Christmas at Jimmie's Children's Unit: Bachelor of the Baby Ward / Fairytale on the Children's Ward

Christmas at Jimmie's Children's Unit: Bachelor of the Baby Ward / Fairytale on the Children's Ward
Meredith Webber

Bachelor of the Baby WardChildren’s surgeon and bachelor Angus McDowell is the undisputed expert at mending babies’ hearts – with a heartbreaking reputation when it comes to his endless admirers! New to Jimmie’s Children’s Unit, anaesthetist Kate Armstrong is desperate not to fall for the sexy doctor – because she knows he’ll be impossible to forget! But Angus’ son has other ideas… All he wants is Kate to be his mummy…!Fairytale on the Children’s Ward Dear Santa I’ve just learnt I have a daddy. He’s a very nice man called Oliver, who works with my mummy Clare at Jimmie’s Children’s Unit. I know they love each other, but they just don’t show it… And now all I want for Christmas is for my family to be together! Love Emily (aged 9¼)

The thing about Kate, he’d discovered, was that she refused to be beaten by what life threw at her. She kept going, kept smiling, always positive, always upbeat, seeing the best in situations, the best in people.

Angus was not sure where all this rational thinking was getting him, although he now had a much fuller picture of the woman he loved.

Loved?

He set the cup back carefully in its saucer, certain it had been about to slip from his grasp.

Loved?

How could he love her? He barely knew her. But even as this excuse sprang from his brain, another part of his mind was denying it. Of course he knew her.

He pictured her on the yellow sofa, an arm around his son, and remembered the stab of jealousy he’d felt. But what he should have felt was pleasure—that finally he’d found a woman who would make the ideal mother for his son…

Emily dropped a kiss on her mother’s cheek. ‘Isn’t it fun having Dad around?’ she whispered, and suddenly Clare’s spring of happiness wasn’t bubbling quite as high.

She knew it wasn’t jealousy she was feeling, but disappointment of some kind—disappointment that the life she’d been providing for her daughter hadn’t measured up…

‘You need my pearls—the ones Gran gave me,’ Emily declared as she inspected her mother for the last time. ‘Wait here.’

She ran off to her bedroom and returned with the pearls that had been her great-grandmother’s, making her mother sit on the bed so she, Emily, could fasten them.

‘There,’ she said, ‘you’re beautiful. Dad will surely want to marry you now.’

Clare knew the words were nothing more than childish enthusiasm, but once again the joy of the morning dimmed, and despair wormed its way into her heart.

How could she resist if it became a matter of two against one?

Bachelor of the Baby Ward

and

Fairytale on the Children’s Ward

by

Meredith Webber

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

CHRISTMAS AT JIMMIE’S

At Jimmie’s Children’s Unit, miracles don’t just happen at Christmas time—babies are saved every day!

But this year there are two children with some big wishes for Santa…

BACHELOR OF THE BABY WARD

—little Hamish McDowell wants a new mummy…

FAIRYTALE ON THE CHILDREN’S WARD

—all Emily Jackson longs for is to see her mum and dad reunited…

Will Hamish and Emily get the greatest Christmas gifts of all?

Find out in Meredith Webber’s heartwarming linked duet, out this month!

Bachelor of the Baby Ward

by

Meredith Webber

MEREDITH WEBBER says of herself, ‘Some ten years ago, I read an article which suggested that Mills and Boon were looking for new Medical

Romance authors. I had one of those “I can do that” moments, and gave it a try. What began as a challenge has become an obsession—though I do temper the “butt on seat” career of writing with dirty but healthy outdoor pursuits, fossicking through the Australian Outback in search of gold or opals. Having had some success in all of these endeavours, I now consider I’ve found the perfect lifestyle.’

Recent titles by the same author:

DESERT KING, DOCTOR DADDY

GREEK DOCTOR: ONE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS

CHILDREN’S DOCTOR, MEANT-TO-BE WIFE*

THE HEART SURGEON’S SECRET CHILD†

* Crocodile Creek

† Jimmie‘s Children’s Unit

Chapter One

‘BUT I’d assumed—’

A quick frown from her boss, Alex Attwood, failed to halt Kate Armstrong’s angry protest.

‘—that when Phil and Maggie left to go back to England, I’d take Maggie’s place as anaesthetist on your team, not be working with some total stranger.’

Alex’s frown turned to a sigh.

‘Have you any idea how hard it is to juggle so many new people on the two teams?’ he asked, only slight exasperation showing in his voice. ‘I’ve left you in the second team—and you know darned well that doesn’t mean second in importance—because you know the ropes and you’ll be a help to Angus, whom, by the way, you should meet!’

Alex paused to grin at her.