“Even from the beginning, I wasn’t sure you would want my baby, knowing what you knew about my family. I wasn’t sure you would want me, or us, as a package...” He shook his head and stopped again. This was very difficult for him to say.
“I want the package,” she said, “but—”
The nurse bustled into the room as Heath hastily turned his head away from her.
“Sleeping already?” she said, picking the baby up and feeling his bottom. “Still dry, too. Well, he’ll just have a nice nap and then come back to visit this evening. Your son is a handsome fellow, isn’t he, Mr. Bodine?”
“Yes,” Heath replied, clearing his throat.
“I’m glad to see you. We thought you were missing in action earlier.”
“Just a visit to the store,” Ann said quickly, gesturing to the pile of toys on the chair.
“New fathers can never wait for the athletic equipment,” the nurse said, chuckling as she left with the baby.
“What do I have to do to get some privacy here, rent out a whole ward?” Heath said disgustedly.
“It’s a hospital, Heath. They run in and out constantly. There’s nothing you can do.”
“Yes, there is.” He got up and closed the door. On the way back to her bed, he pulled his wallet from his pants pocket. He extracted two cards and handed them to her.
“I’ve joined a group called Adult Children of Alcoholics,” he said. “That’s the name and number of my partner. I’ve already attended two meetings.”
Ann was speechless.
“And I contacted a doctor—a family counselor— on Big Palm. I had a first session with her. We have to go back together as soon as you’re able. If you want to try again with me, that is.” He looked at her warily, as if afraid she might say no.
“Of course I want to try,” Ann said, touching his cheek, still in shock.
“I can’t promise anything. Just going to see those people in the first place was hard.”
“I’m sure it was.”
“But I want... to get better,” he said lamely.
“You will. Taking the initial step is the most difficult. The rest will be easier.”
Heath dropped his head to her lap again, wrapping his arms around her legs, which were covered by the sheet.
Ann sank her fingers into his hair.
“I love you so much, Princess,” he said, his voice partially muffled by the bedclothes.
“I love you, too, Heath.”
“I’d like to name the baby after Joe, if it’s okay with you, that is.”
“What a nice idea.”
“He’s been more of a father to me than my biological father ever was.”
“Joe and Joan will be thrilled.”
“And Timothy, for your brother.”
“Oh, Heath, he’ll be so pleased. I think it will be just the lift Tim needs to get him through all this.”
“So we’ll both be in recovery programs, just different kinds,” Heath said ruefully. “It looks like you’re the only stable member of this outfit.”
“And Joseph Timothy Bodine. We’ll make sure that he is very stable.”
“That’s a promise,” Heath said, twining his fingers with hers tightly.
Ann smiled at him and then closed her eyes.
“Tired?” he said.
“A little.”
“Go back to sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.” Ann sighed deeply and turned her head on the pillow, relaxing into sleep. Still holding her hand, Heath settled in to wait.
– THE END –
I am Doreen Owens Malek, author of over forty books and lifelong fan of romantic fiction. I live in PA with my husband and college student daughter, a mini dachshund and a sun conyer parrot. I would like to tell you a little about myself.
I came to writing by a circuitous route, starting out as an avid reader of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights and Gone With the Wind and Rebecca, and any other similarly themed books I could find. I first worked as a teacher and then graduated from law school when I desired a more lucrative and independent career. I had always been discouraged from pursuing a writing career by the volatile nature of the business and the relatively poor chance for success. But the realization that I needed a focus for the future encouraged me to do what I had always wanted to do. I sold my fledgling novel to the first editor who read it, and I have been writing ever since. I have written all types of books for all types of people, but my favorite literary pursuit is and always has been romance. Nothing is as rewarding as hearing from my readers, so please use my website to communicate your thoughts and criticisms, as I am always eager to learn from you.
A romance novel rarely disappoints me: in an uncertain world filled with tragedy and sadness, reading about an appealing woman finding a strong man to love her and share her life is the perfect escape. I like to read and write stories in which the main characters overcome obstacles to get together, and then stay together because their mutual devotion cannot be denied no matter what else is happening around them. They always HELP each other and reinforce the quaint but enduring notion that love conquers all—at least in the fictional universe of my imagination. So pull up a chair and take down a book—or pick up a Kindle—and join me in a world where the heroes are tough and headstrong but never boorish and the heroines are feminine and sympathetic but never helpless.
Happy reading!
NEW RELEASES BY
DOREEN OWENS MALEK
www.doreenowensmalek.com
Available for digital download at Amazon.com, and in print at www.doreenowensmalek.com
Amanda’s Blue Marine (Contemporary Romance): When Amanda Redfield, an assistant district attorney from a wealthy Philadelphia family, is harassed by a mysterious stalker, she meets Brendan Kelly, the detective assigned to her case. Smart and capable but deeply troubled, Kelly protects Amanda while he works to find her tormentor, but his disturbing presence and rogue behavior disrupt Amanda’s settled life. She is helplessly drawn to the sexy and charming but barely controlled cop. As their passion grows she must choose between her privileged past and an uncertain future with a man who is spiraling out of control. How she draws on her wits and resources to rescue Kelly as surely as he once rescued her makes for a powerful and satisfying love story.
Men of Intrigue
A collection of three full length contemporary romances in one volume. These three best selling books were available in print only prior to this digital release. The trilogy includes:
Montega’s Mistress (1986)
A sheltered heiress finds fulfillment and adventure with a Central American revolutionary when she aids an injured stranger whose mission transforms her life
Danger Zone (1987)
A mercenary rescues a political hostage and can’t forget the woman he saved as their love spans the globe, binding them in an unforgettable passion
Devil’s Deception (1985)
A Federal agent goes undercover as a bodyguard for a mobster’s niece and finds romance and betrayal when he falls for his charge
NEW DIGITAL DOWNLOAD
RELEASES BY
DOREEN OWENS MALEK
www.doreenowensmalek.com
The Panther and The Pearl
Panther’s Prey
The Lion and the Lark
The Raven and the Rose
Clash by Night
Fair Game
The Highwayman
Torchlight
Big Sky Drifter
Daddy’s Choice
Officer and a Gentlewoman
Made for Each Other
Another Life
COMING IN 2012 FROM
DOREEN OWENS MALEK
Abra’s Arranged Marriage
(Contemporary Romance)
A law student marries her estranged stepbrother to keep him out of jail, then discovers a new life of sensuality and commitment with the last man on earth she would have chosen
The Highwayman Returns
(Elizabethan Historica
l Romance)
Sequel to the immensely popular The Highwayman, downloaded 17,000 times in its first three days of digital release
See all of Doreen Owens Malek’s
Kindle eBooks on Amazon.com
Marriage In Name Only Page 20