Judy Christenberry - The Nine-Month Bride

Dear Reader,

I never intended to marry again. My wife and child died, leaving me alone in my pain. But a man can cut himself off from living for only so long. And I have a duty to my father and grandfather. I need a son, someone to whom I can pass on my heritage, my ranch.

We may live a long way from the big city, but I’ve heard of surrogate mothers. You hire a woman, and the doctor takes care of everything. No emotions, no promises…no pain. Just a baby.

When doc sent Susannah to me, I thought I’d hit pay dirt. I’d have my son, my future, without risking my heart. But when a woman is involved, things tend to get unpredictable. So now I’m in a heap of trouble.

These pesky women can drive a man straight to hell…or heaven. Guess I’m going to find out which way I’m going.

Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Lucas

www.millsandboon.co.uk

JUDY CHRISTENBERRY

has been writing romance fiction for fifteen years, because she loves happy endings as much as her readers do. A former French teacher, Judy now devotes herself to writing full-time. She hopes readers have as much fun reading her stories as she does writing them. She spends her spare time reading, watching her favorite sports teams and keeping track of her two daughters. Judy’s a native Texan and lives in Dallas.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

“What’s wrong with the old-fashioned way?”

Susannah Langston could feel the heat rise in her cheeks, but she kept her chin up. She was an intelligent woman, an educated woman. She wouldn’t allow this…this scientific discussion to embarrass her.

“In case you didn’t know, Doctor,” she began crisply, “it takes two people to create a child the old-fashioned way.”

The elderly medical man gave a rusty chuckle. “Well, I reckon they explained that in my first class. Not that I didn’t already learn that lesson in the back seat of my—never mind.” He cleared his throat. “Now, Miss Langston, I don’t know where you came up with this crazy idea—”

“Doctor, artificial insemination isn’t crazy, nor is it new.”

“Hell, I know that. We’ve been doing it to the animals for years. But it seems a shame—”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not asking for your personal opinion,” she said gently but firmly. “All I want to know is where do I have to go to have it—to get the procedure performed.”

He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his chin. “You’re all-fired set on this, aren’t you?”

“Yes. My decision is not a whim. I’ve carefully thought out the complications, and I believe the reward will far outweigh the difficulties.”

“You realize a pregnant woman without a man around will draw some talk even today? We’re still a small community.”

Susannah squared her shoulders. “If gossip becomes a problem, I can move to a new community after the birth of my child and pass myself off as a divorcée.” In this day and time, single motherhood shouldn’t carry a stigma, but she realized what should be and what was were sometimes two different things.

With a gusty sigh, the doctor leaned across the desk. “I believe I could do the job right here, Miss Langston. We don’t have the capabilities of a major hospital, but, assuming you have a donor in mind, I could impregnate you with his sperm.”

Damn! Susannah closed her eyes. Then her determination surged, and she stared at the doctor. “I don’t have a—a donor. I assumed I’d go to a sperm bank.”

She’d read articles in the magazines at work, in the library in Caliente, Colorado, where she spent her days. Sperm donors weren’t in big supply in the library. Males weren’t in big supply in the library. Only books. And dust.

The library was quite large for such a small town. It, and the money to hire her, had been a gift to the town from one of its late citizens who died with no heirs. Only books. Like her.

“Well, of course, that’s how the normal person would go about it if we had a sperm bank. But we don’t. And it’ll be real expensive if you go into Denver.”

She tried to hold his gaze, but there was a speculative look in his eyes that bothered her. “I’ve saved a lot of money.”

“Hmm. If there was someone locally…”

He was staring beyond her shoulder now, his eyes almost glazed over in contemplation. Susannah wanted the interview to be over.

“Doctor, can you tell me the name of a group in Denver, or a hospital, where I can begin the process? That’s really all I wanted. I want to go to the best facility for this…procedure.” She should have done research and not bothered with this interview, but Abby, her best and dearest friend, had suggested Doc Grable.

“I think I know a donor,” the doctor abruptly said, bringing his gaze back to her.

Susannah’s eyes widened, and she blinked several times as she took in his bizarre statement. “What?”

“I think I know someone locally who would be a donor. And a damn good one, too. Good blood. Make you a fine baby.”

“I don’t think—”

“You go talk to him. I think he’ll be willing. It’ll help him, too.”

“What do you mean?” Help him? How could donating sperm help a man? “I don’t want someone from around here. It would cause all kinds of problems.”

“None that I can see. And it would save you a bundle of money. Unless you’ve got more money than the city’s payin’ you, that has to be a concern. Having children these days, even the old-fashioned way, isn’t cheap.”

Susannah chewed on her bottom lip, a habit from her childhood she’d tried to rid herself of. Money was a concern, since she was alone in the world. But—

He shoved a piece of paper across the desk. Picking it up, she read a name and directions. Lucas Boyd. She didn’t know the man, but she did know he had a large ranch in the area. Certainly he didn’t visit the library. And she’d never seen him at church.

“Why?”

“Why what?” the doctor asked in return, his eyebrows rising.

“Why would this man want to—to be a donor?”

“I can’t discuss why. That would be breaching a patient’s confidentiality. All I can do is tell you to discuss your, ahem, needs with Lucas. What can it hurt? And it could save you a lot of money. Plus time.”

“Time? I have two weeks’ vacation coming. I thought that would be—”

“Lord have mercy. These things don’t always take right away. You’re not going to the supermarket doing your weekly shopping, my dear. Sometimes it takes months.”

“Yes, but—”

“Go see Lucas. I’ll tell him you’re coming. Can you go right now?”

“Yes, but—no, I—well, all right, I suppose I could but—surely it would be better if I waited until you talked to him, gave him some time to think about what—” Susannah had never felt more flustered in her life.

“Naw. Right now. I’ll call and tell him you’re on your way.” He waited, watching her until she finally nodded.

“If Lucas won’t solve your problem, then I’ll draw up a list of the finest doctors in Denver. There are only a couple I’d trust with such a delicate matter, you know.” He stood and came around the desk to pat her shoulder as she rose. “I’m glad you came to me with your problem, Miss Langston. One way or another, we’ll take care of it.”