by Karin Baine
An unexpected Christmas arrival...
...on his doorstep!
In this Pups that Make Miracles story, twelve years ago neurologist Charles ended his engagement to orthopedic surgeon Harriet to fulfill his duty to his family—he couldn’t let Harriet sacrifice her surgical dreams for him. But a recent chance reunion at a medical conference led to one more unforgettable night... And what should’ve been the perfect goodbye is now just the beginning... Harriet’s arrived at Heatherglen Castle Clinic—pregnant!
Pups that Make Miracles
Therapy dogs work their magic this Christmas!
Welcome to Christmas at Heatherglen Clinic!
Set in a beautiful castle, nestled in the Highlands of Scotland, it’s the perfect place for patients to recover and rehabilitate from their injuries.
The medical professionals working at this exclusive estate are dedicated to mending their patients, but the magic of this special place and the clinic’s adorable four-legged therapy partners help heal even the most broken of hearts and bring happily-ever-afters to both staff and patients alike!
Discover how healing pups help make Christmas miracles happen in this brand-new miniseries guaranteed to leave paw prints on your heart!
Highland Doc’s Christmas Rescue by Susan Carlisle
Festive Fling with the Single Dad by Annie Claydon
Making Christmas Special Again by Annie O’Neil
Their One-Night Christmas Gift by Karin Baine
Available now!
Dear Reader,
I’m so privileged to work with these other lovely authors again in creating a whole new world for you to dive into. When the idea of a series based around PAT dogs at Christmas was discussed, we knew exactly where we wanted to base it. Scotland!
It’s been so much fun researching for this one and I may have taken one or two trips across the water to get that authentic feel...
Charles, my brooding neurologist, has everything he ever wanted in his beautiful castle and bustling clinic. Except for the woman he loved. Staying loyal to the memories of his brother and father came at a heavy price. He let Harriet go to save her from the burden of Heatherglen Castle, but now she’s back. One steamy night together has brought them to another crossroads and this time they both have to make the decision whether to stay or go.
I hope you enjoy this series and it gives you that warm Christmassy glow when you’re reading it.
Have a happy New Year!
Love,
Karin xx
Their One-Night Christmas Gift
Karin Baine
Books by Karin Baine
Harlequin Medical Romance
Single Dad Docs
The Single Dad’s Proposal
Paddington Children’s Hospital
Falling for the Foster Mom
French Fling to Forever
A Kiss to Change Her Life
The Doctor’s Forbidden Fling
The Courage to Love Her Army Doc
Reforming the Playboy
Their Mistletoe Baby
From Fling to Wedding Ring
Midwife Under the Mistletoe
Their One-Night Twin Surprise
Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.
For Richard Rankin xx
Praise for Karin Baine
“Karin Baine is a brilliant writer. She takes you on a journey as the characters develop and find their inner strength and happiness. I recommend her books to any romance lover!”
—Goodreads on The Courage to Love Her Army Doc
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
EPILOGUE
EXCERPT FROM SINGLE DAD IN HER STOCKING BY ALISON ROBERTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHARLES ROSS-WYLDE WAS a selfish, cold-hearted liar and Harriet Bell was better off without him. At least, that was what she’d spent the last twelve years telling herself.
The reality of seeing him again was very different from the scenario she’d imagined. She’d been shocked to see him here, but so far she’d resisted slapping him, throwing a drink in his face, or announcing to the rest of the conference attendees that he was the reason she couldn’t risk loving anyone again. Perhaps she’d matured or, more likely, hadn’t expected to feel anything other than pure hatred towards him.
She watched him now from the other side of the room as the assembled medical community enjoyed the tea break between lectures. It gave her time to study him unnoticed and decide what she wanted to do—if anything. If she chose to she could walk out of here and he’d be none the wiser, with nothing changing their current status quo.
Impossible when there was so much she wanted to say, so much she wanted him to explain.
Physically, he hadn’t changed much from the man who’d once promised her their lives would be spent together except he looked older...more manly.
He was still trying to sweep that floppy dark hair back into a neat style befitting a professional man, though she remembered all too well how it had looked first thing in the morning tousled by sleep. And, as always, he was dressed impeccably, the navy suit tailored to his exact measurements. The beard was new, the dark shadow along his jawline making him look even more masculine, if that was possible. It suited him—as did the glasses he was sporting.
Damn it, he was still gorgeous, and apparently still able to make her heart flutter maniacally as though she’d just run a marathon.
‘They really should have an open bar,’ she muttered to the bewildered woman serving refreshments to the masses, turning away from the view of her ex-fiancé and wishing for a tot of whisky in her coffee.
Not that she drank often, but she’d make an exception to help her escape memories of her and Charles—good and bad. She’d have to make do with an extra spoonful of sugar in her tea to help with the shock.
‘I didn’t expect to see you here.’ That soft, Scottish burr capable of rendering her into a gibbering wreck tickled the back of her neck. He’d found her.
Harriet fumbled with her cup and saucer, spilling the contents over herself right before she turned around to face him. ‘Charles. What a surprise.’
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.’ He grabbed a napkin from the buffet table and started dabbing at the stain darkening the front of her dress.
‘I can do that, thanks.’ She didn’t mean to snap but she couldn’t bear to have him touch her after all this time when she didn’t know what emotions it would unleash.
‘Sorry.’ He handed over possession of the napkin so she could tend to the ruined dress herself. ‘It was just nice to see a familiar face. How have you been, Harriet?’
There was no sign of remorse for the relationship and future he’d thrown away. He was talking to her as though they were old school friends, who had no real emotional connection and had simply happened to run into each other.
She set the wet napkin and coffee back on the table and took a moment to consider her response. If she kicked off and made a scene it would be clear she’d never got over him and that would most likely send Charles running. She didn’t know what she wanted from him, but it wasn’t that.
‘Oh, you know, keeping busy. You?’ She plastered on a smile, willing to play along wi
th this game until one of them broke. Her, probably.
‘The same. I took up a placement in Glasgow to complete my medical training and set up a clinic at Heatherglen. It was initially to help army veterans, but we’ve extended to provide state-of-the-art medical facilities for physical and emotional rehabilitation to a wider range of patients.’
‘Sounds impressive.’ Inheriting his father’s fortune and the family estate had signalled the end of their engagement so it was difficult for Harriet to be as enthusiastic about his accomplishments as she should have been.
‘I wanted to do something worthwhile to honour my brother and father, but it takes a lot of upkeep. I don’t get to make as many trips to London as I’d like.’ His older brother, Nick, had served with the military in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, he’d been killed by a roadside bomb before Harriet had had the chance to meet him. That family tragedy, followed by the death of his father about a year later, had proved too much for Charles and their wedding plans.
‘I’m the same, too many responsibilities here to even take a holiday these days.’ Needless to say, she hadn’t been back to Scotland since his father’s funeral, when Charles had gone back on his promise of making a life with her. At the time she’d believed grief had driven his decision, but when he’d failed to follow her back to London she’d soon realised he was serious about no longer wanting to marry her. It was difficult to reconcile that man who’d broken her heart with the one stood before her now, making small talk.
‘So, you did stay here after all? I’d hoped you would.’ He was smiling so Harriet didn’t think he was trying to rub salt into the wound he’d inflicted on her that day. She’d never received a proper explanation as to why he’d called things off. Goodness knew, she’d been desperate for one, but she’d eventually had to accept the simple truth that he didn’t want her any more. She’d seen that happen between her own parents when she’d been young and had watched her mother torture herself trying to figure out what she’d done wrong when her father had walked out on them. There was no way she was spending the rest of her life beating herself up about it, the way her mother had until her death.
‘Yes. I’m an orthopaedic surgeon.’
Top of my field, she wanted to add, piqued by the fact he’d never bothered to check up and see what she’d been doing. Then again, she hadn’t done that either, afraid she’d start obsessing over him or what could have been between them. In his case it seemed it was merely down to a lack of interest.
‘Neurologist,’ he countered. ‘I thought it made sense to take that path, so I’d be able to better treat veterans.’
What a team they would have made working together but perhaps she wouldn’t have pursued her career so doggedly if they had married. When she and Charles had been together she’d imagined she could have it all—a career and a family. She’d thought they were a team, on an equal footing and willing to share the responsibilities of raising children. Except the moment Charles’s circumstances had changed he’d backed out and left her to pick up the pieces of her broken heart. She’d paid the price for his actions.
Perhaps she’d had a lucky escape. If he’d proved so unreliable further down the line, he could have left her raising their children alone once he’d decided he didn’t want her after all. As it was, she’d poured her heart and soul into her career because that was the one thing she could count on always being there. Things happened for a reason and she had no regrets when it had moved her focus back onto her work. It didn’t look as though he had any either.
They fell into an awkward gap in conversation, neither apparently knowing what to say to the other but not wanting to make the first move in walking away.
‘Could all attendees please make their way back to their seats for the next talk, please?’
The announcement over the loudspeaker filled the silence on their behalf and left them with the decision of whether to say goodbye temporarily, or for ever.
‘Listen, why don’t we go for a proper drink? The hotel bar should be quiet enough with all the reprobates locked in here for another few hours of telling us things we already know.’ Charles rested his hand lightly at her waist, leaning in so his comment reached only her ears. She could barely feel the pressure of his fingertips on her skin, but it was sufficient to awaken every erogenous zone in her body until she was sure she’d follow him to the ends of the earth.
‘Sure,’ she squeaked.
Damn, she was in trouble.
* * *
Charles didn’t know what he hoped to gain by getting Harriet on her own, except having her to himself for the first time in over a decade. When he’d spotted her across the room there had been no great plan, just a need to be near her. Much like the first time they’d met in medical school and had instantly become inseparable. Being each other’s first loves, they’d become serious quickly. In hindsight, that youth and inexperience would never have worked in a world where tradition and duty to the family name was everything. He’d just wanted to be with Harriet and had given no thought to Heatherglen back then.
Now he considered himself lucky she’d agreed to go for a drink with him instead of throwing a cup of hot coffee in his face.
‘There’s a seat in the corner. I’ll get the drinks. White wine?’ He led her into the bar, where one or two other hotel guests had sought refuge.
‘Yes, please.’ Even that knowledge of her preferred drink brought back memories of times together it was difficult to ignore. Those early student days of being silly and partying too hard. Later, when it had been a bottle of wine to accompany a romantic meal they often hadn’t bothered to finish...
‘Charles, what are you doing?’ he muttered under his breath, and stole a glance back at Harriet as she settled into the corner.
Those days of acting only in his own interests were supposed to be far behind him. He didn’t make any decisions now without thinking through how it might affect those around him. It had been a tough lesson to learn when the consequences of his past actions had come at the price of his brother and father’s lives. He’d sacrificed his relationship with Harriet for her benefit—his first act of selflessness when he’d inherited Heatherglen. Not that she’d known, and he couldn’t have told her it was because he’d wanted her to stay on in London and pursue her career instead of getting dragged into his mess. She would’ve insisted on going to Scotland with him.
Although, seeing her now and realising everything he’d lost, regret weighed heavily on his shoulders along with his threefold burden of guilt.
Approaching her this evening and getting her to agree to join him for a drink had been entirely for his own benefit without considering her feelings. Yet, so far, she’d shown him nothing but friendliness in return. It was entirely possible he’d over-inflated the idea of what they’d had together in his head and she’d forgotten him the second she’d got on that train without him.
‘You look good, by the way. Have I said that already?’ He’d certainly thought it as he’d headed back to her.
Harriet had always been pretty with her slim figure and long, dark blonde hair but now she was a stunningly beautiful woman. The emerald-green dress she was wearing wasn’t particularly noteworthy except for the womanly figure it clung to, accentuating her every curve. It was understated and sophisticated, but on Harriet it was as sexy as hell.
‘You haven’t but thank you.’ She sipped her wine, leaving a trace of ruby lip gloss on the rim of her glass, and...he really needed to keep his libido in check. She was his ex-fiancée, not an anonymous one-night stand.
‘So, are you married? Any kids?’ He took a gulp of lager, making the question as nonchalant as he could. Why should it matter to him what her marital status was, other than cooling his jets if he found out there was someone waiting for her at home?
‘No. I decided my career was the only long-term relationship I needed in my life. I’m too busy to fall for all that
again.’
Ouch.
Harriet’s brown eyes glittered with a dark challenge for him to bite back. Charles didn’t want to go down that route, going over old ground and spoiling the moment they were having now, but she deserved some sort of explanation.
‘What about you? Did you settle down?’
‘I’m too busy with the clinic and, to be honest, Mum isn’t the best advert for marriage. I’m not sure what number husband she’s on now since Dad. Three, I think. She spends her days sailing around in his superyacht. We don’t see very much of her. I think Heatherglen holds too many sad memories for her.’
‘I know the feeling.’ Harriet took another sip of her wine, apparently needing to dull the mention of his family home with alcohol.
‘Harriet, about all that...’ There had to be some way of saying ‘It wasn’t you, it was me’, without sounding completely insincere.
She saved him the trouble, reaching out her hand to still his, which was currently ripping up the cardboard beer mat. ‘This is much too serious a topic for this evening, Charles.’
Suddenly his mind was spinning, trying to come to terms with the way his body was responding to her touch after all this time apart and to what she was saying to him.
‘I don’t do serious any more.’ She held him with her ever-darkening gaze, making no attempt to break contact.
‘No? What do you do?’ He leaned in closer, hoping that if she was actually coming on to him, it wasn’t simply a ploy to get revenge.
‘I have fun, Charles. You do remember how to do that, don’t you? If so, I’m in Room 429.’ With that, she got up and walked away. Leaving Charles with his mouth open, his heart hammering, and battling with his conscience, which was telling him that following her was a really bad idea.
* * *
Harriet’s legs shook on her way towards the elevator. She’d never been so brazen in her life and couldn’t even blame it on the alcohol when she’d only had a sip. From the moment she’d seen Charles, she’d wanted what they’d had in the past. Wanted him. What she didn’t want was to rake over the ashes of the past and be reminded of how he’d rejected her. It was important to know he was still attracted to her. As though that would somehow erase the previous damage he’d caused her self-esteem.
