Rita Herron - Have Baby, Need Beau

Seth jumped. “Do it?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” Mimi hiked up her dress, revealing those beautiful legs of hers, and got out of the car.

Seth jerked his brain back to reality. She meant for them to take the last room, not do it. They were complete opposites. He didn’t want Mimi to be attracted to him.

Even if she was the sexiest woman he’d ever laid eyes on.

He locked the car and followed her, determined to keep his thoughts on track. He reminded himself that he’d felt sorry for Mimi earlier, and had planned to offer her a shoulder to cry on if she were still upset.

So they’d share a room later as friends—no, acquaintances. It was no big deal. No one would ever know they’d been stranded together. It was only for one night.

What could possibly go wrong?

Dear Reader,

Spring is the perfect time to celebrate the joy of romance. So get set to fall in love as Harlequin American Romance brings you four new spectacular books.

First, we’re happy to welcome New York Times bestselling author Kasey Michaels to the Harlequin American Romance family. She inaugurates TEXAS SHEIKHS, our newest in-line continuity, with His Innocent Temptress. This four-book series focuses on a Texas family with royal Arabian blood who must fight to reunite their family and reclaim their rightful throne.

Also, available this month, The Virgin Bride Said, “Wow!” by Cathy Gillen Thacker, a delightful marriage-of-convenience story and the latest installment in THE LOCKHARTS OF TEXAS miniseries. Kara Lennox provides fireworks as a beautiful young woman who’s looking for Mr. Right sets out to Tame an Older Man following the advice of 2001 WAYS TO WED, a book guaranteed to provide satisfaction! And Have Baby, Need Beau says it all in Rita Herron’s continuation of her wonderful THE HARTWELL HOPE CHESTS series.

Enjoy April’s selections and come back next month for more love stories filled with heart, home and happiness from Harlequin American Romance.

Wishing you happy reading,

Melissa Jeglinski

Associate Senior Editor

Harlequin American Romance

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To Karen Solem for loving this idea as much as I did!

Rita Herron is a teacher, workshop leader and storyteller who loves reading, writing and sharing stories with people of all ages. She has published two nonfiction books for adults on working and playing with children, and has won the Golden Heart award for a young adult story. Rita believes that books taught her to dream, and she loves nothing better than sharing that magic with others. She lives with her “dream” husband and three children, two cats and a dog in Norcross, Georgia.

My spunky little Mimi,

You have always been special to me because you were the middle child, the one who tagged along to her older sister’s recitals, the one who wore hand-me-downs and rolled with the punches whenever there were problems. You never ran from a fight, never fussed when your dad was too busy working to come home at night, never complained that you never got anything first. You have a heart of gold, an infectious smile and a soft spot for strays. You made us laugh when we thought there might never be laughter in the house again.

You are feisty and witty, creative and determined, but independent to a fault. You know how to have fun in life and laugh at your problems. You are a survivor. I hope you learn to trust in others, to take comfort, as well as offer it.

I wish for you happiness and true love, and a man who will be your equal and give you all the joy a partner can give.

Love you always,

Grammy Rose

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

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

“I can’t believe Hannah is actually married.” Mimi Hartwell gazed at the beautiful white ribbons and roses adorning the gazebo, drawing her finger across her neck in a slashing gesture. “Thank God it’s not me.”

Mimi’s younger sister, Alison, elbowed her in the side and laughed. “Mimi, you’re terrible! Hannah’s happier than I’ve ever seen her.”

“Yeah, but wait till the honeymoon’s over.”

Alison sighed dreamily. “The way the two of them were looking at each other during the ceremony, I think the honeymoon’s going to last a long time.”

Their father, Wiley, strutted forward and waved his arms like an air-traffic controller, his ruffled pink shirt and white shoes gleaming in the fading daylight, his chest puffed up with pride like a peacock. “All you single girls line up. It’s time for Hannah to throw the bouquet.”

Mimi blinked back tears at the joyous expression on her older sister’s face when Hannah crested the top of the hill, still wearing her grandmother’s wedding gown. In spite of the January temperature, which had steadily dropped all day, Hannah and Jake had pledged their vows earlier at her grandmother’s property on top of Pine Mountain. Wiley had actually toned down his usual outlandish penchant for publicity stunts and allowed Hannah a serene wedding, but the girls’ mother, whom they hadn’t seen in a decade, had surprised them with her sudden appearance. Hannah had been distant toward her, Alison nonchalant, and Mimi had simply tried to joke about her appearance—all of them ignoring the stab of pain they felt seeing her now after so many lost years. Mimi scanned the crowd to see if she’d joined the bouquet catchers, but didn’t spot her meticulously put-together mother anywhere.

A few nurses and doctors who worked with Hannah gathered to form a line. Even Grammy Rose jumped to the front and waved her bony hands as if she wanted to catch the cluster of red roses.

Alison jerked her arm. “Come on, Mimi. We have to get up front.”

Mimi dug her rose-colored heels into the grass, determined to steer clear of the superstitious wedding nonsense. “I’m not participating.”

“Look, I know you’re allergic to roses, but—”

“It’s not my allergy. But I’m never getting married, so there’s no reason to fight for the bouquet.”

“Listen, Mimi, just because Joey was arrested doesn’t mean you won’t find someone else. Someone better than him.”

Mimi winced at the reminder of her boyfriend, her ex-boyfriend, she amended silently. Boy, she sure could pick ’em. Not only had she failed at this relationship thing, but she’d let her father down by dating a man who’d been stealing from him. Not that Wiley blamed her—

“Hurry up, ladies.” Wiley slapped his new son-in-law on the back. “The groom’s impatient to leave.”

Jake curved his brawny arm around Hannah, and a sheepish grin lit his face. “The weatherman’s predicting a snowstorm. We need to leave before the roads ice over.”

The guests laughed, not fooled at all by his statement.

“Come on.” Alison yanked Mimi’s arm again. “You know Hannah will throw the bouquet to one of us.”

Mimi held firm, laughing at Alison’s impatience. “Go on. Maybe you’ll be the next Hartwell to take the plunge.”

Alison frowned, but finally gave up and raced to the line just as Hannah tossed the arrangement over her shoulder. Shouts rang out across the lawn, laughter and squeals comingling. Mimi glanced sideways to see Seth, Hannah’s ex-fiancé, standing under Grammy’s big magnolia tree, his hands in his pockets, his expression slightly lost. She knew exactly how he felt. They had both been unlucky in love lately. Was Seth still hurting over Hannah?