Dear Reader
When my editor suggested that Louisa George and I write a duet with an over-arching story I had no idea where it would lead. Fortunately Louisa and I know each other well and have critiqued each otherâs stories often, so we knew weâd be able to work together. Thatâs about all we knew. But many e-mails and phone calls later, and after a few nudges from our editors, here is my half of The Infamous Maitland Brothers duet.
Right from the start I loved Mitchell and Jodi. I so wanted to sort out their livesâinterfering, thatâs meâand give them their happy ending. But with the drama of their very ill little boy going on it wasnât easy. I hope you enjoy reading how these two reach out to each other for the special love they need to get them through a harrowing time.
Cheers
Sue MacKay
www.suemackay.co.nz
[email protected]
With a background of working in medical laboratories and a love of the romance genre, it is no surprise that SUE MACKAY writes Mills & Boon>® Medical Romance⢠stories. An avid reader all her life, she wrote her first story at age eightâabout a prince, of course. She lives with her own hero in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds, at the top of New Zealandâs South Island, where she indulges her passions for the outdoors, the sea and cycling.
Also by Sue MacKay:
YOU, ME AND A FAMILY
CHRISTMAS WITH DR DELICIOUS
EVERY BOYâS DREAM DAD
THE DANGERS OF DATING YOUR BOSS
SURGEON IN A WEDDING DRESS
RETURN OF THE MAVERICK
PLAYBOY DOCTOR TO DOTING DAD
THEIR MARRIAGE MIRACLE
These books are also available in eBook format from www.millsandboon.co.uk
This oneâs for my friend, Anne Roper,
who is always so cheerful and fun to be with. Thanks to her lovely daughter-in-law, Michelle, for her help on YOU, ME AND A FAMILY.
And for Leslie, number one fan.
Also a big thank you
to Melanie Milburne and Fiona Lowe for way back in the beginning. This might be late but youâve never been forgotten.
JODI HAWKE SWUNG the budget rental car against the kerb and hauled the handbrake on hard. Her heart was in her mouth as she peered through the grease-smeared windscreen towards the small, neat semi-attached town house sheâd finally found after an hour of driving around, through and over Parnell. Auckland was not her usual playground. But that was about to changeâfor a time at least. No matter what the outcome of this meeting.
A chill lifted goosebumps on her skin. âI canât do this.â
Brushing her too-long fringe out of her eyes, she turned to glare at her guilt-ridden reflection in the rear-vision mirror, and snapped, âYou have to.â
Think whatâs at stake. âJamieâs life depends on you doing this. And doing it right. This day has always been hovering in the background, waiting for show time.â
Before she could overthink the situation for the trillionth time Jodi elbowed the door open and slid out onto the road. The unassuming brick town house sat back from the road, a path zeroing in on the front door with the precision of a ruled line. The lawn had been mown to within a millimetre of its life, and the gardens were bare of anything other than some white flowering ground cover.
âSo Mitchâs still too busy working to put time or effort into anything else.â It followed that heâd still not be taking care of any relationships either.
âSome things never change.â Which was unfortunate because, like it or not, big changes were on Mitchâs horizon. She was about to tip his world upside down, inside out. For ever.
Whatever his reaction he would never be able to forget what she was about to tell him. Mitchell Maitland, the man whoâd stolen her heart more than three years ago, was about to get the shock of his life. The man sheâd walked away from in a moment of pure desperation when it had finally hit home that he was never, ever going to change. Not for anyone, and especially not for her.
Unfortunately sheâd needed his total commitment, not just the few hours heâd given her in a week. Growing up, sheâd learned that when people were busy getting ahead they didnât have time for others, not to mention handing out love and affection. Except, silly woman that sheâd been, sheâd thought, hoped, Mitch mightâve been different despite all the warning signs to the contrary. Sheâd believed her love for him would overcome anything.
Lately sheâd learned the hard way that there was more to a relationship than love and affection. There was responsibility, honesty and integrity. Things sheâd overlooked in Mitch. Because of that, Mitch wouldnât forgive her in a hurryâif at all. And now it was payback time for what sheâd omitted to tell him in the weeks and years since sheâd told him to go.
Stepping up the path, she ignored the butterflies flapping in her belly, and went for bravado. âHello, Mitchell. Remember me? Iâm the one who got away still mostly intact. Left you when it became apparent you had no more time for me than it took to have a good bonk.â