The Baby Who Saved Christmas

The Baby Who Saved Christmas
Alison Roberts

A family—in time for the holidays?When Alice McMillan arrives at a French chateau, searching for long-lost family, she doesn’t expect to be confronted by deliciously brooding Julien Dubois—or the bombshell that the tiny baby nestled in his arms is her orphaned half brother!New guardian and celebrity chef Julien is completely out of his depth. Alice's help is like an answer to his prayers. With snow falling all around, it's a cozy Christmas and the start of something wonderful…their own fledgling family!

“And what about you? What have you got to celebrate?”

“Ah …” Julien stared down at his ingredients without seeing them. Nothing. He was revisiting the grief from losing his sister. He had a major problem in what to do about the show that was due to start filming within days. He probably had to face a court case over custody of his nephew that was highly likely to get very nasty.

No. Nothing to celebrate there.

He looked up, ready to admit defeat and agree that champagne might not be the most appropriate thing to drink.

And then he got caught by those eyes again. What was it that he could see?

Hope?

Optimism?

A belief in fairy tales, even?

Something shifted in his chest and he found himself saying something he hadn’t thought of until now.

“I got to hold my sister’s baby for the first time today.” The words came out as little more than a whisper. He offered a crooked smile. “That is absolutely worth celebrating, n’est-ce pas?”

ALISON ROBERTS is a New Zealander, currently lucky enough to live near a beautiful beach in Auckland. She is also lucky enough to write for both the Mills & Boon

Cherish™ and Mills & Boon

Medical Romance™ lines. A primary schoolteacher in a former life, she is also a qualified paramedic. She loves to travel and dance, drink champagne and spend time with her daughter and her friends.

The Baby Who Saved Christmas

Alison Roberts

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

For Liz

With fond memories of our visit to

St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

With love

Contents

Cover (#ubbff17d4-628f-5468-b5ad-ababacf0a4d8)

Introduction (#u19a6c30a-1ea7-5a2d-9564-701963ccfc19)

About the Author (#u0261c6d5-5571-5727-9c6f-4f2a7432c55b)

Title Page (#ub667c9fb-9129-518d-a390-ad5e3eb8ad82)

Dedication (#u77c77f57-d2d4-5d4a-b902-12d5221ceb79)

CHAPTER ONE (#u146bc712-a34f-5e5e-ae05-f7e05dce0b7d)

CHAPTER TWO (#u859a6453-c77e-53de-bda0-3c4d8f2c9142)

CHAPTER THREE (#ua003f4a5-5bfe-5fb0-85c7-713a25c19053)

CHAPTER FOUR (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_4fccc391-2998-5221-88e3-d2e487ab0d14)

SOMETHING WAS GOING very wrong for Alice McMillan.

She was not supposed to be enjoying herself right now.

‘I’m sorry...’

Silent, one-sided communication had become a habit even though the feeling of connection had faded over the months of this year. Now it only served to increase the prickle of guilt.

‘But it is gorgeous... You must have loved it, too.’

All those years ago. Twenty-nine, to be exact. A period of time that had included Alice’s conception.

Having stepped off the bus from Nice in the heart of the small town of Villefranche-sur-Mer, Alice crossed the road to start walking downhill, skirting around a man on a ladder who was part of the team installing a huge pattern of tinsel that would hang over the centre of the main street like a giant tiara. She’d printed off a map before leaving Edinburgh and the route looked easy enough. All she had to do was find the beach and follow it. At the other end was the start of the peninsula that was St Jean Cap Ferrat and the address she was heading for looked like it was within easy walking distance.