AN UNEXPECTED GIFT
As the single mom of triplets, Megan Rivers has no time to spare, especially for her playboy neighbor, Will Trentshes been burned by his kind before. But when the flirty firefighter pleads for her help with an adorable baby boy suddenly left in his care, Megan cant say nofor the babys sake, of course.
After his fiancée ditched him, Will had been enjoying the single life. Now hes taking the kids to see Santa and picking out Christmas trees with Megan, and he realizes he likes being a family man. Wills ready to give love another chance, but can he convince Megan to do the same?
You didnt like me because of a vibe? Will repeated.
Sorry, Megan said in a small voice.
He sighed. I guess I didnt help matters. Every time I saw you, I was determined to get a more positive response. A smile, a laugh, something. I just compounded the problem, didnt I?
Thats all behind us. She gave him an earnest look, laying her hand on his forearm as she added in an oh-so-sincere tone, I find you downright tolerable now!
Smart-ass.
Language, William! Megan jokingly chided.
Okay, smartbutt.
Hey! the bearded cashier interrupted, beaming at them and pointing toward the ceiling. You two are under the mistletoe.
Megans pulse stuttered and she raised her gaze slowly, as if afraid of what shed find. Yep. A sprig of mistletoe with a red velvet bow tied around it. Her eyes slid to Wills face. He was looking straight at her, his expression hungry. A hot shiver went through her. Is he going to kiss me?
The Christmas Triplets
Tanya Michaels
www.millsandboon.co.uk
TANYA MICHAELS, a New York Times bestselling author and five-time RITA® Award nominee, has been writing love stories since middle-school algebra class (which probably explains her maths grades). Her books, praised for their poignancy and humor, have received awards from readers and reviewers alike. Tanya is an active member of Romance Writers of America and a frequent public speaker. She lives outside Atlanta with her very supportive husband, two highly imaginative kids and a bichon frise who thinks shes the center of the universe.
For Melissa Silva, one of the best friends
anyone could ask for, who moved away
while I was working on this book.
I miss you every dayhope you have
that new guest room ready for visitors!
Contents
Cover
Back Cover Text
Introduction
Title Page
About the Author
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
Extract
Copyright
Chapter One
Ever since Thanksgiving, the flower shop had been selling a lot of poinsettias and wreaths, but the cowboy frowning intently at the chart on the counter was obviously looking for something else. Watching him try to make a selection, Megan Rivers thought suddenly of her ex-husbandof the colorful gerbera daisies hed brought her when the fertility treatments finally worked and, months later, the overpriced guilt bouquets when he cheated on her during her complicated pregnancy. Was the handsome cowboy whod wandered in seeking a way to ease his own guilt?
Wheres your holiday spirit, Meg? This was supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, not the most cynical.
Besides, when the man tipped back his hat for a better look at an arrangement, she recognized him as a local rancher whod been really kind to her three-year-old daughters at a town festival a few months ago. After a moment of searching her memory, his name came to her. Its Jarrett, right? Can I help you find something?
Yes, please. He gave her a grateful smile. Im drawing a blank. Roses for romance, lilies for bereavement. What kind of flower says I know your parents make you crazy, but its just a few days and youre a badass who can handle anything?
Megan laughed in spite of herself. She could relate to parental anxiety. Her own mother was...challenging. Hmm. Thats not a request we get every day. But lavender is known to be soothing. We could make sure theres some of that included.
She opened a sample book and flipped through some photos, suggesting changes they could make to personalize each bouquet. A few minutes later, as she was writing Jarretts contact information on an order form, the bell above the door rang, signaling the arrival of Gayle Trent, the local sheriffs mother.
Megan waved. Good morning. Here on wedding-related business? The sheriff was getting married in a couple of weeks, and Megan was responsible for all the arrangements, boutonnieres and pew bows. The bride-to-be had placed the pertinent orders weeks ago, but she wouldnt be the first bride to second-guess details as the big day approached.
Gayle shook her head. Just picking up the wreath for the quilting clubs annual holiday luncheon.
Jarrett turned to enlist her help. As long as youre here, Mrs. Trent, can I get your opinion on these flowers Im ordering for Sierra?
After both Megan and Gayle had assured him his girlfriend would love the arrangement, he bade them a cheerful farewell.
Watching him walk down Main Street through the store window, Gayle snickered. He is so smitten. And who can blame him? Sierra Bailey is gorgeousand just feisty enough to keep him in line. Watching him dote on her, its hard to believe he was the towns most notorious heartbreaker.
Avoiding the older womans gaze, Megan busied herself with ringing up the wreath. She barely knew Jarrett Ross, but as far as she could tell, the biggest heartbreaker in town was her own next-door neighborand Gayles sonWill Trent. Unlike his soon-to-be-married older brother, Will went out with a new woman every week. Megan could admit that the dark-haired firefighter was appealing in a superficial, blue-eyed and flirtatious way, but judging from his romantic habits, he had a shorter attention span than the average preschooler. Was Gayle oblivious to her sons busy dating schedule?
Unlikely. Megan had been here less than a year, but shed quickly discovered that the town of Cupids Bow thrived on gossip. Maybe Gayle was choosing willful ignorance.
That will be thirty-nine dollars, Megan said, hoping the subject of local heartbreakers was officially closed.
But Gayle was still chuckling as she pulled her wallet from her purse. Good thing Jarrett met Sierra when he did. Eventually, he would have run out of eligible ladies here in town. Although you never dated him, did you, dear?
No, maam. Megan hadnt dated anyone since moving here after her divorce. When would she find the time? There were hardly enough hours in the day to balance her job as a florist with raising triplets. And she wouldnt have gone out with Jarrett Ross anyway, given his reputation. Shed learned her lesson the hard way, married to an incurable flirt whod had two affairs shed confirmed and others shed suspected.
Well, if youre not seeing anyone, Gayle teased, maybe we can introduce you to some nice single men at the wedding.
Megan managed not to shudder. Thats sweet, but I have triplets. I barely have the energy to drive to work in the morning, much less try to impress a man. What would she discuss with a bachelor anyway? Her last year had centered on potty training, teaching her kids the alphabet and keeping Daisythe most adventuresome of her girlsout of trouble.
Parenting wasnt easy, but even at her most exhausted, Megan was grateful for her girls. There had been discouraging days shed doubted the fertility treatments would ever work. Now she was blessed with three children!
I have my daughters. I dont need a man.
* * *
THE PROBLEM WITH playing your brothers at poker, Will Trent decided Thursday night, was that they knew you too well for bluffing to succeed. Earlier in the evening, the cards had been with him, but it seemed his luck had run out.
Thats it. He tossed his crappy pair of fours on the table and eyed his brothers. Get out of my house. I dont want to see either of you again until Christmas. And I expect you to buy me excellent gifts with the cash youve won off me.
His younger brother, Jace, snorted. I plan to blow my winnings on liquor and women. Life is a nonstop party.
Will rolled his eyes. His brothers outrageous comments came from a habit of trying to rile their opinionated parents, who disapproved of Jace not finishing college and becoming a bartender. Youve had one and a half beers in the last four hours, and you spend half of your nights off with us. Lame.
About not seeing us again until Christmas, Cole interrupted, you do realize youre supposed to be my best man in two weeks?
Oh, your wedding is this month? I completely forgot.
I know youre kidding, Cole said, but make any jokes like that in front of my future wife, and Ill find a reason to lock you in the town jail. Kates a bundle of nerves, worried something will go wrong. As he finished the sentence, his expression turned sheepish, as if he suddenly remembered how wrong Wills own wedding had gone.
Although to say it had gone wrong implied it had actually happened.
Wills fiancée had broken off their engagement the night before they were supposed to get married. He suppressed the humiliating memory, confident Kate and Coles big day would be perfect. They adored each other; they even loved each others kids, from Kates handful of a fourteen-year-old to Coles twin girls.
I would never do anything to cause Kate stress, Will solemnly promised. As far as he was concerned, she and her son were already family.
I know shes excited about the wedding, Cole said, but its also bringing up a lot of memories of her late husband. And shes anxious about our trip to Houston this weekend. They were going to the city so Cole could meet some of her friends and former teaching colleaguespeople whod been part of her life before her police officer husband was killed in the line of duty. Even though everyones been supportive, congratulating her on the engagement, shes nervous about people meeting husband number two. She debated for hours about inviting her former parents-in-law to the wedding. They sent a gift, but I think she was secretly relieved when they said they couldnt make it.
All this stress over who to invite and where to seat them and what to register for? Jace shook his head. If I ever marry, Im eloping.
I dont know which is less likely, Will commented, you getting a woman to agree to spend her life with you or our mother letting you live if you cheat her out of the wedding.
Speaking of our mother. Cole stood. I promised her Id be back before the twins bedtime. So I guess Ill take my money and run.
Once the door had closed behind Cole, Jace straightened in his chair, looking more serious and alert than hed been all night. Hey, I wanted to talk to you, but not in front of our brother, the long arm of the law.
Will frowned. You planning on committing a crime?
Its about Amy.
Oh, hell. Wills stomach sank. Hed befriended twenty-one-year-old Amy Reynolds after her apartment caught fire. She was a sweet kid, juggling three jobs while trying to raise a baby, but her on-again, off-again older boyfriend was bad news. Although local law enforcement had never compiled enough evidence to arrest him, there was talk of the man dealing illegal prescription drugs.
They suspended Amy at work, Jace said. She was strung out the last two nights she waitressed. She claims shes just jittery after a few sleepless nights with the baby and too much caffeine, but it was obviously more than that. I know the owners dont want to fire her, but shes been breaking glasses and screwing up orders. She misplaced a customers credit card and spilled a pitcher of margaritas on the mayors wife during Ladies Night. Do you think shed listen if you try to talk to her?
Will shoved a hand through his hair. I dont know. The last time hed tried to talk to her about the babys father and her own well-being, she immediately became defensive. He could only imagine how hard it was for a barely adult woman to raise a baby alone. It was natural that she would turn to the babys father for helpbut when he broke laws and risked her health? For her sake, Ill try.