Er docs miracle triplets, p.1
ER Doc's Miracle Triplets, page 1
Buenos Aires Docs
Finding the prescription for a love that lasts...
Meet the dedicated medics of the Hospital General de Buenos Aires. They might be winners in their work, but they all need a little help when it comes to finding their happy-ever-afters!
Luckily for them, passion is sweeping through the corridors of the hospital like a virus and no one is immune! Are they brave enough to take their chance on happiness...and each other?
Find out in
Sebastián and Isabella’s story
ER Doc’s Miracle Triplets by Tina Beckett
Carlos and Sofia’s story
Surgeon’s Brooding Brazilian Rival by Luana DaRosa
Available now!
Gabriel and Ana’s story
Daring to Fall for the Single Dad by Becky Wicks
Felipe and Emilia’s story
Secretly Dating the Baby Doc by JC Harroway
Coming next month!
Dear Reader,
When I first started my writing adventure, I never dreamed I would someday have fifty published books. And yet here I am. And the surprising thing is that the ideas still come—almost faster than I can write them at times. I love being able to tell stories. And yet it sometimes becomes complicated in ways I never imagined.
Such is what happens with the characters of this book. Isabella wanted something so badly that she almost sacrificed everything for it. And when she gets it...well, let’s just say things get complicated. Thank you so much for joining Seb and Bella as they try to figure out if their relationship is worth saving after the heartbreak of IVF treatments that failed time and time again. But there’s a surprise in store for them. I hope you love discovering what that surprise is as much as I loved writing these two special characters. Enjoy!
Love,
Tina Beckett
ER Doc’s Miracle Triplets
Tina Beckett
Three-time Golden Heart® Award finalist Tina Beckett learned to pack her suitcases almost before she learned to read. Born to a military family, she has lived in the United States, Puerto Rico, Portugal and Brazil. In addition to traveling, Tina loves to cuddle with her pug, Alex; spend time with her family; and hit the trails on her horse. Learn more about Tina from her website or friend her on Facebook.
Books by Tina Beckett
Harlequin Medical Romance
California Nurses
The Nurse’s One-Night Baby
Starting Over with the Single Dad
Their Reunion to Remember
One Night with the Sicilian Surgeon
From Wedding Guest to Bride?
A Family Made in Paradise
The Vet, the Pup and the Paramedic
The Surgeon She Could Never Forget
Resisting the Brooding Heart Surgeon
A Daddy for the Midwife’s Twins?
Tempting the Off-Limits Nurse
Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.
To my wonderful family!
Praise for Tina Beckett
“Tina Beckett definitely followed through on the premise and managed to infuse just the right amount of angst and passion to keep me glued to the pages of Miracle Baby for the Midwife from beginning to end.”
—Harlequin Junkie
Contents
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
EPILOGUE
EXCERPT FROM SURGEON’S BROODING BRAZILIAN RIVAL BY LUANA DAROSA
PROLOGUE
“BELLA...QUERIDA. I’M so sorry, but I just can’t...with any of it. We agreed this would be the last time.” Sebastián held a sheaf of papers in his hand.
She bowed her head and stared at the dining room table, willing herself not to cry over her latest loss. Their latest loss. She knew they’d agreed. Six weeks had passed since their latest attempt at IVF had ended with her spotting again. It had followed the same pattern for the last couple of years: implanting the embryos only to start bleeding a week or two later and hear she’d lost them. Their doctor had even tried a new regimen of hormones, hoping that she would be able to retain the pregnancy this time.
It was obvious she hadn’t. Again. Even though she’d held on to it for weeks longer this time.
Seb wasn’t telling her anything she didn’t already know. And although he hadn’t been cruel and mentioned that they’d both agreed that the time before this one would be the last attempt, he might as well have. Because today he seemed different. Harder, somehow. As if he’d made a decision and was walling himself off from what had happened...walling himself off from her. Brick by brick. Layer by layer.
“But...” She forced her teeth to bite down after that single word came out, refusing to beg him for one more attempt.
As if he knew the words were swirling in her brain, even if her lips weren’t uttering them, Seb slowly shook his head, a pained tightening of his mouth the only indication of how difficult the gesture was.
She stared down at her hands, knowing he was right. But after all this time...after all of those tries, how could he just...give up?
The fact that he hadn’t mentioned adoption or surrogacy like he had after the last failed treatment was telling. Her head came up to look at his face. The gorgeous face of the man she’d loved. The man she’d once burned for with the fire of a thousand estrellas.
Once?
No. She still loved him. Desperately. But when was the last time they’d made love deep into the night? The last time she’d reached for him without the fear of jarring something loose in her womb? Everything had become so timid and fearful and...careful. Her glance shifted back to the papers in his hands and her breath hissed out.
Divorce? Oh, Dios, no! She swallowed hard.
“W-what are those?”
He didn’t even have to ask what she was talking about. “I’ve accepted a temporary assignment with Médecins sans Frontières.” A muscle worked in his cheek. “You need some space, Bella. We need some space.”
Part of her wanted to sag in relief that he didn’t want to end things completely. But wasn’t this the same thing? A trial run to see how he would fare without her and her relentless attempts to carry a child? He was probably wildly relieved to get away from her.
Unlike her, who needed him on so many levels. Especially right now. She wanted to shout at him that he needed to stay, needed to at least try to work things out. But she wondered if there was even anything left to work on. So she didn’t say any of that. Instead, she simply asked, “When do you leave?”
“Next week.”
Next week. So he’d already applied for this position some time ago. How long did it take to be accepted? Had he been busy filling out forms even as they’d implanted the embryos? The thought filled her heart with anger, and bile swept up her throat, leaving an awful taste in her mouth.
“How long will you be gone?”
Did she really want to know?
“I’m contracted for eight weeks in Angola. But it depends on the conditions I find when I arrive.”
In other words, he might stay even longer. Her anger went up a notch.
Let him go. He’d already decided all of this without consulting her. Without even asking her if she wanted to go with him. In the back of her mind there was a little nudge. He had asked her. A few years ago, when they were still making love with a fervor that left her breathless. When trying to have a baby had actually been filled with adventure and lots of steamy experimentation. Before the desperation had set in. Before they’d turned to fertility specialists and all that it entailed. Yes, he’d asked her about Doctors without Borders, but she’d been too excited at the possibility of being a mom, so she told him to ask her again in a year or two. He never had.
And he evidently wasn’t going to.
She hardened her heart against the hurt, against the feelings of abandonment. So yes, let him go. She didn’t even ask him where in Angola he was headed. Maybe the separation would reset her system and she’d be able to let go of the dream of having his child once and for all. At forty-one, and after ten years of trying to beat the odds, she knew those odds were now stacked higher than ever against them. And if he decided he wanted a divorce? She wouldn’t fight him. She was too tired to. Instead, she’d simply move on with her life and let her career be enough.
So she said all she could say right now. “Okay. If that’s what you want.”
She didn’t promise she’d be here when he got back, and he didn’t ask. While Seb was gone, she had a lot of thinking to do. About what she wanted to do with her life, and if he’d even fit into it after this.
Once that decision was made, there’d be no going back.
So she wished him well and headed on to work, leaving him to pack or do whatever else he needed to do. And Bella would do whatever it was that she needed to do and hope to God that she could figure out what that something was.
And soon.
CHAPTER ONE
AN AMBULANCE SCREECHED to a halt in front of Hospital General de Buenos Aires. It looked like he’d returned to Argentina and the h ospital at just the right time, since there were two more parked in the huge entrance of the emergency department. The heat of summer seemed to envelop Sebastián Lopez in a thick layer that made it hard to breathe. Seb stepped up to the open ambulance to see if he could help, only to be met by Gabriel Romero, who was already leaping down and shouting orders to whoever else was inside the vehicle. “Be careful with that neck brace.”
Seb peered inside and could only see yellow feathers everywhere. What the hell? It looked like some huge bird had exploded inside the roomy interior of the truck. Then he realized it was a costume. “What have you got?”
Gabriel glanced over and his eyes widened, then the paramedic clapped Seb on the back. “Well, well, well, welcome back, porteño! Or do you not claim Buenos Aires as your home anymore?”
Porteño was the word Argentines used when referring to people who were from the country’s capital.
“Very funny.” He gave his friend a mock scowl. “I take it your patient has been practicing with one of the Carnival troupes?”
“Yep. And he took one too many steps and fell backward off the stage, landing on his head. He’s already got some nasty swelling on the back of his skull.”
“Right. Let’s get him inside.”
Gabriel nodded and pulled the gurney far enough out of the vehicle that the wheels snapped down into place. Hurrying to the emergency entrance, Seb blew a feather away from his mouth as he struggled to keep the long plumes of the costume out of his face. He tried to assess the patient as they went, using his penlight to flick light at each eye. He’d only arrived back in Argentina a few hours ago, and had booked a room in a nearby hotel, not knowing what kind of reception he was going to get from Bella when she found out he was back. He wasn’t holding out much hope at this point.
“Pupils are equal and reactive. That’s a good...”
He glanced up to make sure he wasn’t going to run into anything, and his penlight stopped midair as he spied a familiar face rushing toward them.
“What have we got?” If Bella seemed startled by the costume, she didn’t show it. Nor did she show any reaction to him. Or maybe she just hadn’t noticed him yet. Or worse, maybe she just didn’t want to notice him. She hadn’t contacted him once since he’d been gone over the last two months, not even to wish him a Feliz Navidad. He’d sent her a text and had even tried to call but had gotten no response. Seb was pretty sure that didn’t bode well for the state of their relationship. He’d braced himself to receive a divorce petition when he returned. In fact, he’d delayed his flight one week rather than face that possibility, although he’d argued with himself that it was because the little clinic where he’d been working had been overrun with dengue fever cases at the time. But in his heart of hearts, he knew that wasn’t why he’d delayed his return.
After all the fertility struggles, he’d decided that if he was never going to be a parent, that was okay. He definitely didn’t want to go back down the road he’d been on during that particular journey. Not with her. Not with anyone.
He took a few seconds to glance at her as the paramedics filled her in on the patient. She didn’t look any worse for wear. If anything, the slight gauntness she’d developed over their last year of heartache seemed to have melted away. The curves that he’d always loved seemed to have returned full force, despite the shapeless scrubs that didn’t reveal much, and her face and cheeks glowed. And her ready smile...it was back.
His leaving had been a good thing for her, evidently. And even though he knew his marriage was very probably over, he was glad that she’d made peace with things in his absence. That she seemed to have rediscovered her sense of self and purpose. He just had no idea where he fit into that. Or if he did.
Just then the patient groaned, and Seb leaned in to reassure the man. “Take it easy. You’re at the hospital. We’re going to take good care of you.”
When he glanced up again, Bella had gone dead still, her gaze fixed intently on him, and any color he’d seen in her face just now had disappeared without a trace. Her eyes closed for a long minute before reopening. Then it was as if a switch was flicked back on. Her body reanimated, going about her tasks with the patient as if she’d never stopped. As if his reappearance was nothing more than a minor blip on her horizon that she’d already forgotten about. Indeed, she hadn’t even said so much as a hello to him.
Even Gabriel seemed a little uncomfortable at the sudden tension in the room, finishing his report and turning the patient fully over to the hospital staff. As he turned to go, he murmured to Seb, “Give her a little time.”
Hadn’t he already done that by going to Angola? What else did she need time for? To make the break final? To figure out how to ignore him even more than she already was?
He nodded at his friend as if he understood the words, but in reality his head was spinning with a sense of doom.
They got the patient into a room and transferred him over to a hospital bed, letting the other medical tech take the gurney back out to the emergency vehicle.
She was still avoiding eye contact. Well, to hell with this. He was not going to walk on eggshells around her or anyone. He couldn’t do it. Not anymore.
He moved closer to Bella, leaning down to whisper, “We need to talk.”
She finally looked at him again and gave a sharp nod. “Once he’s stable.”
Of course. What else would he have meant? That they just leave the patient and hammer out their personal business in the hospital corridor? No. They were both professionals. They would have to work together, no matter what happened between them.
Unless she was planning on leaving the hospital? A sharp pain went through his midsection at the thought of never seeing her again. Even when he’d been in Africa he’d never once thought of relocating there or making his assignment anything more than an emergency stopgap to assist the staff already on location, who’d been so swamped with patients that they’d struggled to keep up.
Bella was as adept at her job as ever, consulting him briefly as they decided which tests needed to be run. An MRI to rule out traumatic brain or spinal cord injury was at the top of the list.
Once they’d done their physical exam to rule out other problems they could see or feel, the imaging department whisked the patient off to have the scan done. It would take about forty-five minutes before they could get him in and get it finished, so he turned to Bella and found her watching him with wary eyes.
“Do you have time to meet in our office briefly?” he said.
As the joint leads of the ER department, they shared a place to do consults and have meetings with staff. As soon as he said the words, though, he wondered if he was crazy. He and Bella had sometimes made love in his office, whenever her sexiness had particularly gotten to him, back in the early days of their relationship. But it was the only really private place he could think of to talk to her, off the top of his head.
Except she shook her head. “Could we go to the little café around the corner instead?”
She didn’t tell him why she preferred going there instead of to the office, but it probably had to do with the same reasons. But it still rankled that she didn’t want to be around things that reminded her of happier days. Maybe because those days were long gone, lost in a tidal wave of failed pregnancies and flagging hope.
“Sure. That’s fine.”
“Let me just tell them where I’ll be.”
Where she would be. Not them. It seemed she’d already disconnected from him. But maybe it was just as well. Until they could figure out where they stood it was better not to feed the rumor mills with anything that could have people wondering what was going on.
Mainly because he wasn’t sure what was going on himself.
So the coffee shop it was.
* * *
When she’d seen him with that patient, her heart had skipped a beat. Or maybe it had been five or six, because the shock had quickly given way to other feelings entirely. Hormones. Or maybe it had been that she hadn’t been entirely sure he was going to come back at all. That had to be it.
