Kasey Michaels - Maitland Maternity - Triplets, Quads and Quints

“No. I have an appointment with Dr. Sheppard.”

“Great. She’s a good doctor.”

“You’re not changing the subject, Dr. Callaghan,” Bri said. “What else did you talk to Caleb about besides Grace’s telephone number?”

Hunter replied, “Just this and that. How long have you been married, Maggie?”

A man stepped forward, one with hazel eyes and brown hair. “Long enough to know better than to flirt with strangers.” His tone of voice told everyone he wasn’t happy.

“Adam,” Maggie said hurriedly. “This is Dr. Callaghan, the new head of obstetrics. Dr. Callaghan, this is my husband, Adam McCallum. He and Bri were just talking about his conversations with Caleb.”

Though he still frowned, Adam seemed a little friendlier. “You had lunch with Dad and Bri the day before yesterday, too.”

“Yes, I did. A nice lunch.”

“So what have you been talking to my brother about?”

“Just what I want to know, too,” Bri said, her arms crossed.

Hunter took his time giving an answer. “I like to talk to adult members of a multiple birth. I think it helps give me perspective. After meeting Bri and Caleb, I’m really glad I finally get to meet you.”

“You think there’s something wrong with people of multiple births?” Adam demanded.

“Not at all. In fact, sometimes I envy the bonding that children do in the womb. It seems to last a lifetime.” He kept his gaze on Adam, but he could feel Bri bristling beside him. “Bri, for instance, is fiercely independent, but very close to both her brothers.”

“That’s true,” Adam agreed. “How you doing, sis? Are the babies all right?”

“They’re fine.”

“Is Dr. Callaghan going to handle the delivery?” Maggie asked.

“Yes,” Hunter said calmly.

“No!” Bri screamed at the same time. Adam and Maggie stared, and she hurriedly added, “Abby is my doctor. She’ll handle the delivery.”

Hunter smiled at her. “But I’ll be there, too. I intend to attend all the multiple births until I become very familiar with my staff.”

“You don’t have to worry about Abby. She’s the best.”

“I’m sure she is,” Hunter replied.

“I might have them at an inconvenient time,” she added, realizing she hadn’t convinced him.

“More inconvenient than three in the morning?” he asked, grinning. “That’s when these guys put in an appearance.”

“Who delivered them?” Bri asked.

“Dr. Beaumont. And he did a great job.”

“Didn’t he resent being watched?”

“I don’t think so. We had breakfast together afterward.”

“Bri,” Adam added, his voice calm and reasonable, which only aggravated Bri more, “I’m sure Dr. Beaumont understood. After all, Dr. Callaghan has a job to do.”

“You’re just siding with him because you’re a man! You and Caleb always did that!”

“Watch your blood pressure, honey,” Hunter said softly.

But not softly enough.

“Honey?” Adam asked, frowning again.

“I have to go,” Bri announced abruptly and left them all standing there, staring at her as she walked away.

When she reached her office, Lisa greeted her. “Hi, Bri. I didn’t know you’d met Dr. Callaghan before he arrived. Why didn’t you say so?”

Bri’s hands flew to her temples to massage the headache beginning to make itself felt. “We didn’t become good friends. We just met, that’s all. No big deal.”

“But I guess that’s why he’s so friendly with you. After all, you’re the only one he knew before he got here,” Lisa said, beaming at Bri. “So, I guess you’ve got the inside track.”

Bri stared at her. “The inside track for what?”

“Dr. Callaghan. Half the staff wants to marry him. But when they hear you knew him before, they may all give up.”

Bri took a deep breath. “Tell them not to give up, because I’m abandoning the track right now. I’m not exactly the shape for long-distance running.”

Bri started to walk past her, but Lisa raised her eyebrows and said, “The question isn’t your behavior but Dr. Callaghan’s. He already acts like he’s hooked.”

Bri rubbed her temples again. “Lisa, I don’t want to discuss this subject ever again. And do what you can to discourage anyone else from doing so. There is nothing between me and Dr. Callaghan. Okay?” Then she stomped into her office.

“Okay,” she heard Lisa say. She hoped Lisa meant that answer as a promise to help curtail the speculation about a romance. But Bri was afraid her agitated reaction might cause even more speculation.

And darn it! She still hadn’t thanked the man!

E-mail! She was going to deal with him through e-mail. She could be calm and reasonable when she didn’t have to talk to him.

She immediately wrote a gracious—well, not too gracious—note thanking him for keeping an eye on her. She reminded him that she was a professional and hoped he would treat her as one.

Then she lay back in her chair, taking deep breaths and closing her eyes. Her checkup with Abby was in half an hour. She didn’t want her blood pressure to alarm Abby.

“ABBY? This is Hunter. I’m planning on sitting in on Bri’s checkup. Helen told you, didn’t she?”

“Yes, of course, Hunter.”

“Look, don’t be alarmed about Bri’s blood pressure. And take it before you tell her I’m coming. I’m going to wait outside until she’s on the table, prepped for the ultrasound.”

“Is something wrong?” Abby asked cautiously.

“She got upset this morning. She felt her brother sided with me on something and it upset her.”

“She seems particularly sensitive to—well, to you.”

Hunter couldn’t think of what to say.

“I heard she met you at a conference.”

It was Hunter’s turn to be silent. He hadn’t realized she’d told anyone that. “Uh, yes, briefly. We didn’t really get to know each other.”

“Which conference did you meet at?”

“I don’t know. I’d have to check my calendar. Does it matter?” He didn’t give her a chance to answer. “Look, she’s embarrassed to have me observe the checkup because we’re acquaintances. It’d be like having your brother-in-law watch you undress. We just need to keep her calm. When you’re ready to start the sonogram, knock on the door. I’ll be waiting just outside.”

“All right, fine.”

He waited until five minutes after Bri’s appointment time before he slipped into Abby’s outer office in the main hospital. Bri wasn’t in the waiting room.

The receptionist assured him Bri was already in an exam room, so he asked to talk to Abby’s nurse. As he’d hoped, Abby had left instructions.

“She said you were going to wait outside the door. Peggy, the other nurse, is with the two of them.”

“Just show me which room they’re in,” he said softly.

He felt sure Abby had planned the ultrasound for the last part of the checkup. He was eager to see his daughters.

He stood at the door for several minutes, hearing the murmur of feminine voices. Then a soft knock informed him he could enter.

Stepping into the room, he nodded to Abby and walked to the head of the table. Bri was staring at the monitor, probably assuming he was another nurse. But something must have alerted her to his presence, and she shrieked and dove for the sheet, trying to cover her stomach.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded in a hoarse whisper.

“I want to see the ultrasound, both to check the babies and to evaluate the quality of the machine. Abby agreed.”

“Well, someone should’ve asked me. I don’t want you here.” She turned to Abby. “Please, Abby, make him leave!”