The Cowboy's Twin Surprise

DAD ON THE DOUBLE

Frankie Hartman never thought she’d see Spence Bohanan again. Not after he broke her heart and walked away before she could tell the wandering cowboy about his twin daughters. Now that he’s back in Mustang Valley, Frankie has to reveal the truth. At least about his kids—Spence can never find out that she still secretly aches for him.

Spence finally has his life together and he’s ready to prove himself to the only woman he’s ever loved, but her revelation shakes everything up. It doesn’t take long for him to fall in love with his little girls, but repairing the trust between him and Frankie won’t happen quite so quickly. Spence is ready to be a family man—will Frankie give him a chance?

“Newborn pictures are never the best,” Frankie explained.

Spence needed a moment. Swallowing, he waited for his heart to sink back into place from where it had lodged in his throat. These were his daughters when they were just a day, maybe hours, old!

“I think they’re beautiful.”

“I might have extra copies stored in a drawer I can give you along with the thumb drives.”

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

“I wish I’d been there,” Spence said without thinking and realized with a start how much he really did wish it.

Frankie turned her face to his, and tears shone in her eyes. “This is harder than I thought it would be.”

“Aw, honey. Don’t cry.”

Spence put an arm around her and she angled her body toward him and lifted her chin—something she’d done when they were dating and she wanted him to kiss her.

Wait. Take a breath. Think.

He had to be mistaken, right? Then again, not all old habits were bad, were they?

The Cowboy’s Twin Surprise

Cathy McDavid

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Since 2006, New York Times bestselling author CATHY McDAVID has been happily penning contemporary Westerns for Mills & Boon. Every day, she gets to write about handsome cowboys riding the range or busting a bronc. It’s a tough job but she’s willing to make the sacrifice. Cathy shares her Arizona home with her own real-life sweetheart and a trio of odd pets. Her grown twins have left to embark on lives of their own and she couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments.

To Clay and Caitlin,

my own grown twins who will forever be my little babies—XXOO

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

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

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

“When are you going to quit this job and run away with me?”

The man, seventy if he was a day, stared up at Frankie Hartman with an endearing smile.

She refilled his mug from the pot that was never far away and always contained freshly brewed coffee. Propping an elbow on the counter, she said, “Now, Everett. What about my girls? They’re just three. I couldn’t possibly leave them.”

“Ah. The twins. I forgot.”

He hadn’t. Everett passed through southern Arizona at least twice a month, hauling gravel and sand for a regional supplier. The Cowboy Up Café, where Frankie worked her tail off as head waitress, was a regular stop for him and he often engaged her in a flirtatious exchange that both of them knew would lead nowhere.

She didn’t mind. Everett was a good tipper. He was also funny and a lot smarter than his good ol’ boy appearance and personality would have people think.

In that regard, he wasn’t unlike Spence, the errant father of Frankie’s twin daughters. But she refused to think about him. Not today. She had much more important matters on her mind.

Tia Maria, owner and manager of the café, would be assembling the staff at any moment and announcing the name of the new manager. Though Tia Maria had dropped only occasional vague hints, Frankie was one hundred percent convinced she’d get the promotion.

Who else? Besides having the most seniority, she’d covered for Tia Maria off and on this past year during the café owner’s increasing absences. While Tia Maria wasn’t seriously ill, advancing age and health issues had begun to take their toll, and she’d decided to finally retire.

Frankie had been mentally spending the increased salary that came with the promotion for weeks now. Between two young daughters and the house she’d recently purchased, her budget was stretched to its limit.

“Maybe before my next run, you’ll reconsider.” Everett wasn’t ready to give up.

Frankie flashed him the smile she reserved for her favorite customers. “Anything’s possible.”

She hurried to the pass-through window, grabbed her order and delivered it to the waiting customers. Because the café was shorthanded today, she’d been filling in wherever needed, covering the counter more than the dining area. In between, she watched the door for Tia Maria’s return and counted the minutes.

From the corner of her eye, Frankie caught sight of her two younger sisters, Mel and Ronnie. At four months pregnant, Mel had recently started showing and switched from wearing her standard jeans and tucked-in work shirt to stretchy pants and loose tops. She looked both different and adorable.