what they might be,” Mallory said. “If she knew why you broke it off with her, then I’m sure she would be willing to give you another chance.”

Kevin was too mentally stressed to get into his motives now, especially since he’d already hashed them out with Kieran that morning. “Take my word for it, telling her wouldn’t matter. But I still want to do right by my daughter, and that’s where the twins come in.”

Mallory folded her arms across her middle. “First of all, as much as I’d like to loan you a child, Lucy and Maddie are with Mom and Dad for the night. Secondly, they’re potty-trained, off the bottle, on solid foods and out of a crib. In fact, they’re going on three, not three months. I kind of doubt they’ll be of any help, unless you need all the particulars about the latest and greatest cartoon characters.”

Damn. He hadn’t considered that his nieces were beyond the infant stage. “That just goes to show how much I know about kids.”

Mallory came to her feet and waved a hand at him. “Come with me. I have an idea.”

Whit groaned as Kevin followed his sister out of the den and into the hall. They traveled several feet before reaching a bedroom decorated in shades of yellow and green, twin beds—not cribs—set out on opposing walls. Mallory crossed the room, picked up a doll and two miniature diapers from a shelf, turned and offered them to him. “You can practice with Sally Sweetness, who happens to be anatomically correct. If you’d like, I can give you one of her play bottles. Fill it up with water, stick it in her mouth, and in a matter of minutes, she’ll wet her diaper and you can change it.”

Not at all what he’d had in mind. “A doll isn’t the same as the real thing, Mallory.”

“It’s a start, Kevin. Or you could wait another few weeks for Logan and Jenna’s baby to arrive.”

He didn’t have weeks to wait for the birth of another niece or nephew. Not if he wanted to prove to Leah that he could care for Carly now. He took the doll from Mallory and stuffed the diapers in the pocket of his slacks. “I’ll make do with this.”

“I just remembered something else that might help, so wait here,” Mallory said as she left the room. She returned a few moments later, this time with a book that she held out to him. “You’ll find everything you need to know about babies in here.”

He took the book and flipped through the pages, complete with illustrations. “It’s all covered in here?”

“Yes, but if you have any questions, call me. You can also call Mom. After all, she’s raised six kids.”

Not something he cared to do. “I don’t want to tell Mom and Dad yet. Not until I know for certain if Leah’s going to go along with my plan.”

Mallory inclined her head and studied him for a moment. “You don’t want Mom hovering, which is why you came to me instead.”

His sister knew him too well. “You could say that. I want to do this on my own, or at least for the most part. But I have to admit, it’s pretty daunting.”

She patted his arm. “You’re a smart guy, Kevin. And don’t let anyone fool you into thinking that men don’t have instincts when it comes to their children. All you have to do is listen to those instincts, and love your child.”

The odd thing was, Kevin already loved Carly, even though he’d only held her one time. “I’ll remember that.”

Mallory studied him a few moments before saying, “Believe it or not, I think you’re going to make a good father, Kev.”

Then his sister did something totally unexpected—drew him into a hug. The moment seemed awkward at first, at least to Kevin. He’d built a lot of walls during his adulthood, even when it came to his family. Especially when it came to family. But he welcomed the renewed closeness with his siblings, now more than ever.

After Mallory released him, Kevin smiled self-consciously. “Wish me luck with convincing Leah that moving in with me would be the best thing for all three of us.”

Mallory grinned. “You don’t need any luck, Kevin. You only need to turn on that charm you’ve always used to your benefit.”

Kevin didn’t feel all that charming lately. “That was the old me, Mallory. I’m not sure that person exists anymore.”

“Oh, I think he does. Only he’s a better version of that person.”

Kevin sincerely hoped he had become a better person. More important, he hoped that Leah would eventually recognize that. “Thanks, Mallory.”

“Not a problem. Again, if you decide you need my help with anything else, let me know. Only next time, call before you drop by.”

Kevin could think of one thing he really needed—a miracle. Nothing short of that would convince Leah to move in with him.

“PLEASE go to sleep, sweetie.” Leah recognized how foolish she sounded, pleading with a thee-month-old infant. But she was growing more desperate by the minute, as well as losing what little coherency she had left.

No matter what she’d attempted in order to lull her baby to sleep—from a drive around town, feeding her several times and rocking her for what seemed like hours on end—nothing had worked.

Using all her medical knowledge, she’d examined Carly from head to toe, taken her temperature and determined that her daughter wasn’t in any physical distress. She basically didn’t care to sleep, despite her mother’s exhaustion. She continued to teeter between wide-eyed bouts of glee and fits of nonstop fussiness. Worse still, the behavior had gone on for three nights in a row. Of course, the day-care workers had reported that Carly had been the perfect little angel, napping twice during the day for at least two hours at a time. Unfortunately, Leah hadn’t had that luxury. She did have an impending schedule crammed full of appointments with children who needed her skill and her attentiveness. At this rate, she wouldn’t be able to form a complete sentence, much less perform an accurate well-baby check.

When Carly started to cry again, Leah rose from the rocker and strolled around the room, feeling as if she’d lost control of her life. She’d worked so hard to be a competent pediatrician, but she obviously lacked in parenting skills.

If only she could close her eyes for a few minutes, or at the very least take a shower to get a head start on the morning. And morning would be arriving in less than two hours.

On that thought, Leah left the room with Carly in her arms and headed down the hall to seek out her roommate. Macy could at least watch over Carly long enough for Leah to get a quick bath and maybe a nap. Provided Macy was open to the plan.

Once she reached Macy’s room, Leah quietly opened the door so she wouldn’t startle her. Carly picked that moment to let out an irritable howl, as if she sensed her mother was about to foist her off on a woman who didn’t possess one solitary maternal bone in her body.

A sliver of light fell across the bed, illuminating Macy’s closed eyes. “I really could use some help,” Leah whispered.

Macy groaned, lifted her head and muttered, “What time is it?”

“Almost four. Carly’s been up most of the night and I haven’t had any sleep. Could you watch her for an hour or so while I take a nap?”

Macy rolled onto her back and sighed. “I’m scrubbing in on an open heart in less than five hours.”

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