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Bluegrass Baby
Judy Duarte
FROM MIDWIFE TO MOTHER-TO-BE…One night of heart-stealing passion left Milla Johnson wanting much more from Dr. Kyle Bingham. But settling down wasn't in the gorgeous resident's game plan. And the practical-minded midwife had her own future to think of…now that a baby was on the way. Kyle's baby.Growing up on the black-sheep side of the town's most prominent clan left Kyle feeling out in the cold when it came to family. Until Milla. She had him yearning to shed his solitary ways–even after she'd told him they were expecting! Could imminent fatherhood–and love–make a family man out of Merlyn County's most marriage-shy bachelor?
“Can we talk, Milla?”
“Talk about what?” Her voice waffled, and she hoped he hadn’t noticed.
“About you and me.”
His gaze snagged hers, and even though sexual awareness nearly knocked her for a loop, getting involved with him wasn’t a good idea.
The problem was her mind had no trouble believing that, but her body wasn’t listening.
She turned, trying to break eye contact with the man who aroused everything but her common sense. “Nothing has changed.”
But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Things had changed, big-time. Kyle just didn’t know it yet.
Dear Reader,
Well, if it’s true that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, you’re going to need some fabulous romantic reads to get you through the remaining cold winter nights. Might we suggest starting with a new miniseries by bestselling author Sherryl Woods? In Isn’t It Rich?, the first of three books in Ms. Wood’s new MILLION DOLLAR DESTINIES series, we meet Richard Carlton, one of three brothers given untold wealth from his aunt Destiny. But in pushing him toward beautiful—if klutzy—PR executive Melanie Hart, Aunt Destiny provides him with riches that even money can’t buy!
In Bluegrass Baby by Judy Duarte, the next installment in our MERLYN COUNTY MIDWIVES miniseries, a handsome but commitment-shy pediatrician shares a night of passion with a down-to-earth midwife. But what will he do when he learns there might be a baby on the way? Karen Rose Smith continues the LOGAN’S LEGACY miniseries with Take a Chance on Me, in which a sexy, single CEO finds the twin sister he never knew he had—and in the process is reunited with the only woman he ever loved. In Where You Least Expect It by Tori Carrington, a fugitive accused of a crime he didn’t commit decides to put down roots and dare to dream of the love, life and family he thought he’d never have. Arlene James wraps up her miniseries THE RICHEST GALS IN TEXAS with Tycoon Meets Texan! in which a handsome billionaire who can have any woman he wants sets his sights on a beautiful Texas heiress. She clearly doesn’t need his money, so whatever can she want with him? And when a police officer opens his door to a nine-months-pregnant stranger in the middle of a blizzard, he finds himself called on to provide both personal and professional services, in Detective Daddy by Jane Toombs.
So bundle up, and take heart—spring is coming! And so are six more sensational stories about love, life and family, coming next month from Silhouette Special Edition!
All the best,
Gail Chasan
Senior Editor
Bluegrass Baby
Judy Duarte
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
To the special women who have loved and supported me since
birth, blessing my life in so many special ways. My aunts:
Mary Jane Coleman, Frances Houser, Beatrice Johnson,
Dottie Johnston, Mae Johnston, Loraine Shaw
Thank you, ladies, from the bottom of my heart!
JUDY DUARTE,
an avid reader who enjoys a happy ending, always wanted to write books of her own. One day, she decided to make that dream come true. Five years and six manuscripts later, she sold her first book to Silhouette Special Edition.
Her unpublished stories have won the Emily and the Orange Rose awards, and in 2001 she became a double Golden Heart finalist. Judy credits her success to Romance Writers of America and two wonderful critique partners, Sheri WhiteFeather and Crystal Green, both of whom write for Silhouette.
At times, when a stubborn hero and a headstrong heroine claim her undivided attention, she and her family are thankful for fast food, pizza delivery and video games. When she’s not at the keyboard or in a Walter Mitty–type world, she enjoys traveling, spending romantic evenings with her personal hero and playing board games with her kids.
Judy lives in Southern California and loves to hear from her readers. You may write to her at: P.O. Box 498, San Luis Rey, CA 92068-0498. You can also visit her Web site at: www.judyduarte.com.
Merlyn County Regional
Hospital Happenings
Congratulations to midwife Cecilia Mendoza on her engagement to our very own Bingham Enterprises executive Geoff Bingham! A combination bridal and baby shower for the happy couple is tentatively scheduled for late fall. Please see nurse Vanessa Harris for more details, or to volunteer for the decorating committee.
Detective Bryce Collins will be working alongside Dr. Mari Bingham on an investigation into procedures at the Foster Clinic. Please give the detective your full cooperation should he request information about the hospital. And please continue to report any strange behavior at the Foster Clinic or in the pharmacy department to Dr. Bingham or her receptionist.
Finally, a belated—but hearty—greeting to Dr. Kyle Bingham. Back in his hometown for a pediatrician residency, the handsome doctor has reformed his bad-boy ways in order to help the children of Merlyn County. Everyone—especially you single ladies—be sure to give him your warmest welcome!
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
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter One
Milla Johnson pressed the cell phone closer to her ear and glanced around the hospital cafeteria, glad no one could hear her conversation with her mother.
“The Binghams will turn on you,” her mom said, “now that you’ve been named in that malpractice suit.”
Milla rolled her eyes. She had enough stress in her life without her mother creating an enemy force out of the town’s most prominent family.
“I worry about you,” her mom added.
“I’m worried, too.” Milla, a midwife for only a year, had been unfairly charged with malpractice, following the home birth of a baby girl. “That lawsuit could potentially end my career before it gets off the ground. And it could shut down the Foster Clinic’s unique home-birth program.”
“That’s what I mean about the Binghams turning on you.” When Milla didn’t respond, her mother asked, “Did you hear what I said?”
Actually, the words rang loud and clear, but listening to unwelcome advice was another story. Especially when the Bingham family wasn’t responsible for the lawsuit. “I’m sorry, Mom. It’s a bit noisy in here.”
Milla stared at the plate of meat loaf in front of her, then shoved it aside. She’d thought the mashed potatoes might sit well. Now she wasn’t so sure. Her stomach had been a mess ever since learning of the malpractice suit, more so now that she’d talked to her mom.
“You watch your back, honey.”
“I’ll be careful.” Milla felt badly enough about being blamed for something that hadn’t been her fault and for the problems the lawsuit would cause the Bingham Foundation. She didn’t need a dose of maternal paranoia to complicate things.
Her mother had never made a secret of her distrust of the Binghams, but Milla was grateful to them. The family had done a lot for Merlyn County, and the Bingham Foundation had provided the grant that had paid for her midwifery education. True, she agreed to work for the clinic for the next five years to pay back the funds, but she loved her job and the professionals with whom she worked. She couldn’t imagine working at another clinic. Or worse, if the plaintiffs had their way, not working as a midwife ever again.
“Those people have brought nothing but heartache to our family.”
“By ‘those people,’” you mean Billy Bingham in particular. And the man has been dead for eight years, Mom.”
“Your aunt Connie died giving birth to one of Billy’s illegitimate babies.”
It was an age-old complaint and one Milla had grown tired of hearing. Her mother had never forgiven the man she blamed for her sister’s death, a man who died in a plane crash months before his youngest son’s birth.
Milla and her mother had raised the boy in their cramped, two-bedroom home since the day he was born. They both loved Dylan, in spite of his penchant for mischief. But oftentimes the money had been scarce, and even Milla had to admit life would have been easier on the Johnson household had Billy Bingham provided for Dylan the way he had for the other children he’d fathered without benefit of marriage.
Desperate to change the subject and to fast-forward the conversation she said, “I’m going to stop by the market on the way home. Do you need anything?”
“We’re out of milk.”
“Anything else?” While her mother recited a list, Milla glanced up and saw Dr. Kyle Bingham enter the busy cafeteria, and her heart skipped a beat.
The good-looking resident spotted her, too, and grinned, sending a jolt of awareness to jump-start her pulse. Kyle had turned her head on more than one occasion, and the attraction seemed to be mutual.
He headed toward her table.
“Listen, Mom, I’ve got to go. I’ll buy the groceries after I pick up Dylan from day camp. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Just remember what I said about the Binghams. Watch out.”
“I will,” Milla said, although the only thing she felt like watching was the blond Adonis coming her way. For some reason she didn’t even want to ponder, his smile had the power to make her heart rate go absolutely bonkers.
Tall, broad-shouldered and more handsome than a man had a right to be, Kyle Bingham had a flashy wardrobe, a promising medical career and no financial worries, even after attending Harvard Medical School. The guy could have more than his share of women—and probably had. So the fact that he found Milla even remotely attractive was flattering. Thrilling.
As he approached her table, she tried to come up with a reason why she didn’t need to get involved with him—anything other than her mother’s warning.
“This chair taken?” Dr. Adonis asked.
“No.” Milla shoved her phone back into her purse, setting it aside just as she had her mother’s warning. Even if she’d wanted to be mindful of the well-intentioned maternal advice by avoiding the Bingham family—which Milla didn’t—avoiding Kyle wasn’t the same thing.
Kyle was one of Billy’s illegitimate children. And from what Milla had heard, he didn’t have much to do with the other Binghams who’d been blessed with legitimacy.
Of course, watching herself around the man for other reasons might be wise. The young pediatrician was a bit cocky and on the arrogant side, although Milla could understand why. Kyle Bingham was a brilliant young doctor, and he knew it. She couldn’t fault him for having self-confidence.
Kyle took a seat across from her and cut right to the chase. “I want to testify on your behalf in that lawsuit.”
“You do?” Relief washed over her, and she had to struggle not to fall at his feet and gush her appreciation. As the attending physician on call when Joe and Darlene Canfield had rushed their sick newborn to the E.R. of Merlyn County Regional Hospital, Kyle would make an excellent witness.
“You and I both know that umbilical infections don’t happen at birth. That baby’s illness wasn’t caused by anything you did or failed to do.”
Milla knew it hadn’t been her fault. In spite of what the Canfields had said, she’d taken every precaution. She’d cut the cord textbook perfectly. And before she left the house, she’d told the new parents how to care for the umbilicus. She’d also advised them to bring the baby in for a postnatal exam, something they’d neglected to do.
“You have no idea how much I appreciate you saying that,” she said.
“The Canfields had bandaged the umbilicus, which first alerted me to the probable cause of the infection.”
Milla had told them to keep the umbilicus clean and dry. And she’d not only shown them how, she’d left them with printed instructions, although the lawsuit claimed she’d haphazardly cut the cord and left two new parents without any direction at all.
“After the baby stabilized, I took time to talk to Mrs. Canfield and question her. They hadn’t cleaned the umbilicus properly, and in addition, the disposable diapers she was using were entirely too large, which irritated the stump. At that time, they applied the bandage.”
“Which kept the umbilicus moist, instead of dry.”
Kyle nodded. “Mrs. Canfield was also having nursing difficulties.”
“Is she claiming that was my fault, too?” Milla asked. “I worked with her at length before leaving the house. The baby took right to the breast, and they didn’t seem to be having any trouble.”
“She didn’t blame that on you. But I don’t think she was comfortable breast-feeding, and I’m not sure how often she nursed the baby, which might have compromised the infant’s immune system.”
Milla blew out a sigh of relief, glad to have someone else realize she hadn’t been at fault.
“The Canfields claim the umbilicus was already infected before they bandaged it,” Kyle added, “which is probably the argument their attorney will use.”
“So, even with your testimony, this lawsuit may not be settled easily.”
“Who knows what will happen with the attorney involved. But the baby’s infection wasn’t your fault.”
“And you’ll testify to that?”
