Unforgettable Passion (Multi-author Box Set)
A Romance She’ll Remember (Multi-author Box Set)
Sweet and Sassy Cinderella (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Power (Multi-author Box Set)
Daring Protectors (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Charmers (Multi-author Box Set)
Hot and Handsome (Box Set)
He's My Baby
Sweet and Sassy Baby Love (Multi-author Box Set - to be released Aug 2019)
Sweet and Sassy Heroes (Multi-author Box Set - to be released Sept 2019)
Unforgettable Intrigue (Multi-author Box Set - to be released Sept 2019)
***
All Mimi's books can be found on her Amazon Author Page:
http://bit.ly/MimiBarbourAmazon
About the author, Mimi Barbour
MIMI BARBOUR: New York Times & 4 times USA Today Best-selling, award-winning romance author has written eight series, many single tiles and is involved in a huge number of box collections.
She lives on the beautiful East coast of Vancouver Island and writes her books with tongue-in-cheek and a mad glint in her eye. The fans all agree that it's the fascinating characters she creates which makes her writing so entertaining and brings them back for more of her magic.
"The favorite part of my job is meeting the characters from each new book. Designing them the way I want and having them act however I think they should. It’s thrilling, especially when most of my make-believe folks are people I would love to interact with in reality.”
Contact me
My website: http://www.mimibarbour.com/
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Write to me anytime. I love to hear from my readers!
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The Saints of San Diego
Suzanne Jenkins
USA Today Bestselling Author
Copyrights
Copyright @ 2019, Suzanne Jenkins
Book Description
When firefighter Tony Saint laid eyes on EMT Bridget Clark, it was love at first sight.
Not for her so much, but almost.
She was the mother of an infant from a one-night stand, but he didn’t care, and that melted her reluctant heart. The Saints embraced her too, doing everything they were able to welcome her into the family.
Then a surprise would put their love to the test. When the unexpected happened, that love would carry them through any trial.
Praise for Suzanne Jenkins
“Author Suzanne Jenkins never disappoints me. She is the master of whichever genre she chooses. The book had me sobbing, laughing and giggling throughout.”
“I love everything Suzanne writes. I can't wait to get my hands on her next one. Thank you Suzanne Jenkins.”
Re: Pam of Babylon- “I cannot live without Pam.” Amazon Reviewer Cristy
Chapter One
Bridget Clark buttoned up the shirt of her brand-new uniform, peering at her reflection in the mirror. Her sister, Caitlin, watched her primping from the bed, yawning, while a two-month-old infant lay next to her, reeling his arms and legs.
“I have to say, you do that uniform justice. They do the best they can to make it unflattering, and you put it on your body and voilà! Perfection.”
“You’re so nice. And I really appreciate you getting me out of a jam by staying with baby Flynn. Nothing like the daycare center losing power on my first day at work.”
“Mam hates it that you’re taking him to daycare. Why don’t you let us take care of him?”
“It’s too much,” Bridget said. “Mam would find a way to rub it in, and I don’t want to hear it.” She turned from the mirror. “I’m so grateful you offered, I really am. But babysitting would be a grind if you had to do it every day.”
“If you’re okay with it, I’ll take him over to the folks’ later today.”
“That’s fine,” Bridget replied, turning back to the mirror. Braiding her long black hair and winding it in a bun was the only way she knew to keep it neat and professional appearing.
After emergency medical technician training, the last nine months of it while she was pregnant, she’d hired in at the #34 Rural Fire Station in the foothills outside town.
“I can’t believe how calm you are,” Caitlin added. “I’d be a nervous wreck around all of those men.”
“It’s not bad, plus I did a rotation there during class, and I know the setup. I’ll just stay busy and out of the way.”
Placing one more pin in the bun to secure it, she winced. “It feels like I’ve got ten spears going into my scalp.”
“Can’t you let it down?”
“Not the first day,” she answered, moving from the mirror to the bed. “I’ll give him one more drink. The freezer is full of breast milk, but I have two bottles defrosted in the fridge. If you do end up going to Mom’s, don’t forget to take a bottle.”
She unbuttoned her shirt again and pulled a breast out of its trap. Baby Flynn grabbed her and latched on without a second’s hesitation.
“Oh man, is he going to be okay without you?”
“He’ll be fine. He’s used to me leaving already.”
Sighing, Bridget hated to leave him, hated that she’d miss out on important milestones. But independence meant keeping her own apartment and working to support her baby. His father was out of the picture, and in exchange for not having to share custody with Randy, which petrified her, she’d forfeited child support.
“We can prove he’s unfit,” her attorney had said. “You should make him pay something for his child.”
But she wasn’t willing to take the chance. It was her fault for getting involved with him. He wasn’t local, and that should have been the first indication. He had been passing through for training at the naval base. Later, she referred to their romance as a one-week stand, but barely.
“It wasn’t one night exactly,” she tried to explain to her heartbroken parents.
“When are you due?”
“Next month,” she mumbled, humiliated.
“You waited all this time! We could have supported you,” her father said.
“Are you getting married?”
“No, Mam, I hardly know the guy.”
“Holy martyrs spare me,” her mother had cried. “Why? You can date any one of a hundred boys from school? Why a stranger?”
She couldn’t tell her mother that the chemistry was steaming. She knew the minute she laid eyes on Randy that she’d throw caution to the wind. Safe sex in place, she thought, she’d only have the memory of the passion that ended up being empty and painful.
Flynn watched her while he nursed, and she giggled. He had smiled his toothless smile at her, and a little milk dribbled out of the corner of his mouth. How would she tell him someday that she’d ostensibly paid off his father to leave them alone? Randy lived in New York, three thousand miles away. But that might not have been far enough if he’d wanted to take his son home. No.
In minutes, satiated, Flynn closed his eyes and let go of her, nursing the air like they do when they sleep.
“I’ll put him in his crib, and you go back to sleep for a while.” She went into the next room, a little alcove that she’d set up as a nursery. “On second thought about taking him out, have the folks come here if they want to see him. They can put a little effort into it. They haven’t been here once.”
Pulling the sheets up to her chin, Caitlin laughed. “Turn the monitor on so I can hear the kid.”
“Oh, trust me, you’ll hear him. I’m outta here.”
“Have a great first day. Text me.”
Nerves didn’t hit until she left her apartment. It was still cool, the marine layer of fog heav
y, as usual for an early summer morning. Commuting to the station was easy for her; her apartment complex was on the same main road, due east ten miles. Driving slowly due to the fog ticked off the drivers behind her, and by the time she arrived at the station, she was shaking. Pulling into the parking lot, she happened to glance over and saw the truck that had tailgated her for the last ten minutes right behind her.
The driver glared at her, but when she got out of her car and he saw her uniform, he was immediately contrite.
“Oh jeez, forgive me for that. How embarrassing.” He held out his hand to her, ashamed for being a jerk because one look at her and he was smitten. “Anthony Saint, but everyone calls me Tony.”
“I couldn’t see to drive,” she said, reluctantly taking his hand. “Bridget Clark. You scared me to death.”
“I’m so sorry. I can be a jerk when I’m late for work,” Tony replied, stammering. “I’m sure we must have met.”
It was a lesson about being kind on the road, especially when his heart started thumping.
“We did, but I was nine months pregnant,” she replied, laughing.
Later, she’d tell Caitlin that his face literally fell. “Oh, gotcha, now I remember,” he said. “You were…” He rolled his hands over his belly to indicate a beach ball.
“I was,” she answered, laughing. “Flynn is two months old.”
“What’s your husband do?” he asked, crestfallen.
“I’m not married,” she answered, and he brightened right up, and she could see he was trying to reel it in.
Biting her lip so she didn’t laugh in his face, she finally asked him, “And what does your wife do?”
“I’m not married either,” he said, a big grin on his face.
She melted, the possibilities zooming through her mind. He was interested. And then she came to her senses. His interest was the last thing she needed. “Well, now that we have that cleared up, I’d better get in there before I get fired.”
“After you,” he said, holding his hand out to lead the way. “Trust me, it will take a lot more than being late to get fired around here. We’re desperate.”
“Is that right? I promise not to take advantage of it.”
He looked at her with his head cocked to the side, taking in the view. The new EMT was gorgeous. One of the other guys would probably make a move. His own romantic life was so messed up, and a nice new girl with a pretty face might light a fire under him to do what he should have done a year ago to straighten out the mess.
“I’m going to raise the flag. Do you want to join me?”
“They call Tony the flag man here,” someone yelled from the garage.
“I like ceremony, so shoot me,” Tony fired back good-naturedly.
“I like ceremony, too,” she said, looking up into his eyes.
Standing with him out by the flagpole, Bridget happily watched Tony perform his maneuver, unfolding the flag and attaching it to the clips, but the joy was more about his muscles flexing under his T-shirt, his powerful arms grabbing the rope and hoisting the flag to the very top that got her attention.
“There we go,” he said.
“Do you take it down, too?”
“I do. My dad or my brothers take over when I’m not around.”
Once they were back inside the garage, Tony waved the battalion chief over.
“Our new EMT, correct? Charlie Saint,” he said, holding his hand out.
They were soon surrounded by firefighters, mostly men, but she did see a blond ponytail in the sea of faces, and it seemed like at least half of the last names were Saint.
They were all friendly and polite, but one guy did bring up the belly, encircling his own generous gut with his hands. “Weren’t you larger the last time you were here?”
The quizzical expression on his face amused Bridget, and she couldn’t help herself, bursting out laughing. “Yep, he’s two months old now.”
A chorus of, “Congratulations!” rang out.
“Do you want to see your office?” Charlie asked.
“Thanks, Chief Saint,” she answered, eager to leave the curious crowd behind.
“You don’t have to be formal. Charlie is good enough.”
When faced with the inventory of emergency supplies, she giggled nervously. “I guess I’d better reacquaint myself with everything.”
“Get settled first. Mike Saint and Devon Lyon are paramedics, and they’re both here today, so you won’t be alone if anything comes up.”
The words if anything comes up gave her a shot of adrenaline. She took her backpack and set it aside, not wanting to unpack her breast pump in front of the chief.
“Okay, thank you,” she said, wishing he’d walk away.
Once he was out of the room, she went to work, setting up her emergency bag with everything she’d need out in the field.
It wasn’t five minutes before a tone went off. Bridget went out into the garage, where the monitor from dispatch resided, and read the screen; it was an automatic alarm. The automated voice rang out over the speaker system.
“Engine 4, engine 12, wagon 2, ladder 17, squad 4, rescue 1: Respond to an automatic fire alarm, Pasqual Valley Parkway and Canyon Road.”
Seconds later, central dispatch called, “Cancel that call. It’s a first-floor smoke alarm that the homeowner set off cooking.”
The rest of the morning was quiet except for a small brush fire and a call regarding a serious multi-vehicle accident. Going with the team for the accident on her first run made the next hours fly by.
Once back at the station, she did her part helping to put the equipment away but was increasingly aware of a familiar sensation that meant she needed to use the breast pump. The lavatory, she discovered, was not a place she wanted to do the deed and, furthermore, was unisex. She’d have to pump in the supply office during lunch. She went to the chief’s office and tapped on the door.
“I’m going to have lunch in the office,” she said. “But I need to, um, use my breast pump, so I’ll lock the door.”
She later said she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing as the color moved up his face, and it was apparent he was trying to avoid looking at her chest, so he looked at her forehead, then the floor, and finally out the window.
“Okay, good idea,” he said, scratching his face. “We should have a safe place for you to do…that.” He made a swirly motion with his hand over his chest, and she couldn’t help it, barking out a laugh.
“The supply office is fine as long as you don’t mind. I’ll let Mike and Devon know I’m still available.”
“Of course I don’t mind. You don’t need to tell them anything.” He nodded and looked away. “Take a lunch break.”
“Okay, thank you.”
Lowering her head, she quickly took off for the supply office with her bag, afraid she’d start laughing again.
The day went quickly, and at four, Connie, her relief, came in. She packed up her backpack and her little cooler, where she kept her breast milk on ice.
“Oh, yes, I remember doing that. Only my kid is almost fifty and I didn’t have an electric pump in those days. We used a thing that had a rubber bulb on the end of it. I didn’t save my milk either; it went down that drain in the middle of the garage.”
“You must have been here longer than anyone,” Bridget said.
“You know, I have been,” she said, looking off into space. “Big Mike Saint started about the same time I did, but he’s ready to retire. I’m not going anywhere for a few more years.”
“I haven’t met him yet. I met Tony this morning, and Charlie is the one who hired me.”
“Are you married?” she asked, trying to see Bridget’s left hand.
“Nope, single with a baby.”
A look of hopeful excitement passed over Connie’s face. “You still have to meet Big Mike’s other sons, Joey and Mike Junior. And there’s Devon Lyon, Rick Jackson and a few other single guys. All smart, handsome men. Joey might be a little old for you. He’s
in his thirties. Forget Joey, I just remembered he finally has a girlfriend.”
“Ha! I’m not looking, and I already met Mike and Devon,” Bridget said. “I’ll barely have enough time to clean my apartment now that I’m working full time with a baby, let alone date. But thanks anyway.”
“I hope you change your mind,” she said, winking.
Later that night, after dinner when the men were in their recliners watching reruns of The Big Bang Theory, Connie went up to the lounge from the office off the garage, with a cake she’d brought from home.
“Hey, Connie,” they called out.
“Come have cake during the commercial.”
“I’ve seen this episode at least ten times,” Rick said, putting the foot of his chair down.
He helped, getting out paper plates and plastic forks someone had donated to the firehouse, while she cut the cake.
“So, did you meet the new EMT?” she asked, looking at him sidelong.
“The pregnant one?” he asked, sticking his finger in the icing, and Connie swatted him away.
“She’s not pregnant anymore, and she’s gorgeous and single.”
“She’s single?” He looked off into space, frowning.
“You know how babies are made, right, Rick? You don’t have to be married to make a baby. I forget what the stats are, but they’re pretty impressive, like fifty percent of births in the US are to single women.”
“I don’t believe that!”
“Google it. And if you stick your finger in my cake one more time, I’m going to chop it off with this knife.”
“That’s a spatula.”
“It’s sharp.”
“What’s all the whining about?” Tony Saint had come over for his share of the cake.
“The new EMT isn’t married,” Rick explained. “And she has a kid.”
“She was here when she was pregnant,” Tony said. “I remember seeing her from the back and running up to her to say hello, but when she turned sideways, she had a medicine ball under her uniform.”
Sweet and Sassy Baby Love Page 28
