Judy Duarte: Triplets Found: The Virgin's Makeover / Take a Chance on Me / And Then There Were Three

MILLS & BOON®

www.millsandboon.co.uk

By

Judy Duarte,an avid reader who enjoys a happy ending, always wanted to write books of her own. One day she decided to make that dream come true. Five years and six manuscripts later, she sold her first book to Special Edition.

Her unpublished stories have won the Emily and the Orange Rose awards and in 2001 she became a double Golden Heart finalist. Judy credits her success to Romance Writers of America and two wonderful critique partners, Sheri WhiteFeather and Crystal Green.

At times, when a stubborn hero and a headstrong heroine claim her undivided attention, she and her family are thankful for fast food, pizza delivery and video games. When she’s not at the keyboard, she enjoys travelling, spending romantic evenings with her personal hero and playing board games with her children.

Judy lives in Southern California and loves to hear from her readers. You may write to her at: PO Box 498, San Luis Rey, CA 92068-0498, USA. You can also visit her website at: www.judyduarte.com.

To the special ladies who love my youngest son as their own: Lydia Bustos, a wonderful sister-in-law and tía who spends hours at Chuckie Cheese and pretends to enjoy some of the same movies, over and over. Sheri Marotte, a talented teacher who became my friend and overlooked more than a fair share of tardies when my early-morning writing time went into extra innings. Soledad “Chole” Mendez, a great babysitter and friend who provides me with immeasurable peace of mind whenever my little boy is in her care. Thank you, ladies, from the bottom of my heart!

Portland, Oregon—1976

“I’m pregnant.”

Jared Cambry’s gut clenched as he looked at Olivia in disbelief. “But we only did it once. Are you sure?”

The sixteen-year-old blonde glanced down at her worn leather sandals and kicked at a dandelion that grew in the grass at the park where they’d met. She looked up and caught his gaze. “Yeah. I’m sure.”

Jared wanted to bolt, wanted to call her a liar. Instead, he blew out a ragged breath. “I don’t know what to say.”

“I was surprised, too,” she said. “I guess neither of us planned on having a baby.”

She could say that again. He’d just been accepted to Arizona State. And last time his parents had taken him to visit, the football coach had said that he had a good shot at a quarterback position in the fall—maybe even first string.

He looked at the teenage girl who’d just given him the worst piece of news he’d ever heard.

“I know we’re young,” Olivia said.

Young? Heck, he’d only had his drivers’ license for a little over a year. And though old enough to drive, she still rode a bike. They should be thinking about college. And summer vacation. Not a baby.

Besides, it’s not as though they’d ever dated. They’d met at a party a couple of months ago, and it had just happened.

Two weeks before the party, he and Megan Phillips, a pretty, redheaded cheerleader he’d gone out with since the fall, had broken up. He was still nursing a broken heart and a wounded pride. And he wasn’t in the party spirit—until Olivia had come along, holding two glasses of cheap, fruit-flavored wine.

Olivia had a pretty smile and a way of making him forget about the obnoxious college guy Megan had dumped him for.

Neither of them had been virgins, but the experience had still been awkward. And Jared had a feeling she’d been disappointed.

He’d driven her home afterward, and they’d exchanged phone numbers. But he hadn’t called her. And when she’d asked him to meet her today, he’d been surprised.

“We could maybe date for a while, get to know each other better,” she said.

They could date? His mom and dad would come unglued if he brought home a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. They had their hopes set on their only son meeting a debutante, or at least someone whose parents belonged to the country club set.

And even if Jared was willing to go out with Olivia, his family was relocating to Scottsdale about the same time he moved to the dorms at ASU. They said the move was for business purposes, although he suspected they wanted to be near their only child in Phoenix.

“What are you thinking?” she asked, eyes snagging his and demanding some kind of answer.

Heck, he was thinking about all kinds of things. College. Playing football. Maybe taking some pre-law and business courses.

And the sudden realization that his once charmed life was going to hell in a broken-down baby buggy.

Only one solution came to mind. “I’ll pay for an abortion.”

“What?” Olivia asked, voice raised an octave.

“An abortion. I’ll get the money. And I’ll drive you there and wait while it’s done. That way, your mom won’t find out.”

“No way. I know having a kid isn’t convenient for either one of us. But I’m keeping this baby.”

She couldn’t be serious. Olivia and her mom lived in a rundown, rusted-out trailer on the outskirts of town. How the heck was she ever going to raise a kid?

And even if he got a part-time job flipping burgers while attending school, he wasn’t going to be able to contribute too much. Her keeping the baby was a bad idea—for both of them.

“You’ve got your whole life in front of you,” he said. “Why would you want to tie yourself down?”

“Because babies are a blessing. And God wouldn’t have let me get pregnant if there wasn’t a good reason for it.”

Jared rolled his eyes. He didn’t think God had anything to do with the mistake they’d made. And he couldn’t see how having a kid at his age would bless his life.

Not now.

Not ever.

Portland, Oregon—2004

“I’m pregnant.”

Lissa Cartwright, who’d been slouching in a cushioned patio chair on the deck, nearly dropped her morning cup of coffee and sat up straight. “You’re what?”

“Pregnant,” her bright-eyed sister said.

“That’s great. Congratulations.” Lissa managed a smile. She couldn’t be happier, yet the excitement had an ambiguous edge.

Last year, her sister had married the love of her life, a man who adored her. And having a baby had always been Eileen’s dream.

Lissa’s too, she supposed. That’s what made the news so bittersweet.

“You look surprised.”

No, Lissa wasn’t actually bowled over by the announcement, but as usual, when her sister achieved one of those heart-touching milestones, Lissa felt a wee bit envious. “I just didn’t expect to hear it so soon. Or so early in the morning.”

Eileen laughed. “You didn’t think I’d drive all the way out to the vineyard for breakfast, did you?”

“No.” Lissa adored her younger sister, but Eileen wasn’t a morning person. Not like Lissa.

In fact, the two young women weren’t anything alike, but there was a good reason for that. Seven months after Lissa had been adopted as an infant, her mother had given birth to Eileen.

Lissa wasn’t sure when she’d begun to feel like an outsider. Maybe on the day her parents sat her down and told her about being special, about being chosen. About her being their very first baby girl.

That’s when Lissa began to take a good hard look at the differences between her and her sister.

Eileen was petite and vivacious, a strawberry blond, just like their mother. And Lissa was tall and introspective, with plain brown hair. God only knew who she resembled—certainly not anyone on the Cartwright family tree.