Surprise! Surprise!. Tina Leonard

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      To Isabel Sites, Georgina Haynes, Leesa Whitson, Olivia Holton, Suzanne Coleburn and Ken Lester, Donita Lawrence, Oleta North, Denise O’Sullivan and Natashya Wilson. Without all of the above-mentioned people, the author Tina Leonard might not exist.

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      Tina Leonard loves to laugh, which is one of the many reasons she loves writing Harlequin American Romance books. In another lifetime, Tina thought she would be single and an East Coast fashion buyer forever. The unexpected happened when Tina met Tim again after many years—she hadn’t seen him since they’d attended school together from first through eighth grade. They married, and now Tina keeps a close eye on her school-age children’s friends! Lisa and Dean keep their mother busy with soccer, gymnastics and horseback riding. They are proud of their mom’s “kissy books” and eagerly help her any way they can. Tina hopes that readers will enjoy the love of family she writes about in her books. Recently a reviewer wrote, “Leonard has a wonderful sense of the ridiculous,” which Tina loved so much, she wants it for her epitaph. Right now, however, she’s focusing on her wonderful life and writing a lot more romance!

      CAST OF CHARACTERS

      Sam Winston—Went from making business deals to changing babies’ diapers.

      Maddie Winston—Got tired of waiting for motherhood!

      Henry and Hayden Winston—Twin baby brothers born by a miracle of love.

      Virgil and Franny Brady & Severn and Sara Winston—They’d try anything to get their children back together again, especially baby-sit.

      Joey Brady—Maddie’s younger brother’s near miss turns out to be a blessing in disguise.

      Dr. Abby Maitland—She’s delivered hundreds of babies, but twins are her favorites.

      Dr. Mitchell Maitland—He’s helped dozens of couples have the families they’ve always wanted.

      Megan Maitland—The founder of Maitland Maternity has a special place in her heart for all the children born here.

      Mason and Gina Blackstone—Read about their story in I Do! I Do! coming next month.

      Daisy and Lilly Blackstone—Twin baby sisters born prematurely who bring together a lonely rancher and a virginal nurse, in I Do! I Do!

      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 Seventeen

      Chapter Eighteen

      Chapter Nineteen

      Chapter Twenty

      Epilogue

      Chapter One

      “Without Maitland Maternity, and Dr. Mitchell Maitland, this miracle wouldn’t have happened.” Maddie Winston swallowed, her eyes glowing with soft happiness as she looked at her precious newborns. Twin boys. She still couldn’t believe it. A grateful sigh tightened her throat but she looked at the newspaper reporters and the local TV crew, forcing herself to keep her voice even so the tears wouldn’t well up and spill over. “Dr. Abby Maitland has my profound thanks for making the birth process a wonderful, spiritual one. A new mother couldn’t ask for anything more.”

      “What the devil is going on in here?” a male voice roared suddenly, drying her tears and stiffening her spine. The path of crew and reporters parted to reveal her long-lost husband.

      Maddie faced Sam squarely, though the shock of seeing him again after all these months—and today of all days—made her knees slightly weak. “What’s going on is a small media conference, Sam.”

      “Small?” He whirled to stare at the reporters, doctors and nurses clogging the room.

      “Who’s he?” an intrepid reporter called.

      She stared at Sam’s angry expression and cast subtlety to the wind. “The sperm donor,” Maddie said brightly.

      “The sper—” His furious eyes glared at her.

      “Conference is over,” Abby called, efficiently clearing the room, in command as always. “The parents need some time alone.”

      Maddie turned away. The last thing she needed was time alone with Sam. How could he have found out? She’d wanted to tell him in her own way, in her own time. When she’d known for certain everything would be all right with the babies.

      The truth was that she’d procrastinated longer than she should have, not wanting to call the man who’d left her to admit she’d made a tiny withdrawal which had certainly paid astonishing dividends.

      “How could you have kept this from me?” he demanded once the room emptied.

      She put her hands on her hips. “How could I have told you?” Drawing herself up, she faked bravado to cover her racing heart. “You were in France. I was here in Texas. We haven’t talked in nine months. There didn’t seem to be a good time.”

      Maybe it was a lame excuse, but it was best to keep the past firmly between them. A barrier neither of them wanted to cross. The marriage was over, no emotions left to feel, no ties to bind—except these two babies.

      “So they are mine?” He slung a curious, possibly frightened glance at the twin bassinets. “Your brother didn’t make this up as a sick joke?”

      Her stomach curled, tightening against the pain. “Are you saying Joey called you?”

      “Yeah.” A tic worked in his jaw. “Why were all these reporters and people in here? Was everybody supposed to know about this except me?”

      “Sam, while I’m glad you’re interested in the children—”

      “Somehow you’ve made me a father. Didn’t you think I’d be interested?”

      Not in loving her, of course. In duty. “I prefer to think of your concern in this to be a minor one. We’re separated. I won’t be the first single mom in history.”

      “Just a mother with children she stole.”

      “I did not steal them!”

      “I’m