Daddy's Double Duty Read Online Free PDF

bluntly. “And everyone in the family has heard him singing praises about your work. I’m sure he wants to keep you happy.”
    Vanessa released a short, dry laugh. “I’ve been told that good secretaries are hard to find.” But earlier this afternoon, when he placed that brief kiss on the top of her head, she’d definitely not felt like his employee, she thought. She’d felt like a woman with something worthwhile to offer a man.
    Dear God, the shock of losing Hope and becoming a mother all at once had numbed her brain. Conall Donovan would never look at her as anything more than his employee. Socially, he was several tiers above her. And even though he wasn’t a snob, he was still a Donovan.
    â€œDoesn’t matter why he’s going,” Maura said. “I’m just glad he is. You need someone to support you at a time like this. And Conall has a strong arm to lean on.”
    Vanessa had no intentions of leaning on Conall. Certainly not in a physical way. But she kept those thoughts to herself. “Yes. Your brother is a rock.”
    â€œI wouldn’t exactly call him that. Yes, he can be hard. But there’s a soft side to him. You just have to know where to look for it,” Maura explained. “There was a time—” She broke off, then after a long pause, added in a rueful voice, “Let’s just say Conall wasn’t always the man he is now.”
    Shying far away from that loaded comment, Vanessa said, “Well, I’m hoping we can wrap up everything in Vegas quickly.”
    â€œAnd I’d better let you go so that you can finish your packing,” Maura replied. “Is there anything I can help you with while you’re gone? Check on your father? Your house?”
    â€œIt’s kind of you to offer, but I’ll keep in touch with the nursing home. And I think the house will be okay for a couple of days. But just in case, you know where I leave an extra key so that you can get inside.”
    â€œYes, I remember. In the little crack behind the window shutter.”
    â€œRight,” Vanessa replied. “But I doubt we’ll be gone for that long. Besides, the best thing you can do for me is share your experienced mothering skills. I’m definitely going to need advice.”
    Maura laughed. “Just wait, Vanna. You’re going to see that a woman can never learn all there is to know about mothering. You just have to go by instinct and you happen to have a good one.”
    â€œI can only hope you’re right,” Vanessa murmured.
    Â 
    The next afternoon, after the short flight to Las Vegas, Conall dealt with their luggage, then picked up their rental car and headed to their hotel. Thankfully Fiona hadn’t booked them into one of the resort monstrosities that lined the busy strip, but a nice peaceful villa on the desert outskirts of the city.
    After checking in and sending their bags to adjoining rooms, they drove straight to the lawyer’s office to deal with the legalities of claiming the twins and arranging to store Hope’s ashes.
    By the time they finally arrived at the orphanage, an old, ivy-covered Spanish-style building located on the outskirts of town, Vanessa’s exhaustion must have been clearly showing. As they followed a silent Sister down a wide, empty corridor, Conall brought a steadying hand beneath her elbow.
    â€œI’m thinking we should have waited until tomorrow to see the babies,” he said in a low voice. “I’m not sure you’re up to this.”
    Vanessa straightened her shoulders as best she could. For the life of her, she wasn’t about to let this granite piece of man think she was made of anything less than grit and determination.
    â€œI’ll be fine. And seeing the babies is the best part of this trip,” she assured him.
    Conall studied her pale face and wondered what his secretary could possibly be thinking. Even for the strongest of women,