A Mistletoe Kiss for the Single Dad Read online

  Second chance...

  ...under the mistletoe!

  GP Nick Marlowe returned to his hometown to focus on raising his young son. The last person he expects to see in Bayside is high-flying Beverly Hills surgeon Belle! The childhood sweetheart he’d let go so she could pursue her dream of attending medical school. Only, now they’re working side by side to reopen her late aunt’s free Christmas Eve clinic, their magical connection returns... Could a mistletoe kiss spark another chance—just in time for Christmas?

  “Mistletoe.”

  “Does kind of seem a shame to waste it, huh?” he said, blood pounding loud in his ears and adrenaline singing in his veins, drowning out the carolers around them. All his attention was focused on her pink lips, wondering if she tasted as sweet as he remembered.

  People swayed around them, pushing him and Belle closer still. Her face was so close, her eyes darkening as their bodies brushed. Their breath mingled, frosting on the chilly air. Time seemed to halt as they seemed to really see each other for the first time after all these years.

  Nick gave up the fight and bent to brush his lips over Belle’s.

  One quick peck then he’d be done.

  People cheered and the band played another Christmas tune, but instead of pulling away as he’d intended, Nick snuggled Belle closer. She tasted of sugar and cinnamon and chocolate, her body tense against him before she relaxed. Then her free hand was clutching his shoulder, and he shivered despite the heat thundering through his blood stream.

  It was as good as he remembered. It was just as right.

  Dear Reader,

  Going home again is one of those themes that really resonates with a lot of people, I think, because it’s all about nostalgia and second chances. About dealing with the past and looking ahead to the future. In this story, Belle and Nick are brought together again through tragic circumstances—the passing of her beloved aunt. Add in the residual grief and guilt Nick is dealing with because of the loss of his wife a few years prior and his stress over trying to raise his young son alone and you end up with a whole lot of emotions ready to boil over. It’s not all dark and angsty, though, thanks to young Connor and the magic of the holidays.

  Christmas has the power to heal even the most wounded of hearts, if we only believe. But can Belle and Nick trust the power of their love enough to receive the greatest gift of all—a new family they create together?

  You’ll have to read A Mistletoe Kiss for the Single Dad to find out.

  Wishing you and yours all the joy, peace and love of this festive season!

  Traci

  A Mistletoe Kiss for the Single Dad

  Traci Douglass

  Books by Traci Douglass

  Harlequin Medical Romance

  One Night with the Army Doc

  Finding Her Forever Family

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com.

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  To my family and to all those lovely summers we spent together on the beaches of Pentwater...

  Praise for Traci Douglass

  “Ms. Douglass has delivered an absolutely engaging and unputdownable read.... It was from the moment the hero and heroine come face-to-face for the first time where things get really interesting.”

  —Harlequin Junkie on One Night with the Army Doc

  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

  EXCERPT FROM FROM HEARTACHE TO FOREVER BY CAROLINE ANDERSON

  CHAPTER ONE

  “I’M SORRY. COULD you repeat that, please?” Dr. Christabelle Watson blinked at the rather uncomfortable-looking lawyer sitting across the desk from her. “I don’t think I heard you correctly.”

  Dylan Carter, the only attorney in tiny Bayside, Michigan, and therefore the person handling her aunt Marlene’s estate, took a deep breath. “Um...okay. Sure. It says here your aunt left half of her practice to you and the other half to Dr. Nicholas Marlowe.”

  Nick, who sat next to her, shifted in his seat and straightened the dark jacket of his suit. Once he’d been a pediatric surgeon in Atlanta. Now he was back in their hometown as well, working as a GP.

  Her aunt Marlene had been a general practitioner as well, a pillar of the Bayside community, liked and respected by all. Seemed everyone had turned out for her aunt’s funeral earlier in the day and said their fond farewells and given condolences to Belle on her loss.

  A loss that had been made even harder because she’d had no idea her aunt’s cancer had progressed to stage four—terminal. Her chest ached anew with sorrow and regret. If only she’d known her aunt was so sick.

  If only...

  She tried to console herself with the fact that even if she had known the severity of her beloved aunt’s illness, it wasn’t like she could have easily flown home to Michigan anyway. Not with a packed list of new patient consults back in California and a practice partnership on the line. Aunt Marlene wouldn’t have wanted that anyway. She’d hated being fussed over, especially when she didn’t feel well.

  Belle sniffled and twisted a tissue in her hands. Everything was such a mess.

  Life had certainly taken a strange turn in the past twenty-four hours. Yesterday her boss, Dr. Reyes, had wanted to meet with her about the partnership right before she’d received the call about her aunt. Now the world as she knew it had changed forever. She’d filled out the required bereavement paperwork with Human Resources, made her quick excuses to Dr. Reyes, then rushed to catch a red-eye flight to Lansing.

  Everything after that was a bit of a hazy blur.

  She cleared her constricted throat and forced herself to focus on the attorney once more. “There must be some mistake.”

  “Nope. No mistake.” Dylan frowned at his copy of her aunt’s will and pointed at a few particular lines. “Right here. See?”

  He held the document toward her so she could look for herself.

  She squinted down at the legalese. Yep. Right there in black and white.

  All assets divided equally between Christabelle Watson and Nicholas Marlowe.

  Nick too took the opportunity to lean in and Belle sat back fast, keeping as much distance between them as possible. His scent—soap and fabric softener—was the same as she remembered. His warmth penetrated the sleeve of her black blazer, sending tingles of unwanted awareness through her. Darn him. Even after everything he’d put her through, she still had the same tingling reaction whenever he was around. Not that she’d let him know.

  Nope. Where Nicholas Marlowe was concerned, Belle had built her barriers high and strong.

  Still, bone-deep exhaustion and grief threatened to overwhelm her, and she blinked hard against the sting of unshed tears. As a physician, she’d learned to mask her emotions behind a thick layer of professional stoicism—a necessity when personal feelings could lead to disaster with a patient. There were some who said she’d gotten too good at it, though, like with the few men she’d dated over the years. But at times like these it w
as the only thing that kept her going.

  She clasped her hands in her lap to hide the slight tremble in her fingers and ignored the vibrating cell phone in her pocket. “Can you at least tell me how long it might take to get this all settled, Dylan? I have pressing matters back in California. Consultations and patients and—”

  “Shouldn’t your aunt’s last wishes take precedence here?” Nick asked, his tone cold. His voice held a raw edge she didn’t recall from their high-school days together. Gone were his easy smiles and easy banter. Then again, they were different people now. After graduation, she’d gone off to UCLA, then a surgical fellowship at Harvard. Nick had graduated at the top of his class from the University of Michigan, then done medical school at Northwestern. He’d also gotten married before he’d finished his residency, the very thing he’d told Belle he’d never do.

  She gave an ironic snort. He’d broken up with her in senior year, saying they were too young and being tied down would only hold her back. Then he’d turned right around and married someone else a few years later. Of course, it didn’t help she’d found out by accident either. God, what a naive fool she’d been back then. She’d shown up at his apartment complex in Evanston, Illinois, hoping to talk to him about the career choice looming on her horizon. After all, she and Nick had been friends since childhood, despite their painful breakup. No one had ever known her better or understood her more. So she’d made a rash decision and shown up at his place, only to find a celebration in full swing in the common area of his building. An engagement party for Nick and the woman he was going to marry. A woman who’d also been obviously pregnant with his baby.

  Even all these years later, those memories sliced deep.

  Hurt and embarrassed, she’d left without ever speaking to Nick.

  Belle had still loved him then, but he’d moved on. Moved on and left her behind, shattering her hopes they might one day reconcile and get back together. Now she’d put her work and her professional life first, only dating men who weren’t interested in anything long term, keeping her heart and her emotions out of the equation.

  She glanced over toward the corner where an eight-year-old boy played on a tablet. No denying Connor was Nick’s son. Same curly brown hair and adorable dimples as his father.

  Belle hazarded another look at Nick, the man who’d once been her whole world. With dark shadows marring the skin beneath his eyes and a shadow of stubble on his jaw, he looked as weary as she felt.

  Aunt Marlene had mentioned his wife had passed away two years previously. Being a single parent wasn’t easy and Belle couldn’t imagine how hard it must’ve been for Nick to deal with the loss of a spouse plus raising his son alone. And poor Connor. Belle had lost her own parents at the same age Connor was now. It had been devastating. If Aunt Marlene hadn’t taken her in and given her a loving, stable home, God only knew where she might’ve ended up.

  Nick caught Belle’s gaze, his expression wary. Years earlier, his soulful brown eyes had sparkled with mirth, ready for any challenge, always up for anything...

  Now they stared at her, flat and somber.

  “You said there was a stipulation?” Nick asked, refocusing his attention on the attorney.

  “Right. Yes,” Dylan said. “Marlene wants you both to reopen the free clinic one last time before you settle the estate.”

  “What?” Belle sat back, shocked. She only had three days of bereavement leave. “The free clinic isn’t held until Christmas Eve.”

  “Dad?” Connor said from the corner. “I’m hungry.”

  “We’ll eat in a minute.” Nick frowned at Dylan. “That’s nine days from now.”

  Belle rubbed her forehead. “I’m sorry. I want to respect my aunt’s wishes, but I’ve got obligations in Beverly Hills. I can’t drop everything. There has to be a way around it. Perhaps we could hold the clinic sooner?”

  “That’s impossible.” Nick scrubbed a hand over his face and gave an aggrieved sigh. “It’ll take a week or more just to get everything ready and I’m sure there are repairs to be made. The clinic was pretty run-down the last time I was there. Besides, I have my own practice to contend with before the holidays.”

  “Sorry, guys,” Dylan said. “But Marlene had this will drafted through an estate lawyer in Lansing last year and it’s airtight. I’ve checked. Honestly, the fastest way to get all of this settled is to honor your aunt’s final wishes and reopen the free clinic on Christmas Eve.”

  Frustrated, Belle finally gave in and pulled out her cell phone, to find a text from Dr. Reyes shown on-screen.

  Why aren’t you answering my calls?

  Irritated, Belle clicked off the device and slid it back into her pocket, heat prickling her cheeks. In the operating room she was famous for her cool, calm demeanor under pressure, but spending five minutes with Nick beside her again—bringing up memories of the past—had her cage thoroughly rattled. Belle didn’t like it. Not to mention the free clinic was what had brought her and Nick together in the first place, helping out Aunt Marlene, working side by side to clean exam rooms or prep patients or wrap instruments for sterilization. It was because of those days that the smell of antiseptic still made her smile...

  Ugh. Belle shook off those memories and turned to Nick. “I’m trying to be practical here. I’d think you’d appreciate my efforts, considering your busy work schedule and your son. I loved my aunt. I’d do anything for her, but—”

  “Except honor her final wishes.”

  “How dare you?” Outrage stormed through Belle like a thundercloud. She sat back and crossed her arms. “Dylan, are we finished? I’d like to get a good night’s sleep and consider this all again with a clear head in the morning. Can we continue this tomorrow?”

  “Not so fast,” Nick answered instead, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “I’ll need to check my schedule to see if I can fit in another meeting. My clinic is slammed this time of year as it is, and I need to check with my physician’s assistant to be sure she can handle the extra workload. Plus, Connor needs to be picked up from school. Then there’s dinner and getting him to bed.” At Belle’s irritated sigh, he narrowed his gaze on her. “Or maybe you’d prefer I pull an all-nighter like I did in college?”

  She hid her cringe admirably. Any reminder of college and that awful night she’d made her surprise visit to see him had the knots of tension in Belle’s upper back quadrupling.

  “Dad.” Connor’s tone grew more plaintive. “I’m starving.”

  “Give me one more minute.” Nick gave a long-suffering sigh, his voice dull. “Look, I realize I’m the last person you want to partner with here, Belle, but Marlene made it clear in her will this is what she wanted and unless we do this together, it will never work.”

  Darn it, he was right. Much as she hated to admit it.

  Fatigue and sadness crowded in around her once more, but duty compelled her to stand firm. “I want to help, I do. But my boss is already texting me about his unreturned calls.” She shook her head. Disappointing people was her least favorite thing, even people like Nick. “Plus, I’ve got opportunities on the line back in California. I have to keep my priorities straight.”

  “What about your aunt’s wishes?” Nick said. “Shouldn’t she be your priority right now?”

  The words struck her like a slap in the face and ricocheted inside her chest like shrapnel. When she’d been eighteen she would’ve given anything to hear him ask her to stay. Now it felt like one more complication in an already chaotic mess.

  Her cell phone buzzed again, most likely with another text from Dr. Reyes.

  Through the window behind Dylan’s desk the sky glowed pink and gold and deepest purple as the sun set and people milled about outside after the funeral. Belle smoothed her hand down her black skirt, her head aching. She’d only returned to Bayside to close this chapter of her life for good. With Aunt Marlene gone, the
re was no reason for her to come back here again after this. She was alone in the world now and the thought made her weary beyond her thirty-six years.

  “Don’t mean to rush you, folks.” Dylan cleared his throat. “But I’ve got a holiday dance recital for my daughter tonight, so if we could wrap this up, I’d really appreciate it.”

  “Right.” Determined, Belle stood and grabbed her bright red cashmere coat from the back of her chair. “I guess that’s it, then.”

  “Oh, there is one more thing.” Dylan pulled something out of one of his desk drawers. “Marlene had a small amount left in her savings after the medical bills were paid. It goes to each of you.” He passed two envelopes across the desk. “Ten thousand dollars each. And there’s a copy of the will in there for each of you too.”

  Belle tucked the envelope inside her handbag without looking at it. “Nick, if you can’t make a formal meeting, perhaps we can schedule a conference call tomorrow to discuss this further?”

  He shook his head. “I’ll make it work. Your aunt wanted us to do this and I intend to honor her final wishes.”

  A swirling vortex of grief opened in the pit of Belle’s stomach, making her temples throb.

  “Dad,” Connor said, frowning. “I’m hungry-y-y...”

  Nick waved his son over then walked to the door before turning back to Belle. “Do you have plans for dinner? If not, you’re welcome to join us at Pat’s. We can talk more there.”

  Honestly, she didn’t have plans. In fact, her stomach was rumbling, and her new designer pumps were pinching her toes something terrible. She’d also not had a chance to pick up any groceries and nothing stayed open past eight in Bayside. “Fine. But only to discuss the clinic, not to socialize.”

  “Agreed.” Nick pulled on his own black wool coat then ushered her and his son outside. “No socializing here. Promise.”

  * * *