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Prognosis: A Baby? Maybe
Jacqueline Diamond
One Night Was All It Took…for Dr. Jason Carmichael to believe that Heather Rourke had given birth to his baby. After all, there were the rumors that she'd taken off from work for two months for "personal reasons," right around the time she would have gone into labor. And then there was that adorable infant he'd seen when he'd stopped by her apartment–conveniently unannounced. But why would Heather keep him in the dark when all this once die-hard bachelor could think about was baby booties and toothless grins? He had no clear memory of the night of passion they had shared fifteen months earlier.… Was this child his or was Heather hiding a deeper secret?
They made it to the bedroom at last
Lying with her head on Jason’s chest, Heather listened to the evenness of his breathing and waited for sleep to claim her.
They’d shared something tonight that ran deeper than a casual encounter. He’d felt it, too, she was certain.
She tried not to think about what might happen as a result. Perhaps, this time, there wouldn’t be any emotional fallout. Surely she hadn’t misjudged Jason’s capacity for intimacy.
A momentary uneasiness disturbed her tranquillity. They’d forgotten to take precautions. What if something came of it?
A longing jolted through her. A baby. To nurture a child through the miraculous stages of growth would be a joy almost as great as finding the love of her life.
As sleep began to claim her and she snuggled closer to Jason, Heather wondered whether it was possible that she might have both.
Dear Reader,
This month Harlequin American Romance delivers favorite authors and irresistible stories of heart, home and happiness that are sure to leave you smiling.
COWBOYS BY THE DOZEN, Tina Leonard’s new family-connected miniseries, premieres this month with Frisco Joe’s Fiancеe, in which a single mother and her daughter give a hard-riding, heartbreaking cowboy second thoughts about bachelorhood.
Next, in Prognosis: A Baby? Maybe, the latest book in Jacqueline Diamond’s THE BABIES OF DOCTORS CIRCLE miniseries, a playboy doctor’s paternal instincts and suspicions are aroused when he sees a baby girl with the woman who had shared a night of passion with him. Was this child his? THE HARTWELL HOPE CHESTS, Rita Herron’s delightful series, resumes with Have Cowboy, Need Cupid, in which a city girl suddenly starts dreaming about a cowboy groom after opening an heirloom hope chest. And rounding out the month is Montana Daddy, a reunion romance and secret baby story by Charlotte Maclay.
Enjoy this month’s offerings as Harlequin American Romance continues to celebrate its yearlong twentieth anniversary.
Melissa Jeglinski
Associate Senior Editor
Harlequin American Romance
Prognosis: A Baby? Maybe
Jacqueline Diamond
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
This book is dedicated to Marcia Holman with thanks
for her friendship and her expert advice.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The daughter of a doctor and an artist, Jacqueline Diamond claims to have researched the field of obstetrics primarily by developing a large range of complications during her pregnancies. She’s also lucky enough to have a friend and neighbor who’s an obstetrical nurse. The author of more than sixty novels, Jackie lives in Southern California with her husband and two sons. She loves to hear from readers. You can write to her at P.O. Box 1315, Brea, CA 92822, or by e-mail at JDiamondfriends@aol.com (mailto:JDiamondfriends@aol.com).
Books by Jacqueline Diamond
HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE
79—THE DREAM NEVER DIES
196—AN UNEXPECTED MAN
218—UNLIKELY PARTNERS
239—THE CINDERELLA DARE
270—CAPERS AND RAINBOWS
279—GHOST OF A CHANCE
315—FLIGHT OF MAGIC
351—BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS
406—OLD DREAMS, NEW DREAMS
446—THE TROUBLE WITH TERRY
491—A DANGEROUS GUY
583—THE RUNAWAY BRIDE
615—YOURS, MINE AND OURS
631—THE COWBOY AND THE HEIRESS
642—ONE HUSBAND TOO MANY
645—DEAR LONELY IN L.A.…
674—MILLION-DOLLAR MOMMY
687—DADDY WARLOCK
716—A REAL-LIVE SHEIKH
734—THE COWBOY AND THE SHOTGUN BRIDE
763—LET’S MAKE A BABY!
791—ASSIGNMENT: GROOM!
804—MISTLETOE DADDY
833—I DO! I DO!
855—DADDY, M.D.
875—KISS A HANDSOME STRANGER
889—SURPRISE, DOC! YOU’RE A DADDY!
913—THE IMPROPERLY PREGNANT PRINCESS
962—DIAGNOSIS: EXPECTING BOSS’S BABY* (#litres_trial_promo)
971—PRESCRIPTION: MARRY HER IMMEDIATELY* (#litres_trial_promo)
978—PROGNOSIS: A BABY? MAYBE* (#litres_trial_promo)
HARLEQUIN INTRIGUE
435—AND THE BRIDE VANISHES
512—HIS SECRET SON
550—CAPTURED BY A SHEIKH
Contents
Chapter One (#ub680c164-5469-5133-9b36-5bc16ab39787)
Chapter Two (#udc367b01-ea5a-5093-9fae-ac28b8b787ca)
Chapter Three (#u9a13b456-e0ce-55cb-9c65-b34d51a28768)
Chapter Four (#u8812378e-df70-5b41-bc7c-0a341e2b6031)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One
The last man in the world that Heather Rourke wanted to see stood in the doorway of her office. She glanced up questioningly, trying to mask her speeding pulse with an air of cool professional detachment.
“Now that we’re going to be colleagues, Doctor, I hope we can put the past behind us,” said Jason Carmichael.
Green ice, that’s what had formed his eyes in some glacial age when Neanderthals stalked the world, Heather thought. In this case, the Neanderthal had a degree from Harvard Medical School, short dark hair and a lean build beneath his expensive business suit. His collected manner failed to assuage her opinion that he was a semi-savage male who probably ate his steak sandwiches raw.
“As far as I’m concerned, there is no past,” Heather told the new head of the Infertility Clinic.
The latest addition to the Doctors Circle complex, the clinic was in the final stages of remodeling and would open officially in April, two months from now. Jason had arrived earlier this week but had been so busy that, until now, he and Heather had exchanged only brief, impersonal greetings. She wished they could keep it that way.
Ever since his appointment had been announced last fall, rumors had spread about her supposed dislike of him. They’d been right.
Some fellow staffers attributed Heather’s attitude to professional jealousy. Since she’d worked as an obstetrician at Doctors Circle for three years and had handled most of the infertility cases, she might have expected to be promoted to the post.
Others guessed that there was some personal conflict in their backgrounds. No one knew the truth, that she’d nearly made love to this man more than a year ago after meeting him at a convention. What a disaster that had been!
Heather hadn’t confided the story even to the few friends with whom she’d shared her other secret, that she’d given up a baby for adoption when she was fifteen. Although her daughter had reappeared in her life and, along with a baby granddaughter, was now very dear to her, Heather saw no reason to spread that information around Doctors Circle. In her opinion, the more private she kept her life, the better.
“Did you get my e-mail?” Jason said. “I expected a reply by now.”
“I’m not sure. Which e-mail was that?”
“I’ve only sent one.”
“Then no, I haven’t seen it,” Heather said.
Jason gritted his teeth. “I don’t see how you could have missed it. I sent it twice.”
“I’m sure it’s in the queue.” She gestured at the computer screen that dominated the scattering of files and medication samples on her desk. “I clear it every Friday.” Today was Wednesday.
Annoyance twisted his mouth. “You’ll find I’m a stickler for organization, Doctor. That includes keeping up with your messages.”
“I’m a stickler for being on time with my patients, even when that leaves me with a messy desk.” Heather checked her watch. “Why don’t you simply tell me what the message said? And why don’t we drop this ‘doctor’ nonsense and call each other by our first names?”
Judging by his frown, Jason wasn’t accustomed to being addressed so cavalierly. He’d better get used to it. People in Serene Beach, California, didn’t stand on ceremony. Especially her.
“Very well, Heather.” He emphasized her name. “I wrote to suggest that you and I walk through the new facility, unfinished as it is. I’d like to consult you about our planning.”
A blush heated her cheeks. With her short mop of red curls and sprinkle of freckles, Heather colored easily when embarrassed.
