âTheo, this is Ben. Come and say hello, darling.â
Emily urged the little boy to his feet, holding his hand as she led him across the room. Ben crouched down, guessing it would be less intimidating for Theo if they were on eye level.
âHello, Theo. Itâs nice to meet you,â he said softly. He held out the package heâd brought. âThis is for you.â
Theo stared at the parcel for a moment, then slowly reached out and took it from him. Kneeling down, he stripped off the paper, exclaiming in delight when he saw the bright red car that Ben had bought for him. Within moments he had the box open and was busily running it across the floor.
Emily laughed. âYou couldnât have bought him anything better. He adores cars.â
âGood. Iâll make a note of that,â Ben said lightly, trying not to let her see how moved he was by his first proper encounter with his son.
âIâll carry on getting the supper,â Emily told him gently, and he could tell that she understood how he felt. He sighed. Nobody had ever been able to read him as well as Emily could.
It was something Ben knew he needed to bear in mind. He couldnât afford to do anything that might upset her. He had to concentrate on being a good father to Theo because that was all Emily wanted him to be: her sonâs father, not her lover. Would he be able to handle the change in their relationship? he wondered. In the past three years he had convinced himself that he was over her, that any feelings heâd had for her were dead. It had been easier that way, less painful. However, as he watched her leave the room, he felt his heart lurch.
Dear Reader,
I realised when I was planning this series that I was going to give Ben and Emily a really hard time, but I was confident that they were strong enough to overcome even the biggest obstacle a couple can face.
Discovering that Ben had cancer when he was younger comes as a huge shock to Emily. For the past three years she has tried to come to terms with the way he treated her, and now she has to revise her opinion of him. She realises that she still loves him and is thrilled when Ben admits that he loves her too, but having cancer has made Ben afraid to make a commitment. Although he longs to be with Emily and their son, he refuses to take the risk of hurting them.
Helping Ben and Emily overcome their fears and find a happy ending was a joy. Although their lives have been affected by cancer, it isnât a dark or depressing storyâfar from it. Their love for one another shines through and you just know that no matter what the future holds, they will face it together. I just hope you enjoy reading their story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Best wishes,
Jennifer
JENNIFER TAYLOR lives in the north-west of England, in a small village surrounded by some really beautiful countryside. She has written for several different Mills & Boon>® series in the past, but it wasnât until she read her first Medical Romance⢠that she truly found her niche. She was so captivated by these heartwarming stories that she set out to write them herself! When sheâs not writing, or doing research for her latest book, Jenniferâs hobbies include reading, gardening, travel, and chatting to friends both on and off-line. She is always delighted to hear from readers, so do visit her website at www.jennifer-taylor.com
Recent titles by the same author:
THE FAMILY WHO MADE HIM WHOLEâ GINAâS LITTLE SECRET SMALL TOWN MARRIAGE MIRACLE THE MIDWIFEâS CHRISTMAS MIRACLE THE DOCTORâS BABY BOMBSHELL* THE GPâS MEANT-TO-BE BRIDE* MARRYING THE RUNAWAY BRIDE* THE SURGEONâS FATHERHOOD SURPRISE**
â Brideâs Bay Surgery*Dalverston Weddings**Brides of Penhally Bay
These books are also available in eBook format from www.millsandboon.co.uk
HE HAD driven all night, wanting to avoid the worst of the bank holiday traffic. Now as he pulled up at the side of the road to watch the sun rise over the headland, Benedict Legrange could feel his doubts surfacing again. What did he hope to achieve by coming here? He knew the truth better than anyone did, so why waste his time? He wasnât the childâs father. He couldnât be. The drugs heâd been given may have saved his life but they had left him infertile. He could never father a child and he hadnât fathered Emilyâs child, despite her claims to the contrary. So why put himself through all the heartache of seeing her again?
Ben sighed as he rested his head against the seat and closed his eyes. It was one thing to know he was behaving foolishly but something entirely different to stop himself doing so. Ever since his good friend Tom Bradbury had mentioned Emily, he had felt all churned up inside. It was almost three years since theyâd had that brief affair, yet the memory of what had happened was as sharp as ever. Emily had touched him in ways no woman had ever done, affected him more deeply than he had believed possible. That was why heâd been so angry when she had told him she was expecting his child. He had known it was a lie and it had hurtâa lot!âto realise that she would try to deceive him.