by Tina Leonard
Jacob knew better than anyone how much Daniel disliked doctors’ offices and hospitals, nearly to the point of phobia, but Daniel was almost looking forward to this visit. If all went well, he’d leave the appointment sling-free and cleared to begin therapy.
After sticking one of the containers in the microwave, Daniel went to the refrigerator for a beer. He offered one to his brother. “You have a few minutes to stick around, or does Mariana need your help wrangling Cody into bed?”
Grinning, Jacob reached for the bottle. “The nice thing about time at the ranch is that Cody wears himself out. Lots of space to run around, lots of kids to play with. He was asleep when I dropped off him and Mariana at the house. And speaking of being dropped off...Carly’s going to drive you to your orthopedic appointment. She has a dress fitting four blocks away, so it just makes sense. She’ll come back and get you afterward.”
Carly was the youngest of the Baron sisters and a real spitfire. Barrel racing hadn’t been enough for her; she’d also insisted on trying her hand at bull riding. But lately, her conversations were less about rodeo standings and more about flower arrangements and seating charts. She was getting married at the end of December, just after Christmas.
“So was dinner conversation all about weddings?” Daniel asked. Next spring, he’d be standing as Jacob’s best man. He should probably come up with some helpful input between now and then.
Jacob frowned. “Actually, when Brock was out of the room, talk was mostly about Delia. I mean, Adele.”
For months now, Daniel’s stepsiblings had been working to find out what happened to their mother, Delia Baron. They’d learned that she’d changed her name to Adele Black and was in fact the CEO of AB Windpower. Now that they knew who she was, they’d been trying to agree on how to proceed. They were troubled by the discovery that she’d been buying chunks of Baron Energies stock. Daniel had the impression that Savannah and Carly in particular wanted to reunite with their estranged mom, but it would be difficult to find a happy ending if she was trying to orchestrate some kind of takeover.
Frankly, Daniel’s adolescence—his father’s arrest and, later, his mom’s death—had left him skeptical about happy endings in general.
Stifling his cynicism, he carried his food to the table and changed the subject to an upcoming rodeo exhibition, a charity event to raise funds for youth programs. If Daniel hadn’t been injured, he would have participated. As it was, he planned to attend to cheer on some buddies and talk others into buying tickets for a good cause.
As they chatted about mutual rodeo acquaintances, Jacob suddenly snapped his fingers. “I’ve been meaning to tell you—Bodie Williams is in town.” Another veteran of the rodeo circuit, Bodie had been a friend to both brothers. He’d never made it as high in the standings as Jacob or Daniel, though, and had quit for full-time ranch work.
Daniel lowered his gaze, feeling suddenly guilty. “Yeah. Actually, he and I caught up at a sports bar Friday afternoon.” Bodie had shown him pictures of the ranch in Colorado where he worked. The Double F was hiring, and Bodie was willing to put in a good word on Daniel’s behalf with his new boss.
If Daniel admitted that he was thinking about leaving, would Jacob support the move or try to talk him into staying? The two of them had always been close. After their mom’s death, they’d shared a kind of “us against the world” bond. But Jacob was raising a son now. He worked for the family company, had been accepted into the fold and would be married by this time next year. His life was moving forward in a clear direction.
Daniel, on the other hand, felt increasingly out of place. For a while, success in the rodeo arena had given him some common ground with the other Barons. But between his injury and the way his siblings had been falling in love left and right...
New Year’s was just around the corner. Wasn’t that a perfect time for resolutions and fresh starts? Maybe Daniel’s fresh start was in Colorado.
Copyright © 2014 by Harlequin Books S.A.
ISBN-13: 9781460342237
The SEAL’s Holiday Babies
Copyright © 2014 by Tina Leonard
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HER CHRISTMAS WISH
The last thing rodeo cowboy Daniel Baron needs is a commitment. After a lifetime of feeling like an outsider among his larger-than-life stepfamily at Roughneck Ranch, Daniel is ready to leave the ring—and Texas—behind forever. Except he can’t stop thinking about the woman he just met—beautiful, bighearted…and pregnant.
Of course Nicole Bennett is attracted to strong, sweet Daniel—he’s pretty much perfect. But he made it clear that he doesn’t want a family, the one thing Nicole’s dreamed of her whole life. Now, just as that dream is coming true, Nicole could lose the only man she wants to share it with…unless Daniel can find the courage to open his heart.
Nicole couldn’t remember the last time her libido was so supercharged.
She was tempted to spend a few more minutes appreciating the handsome picture Daniel made leaning against the wall.
He smiled as she approached. “This is a surprise.”
“Weren’t you expecting me?” she teased.
“Yeah, just not like this. I was thinking the other day that I couldn’t imagine you in jeans.”
“Oh, you’ve been thinking about me?”
Daniel held her gaze. “Yes, ma’am.”
A liquid shiver went through her. Get a grip, Nicole. How could she facilitate a reconciliation between the Baron children and their mother if she was distracted by the way Daniel Baron filled out a pair of Wranglers?
“So. On a scale from one to I-should-just-throw-myself-from-the-truck, how bad do you think today’s gonna be?”
His lips quirked in a half smile. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I’ll do what I can to make it as painless as possible.”
“You’re a really nice guy.”
“Actually, I’m more of a cranky loner and recovering troublemaker.” His laugh was short and self-deprecating. “Maybe you just bring out my better qualities.”
Dear Reader,
If you’ve read any of my previous books, you probably know I love telling stories about families. So I was excited when the Harlequin editors gave me the flattering challenge of wrapping up the miniseries about the huge Baron family—six siblings in all, each with their own story written by a different author.
The unique opportunity to work with five talented authors made this project extra special. Trish Milburn, author of The Texan’s Cowgirl Bride, is one of my dearest longtime friends. Now I’m also fortunate to call Donna Alward, Barbara White Daille, Pamela Britton and Cathy McDavid friends. Everyone was enthusiastic and generous, quick to offer brainstorming assistance and encouragement. Building on their stories gave me wonderful s
upporting characters to work with!
My book tells the story of Daniel Burke Baron, who feels like an outcast among his stepsiblings, so much so that he shies away from the idea of family or ever having kids. Then he meets Nicole Bennett, a woman who’s compassionate, gorgeous, determined…and pregnant. I hope you enjoy watching their romance develop and rejoining all the members of the Baron clan for Christmas.
Happy holidays,
Tanya
THE TEXAN’S CHRISTMAS
Tanya Michaels
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
New York Times bestselling author and five-time RITA® Award nominee Tanya Michaels has been writing love stories since middle school algebra class (which probably explains her math 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 she’s the center of the universe.
Books by Tanya Michaels
HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE
1170—TROUBLE IN TENNESSEE
1185—THE PERFECT TREE
“Tanner and Baum”
1203—AN UNLIKELY MOMMY
1225—A DAD FOR HER TWINS
1235—MISTLETOE BABY*
1255—MISTLETOE CINDERELLA*
1270—MISTLETOE MOMMY*
1279—MISTLETOE HERO*
1311—THE BEST MAN IN TEXAS
1321—TEXAS BABY
1343—HIS VALENTINE SURPRISE
1368—A MOTHER’S HOMECOMING
1388—CLAIMED BY A COWBOY**
1399—TAMED BY A TEXAN**
1419—RESCUED BY A RANGER**
1438—MY COWBOY VALENTINE
“Hill Country Cupid”
1463—HER SECRET, HIS BABY***
1479—SECOND CHANCE CHRISTMAS***
1501—HER COWBOY HERO***
*4 Seasons in Mistletoe
**Hill Country Heroes
***The Colorado Cades
Contents
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
Epilogue
Excerpt
Chapter One
The smell of someone’s take-out food filled the crowded elevator, and Nicole Bennett’s stomach clenched in protest. Seafood. Why did it have to be seafood? Her destination was another five stories up, but when the doors parted at the next floor, she seized her chance to escape. Otherwise, she might make the elevator ride very unpleasant for the other passengers.
Taking deep, cleansing breaths, she headed for the stairwell at the end of the hallway. She’d planned not to tell anyone she was pregnant until after the first trimester, but these attacks of nausea might force her hand. She and Adele had dinner reservations in an hour and a half. How was Nicole going to survive the restaurant if she couldn’t stomach food smells?
Every time Nicole thought about sharing her news with Adele Black, she was swamped with conflicting emotions. Her boss had mentored her since Nicole interned at AB Windpower in college. In the past couple of years, when Adele’s cancer made it impossible to carry out her normal responsibilities, Nicole had been her second-in-charge. The two women had grown very close—closer than Nicole had been to any of her foster moms during childhood.
There was no one Nicole wanted to share her joy with more, but motherhood was a complicated subject for Adele. Decades ago, after her postpartum depression had spiraled out of control, Adele had abandoned her own four children. When she’d asked later for visitation rights, her powerful ex-husband had said the kids were better off without her and threatened to ruin her if she ever contacted them. Adele had changed her name and built a company, but she’d never had a family again. Would Nicole’s news be bittersweet for her?
Then again, since the two women were temporarily sharing the apartment Adele kept near AB Windpower’s satellite office in Dallas, maybe hiding the pregnancy wasn’t practical.
Trudging up the next set of stairs, Nicole weighed her decision. As vice president of operations, she had a lot of responsibility. The company had lost a few employees this year, and she didn’t want to cause her mentor stress about being shorthanded during Nicole’s eventual maternity leave. Nicole had hoped to have a couple of new hires in place before she told Adele. Some strong candidates had sent in résumés, but with Christmas right around the corner and holiday plans scheduled, no one wanted to start until after the first of the year.
And can you blame them? What wouldn’t she give for family plans? For eager kids insisting it was time to get up and see what Santa had left, for siblings and cousins and grandparents sipping coffee in their flannel pajamas and robes?
She still had one last flight of stairs to go when the cell phone in her suit jacket buzzed. Probably Adele, trying to figure out what was taking so long. But to Nicole’s surprise, the name that flashed across her screen was Chris Miller.
Happy holidays, Nic! Any chance you have time to talk this week?
She smiled at the coincidence. Calling her former coworker was actually on her to-do list for tomorrow. Last spring, Chris had been Adele’s top choice to run the Dallas office. Life had thrown him some curveballs, though, and in the wake of finding out he was going to be a father, he’d left the company. Maybe his absence was for the best. Nicole didn’t know how she would have been able to face him regularly while keeping Adele’s secret. Through an odd quirk of fate, the woman Chris had recently married was Adele’s oldest daughter.
If this visit to Dallas went the way Nicole hoped, maybe there would no longer be a need for secrecy. She paused on the landing to text him back.
Great minds think alike! Just got to town & was hoping we could all have dinner one night. I’d love to see Lizzie & the baby.
No answer followed. She chalked it up to either his needing to check with Lizzie about details or being interrupted by their newborn. If Nicole didn’t get a response tonight, she’d phone him in the morning. In the meantime...
She pulled out her keycard and opened the door to the suite. “Hello? It’s me.”
Adele moved into view, carrying a bottle and two champagne flutes from the kitchen area into the living room. “About time, dear! I didn’t want to celebrate without you.”
A grin split Nicole’s face. “You got the results?”
Technically, Adele had already been declared cancer-free in San Antonio, but now that she was feeling well enough to travel, she’d wanted a second opinion from a respected specialist in Dallas. It was as if she’d been too afraid to believe she was in remission—as if, perhaps, she didn’t believe she deserved it. Adele had done a lot of soul-searching during her illness. At her sickest, she’d frequently spoken about the four children she’d left behind.
Lizzie, Savannah, Carly and Jet had been raised by their father, oil tycoon and rodeo legend Brock Baron. When Adele had feared she might die without getting a chance to tell her grown daughters and son that she was sorry or that she loved them, Nicole had urged her friend to contact them. Adele had balked, insisting she’d caused them enough pain already. It was too cruel to pop back into their lives just to tell them she was dying and to say goodbye. But perhaps now...
“Is that champagne?” Nicole asked, hesitating in the foyer. “I, uh, haven’t eaten much today. I’m afraid it might go straight to my head. Wouldn’t want to fall asleep on the cab ride to dinner.”
Adele shook her head. “
Like I’m going to put alcohol into my body on top of everything else? It’s just fancy juice. But the exhilaration is real.”
Nicole stepped forward to hug her. Despite Adele’s fragile frame—she’d lost a ton of weight during treatment—there was strength in the return embrace. She’s improving every day. Adele’s graying hair was short and thin, and she still tended to sport shadows beneath her eyes, but she looked nice tonight. The red tunic sweater she wore added some pink to her cheeks. She was a spot of festive color amid the neutral decor. It gave Nicole an idea.
“You plan to be in Dallas for at least a couple of weeks, right? What if we...what if we get a Christmas tree?” She felt almost shy making the suggestion. Decorating for Christmas was traditionally a family endeavor.
“A tree?” Adele glanced around the room, as if seeking the perfect place to put one. “Yes, I think so. That’s a lovely idea. We’ll need to buy some ornaments and lights, though.”
“And we’ll have to figure out how to get it up here. I’m sure we can pay for some kind of delivery. I’ll look into options this week,” she volunteered.
“Thank you, dear. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Back at you,” Nicole said, trying not to think about the darkest days when she’d been afraid Adele wouldn’t make it. Tears stung her eyes, and she blinked rapidly. She sometimes wondered, in occasional guilty moments, if she’d decided to have the artificial insemination procedure because she was so aware she might lose the person who mattered the most to her. But she’d assured herself that the decision was not merely a reaction to fear. Nicole had wanted to be a mother as far back as she could remember. Some of her earliest memories were singing to and “feeding” baby dolls.