Three’s company

Four’s a family

When ER doc Mason Blackburne discovers he is the biological father of twins, he’s doubly thrilled! But he still has to contend with Annie Campbell, the babies’ legal guardian. At first he sees her as just the gatekeeper to his babies—and then he begins to view her in a whole new light. But Mason has a past that might keep him from giving Annie the love she craves.

TERESA SOUTHWICK lives with her husband in Las Vegas, the city that reinvents itself every day. An avid fan of romance novels, she is delighted to be living out her dream of writing for Mills & Boon.

Also by Teresa Southwick

Finding Family…and Forever?OneNight with the BossThe Rancher Who Took Her In ADecent ProposalThe Widow’s Bachelor BargainHow to Land Her LawmanA Word with the BachelorJust a Little Bit MarriedThe New Guy in TownHis by ChristmasAn Unexpected Partnership

Unmasking the MaverickJust What the Cowboy Needed

From Maverick to Daddy

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

What Makes a Father

Teresa Southwick

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09168-8

WHAT MAKES A FATHER

© 2019 Teresa Southwick

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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To my parents, Gladys and Frank Boyle.

You made raising six kids look easy.

I love you both and miss you always.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Extract

About the Publisher

Chapter One

Annie Campbell didn’t know exhaustion of this magnitude was even possible. Since suddenly becoming a mom to newborn twins three months ago, she’d been tired, but in the last week she’d counted sleep in seconds and minutes rather than hours. Either Charlie or Sarah was always awake, hungry, wet, crabby or crying uncontrollably for no apparent reason. Childhood had been challenging for Annie, but raising twins was the hardest thing she’d ever done.

And she wouldn’t trade being their mom for anything. With one toothless grin they had her wrapped around their little fingers. Now they had all the symptoms of teething—drooling, gnawing on their fists, crying—and Annie honestly wasn’t sure she’d survive it.

Her apartment was small, perfect for a single woman. Then she brought infants home from the hospital, forced by circumstances to care for two babies at once and too overwhelmed to look for a bigger place. And she was still overwhelmed. On a good day she could sneak in a shower. Today hadn’t been a good day but there were hopeful signs.

Sarah was quiet in the crib. Charlie was in her arms but she could feel him relaxing, possibly into sleep. Oh, please God. She would walk until her legs fell off if that’s what it took. With luck he’d go quietly in with his sister and Annie could close her eyes. To heck with a shower.

Slowly she did a circuit of the living room, past the bar that separated it from the kitchen, around the oak coffee table, gliding by the window that looked out on the center courtyard of the apartment complex. As the baby grew heavier in her arms, she could almost feel victory in her grasp, the euphoria of having two babies asleep at the same time.

Then some fool rang her doorbell. Charlie jerked awake and started to cry just on general principle. Sarah’s wails came from the bedroom.

“Someone is going to pay.” Annie cuddled the startled baby closer and kissed his head. “Not you, Charlie bear. You’re perfect. But if someone is selling something they’ll get more than they bargained for.”

She peeked through the front window and saw a man wearing military camouflage. This was probably daddy candidate number three, the last one on her sister’s list of men who might be the babies’ father. This had to be Mason Blackburne, the army doctor who’d been deployed to Afghanistan. She’d contacted him by email and he’d claimed he’d get back to her right away when he returned to the States. She hadn’t expected that he actually would.

In her experience, men were selfish, hurtful and unreliable. His written response was a brush-off any idiot would see. Except maybe not since he was standing outside. Not to be picky, but the least he could have done was call first. Come to think of it, how did he get her address? She’d only given him her phone number in the email. Apparently she was taking too long because he followed up the doorbell ring with an aggressive knock.

The chain locking the door was in place so she opened it just a crack. “Your timing sucks.”

“Annie Campbell? I’m Mason Blackburne.”

“I gave you my number. You were supposed to call me. How did you get my address?”

“From Jessica.”

Pain sliced through Annie when she heard her sister’s name. Jess had died shortly after giving birth to the twins. The joy of welcoming her niece and nephew into the world turned to unimaginable grief at losing the person Annie loved most in the world. Her sister had lived with her off and on, couch surfing when she needed somewhere to stay. She didn’t trust men in general any more than Annie, so if she’d given the address to this guy, her gut must have said he was okay.

Annie unlocked the door and opened it. For the first time she got a good look at Mason Blackburne. Two things stood out: he was tall, and his eyes were startlingly blue. And he was boyishly handsome. Okay, that was three things, but she was too tired to care. And some part of her worn-out brain was regretting that her hair was in a messy ponytail because she hadn’t washed it. Or showered today. Or put on makeup. And she was wearing baggy sweatpants and an oversize T-shirt.

“Come in,” she said, stepping back. “I’ve got a DNA swab right here. Just rub it on the inside of each cheek for thirty seconds and put it back in the tube. I’ll send it to the lab with the other one and the results will be back in five business days.”

But it wasn’t clear whether or not he’d heard her. The guy was staring at Charlie. The baby had stopped crying and was staring suspiciously back at the tall stranger. And he was sucking his thumb. The baby, not the stranger.

She sighed. “Well, baby boy, now all my extensive research into the best pacifier on the planet to prevent thumb-sucking is down the tubes. Somewhere an orthodontist is doing the dance of joy.”

Mason had a look of awe on his face. “What’s his name?”

“Charlie.”

“Did Jessica choose that?”

“No, she didn’t get a chance. But she’d narrowed down the choices to Christopher and Charles. Sarah was always the top girls’ name.”

He looked past her to the hallway where the baby girl was still crying. “Can I see her?”

Annie wanted to say no. She didn’t know this guy from a rock, but again, Jess didn’t normally share her address with men and she’d given it to him. So maybe it was okay.

After closing the front door, she headed for the hallway with daddy candidate number three following. The master bedroom and bath were on the right, and across from it was her office, now the twins’ nursery.

“She’s in here. And before you ask, they share the crib. The pediatrician advised not separating them just yet.”

“Because they shared quarters for nine months,” he said.

“Exactly.” They walked into the room where the crib was on the wall opposite her desk. “She probably needs her diaper changed. I’ll have to put Charlie down since I haven’t yet figured out how to do it one-handed. Fair warning—he’s going to cry.”

“Could I hold him?”

Annie’s gaze snapped to his face. “Why?”

“You need help. And he might be my son.” There was an edge to his voice and intensity in his eyes that made her think it really mattered to him.

Annie thought it over. This guy might be Charlie’s father. Why not push him into the deep end of the pool, let him know what he was getting into. She held Charlie out to him and he took the baby, a little awkwardly.

Annie walked over to the crib and lowered the side rail. She picked up the little girl to comfort her first. “It’s okay, Sarah. You’re fine. I’m here, sweet girl. I have to put you down again, just for a minute to change that diaper. Trust me on this. You’ll feel a lot better.”

Three months ago the top of her lateral file cabinet had become the storage area for diaper supplies. She settled the baby back in the crib and quickly swapped the wet diaper for a dry one, then picked her up again for a snuggle.

“What happened to Jessica?” He looked away from the baby and met her gaze.

“I told you in the email. She had a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in her—”

“Lung. I’m a doctor. I get it. But why didn’t she let me know she was pregnant? And that I might be the father of the baby—” He stopped and his gaze settled on Sarah. “Babies?”

“I told her more than once that the biological father had a right to know. Even though I suggested she let the guy screw up first, she was convinced that he would desert her anyway. She planned to raise them by herself.”

“Why would she think that?” There was a tinge of exasperation and outrage in his tone.

“She had her reasons.”

His gaze narrowed and irritation pushed out the baby awe. “So you talked her into it? She didn’t intend to share the information.”

“Not with you or the other two men she slept with.” Annie winced as those words came out of her mouth. That made Jess sound like a slut. Maybe it was a little bit true, but that’s not who she was. Her sister liked men and sex. She’d been looking for fun, nothing more. “Men sleep around all the time and no one thinks less of them. But if a woman does it, she’s trash. Don’t you dare judge her.”

“I wasn’t judging—”

“Oh, please.” When a person was as tired as she was, that person had to dig deep for patience. Hers was dangerously depleted. She looked at him and, judging by the uncertain expression on his face, it was possible that there were flames shooting out of her eyes. “And why is this all on my sister? You were a willing participant. Who didn’t wear a condom.”

“I just wanted to talk,” he protested.

“Right. That’s what they all say.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm. “You should know that I’m not normally this abrasive, but I’m tired. And I was much more compassionate the first two times a potential father showed up—”

“What happened with them?”

“First one wasn’t a match. Number two finally came by a few days ago. I have his sample for the lab along with a legal document from his attorney relinquishing all rights to the babies in exchange for my signed agreement not to pursue him for child support should he be a match. I was only too happy to do that and send him responsibility-free on his way. Sarah and Charlie deserve to be wanted more than anything. They don’t need a person like that in their lives.”

“Prince of a guy.” Mason was still holding Charlie and lightly rubbed a big hand over the baby’s back.

Annie loved her sister but that didn’t mean she approved of her choices in men. “A few weeks before she gave birth, Jess had second thoughts and narrowed down potential daddy candidates to three. Before she could contact them, she went into labor and showed symptoms of the embolism. Tests confirmed it and the risks were explained to her. She got scared for the babies if something should happen to her and put in writing that I would be the guardian. It was witnessed by two nurses and is a legally binding agreement. No one really thought she would die, but fate didn’t cooperate. Now Charlie and Sarah are my babies and I will do anything and everything to keep them safe.”

“I’m a doctor. I took an oath to do no harm.”

“There are a lot of ways to damage children besides physically.” Annie knew from experience that emotional wounds could be every bit as painful and were the ones you didn’t have to hide with makeup or a story about being clumsy. “And I wasn’t implying that you would hurt them.”

“I would never do that,” he said fervently.

For the first time she noticed that he looked every bit as tired as she felt. And he was wearing a military uniform—if camouflage was considered a uniform. What was his deal? “When did you get back from Afghanistan?”

“A couple of hours ago. My family lives in Huntington Hills, but I haven’t seen them yet.”

“You came here first? From the airport?”

“Yes.”

It was hard not to be impressed by that but somehow Annie managed. The adrenaline surge during her outburst had drained her reserves and she wanted to be done with this, and him. “Look, if you’d please just do the DNA swab and leave your contact information for the lab, that would be great. Five business days and we’ll know.”

“Okay.” Gently, he put Charlie down in the crib.

Annie did the same with Sarah and miraculously the two didn’t immediately start to cry. “Follow me.”

They went to her small kitchen, where the sink was full of baby bottles and dishes waiting to be washed.

“I have the kits here.” She grabbed one from the counter and handed it to him. He seemed to know what to do.

Mason took the swab out of the tube and expertly rubbed it on the inside of his cheek for the required amount of time, then packaged it up and filled out the paperwork. “That should do it.”

“I’ll send it to the lab along with the other one.”

“Okay.”

“Thank you. Not to be rude, but would you please go?”

He started to say something, then stopped and simply let himself out the front door without a word.

Annie breathed a sigh of relief. The uncertainty would be over in five business days but somehow that didn’t ease her mind as much as she’d thought it would. After meeting Mason Blackburne, she wasn’t sure whether or not she wanted to share child custody with him. Not because he would be difficult, but because he wouldn’t. And that could potentially be worse.

“She researched pacifiers, Mom.” Mason stopped pacing the kitchen long enough to look at the woman who’d given birth to him. “I don’t know whether or not she’s a good mother, but both babies were clean, well-fed and happy. Well, one or the other was crying, but it was normal crying, if you know what I mean.”

“I do,” Florence Blackburne said wryly. “And it’s not like she staged the scene. She had no idea you were going to stop by.”

“That’s true.” He’d arrived home five days ago and told her everything. He’d started his job as an ER doctor and he was house hunting. None of it took his mind off the fact that he might be a father.

“That poor woman. Losing her sister and now raising two infants by herself.” His mom was shaking her head and there was sympathy in her eyes. “I don’t know what I would have done without your father when you and your siblings were born. And I only had one baby at a time.”

“Yeah. She looked really exhausted.” Pretty in spite of that, he thought. He remembered Jessica and Annie looked a lot like her. But their personalities were very different. Jess was a little wild, living on the edge. Annie seemed maternal, nurturing. Protective. Honest. The kind of woman he’d want to raise his children. If they were his children.

The lab hadn’t notified him yet, but this was business day number five and he kept looking at his phone to make sure he hadn’t missed the call.

“Checking your cell isn’t going to make the news come any faster. I’m sure the twins are yours.” His mother gave him her “mom” look, full of understanding and support.

She loved kids and had four of them, never for a moment letting on that she’d sacrificed anything on their behalf. Mason was wired like her and badly wanted kids of his own. The woman he’d married had shared that dream, and the heartbreak of not being able to realize it had broken them up. The third miscarriage had cost him his child and his wife—he’d lost his whole family. If the experience had taught him anything, it was not to have expectations or get his hopes up.

“If only DNA results happened as fast in real life as they do on TV,” he said.

“Did the babies look like you?” Flo asked. “Eye color? Shape of the face? That strong, square jaw,” she teased.

“They actually looked a lot like Annie. Their aunt. Hazel eyes. Blond hair. Pretty.” Something he didn’t share with his mother was that Annie Campbell had a very nice ass. Her baggy sweats had hid that asset, no pun intended, until she’d bent over to pick up a toy on the floor. There was no doubt in his mind that a shower and good night’s sleep would transform her into a woman who would turn heads on the street. “DNA is the only way to be sure.”

“That’s just science. It’s no match for maternal instinct. And mine is telling me that those babies are my grandchildren.”

“Don’t, Mom.”

“What?” she asked innocently.

“If you have expectations, you’re going to be let down.” Mason could give a seminar on strategies to avoid disappointment. The only surefire approach was to turn off emotion. Not until the science said it was okay could you let yourself care.

Flo’s face took on a familiar expression, the one that said she knew what he was thinking and wanted to take away his pain. The woman was a force of nature and if she couldn’t do something, it couldn’t be done. Wisely she stayed silent about his past and the situation that had left him bruised and battered. And bitter.

There was something to be said for Jessica’s philosophy of fun without complications. But Annie was right, too. He hadn’t used a condom and chose to believe the woman who’d said she had everything taken care of. Now he was on pins and needles waiting for the results of a test that could potentially change his life forever.

It was almost five o’clock and the lab’s business hours were nearly over for the day. Maybe Annie hadn’t sent the samples as soon as she’d planned to. She did have a lot on her plate with two infants. It was possible—

Mason’s phone vibrated, startling him even though he’d been waiting and checking. He stared at the Caller ID for a moment, immobilized.

“For Pete’s sake, answer it,” his mother urged, nudging him out of his daze.

He did, assured the caller that he was Mason Blackburne, then listened while the information was explained to him. “You’re sure?”

They were completely confident in the results. Mason thanked the caller and pressed the off button on his phone.

Flo stared at him anxious and expectant. “Well? Mason, I’m too old for this kind of suspense. Don’t make me wait—”

“They’re mine,” he said simply.

His voice was so calm and controlled when he was anything but. He was a father!

It was a shock to hear the news he’d hoped for but shocks seemed to be just another day in the ER for him these days. Images flashed through his mind of meeting Jessica the day his divorce was final. She’d sat next to him at the bar. He really had only wanted to talk. A distraction from the fact that his carefully constructed life had fallen apart.

For a while talking was all she’d done, telling him about her sister, Annie, living with her between jobs, and that he would like her. Then she’d flirted and charmed her way into his bed. He’d had a rough time of it and she promised sex without complications.

Surprise! Let the complications begin. Oddly enough, complication number one was Annie Campbell.

At least this time Mason called to ask Annie if he could come by. He’d gotten the news from the lab just like she had, so of course she agreed to see him. The problem was now she had to see him.

He was the twins’ father, which gave him every right to be a part of their lives. But he made her nervous. Not in a creepy way. More like the cute-guy-at-school-you-had-a-crush-on kind of thing. And she had to figure out how to co-parent with a complete stranger who made her insides quiver like Jell-O.

There was a knock on the door. She noticed he didn’t ring the doorbell again, which meant he was capable of learning. And it was a good thing, too, since the babies were asleep at the same time. Although not for long since they needed to eat.

Annie opened the door and Mason stood there, this time in worn jeans and a cotton, button-up shirt with the long sleeves rolled to mid-forearm. The look did nothing to settle her nerves.

“Come in,” she said without offering a hello.

But neither did Mason. He walked past her, mumbling something about needing to buy a minivan and save for college.

“I suppose that means you don’t want to sign away your rights as a father.”

“No.” His expression was intense, serious. “In fact, since I last saw you, I consulted an attorney.”

Words to put fear into a girl’s heart. “I’m their legal guardian. If you try and take them away from me—”

“Whoa.” He put his hands up in a slow-down motion. “It’s just that even though I’m their father, I have no rights because my name isn’t on the birth certificate. Now, with DNA proof, I will acknowledge paternity and petition the court to legally claim my paternal rights.”

“How long will that take?”

“There’s a sixty-day waiting period, then however long it takes to get a court date,” he said.

“And then you’re going to sue for sole custody?”

“Of course not. No one is talking custody fight here. You clearly love them.”

“I do. But how can you know that?” Where men were concerned, suspicion was her default emotion.

“Because you did copious research on a pacifier. And I just get the feeling that if I look at either baby funny, you’d cut my heart out with a spoon.”

“You’re not wrong.” But how did he know her so well? They’d barely met. “Is that a negative critique on my mothering instincts?”

“Absolutely not. You’re protective. And I think that’s a plus. I happen to strongly believe in traditional two-parent families. That kind of environment is a positive influence in shaping their lives. It’s the way I grew up and I didn’t turn out so bad. I’d like my children to have that, too.”

“I see.” That was good, right? It was something she’d never had and desperately wanted. Especially for the twins she loved so much.

He looked around. “It’s awfully quiet. Are the babies here?”

She wanted to say, “Duh.” Where else would they be? There was no family to help her out. She’d barely heard from her mother and stepfather after they’d moved to the other side of the country. Jess was all she’d had. But there was no reason to be snarky to Mason.

“They’re both asleep at the same time. It’s a very rare occurrence.” His grin made her want to fan herself but she managed to hold back.

“Maybe we should have a parade in their honor,” he teased.

“Good grief, no. The marching bands would wake them up and I want to enjoy every moment of this quiet for as long as it lasts.”

“Good point. A better use of this time would be for you and I to get to know each other.”

He probably wouldn’t like what she had to say.

Chapter Two

Annie tried to think of a reason getting to know Mason was a bad idea. She wondered how Mr. I Had a Perfect Childhood would feel about co-parenting with someone whose story wasn’t so pretty. But he had a right to know.

Common sense dictated that she find out everything possible about her babies’ father and she couldn’t do that without giving him information about herself. But he made her nervous. To reveal her nerves would require an explanation about why that was and she didn’t think she could put it into words. At least not in a rational way. Last time he’d been here, he was less than pleased about not being informed that he might be a father. Annie couldn’t really blame him and wondered if he was still resentful.

“Getting to know each other is probably a good idea,” she agreed. “I was going to have a quick bite to eat while Charlie and Sarah are sleeping. It’s just leftovers but you’re welcome to join me.”

“Thanks. What can I do to help?”

“Set the table, I guess.” She wasn’t used to having help; it was nice. “I’m going to throw together a salad and I have cold fried chicken. I’ll nuke some macaroni and cheese.” She pointed out the cupboard with the plates and the drawer containing utensils. Napkins were a no-brainer, right in plain sight in a holder on her circular oak table.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“One thing about me you should know right now,” Annie said as she put prewashed, bagged lettuce into a bowl. “Never call me ‘ma’am.’ It makes me feel like I need help crossing the street.”

“Understood.” He set two plates on the table. “So what should I call you? Miss Campbell?”

“Annie works.” She put dressing on the greens and handed him the bowl containing long-handled serving spoons. “Toss this, please.”

“Yes, ma—” He looked sheepish. “Sorry. I’m a civilian now.”

“I guess you can take the man out of the military but you can’t take the military out of the man.” She felt a little zing in her chest when she looked at him and struggled for something to say. “So, you were in the army.”

“Yes. I enlisted.”

She put a casserole dish in the microwave and pushed the reheat button. “Why?”

“I wanted to go to medical school and couldn’t afford it. My parents wanted to help, but it’s a steep price tag and I didn’t want them taking out a second mortgage or going into debt. It was the best way to get where I wanted to go without putting a strain on them. When I got my MD, I owed the military four years. The upside is that I was able to serve my country while paying back the government.”

Watching him toss the heck out of that lettuce, Annie realized a couple of things. He was way above average-looking and it wasn’t as hard to talk to him as she’d thought. Although, he was the one doing the talking. With a little luck he wouldn’t notice that she hadn’t revealed anything about herself yet.

Keep the conversation on him. She could do this. She was a grown woman now, not the geeky loner she’d once been. “So now you’re a doctor.”

“That’s the rumor. Also known as an emergency medical specialist.” He stopped tossing the salad. “I’ve started my job at Huntington Hills Memorial Hospital. Just so you know I’m not a deadbeat dad.”

“I didn’t think you were.”

“Just wanted to clarify.” He shrugged his broad shoulders. “This kind of feels like a job interview. Maybe the most important one I’ll ever have.”

“I hadn’t thought about it that way. And it doesn’t matter what I think,” she said. “You are their biological father. Time will tell if you can be a dad.”

The expression on his face didn’t exactly change but his eyes turned a darker navy blue, possibly with disapproval. “Spoken like a true skeptic.”

“I am and there are reasons.”

“You’re not the only one. Your sister wasn’t going to tell me I’m a father.”

Annie got his meaning. He was wondering if keeping the truth from a man was a shared family trait. Part of her wanted to remind him she was the reason her sister made the daddy candidate list. Part of her respected his skepticism about her. More often than not people let you down and the only way to protect yourself was to expect the worst. So, yay him.

“That was wrong of Jessica. In her defense, I’d like to point out that she was taking steps to do the right thing. It’s not her fault that she couldn’t see it through.”

“Look, Annie, I didn’t mean—”

“Sure you did,” she interrupted. “And you’re not wrong. So this isn’t a job interview as much as it’s about finding a way to work together for the sake of those babies.”

He thought for a moment. “Can’t argue with that.”

“Okay.” The microwave beeped so she pulled out the casserole dish and stirred the macaroni and cheese, then put it back in for another minute. “So you have family here in Huntington Hills?”

“Parents and siblings,” he confirmed.

“How many siblings?”

“Two brothers and a sister.”

Annie felt the loss of her sister every day and not just because of caring for the twins. No one knew her like Jess had. They’d shared the same crappy childhood and her big sis had run interference at home and at school. She’d always had Annie’s back—no matter what.

“You’re lucky to have a big family.”

“I know you’re right, but I’m looking forward to having a place of my own,” he said.

“Don’t tell me.” She grinned. “You’re a man in his thirties living with his mother. You know what they say about that.”

“No. And I don’t want to know. Besides, it’s not as bad as you make it sound.” He smiled and the corners of his eyes crinkled in an appealing way.

“There’s no way to make it sound good.”

“I guess technically I live with my parents here in town. I sold my house before going to Afghanistan. I’m just staying with the folks until I can find a place of my own.” His smile disappeared and there was a shadow in his eyes, something he wasn’t saying.

And she didn’t ask. The microwave beeped again and she retrieved the dish and set it on the table. “Okay, then. That makes it a whole lot less weird.”

“Good.”

“Dinner is served.”

They sat across from each other and filled their plates. Well, he did. A couple pieces of chicken with a healthy portion of macaroni and cheese. He dug in as if he hadn’t eaten in a week.

He finished a piece of chicken and set the bone on his plate. “So, what about you?”

“Me?”

“Yeah. I’ve monopolized the conversation. Now it’s your turn.”

She really didn’t like talking about herself. “What do you want to know?”

“Do you have a job?”

“Other than caring for the twins?” She realized he had no frame of reference yet for how that was a full-time job. “I’m a graphic designer.”

“I see.” There was a blank look in his eyes.

“You have no idea what I do, right?”

“Not a clue,” he admitted. “I was going to wait until you were busy with something else and Google it on my phone.”

He was honest, she thought. That was refreshing. “Let me save you the trouble. I create a visual concept, either with computer software or sketches by hand, to communicate an idea.”

“So, advertising.”

“Yes. But more. Clients are looking for an overall layout and production design for brochures, magazines and corporate reports, too.”

“So, you’re artistic.”

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess. But I can honestly say that I’ve always loved to draw.” She didn’t have to tell him she was dyslexic and that made anything to do with reading a challenge. Was it genetic? He might need to know at some point but that time wasn’t now. “Fortunately, I can do a lot of work from home. Which means I haven’t had to leave Charlie and Sarah much. Yet.”

“Oh?” He had finished off his second piece of chicken and half a helping of the macaroni. Now he spooned salad onto his plate and started on that.

Annie pushed the food around hers. Talking about herself made her appetite disappear. “We’re developing an advertising package and bid for a very large and well-known company. I won’t jinx it by telling you who. But if we get it, my workload could increase significantly and that would mean meetings in the office.” She speared a piece of lettuce with her fork, a little more forcefully than necessary. “And the twins don’t really have much to add to the discussion yet.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m planning to cross that bridge if and when it needs crossing.”

She put a brave and confident note in her voice because she didn’t feel especially brave or confident. Leaving her babies with a trusted friend who bailed her out in an emergency was one thing. Turning them over to a stranger, even a seasoned child-care professional who’d passed a thorough background check was something she dreaded.

“It’s really something,” he said. “Taking in two infants.”

“How could I not?” Annie swallowed the lump of emotion in her throat. “Their mother was my sister.”

“Still, I know people who wouldn’t do it. You and Jessica must have been close.”

“We were. She was always there for me. No matter what—” Unexpectedly, tears filled her eyes and Annie didn’t want him to see.

She stood, picked up her plate and turned away before walking over to the sink. She felt more than heard Mason come up behind her. Warmth from his body and the subtle scent of his aftershave surrounded her in a really nice way.

“Annie, if I haven’t said it already, I’m very sorry for your loss.”

“That’s exactly what her doctor said to me when he told me she was dead. Is there a class in med school on how to break bad news to loved ones?”

“No. Unfortunately, it’s just experience. The kind no doctor wants to get.”

It had been three months since Jess died. Annie had thought she was out of tears and didn’t want to show weakness in front of this man. Maybe because he was the babies’ biological father and had a stronger and more intimate connection to them than she did. The reason didn’t matter because she couldn’t hold back her shaky breaths any more than she could hide the silent sobs that shook her whole body.

The next thing she knew, his big, strong hands settled gently on her upper arms and he turned her toward him, pulled her against his chest in a comforting embrace. He didn’t say anything, just held her. It felt nice. And safe.

That was a feeling Annie had very little experience with in her life. Odd that it came from a relative stranger. Maybe Jess had felt it, too.

Annie got her emotions under control and took a step back. She was embarrassed and couldn’t quite meet his gaze. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“Don’t be.”

She shrugged. “Can’t help it. I don’t know why I broke down now. It’s not a fresh reality.”

“Maybe you haven’t had time to grieve. What with suddenly being responsible for two babies.”

That actually made a lot of sense to her. “Anyway, thanks.”

“You’re welcome. I hope it helped.” He looked like he sincerely meant that. Apparently the business of helping people was the right one for him.

“Speaking of those babies, I’m going to check on them. It’s not their habit to be so quiet and cooperative when I’m having a meal.” The first one with their father, she noted.

“You cooked, so I’ll do the dishes.”

“Cook is a very nebulous term for the way I warmed up leftovers. But I’m taking that deal,” she agreed.

The best one she’d had in a long time. She went to the “nursery” and found Charlie and Sarah awake and playing. Standing where they couldn’t see her, she watched them exploring fingers and feet and smiling at each other.

Her heart was so full of love for these two tiny humans that it hurt, and was something she experienced daily. But having a man in her kitchen doing dishes didn’t happen on a regular basis.

She found herself actually liking Mason Blackburne. So far. But she hadn’t known him very long. There was still time for him to screw up and she had every confidence that he would.

Men couldn’t seem to help themselves.

Mason was feeding a bottle to Charlie when he heard footsteps coming up the outside stairs followed by the apartment door opening. Annie walked in and looked at him then glanced around.

“Wow, it’s quiet in here. And really neat.” Was there the tiniest bit of envy in her expression? “I’m feeling a little inadequate because I can’t seem to manage two infants and an apartment without leaving a trail of debris and destruction in my wake.”

“Oh, well, you know—”

After several weeks of him visiting the babies every chance he could, she’d reluctantly accepted his offer to watch them while she went to her office for a meeting. He wasn’t completely sure she hadn’t done a background check on him before agreeing. Fortunately he’d already passed the diaper-changing, bottle-feeding and burping tests. Still, Annie had been very obviously conflicted about walking out the door and leaving him in charge. He’d assured her there was nothing to worry about and shooed her off to work.

She’d barely been gone five minutes before all hell had broken loose. Two code browns and a simultaneous red alert on the hunger front. His situational readiness went to DEFCON 1 and he’d done what he’d had to do.

Glancing at the hallway then at her, he said, “I thought you’d be gone longer.”

She walked over and kissed Charlie’s forehead. The scent of her skin wrapped around Mason as if she’d touched him, too, and he found himself wishing she had. The night she’d cried and he held her in his arms was never far from his mind. She’d felt good there, soft and sweet.

“I stayed for the high points then ducked out of the meeting. I just missed my babies and didn’t want to be away from them any longer,” she said. “How did it go? Where’s Sarah?”

At that moment his mother walked into the room holding the baby in question. Florence Blackburne was inching toward sixty but looked ten years younger. Her brown hair, straight and turned under just shy of her shoulders, was shot with highlights. He’d been about to tell Annie that he’d called her for help, but he was outed now.

“You must be Annie. I’m Florence, Mason’s mother.”

Annie’s hazel eyes opened wide when she looked at him. “I thought you said you could handle everything.”

“When I said that, the ratio of adults to babies was one to one. And I did handle it,” he said defensively. “I called for reinforcements.” He set the bottle on the coffee table and lifted Charlie to his shoulder to coax a burp out of him. It came almost instantly, loud and with spit-up. “That’s my boy,” he said proudly.

“Seriously?” she said.

“Eventually he’ll learn to say excuse me.” Mason shrugged then returned to the subject of calling his mom. “I admit that I underestimated my multitasking abilities.”

“Oh, please,” Flo said. “You just couldn’t stand that one of your children was unhappy.”

“Yeah, there’s that,” he acknowledged.

“Even though I told him that crying isn’t a bad thing. They’d be fine.” Flo was talking to Annie now. “You know this already. You’ve been doing it by yourself since these little sweethearts were born.”

“I have.” Annie gave him a look that could mean anything from “You’re a child-care jackass” to “Finally someone gets it.”

“How nice that you had backup on your first solo mission.”

Flo’s blue eyes brimmed with sympathy and understanding as only another mother’s could. She handed the baby girl to Annie. “You’re not alone now, honey. Being a mother is the hardest job you’ll ever do times two. And sometimes you need a break. Recharge your batteries. Take a deep breath. Go get your hair trimmed or a pedicure. I just want you to know that I’m here. Don’t hesitate to call.”

“I would never impose,” Annie said.

“These are my grandchildren. It wouldn’t be an imposition. I have a part-time job as a receptionist in a dermatology office and my hours are flexible, so we can work around that. Mason will give you my number.”

“Thank you.” Annie kissed Sarah’s cheek. “I appreciate that.”

“What are grandmothers for?” She shrugged. “Full disclosure, I might spoil them just a little because I’ve waited a long time to play the grandmother card. Charlie and Sarah will learn that my house is different, but I will never compromise your rules. I might be prejudiced, but these are the most beautiful babies I’ve ever seen. Although I don’t see much of Mason in them.”

“Gee, thanks, Ma,” he teased.

“I didn’t mean it like that, son.” She smiled at him. “It’s just that they look a lot like you, Annie.”

She pressed her cheek to baby Sarah’s. “There was a strong resemblance between my sister and me.”

“Then she was very beautiful,” his mom said.

“She was,” Annie agreed.

The subtext was that Annie was beautiful, too, and Mason couldn’t agree more. Today she was professionally dressed in slacks, a silky white blouse and black sweater. Low-heeled pumps completed the outfit, but he missed her bare feet. Her straight, silky blond hair fell past her shoulders and she was wearing makeup for the first time since he’d met her. And he’d been right. She was a knockout.

“Well, you two, now that everything is under control, I’ll be going.” Florence grabbed her purse, kissed Mason on the cheek and smiled fondly at her grandbabies. “It was wonderful to meet you, Annie. You don’t need my approval, but it has to be said that you’ve done a remarkable job with your children. And I sincerely meant what I said. Call me if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Blackburne—”

“It’s Flo.” She patted Annie’s shoulder. “’Bye.”

And then the two of them were alone, each holding a baby, and Mason wondered what Annie was thinking.

“So that was my mom.”

“You have her eyes.”

He’d heard that before. “It turns out that when one of my children is crying because he or she has needs that I can’t instantly meet, it’s not something I manage very well.”

“As flaws go, it’s not an exceptionally bad one to have,” she conceded. “So you called your mom.”

“Yeah.”

“And if I got home later and your mom was gone, would you have let me believe you sailed through your first time alone with them trouble free?”

He would have wanted to. There was the whole male pride thing, after all. But… “No. I’d have told you she’d been here.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s the truth and it’s the right thing to do.” He shrugged and a dozing Charlie squirmed a little against his shoulder.

“I’m not sure I believe you.”

He remembered her saying she was a skeptic and had her reasons. Skepticism was rearing its ugly head now. “In time you’ll be convinced that I embrace the motto that cheaters never prosper.”

“And in time, if I’m convinced, something tells me your mom is responsible for that honest streak.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. She’s really something.”

“She’s just excited and happy to finally have even one grandchild. In her world twins is winning the lottery.”

“I didn’t mean that as a criticism.” There was a baby quilt on the sofa beside him. Annie took it and spread the material on the floor in front of the coffee table. She put Sarah on it then sat next to him. “I meant just the opposite. She’s full of energy in the best possible way. The kind of supportive, protective mother I wish my mom had been. The kind I want to be.”

That little kernel of information reminded Mason that he didn’t know much about her. The night they’d been getting acquainted he’d given her some facts about himself. She’d only offered up what she did for a living and then he’d held her when she’d cried. He hadn’t been able to focus on much besides the soft curves of her body and hadn’t noticed how little he’d learned. Now he was becoming aware of how guarded she was. And it wasn’t just about protecting Charlie and Sarah. She held parts of herself back and he wondered why.

He stood with Charlie in his arms, then moved to the blanket on the floor and gently settled the sleeping baby next to his sister. After stretching his cramped muscles, he met Annie’s gaze. “So, what you just said implies that your mother wasn’t supportive.”

“She had issues.”

He waited for more but that was it. “Had? Does that mean she passed away?”

“No. She lives in Florida with her husband.” When Sarah let out a whimper, Annie jumped up as if she’d just been waiting for an excuse to end this conversation. “Did she have a bottle?”

“No.”

“Okay.” Annie scooped up the baby and went into the kitchen to get a bottle from the refrigerator.

Mason didn’t claim to be a specialist in the area of feelings but it didn’t take a genius to see that Annie wasn’t comfortable talking about herself. Either she was hiding something or there was a lot of pain in the memories. So now he knew she was a graphic artist, had adored her sister and missed her terribly. And there was stuff in her past that she didn’t want to talk about.

That was okay. She was the mother of his children and he wasn’t going anywhere. In his experience as an ER doc, he’d learned that often people held things back but eventually the facts came out. And he wanted all the facts about his children’s legal guardian.

Chapter Three

Several weeks after Mason walked into her life Annie got her first really powerful blast of mom guilt. There had been some minor brushes with the feeling, but this one was a doozy.

Because of him, and by extension his mother, Florence, everything had changed. For the better, she admitted. The woman was fantastic with the twins so when she’d offered to watch them while Annie went to a mandatory meeting in the office, she’d gratefully accepted.

It had only been a few hours ago that Annie had walked out of her apartment but it felt like days. She checked her phone to make sure there were no messages. The empty screen mocked her and she felt the tiniest bit disposable, followed by easily replaceable. There was a healthy dose of exhilaration for this unexpected independence mixed with missing her babies terribly. The verdict was in. She was officially conflicted and on the cusp of crazy.

If all that wasn’t guilt-inducing enough, she was going to have a grown-up girlfriend lunch. She should call it off and go be with Charlie and Sarah. Even as that thought popped into her head, she saw Carla Kellerman walking toward her with a food bag. Her friend had stopped to pick up something, as promised. So if Annie bugged out now, Carla would be inconvenienced. She would just have to eat fast.

“Hi.” Carla came into her cubicle and smiled.

This woman was completely adorable. Perky and shiny. Straight, thick red hair fell past her shoulders and went perfectly with her warm brown eyes. She had the biggest, friendliest smile ever. And a soft, mushy heart. The occasional loss of her temper was almost always on someone else’s behalf and made her completely human. As flaws went, it was adorable.

“I forgot how much I love this office,” her friend said, looking around. “If I didn’t already have a job, I would want to work here.”

C&J Graphic Design occupied the top floor of an office building on the corner of C Street and Jones Boulevard in the center of Huntington Hills. The light wood floor stretched from the boss’s office at one end of the long, narrow room to the employees’ lounge at the other. Overhead track lighting illuminated cubicles separated by glass partitions. The environment had a collaborative vibe and Annie loved seeing her coworkers’ creative ideas and them having easy access to hers.

“Hi, yourself.” Her stomach growled. Loud.

“Apparently my arrival with provisions isn’t a moment too soon.” Carla grinned. “I guess I don’t have to ask if you’re ready to eat.”

“Follow me. There are drinks in the break room fridge. Or we could sit outside.” It was October but Southern California was still warm. There was a patio with wrought iron tables and chairs shaded by trees and surrounded with grass, shrubs and flowers.

“That. Door number two,” her friend said. “I need fresh air.”

They grabbed drinks, walked to the elevator and Annie hit the down button.

“Maybe we should go wild today and take the stairs,” Carla suggested. “I could use the exercise.”

“Since when? Don’t get me wrong,” Annie added. “I’m a supportive friend who will follow you bravely down eight flights of stairs. But this switch from ‘I can’t stand sweat’ to ‘We should take the stairs’ is different.”

“Not really. I always think about it.”

Annie opened the stairway door and they started down. “But I can’t read your mind. You never said anything before. What’s changed? Got a crush on the boss?”

“Hardly. I work for Lillian Gordon.”

“I know. But didn’t her nephew come in to help the company over a rough financial patch?”

“Yes. Gabriel Blackburne. But he’s kind of a hermit. Keeps to his office, hunched over a computer, presumably strategizing how to turn the company around.”

They’d reached the ground floor and both of them were breathing a little harder as they headed for the rear door that led to the patio.

Carla gave her a look. “You have the strangest expression on your face. Why?”

“Because Mason’s last name is Blackburne.”

“Who’s Mason?”

“The babies’ father,” Annie clarified.

“Small world,” her friend said. “We needed this lunch even more than I thought so you can fill me in.”

“I wonder if Mason is related to your Gabriel Blackburne. It’s not that common a name,” Annie said.

“I guess it’s possible.” Her friend moved decisively to the table with the most shade, put the bag down on it and sat in one of the sturdy metal chairs. “From what Lillian tells me, Gabriel is not a fan of her business plan but he does approve of the branding campaign C&J did for Make Me a Match.”

“Well, he sounds a little intimidating, but definitely has good taste in graphic design companies.” Annie sat at a right angle to her friend. “You’d expect Mason to be that way, but he’s not.”

Carla pulled two paper-wrapped sandwiches and napkins from the bag. She handed one over. “I need details. A text saying ‘twins’ father showed up and DNA confirms’ isn’t much information.”

“I haven’t had much time in the last few months.”

“Two babies. I get it. And you’re a saint, by the way. So tell me everything.”

Annie explained about contacting the men Jessica thought could be the father and Mason showing up last. “He’s an army doctor just back from Afghanistan. So, military and medical.”

Carla took a bite of her turkey sub and chewed thoughtfully before swallowing. “He sounds honorable to me. I haven’t known you long but I’m learning that you’re good at finding flaws.”

Not so far, Annie thought. “You know me pretty well. I’m not holding my breath he’ll stay honorable. For now he’s good with Charlie and Sarah. Not too proud to ask for help. The first time I left him alone with them, he called his mom for backup.” Annie wasn’t sure why, but she’d believed him when he’d said he wouldn’t have let her think he handled the twins without a problem. “Florence, his mom, is fantastic. Loves kids and thrilled to be a grandmother. She has them now.”

“Lillian’s sister is Florence. Has to be the same family,” her friend concluded. “Like I said, small world.”

“No kidding. If Gabriel looks anything like Mason, I can see why you think you could use the exercise.”

“He’s pretty, but a little too dark and brooding for me. Besides, he keeps reminding everyone that he’s only there temporarily.” Carla shrugged. “So the twins’ father is a hottie? It could be a reality show—Real Hotties of Huntington Hills.”

Annie laughed then thoughtfully chewed a bite of her sandwich. “‘Hottie’ would be an accurate description.”

“You like him.” Carla’s voice had a “gotcha” tone.

“Why in the world would you come to that conclusion from what I just said?”

“Good question,” Carla mused. “Maybe the way you were so deliberately aloof.”

It was a little scary how well this woman knew her, Annie thought. They’d hit it off when working together on the branding campaign for Make Me a Match. Annie had spent some time in their office to get a feel for the dating service but the nephew had never poked his head out of his inner sanctum. Her friendship with Carla was relatively new but her assessment of Annie’s feelings about Mason wasn’t too far off the mark. Still, an attraction was no reason to be giddy. Just the opposite, in fact.

“It doesn’t matter whether or not I like him. Men are notoriously unreliable.”

“You know I agree with you about that.” Carla ate the last of her sandwich then wiped her hands on a napkin. “I know we’re fairly new friends and this is probably invading your privacy. Feel free to say it’s none of my business, but what’s your story? Why are you commitment averse?”

“Let’s call it daddy issues. And before you ask, it’s both biological and step. My mother has terrible taste in men. And you already know about Dwayne.” Her ex-boyfriend. The jerk had sworn to always have her back but couldn’t get away fast enough when she’d become the twins’ legal guardian and brought them home. “I’m not going to be complacent and starry-eyed then get blindsided when Mason decides he can’t handle being a father to twins. I can only deal with one day at a time and for now he’s doing all the right things.”

“Like what?” Carla asked.

“Well…” Annie thought for a moment and fought a smile she knew would look tender and goofy. “Hardly a day has gone by that he hasn’t come to see them. He said he’s already lost too much time being their father and doesn’t want to miss another single moment with his kids that he doesn’t absolutely have to.”

“How sweet is that? Certainly not the behavior of a man who’s going to abandon them,” Carla pointed out.

“Maybe.” It was hard to argue with that assertion so Annie didn’t. “He works in the emergency room at Huntington Hills hospital and he looks so tired sometimes it’s a wonder he can stand up, let alone hold one of the babies.”

“Wow.” Carla stared at her in disbelief. “Do you have recent pictures of the twins?”

“What kind of mom would I be if I didn’t?” Annie proudly pulled a cell phone out of her slacks’ pocket, found the most recent photos and then handed it over so her friend could scroll through.

“The twins are beautiful. And I say again—wow.” Carla’s eyebrows went up. “He’s such a cutie, and I’m not talking about Charlie. This one of Mason holding both babies is a seriously ‘aww moment.’”

Annie glanced at the picture and smiled at the memory of Mason dozing off while they were on his chest. He held them securely in place with a big hand on each of their backs. The moment did have a serious cuteness quotient, which was why she’d taken the photo. “More than once he’s fallen asleep on my sofa.”

“Oh?”

“Down girl.” She hadn’t been able to resist snapping the picture, but it didn’t mean anything. Certainly not that she was looking at the future. One day at a time worked just fine for her. “Naps on my couch are about a demanding career, work schedule and his children,” Annie said. “It has nothing to do with me. Or us.”

“Still, he’s not a troll and he likes kids. That’s a good start.”

“There is no start,” Annie argued. “How can there be when he doubts my character? He made it clear that he doesn’t trust me.”

“What does he have against you? The two of you just met.”

“He was justifiably curious about why my sister didn’t contact him when she found out she was pregnant, about the possibility that he was a father. I got the feeling that, with him, that lie of omission extended to me because I’m Jessica’s sister.”

“Is it possible that you’re inventing reasons to push him away? Like I said, you’re good at finding flaws,” Carla said. “Does it bother you that Jessica slept with him first?”

“Of course not. And, as you pointed out, I just met him a few weeks ago.” Annie analyzed the question a little deeper. “And by first you’re suggesting that I will sleep with him, too. That’s just not going to happen.”

Carla shrugged. “If you say so.”

“You’re seeing a relationship where none exists. Is Lillian working you too hard at Make Me a Match?” Annie teased. “Maybe you can’t leave work at the office?”

Her friend laughed ruefully. “We need satisfied customers. And they need to spread the word about the valuable service we provide if the business is going to survive.”

“I’ll talk it up and, if I can, send clients your way,” Annie promised.

But she wouldn’t be one of them. She had enough on her hands without falling in love. Lust was a different thing altogether and had a mind of its own. Proof of that was the vision of twisted sheets and strong arms that had been keeping her awake at night. And those arms didn’t belong to just anyone. They were definitely Mason’s.

Mason was at the apartment with the twins several days after his mom had watched them. Annie was putting in more hours at her office because the deadline for the high-profile campaign was approaching fast. He’d gotten Sarah to sleep and had spent the last fifteen minutes walking Charlie. Now he carefully lifted the baby from his shoulder and put him on his back in the crib, beside his sister. He held his breath, fingers crossed that the little boy was finally sound enough asleep that the movement wouldn’t wake him. No sound, no movement. Mission objective achieved.

He looked down at them—his children—and thought for the billionth time how beautiful and perfect they were. And how lucky he was to have them. Sure, he hadn’t known from the beginning about the pregnancy and could whine about that, but it wouldn’t have changed anything. A lot of active-duty service members missed out on big family moments because of deployment. The truth was, he couldn’t have been there for their birth even if he’d known.

So he hadn’t been able to support Annie through the shock and sadness of losing her sister. A little extra help with the babies wouldn’t have hurt, either. Somehow she’d had the strength to do it all by herself. On the other hand, he wouldn’t be going through the legal maze of securing his paternal rights now if things had been different.

It had been a month since he’d stood at Annie’s door for the first time and he could hardly remember a life without his kids—and her—in it. He’d seen the commercials on TV for companies that facilitated meets for people who wanted a relationship. The tagline: Never More Ready to Fall in Love. Mason was the opposite of that. Never less ready for love.

The collapse of his marriage had been a horrible warning. He found out that even if one made all the right moves and everything was perfect, it was still possible to fail spectacularly. And painfully. Because of things out of his control. He wouldn’t make the same mistake.

That didn’t mean he couldn’t be in awe of Annie Campbell. He thought about her more than he liked, even when he was slammed with patients in the emergency room. She was quite a woman—sexy, beautiful, maternal, funny and smart. Everything a man could want. So why hadn’t a guy snatched her up?

The doorbell rang and he swore under his breath, then checked the babies for any sign it woke them. Neither moved so he hurried to the front door, ready to chew out whoever had been stupid enough to ignore the baby sleeping sign.

He opened the door and saw a thirty-something guy standing there. He was well dressed and nice-looking. Mason wanted to strangle him. “Can you read?”

“What?”

“Did you see the sign?” He pointed. “The babies are sleeping.”

“Right. Sorry, man. I forgot.”

“How to read?” Now he really wanted to strangle this guy.

“No. That the babies are here.” He held out his hand. “Dwayne Beller.”

Mason hesitated then shook hands. “Mason Blackburne.”

“The father?”

“Of the twins? Yeah.” Now his curiosity was on high alert. “Who are you?”

“Annie’s boyfriend.” He shifted uncomfortably. “At least, I was.”

“So you’re not now?”

“No.”

Mason felt an odd sort of relief that she was no longer with this guy. “What happened?”

“Is Annie here?”

“No.” He stood feet apart, blocking the doorway.

“Do you mind telling me where she is?”

“Yes.” They were sizing each other up. “Mind telling me what happened with you and Annie?”

Dwayne shifted his stance uncomfortably. “Look, man, would you just tell her I stopped by?”

“Why?”

“Because I’d like her to know that I was here.”

Mason didn’t miss the fact that Dwayne was looking pretty irritated. It didn’t bother him at all. “I meant why don’t you want to talk about what happened?”

“Because it’s none of your business. It’s between Annie and me—”

“Dwayne?” Annie was almost at the top of the stairs and her eyes widened at the scene unfolding in front of her door.

She had several bags of groceries in her hands and didn’t look happy to see the guy. That didn’t bother Mason at all, either.

“Hi, Annie. You look good.” The ex-boyfriend had a sheepish expression on his face and glanced at Mason, who was still blocking the door. “Can I come in?”

“Why?” she asked warily.

“To talk,” he said. “I really miss talking to you.”

There was hurt and disillusionment in her eyes, proof the line wasn’t working. “I don’t think there’s anything left for us to say to each other.”

“Please just hear me out.”

“These bags are getting heavy.” She elbowed past him and Mason stepped aside to let her through. “And you said quite enough the last time I saw you. At Jessica’s memorial service. Your timing left a lot to be desired.”

Dwayne elbowed his way past Mason and followed her into the apartment, watching her set bags on the table. “Look, Annie, that wasn’t my finest hour. I admit it, but—”

“There’s no but,” she snapped. “At the worst time in my life you walked out on me. That doesn’t deserve a but.”

“No one feels worse about that than me.” The jerk held out his hand, a pleading gesture. “The thought of being a father freaked me out, okay? Two at once is a lot.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Her tone dripped sarcasm.

“You were distracted and I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to be there for me. For us. But I’ve had time to think. I miss you. I can’t forget you.”

Mason could understand that. Annie was unforgettable and this idiot had voluntarily walked out on her. The last thing he should get was a do-over.

Fortunately she appeared unmoved by his words. “Honestly, I haven’t had time to think about you at all, what with two infants to take care of. The fact is, you never cross my mind. In case that’s not clear enough, there is not a snowball’s chance in hell I would ever consider taking you back. You abandoned me once. I won’t give you a chance to do that to me again.”

“I wish you’d reconsider. We were good together. At home and at work.”

Dwayne must be desperate, Mason thought. After what she’d just said it was clear she’d made up her mind.

Annie’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, now I get it. And the verdict is official. You’re a conniving weasel dog and I don’t ever want to see you again.”

“Annie, please. I really need this—”

“Oh? I needed you,” she said. “And you couldn’t get out of here fast enough then. I’d like you to do that now. Just go.”

“Annie—”

Mason had seen enough. He moved next to her. “The lady asked you to leave.”

Dwayne’s ingratiating performance disappeared. “What are you going to do? Throw me out?”

“If I have to.” Mason stared at him and knew the exact moment the moron realized it was over.

“Your loss, Annie. Remember that.”

“In my opinion, I dodged a bullet,” she snapped back.

Without another word, the creep left and slammed the door. Hard.

Mason and Annie looked at each other and said at the same time, “The babies.”

They hurried down the hall to check on them but Charlie and Sarah were still sleeping soundly. In unison, they heaved a sigh of parental relief then quietly backed out of the room and returned to the kitchen.

She met his gaze. “So, that happened.”

“He’s determined. I’ll give him that.”

“Yeah.” She closed her eyes for a moment, as if erasing any vision of Dwayne from her mind. After letting out a long breath she said, “I could have called him much worse than a weasel dog.”

“Me, too, but that was pretty descriptive.”

“It was a compliment compared to what I was thinking. He’s lucky I didn’t throw something at him.”

Mason studied her face and realized he had never seen her furious. The cleansing breath she’d taken hadn’t cleansed anything. There was more. “What else did he do? Besides leave you at the worst possible time.”

She met his gaze. “The last thing he said before bailing on me was that raising some other guy’s brats wasn’t what he’d signed up for.”

“Son of a bitch—” Mason felt the words like a body blow. He didn’t like the guy but Annie had at one time. He couldn’t imagine the scope of betrayal she’d experienced. Now he was furious, too. “Good thing you threw him out. I’d have tossed him over the railing.”

Surprisingly, she laughed. “That’s a very satisfying image.”

“What did he mean about working well together?”

“He’s a graphic artist, too. It’s how we met, collaborating on a job.”

So they had something in common, spoke each other’s language. “And when he said he needed this? Any idea what that was about?”

“He’s employed by a rival firm. My guess is that they’re in competition for this big contract I’ve been working on. If I took him back, he’d have access to my team’s creative direction and could take steps to counter in their own presentation.”

“So he wanted to steal from you,” he said, seething with anger.

“That’s my guess.”

“Prince of a guy. Just oozing integrity. Damn right you dodged a bullet.”

“Wow,” she said. “Don’t sugarcoat it. Tell me how you really feel.”

“I don’t mean to hurt your feelings.” That was completely sincere. He would never hurt her. Not deliberately. But he couldn’t hold this back. “I just have to ask. What the hell did you ever see in that guy?”

Her hazel eyes turned more green than gold. It was a clue that he’d crossed a line. Her next words confirmed that he’d said something wrong.

High color appeared on her cheeks. “It’s really easy to be on the outside looking in and draw conclusions. I’ve known you, what? Fifteen minutes? Yes, we share the babies and you’re their father. Calling them brats makes him lower than pond scum. But I get to say that. You don’t get a say about my personal life, especially for something that happened before I met you.”

“Annie, I—”

She held up a hand. “Now is not a good time to talk. I have another bag of stuff to bring inside. I’ll get it,” she said when he was about to offer. “I’m embarrassed by what just happened and taking it out on you. I need the exercise to shake off this unreasonable reaction.”

Without another word, she walked out the door. Mason let her go even though every instinct was pushing him to go after her. But moments later he heard her cry out just before a scream of pain. He rushed outside and looked down. Annie was in a heap on the cement at the bottom of the stairs.

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