When a sickly infant is surrendered at the Lafayette Falls Medical Center, and orphaned soon
after, pediatrician Aaron Kendall arranges to adopt him. After a painful
divorce, the busy baby doc is about to realize his own dream of becoming a
father when the baby’s beautiful
estranged aunt turns up. She doesn't exactly approve of the Kendall
bachelor pad complete with Aaron's cranky dad and wacky brother, forcing Aaron to form a risky alliance with
her.
Country singer-songwriter Lia Montgomery barely knew her half-sister, but she's determined her tiny nephew goes to a good home. If only she fit the bill herself, but her stressful life on the road is no place for a baby. Yet despite her misgivings, as she gets to know Aaron, she realizes the smart and sexy doctor is everything a child could want in a dad and more unsettling, everything she's ever hoped for in a man. After all she's put him through, is it too late to form a family and maybe put a song in the good doctor's heart?
Country singer-songwriter Lia Montgomery barely knew her half-sister, but she's determined her tiny nephew goes to a good home. If only she fit the bill herself, but her stressful life on the road is no place for a baby. Yet despite her misgivings, as she gets to know Aaron, she realizes the smart and sexy doctor is everything a child could want in a dad and more unsettling, everything she's ever hoped for in a man. After all she's put him through, is it too late to form a family and maybe put a song in the good doctor's heart?
Excerpt:
Aaron
looked across the table at his brother and for a moment, all the fear and
heartache bottled up inside him exposed itself in his voice. “I can’t go
through losing a son for the second time.”
Stevie’s
brow netted in a worried frown as he sat up straight. “Okay.” He tented his
fingers. “So you’ve gotta get tight with the girl.”
“What
are you talking about?” Aaron continued to squash the aluminum can. “I have
nothing in common with Lia Montgomery.”
“You
have the baby,” Stevie pointed out. “I know that’s not what you want, but it is
what it is. And you need to make the most of it. Bro, women are not that hard. Listen to me. You’ve got this chick whose
sister just died so she’s got all this guilt and grief going on. And then
there’s the sister’s sick little baby. Okay, so what’s Lia gonna do? I mean, she’s
family. She’s gotta do something or she’s gonna feel like crap about herself.”
“Stevie—”
Aaron tried to cut in.
“You’re
going at this ass-backwards by trying to scare her off. How’s that working for
you? Acting like a jerk? No wonder she wants the baby transferred.”
Aaron
threw the ball of crushed aluminum at Stevie, who caught it. “Just putting the
truth out there,” Stevie said. “Of course, I know why you’re an asshole, but
she doesn’t.”
Aaron
glared at his kid brother, but he didn’t say
anything.
“You
gotta put on your sad face. Like this.” Stevie’s face crumpled so that he
looked on the verge of tears. “It works every time. I promise.” He grinned.
“You need to say you’re sorry for how things went today. Keep on the sad face.
Then you tell her you really could use some help because the baby doesn’t have
any clothes.”
“What?
He’s in an incubator. He doesn’t need clothes.”
“It’s
not about the baby needing clothes. For chrissakes, do you know nothing about women?
It’s about shopping. The magic word. Shopping,”
Stevie reiterated. “Tell her you’d like for her to pick out some clothes for the
baby and, hey, decorate the nursery, too. She’ll go wild. Shopping for baby
stuff. That’s like mainlining heroin for women.
“Tell
her you want her to pick out some toys,
too. And then you go from sad face to hopeful face. Like a dog waiting for a
treat. And you say that with her help, you think you can be the best dad ever.
Bingo! You win! She’ll be thrilled because she’ll get to feel good about
herself and she’s getting to help with the baby. You got her hook, line, and sinker.”
“That’s
crazy.”
“What’s
crazy is you sitting out here, covered in sweat, having a pity party about the
past. You’re missing the opportunity of a lifetime if you know what I mean. Call
her.”
“I
can’t call her. I don’t have her number.”
“You
didn’t get her number? Holy shit.” Stevie threw the ball of aluminum back at Aaron
who caught it. “You know, that’s standard protocol.”
“Maybe,”
Aaron replied. “But in this case, she’s not available.”
Stevie
leaned forward. “Every chick is available if you play your cards right, bro.”
Buy Links:
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Award-winning author Patricia
Preston writes mainstream romance, historical romance and comic short
stories. She is represented by the Seymour Agency. She is the author of a
mainstream contemporary romances, Love
Heals All, for Kensington Books/Lyrical Press imprint. She has several
other e-book titles available including a historical romance, TO SAVE A LADY,
set in the French Quarter during the Battle of New Orleans. She also has a
short story anthology, DIXIE DARLINGS, available in print. Besides writing she
loves music, photography, graphic design, and visiting her favorite historical
locales including the French Quarter and the Natchez Trace.
Website www.patricia-preston.com
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