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Holiday Baby
Jenna Mindel
She’s got a Christmas secret…But is he ready for fatherhood in Maple Springs?When Cat Zelinsky returns to her hometown, she doesn’t expect to bump into Simon Roberts. The moment he sees her newborn daughter—and his own brown eyes looking back at him—Simon learns the secret Cat’s been keeping. He’s a daddy. And this Christmas, the globe-trotting bachelor might just discover that a loving family is exactly what he needs.
She’s got a Christmas secret...
But is he ready for fatherhood in Maple Springs?
When Cat Zelinsky returns to her hometown, she doesn’t expect to bump into Simon Roberts. The moment he sees her newborn daughter—and his own brown eyes looking back at him—Simon learns the secret Cat’s been keeping. He’s a daddy. And this Christmas, the globe-trotting bachelor might just discover that a loving family is exactly what he needs.
JENNA MINDEL lives in northwest Michigan with her husband and their three dogs. A 2006 Romance Writers of America RITA® Award finalist, Jenna has answered her heart’s call to write inspirational romances set near the Great Lakes.
Also By Jenna Mindel (#u46d3a03f-8def-50dd-bca7-dfedbe839696)
Maple Springs
Falling for the Mom-to-Be
A Soldier’s Valentine
A Temporary Courtship
An Unexpected Family
Holiday Baby
Big Sky Centennial
His Montana Homecoming
Mending Fences
Season of Dreams
Courting Hope
Season of Redemption
The Deputy’s New Family
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Holiday Baby
Jenna Mindel
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-08641-7
HOLIDAY BABY
© 2018 Jenna Mindel
Published in Great Britain 2018
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.
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www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
“Can I hold her?”
Simon’s voice was whisper soft.
Cat wanted to refuse. He was leaving after Christmas. But maybe because he was leaving, what harm could there be in granting this small request?
As he held the baby, she watched the man melt before her very eyes.
Simon touched Opal’s nose. “She’s a beauty, yes?”
Cat clenched her jaw. The sight nearly undid her. “Yes.”
He looked at her hard. “Cat, I have no idea what to do.”
“You’re holding her just fine.”
“That’s not what I mean.” He looked as if he’d been torn in two.
“What do you mean?” she whispered.
Simon’s gaze bore into hers, searching.
Simon didn’t hand her over. “Come with me.”
Cat could refuse, but they’d have to finish this conversation eventually. Before he left, anyway. She owed him that much.
Dear Reader (#u46d3a03f-8def-50dd-bca7-dfedbe839696),
Thank you so much for reading my last book in the Maple Springs series. I hope you’ve enjoyed Cat and Simon’s journey to self-forgiveness, peace and finally love.
This was my most difficult book to bring together. For quite some time, I struggled with Cat’s character. I didn’t understand the depths of her pain until I researched online stories of people who’d caused an accidental death. I was deeply moved and I hope I’ve touched this subject with compassion. There is no pat answer to soothe such grief, but I do believe in a big God with the power to heal. If we let Him.
As I wrap up my visits with the Zelinsky family during my favorite time of the year, my prayer for this Christmas season is that we’d draw closer to God with grateful hearts that are full of His love for others.
My warmest wishes to you for a very Merry Christmas and joyful New Year.
Jenna
I love to hear from readers. Please visit my website at www.jennamindel.com (http://www.jennamindel.com) or follow me on www.Facebook. com/authorjennamindel (https://www.facebook.com/authorjennamindel/) or drop me a note c/o Love Inspired Books, 195 Broadway, 24th floor, New York, NY 10007.
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.
—Ephesians 1:7
A huge thank-you to Matt and Courtney Font for their insight into emergency room protocol. And to Joan Marshall for sharing a mother’s perspective on going to the ER. Your information was incredibly helpful!
Contents
Cover (#u24bf8354-126a-5e01-9908-5959b9bc7495)
Back Cover Text (#uc3e5daf6-abb7-57e8-8563-34e0be0ecad7)
About the Author (#u2ce962a1-690d-55d3-b04f-1cad41c5931b)
Booklist (#u22d91c4d-47eb-5c27-8e0c-62f59dd620b2)
Title Page (#u1f6c0a2e-c073-5b2b-9a19-93d3f8684555)
Copyright (#u67b14ca9-8e61-563e-a692-503ba51b96bb)
Introduction (#u493c8eb4-5f91-510d-b849-9f1eb0ff8f24)
Dear Reader (#uf34f28fa-591b-5265-8e40-ce0327f84d38)
Bible Verse (#uafc3d5c2-c2a7-548e-9747-d97f8614f56c)
Dedication (#u188cc9a7-83a0-5971-b84b-9b824376f132)
Chapter One (#uad64dcb1-fb22-5e95-9df7-3214d8059ded)
Chapter Two (#u694883ca-6694-5226-9e8b-4857ba8a4bed)
Chapter Three (#u010ac86d-5104-51ed-964a-1ff44e102819)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
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)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#u46d3a03f-8def-50dd-bca7-dfedbe839696)
Home.
Cat Zelinsky hated coming home.
It wasn’t the town. She loved Maple Springs, Michigan. It wasn’t her family either; they were great. It was the memories her hometown held. Bad memories of a child who had drowned while in her care when she was a teen. The images haunted her still, maybe now more than ever.
Northern Michigan was one of the most beautiful places even if it held reminders of the ugliest time in her life. It was also a great place to raise a child. She’d never expected to return home with a baby of her own in tow. Glancing in the rearview mirror, she smiled at her nine-week-old daughter bundled in her car seat. “Almost there, Opal.”
Midway through her maternity leave, Cat had given notice as a photojournalist for a travel magazine. She’d explored fascinating places all over the world in order to write enticing articles that encouraged the next vacation or bucket-list destination. Not anymore. Those endless, exciting travel days were over.
It had been a long road trip from New York. Cat used to drive it in a day, but with a two-month-old, she’d stopped overnight in Ohio and several times in between to feed or change or simply walk with Opal when she fussed.
“Thanksgiving is pretty special at the Zelinsky house. You’ll see.” Cat snickered when she realized how much she talked to her baby. She’d started the habit when she found out she was pregnant. After years of counseling, it amazed her how therapeutic simply sharing her thoughts with an infant could be.
Rounding Maple Bay, Cat caught the gorgeous November view that pierced her heart with the warm sense of coming home—followed by the icy reminder of why she’d stayed away except for short visits.
The trees and ground were bare. No snow had yet fallen even though it was plenty cold. The late-afternoon sun peeked out from gray clouds, casting a rosy glow over the landscape, making it look like a painting she might see in a museum. The play of sunlight was fleeting, and in minutes the starkly beautiful vision was gone.
So many things changed in mere moments. Far too many things. Regret didn’t help, and neither did self-loathing, but Cat steeped in both. If only she could do things over. If only...
God, help me face this.
Why should He? She didn’t deserve God’s help.
Cat might have been raised in a Christian home, but she’d been running from God for as long as she could remember. Once she’d realized she was pregnant, she’d asked for protection over her baby. Opal had been born a week late and healthy, but fear that God might still punish her for yet another sin remained a constant companion.
