Patricia Forsythe - His Twin Baby Surprise

He never wanted to put down roots

Former football star Ben McAdams is constantly traveling, looking for new investment opportunities and supporting charities. Becoming a father was never part of his plan. But then Lisa tells him he’s going to be a dad...and she doesn’t want his help. And somehow that makes him need to step in.

Lisa Thomas has always wanted to save the world, on her own terms. Carrying twins was never part of her plan, which now includes working a full-time job and stepping in as temp mayor of their small Oklahoma town. So what if she’s falling for Ben? He’s only going to leave in the end...because that’s what Ben does.

“Is something wrong?” Lisa asked, but the ultrasound technician was gone.

Ben took her hand and this time, she didn’t resist. “If she’s not back in two minutes I’ll go find her,” he promised. “Along with the doctor.”

“What...what do you think is wrong?”

“Probably nothing. Let’s wait and see.”

The technician brought the doctor back quickly. He was an older man whose white hair and smiling demeanor inspired confidence.

“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas. I’m Dr. Harber and I just want to check something here.”

Neither Lisa nor Ben corrected him on their names, but watched as he moved the wand slowly across her belly. After a minute, he said, “You’re probably wondering what we’re seeing. It takes a little practice to distinguish it exactly.” He pointed to the screen. “Right here, we have a head, and over here is another head.”

Lisa’s voice squeaked as she squeezed Ben’s hand and asked, “I’m having a two-headed baby?”

Dr. Harber chuckled. “No, of course not. There are also four arms, four legs, and two bodies. You’re having twins.”

Dear Reader,

Welcome back to Reston, Oklahoma. If this is your first visit, I hope you enjoy this quirky small town and its colorful characters. His Twin Baby Surprise is the third book in the Oklahoma Girls miniseries and features Lisa Thomas and Ben McAdams who grew up together, but who have very different goals in life. Lisa is a hardworking, focused Realtor who wants to bring jobs and prosperity to her hometown. She leaves nothing to chance. Ben is a former professional football player who now has charities and businesses all over the world. He is charming and laid-back and has no intention of putting down roots anywhere. Their plans are derailed when they meet unexpectedly far from Reston—a meeting that will have unexpected consequences for them both.

I hope that Lisa and Ben’s journey to love and accept each other is one you will love.

Happy reading!

Patricia

His Twin Baby Surprise

Patricia Forsythe

www.millsandboon.co.uk

PATRICIA FORSYTHE is the author of many romance novels and is proud to have received her twenty-five-book pin from Harlequin. She hopes there are many more books to come. A native Arizonan, Patricia loves setting books in areas where she has spent time, like the beautiful Kiamichi Mountains of Oklahoma. She has held a number of jobs, including teaching school, working as a librarian and as a secretary, and operating a care home for developmentally disabled children. Her favorite occupation, though, is writing novels in which the characters get into challenging situations and then work their way out. Each situation and set of characters is different, so sometimes the finished book is as much of a surprise to her as it is to the readers.

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This book is dedicated to my granddaughters—Ashley, Alicia, Madison, Tamsin, Fiona and Eleanor. May life always bring you joy.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

PROLOGUE

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

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

PROLOGUE

INSIDE THE RESTON COUNTY sheriff’s station, Fred Jepson was wondering about the wisdom of having eaten a whole meat pie for lunch.

Mary Alice made them down at the café and he couldn’t resist them. They were huge—flaky pastry stuffed with meat and potatoes. Enough for two people, but he always ate the whole thing. Why let it go to waste? Why hurt Mary Alice’s feelings? And that chocolate cake she made? It was enough to make a grown man weep. He’d had to have a piece of that.

What Fred didn’t doubt was the wisdom of bringing in the McAdams boy. Ben was in the holding cell in the next room, eating the sandwich Fred had brought back for him. The cell had a cot, a sink, a toilet and nothing else. Worked out fine for the usual lawbreakers and the drunks who didn’t need to be on the road on a Saturday night. A little stark and scary for a twelve-year-old, but the kid had to learn a lesson about hurting other people, about obeying the law. Better to have him here overnight now for shooting Mrs. Crabtree in the butt with a stone from his slingshot than in jail for months or years down the road for a felony.

As the sheriff, duly elected by the citizens of Reston County, he felt an obligation to set the boy on the right path.

Fred snorted. Who gave their kids a slingshot anymore? Jim and Helen were pushovers. That kid of theirs got everything he wanted just by grinning and showing his dimples.

He leaned back in his chair and loosened his belt. That was a little better. He glanced around to make sure he was alone, though he knew that all but one of his deputies was on patrol or at lunch. Deputy Earl Flake was out back, tinkering with the engine on an old cruiser, sure he could make it run again.

The office receptionist, Anita Sturm, had decided the refrigerator in the break room was disgusting and was cleaning it out. When he’d peeked in earlier, she’d been half wedged inside the freezer, scrubbing to her heart’s content. Fred knew better than to get in her way when she was in a cleaning mood. He’d thoughtfully closed the door to the break room so she could work in peace and could say as many angry things as she needed to about the unsanitary habits of certain men she knew. He’d told her he’d answer the phone if it rang, but he didn’t expect any calls. The town was pretty quiet at lunchtime.

He unsnapped his pants and slid down the zipper just to give his gut room to breathe for a few minutes. He’d fasten himself up again as soon as he heard someone at the outer door.

He’d gained weight in the past few months. He knew it and he was going to do something about it soon, probably tomorrow. If he had to chase down a runner, he’d be screwed. His uniform was too tight and he could barely fasten his belt, even on the last notch, but he refused to buy a larger size. He was going to lose weight and get back in shape soon.

He returned to thinking about Ben. The boy was in the sixth grade now, big for his age and eager to play football. Football was a religion in Reston. Jim McAdams, Fred’s old high school rival, had been its deity during his school days. He wanted the same for his son.