Valentine Babies (Holiday Babies Series) Read Online Free PDF

they’d met
only a few hours ago. So much bonded them already. “You can count on me.”
    “Thank you.” She gave him a little smile that warmed him all
over. Her gaze lowered and she patted her belly. “I hope you’ll be my
obstetrician. I need a good one.”
    “Of course. Are you worried about raising a child alone?”
    “Not at all.” She lifted her chin. “I make a good living and
will have no problem supporting my kid.”
    “What about your job, your trips abroad?”
     “I’ll cut down on the traveling. If I have to go I’ll
take him with me with a nanny, or if the place isn’t safe, I’ll leave him with
Mom. She’s so good with children. But...” she averted her gaze.
    She had it all figured out. So why was she anxious? He
raised his eyebrows. She answered his silent question.
    “I’m so sorry, so sad. Nabil died after...after we argued.
If I hadn’t upset him, he might have been more alert.” Guilt ravaged her
beautiful features. “In a way, it’s my fault—”
    “No,” Greg said in a forceful tone to convince her. “Don’t
ever think it. You were entitled to your opinion. It’s not your fault that he
died. He was killed by a terrorist. And his bother too.”
    She winced and sniffled. “But you see, I owe him. I never
said goodbye. I hung up on him and he died after that.” She laid her head back
on the pillow and closed her eyes. “How can I ever forgive myself? I must make
amends.”
    “Stop it, Roxanne. You’re going to make yourself sick with
this guilt. You have nothing, absolutely nothing to do with his death.” He
caught her hands to stop them from crushing the sheet. She’d lamented about
guilt and duty. What about love?
    Had she loved Nabil? She’d been ready to marry him if he’d
agreed to come to the U.S.
    “He wanted his son to be born on his ancestors’ land.” She
bit her lip.
    “As your doctor, I’d say, out of the question. Too
dangerous. Can you imagine having a baby in a war zone? Do they have enough
doctors?”
    “No. And even fewer nurses,” she added with a sigh.
    “Besides, you said the young man didn’t want his parents to
know that...that...” Damn it, Greg would rather not talk about it. He couldn’t
get himself to say Nabil’s name either, as though it could make the deceased
more significant to Roxanne and raise a wall between her and Greg.
    “This is my big dilemma. To deprive his parents of their
grandson after they lost their own two sons. Or to destroy Nabil’s honorable
name by revealing that...that...we gave in to temptation.”
    Finally Greg realized the depth of the conflict that had
been eating at her all day, in addition to losing a man she may have loved. But
he’d do his utmost to prevent her from going back into a dangerous country.
    “They don’t have other grandchildren?”
    “Only one. His brother, Tarek, had a one-year old boy.
Michael, an adorable chubby toddler. He used to sit on my lap. I always brought
him candies and toys when I visited.”
    “The brother and his family also live with the parents?”
    Roxanne shook her head, her face a mask of dejection.
“Tarek’s wife died shortly after her son’s birth. The grandmother took care of
the baby.”
    Usually, Greg would do his best to reassure his patients.
But Roxanne was far from being an ordinary patient. “This alone should convince
you not to go. You’d risk your baby’s life and yours.”
    “Don’t say that.”
    “What else can I say? You know the area and its dangers
better than I do. Think carefully before making such a crucial decision.” They
stared at each other silently.
    His cell phone rang, interrupting their conversation. “Dr.
Hayes, speaking.”
    “Greg, it’s Nick. The wedding reception has ended. We’re
about to retire for the night. There’s a snow storm outside. We don’t want Mrs.
Ramsay and Roxanne to go home in this weather. Is Roxy with you?”
    “Yes, she’s with me.”
    “Madelyn wants to talk to her.”
    He handed her