The Holiday Triplets Read online

  “That’s not good enough. She has to go.”

  He couldn’t let a personal relationship influence him on this matter. But Mark considered it his duty to protect his staff, whether that meant Sam or anyone else. “She may have a big mouth, but she hasn’t harmed patients or committed any legal or medical errors.”

  Angry and disappointed as he felt, he saw a vast difference between his former fiancée’s drug theft and Sam’s mistake. The first had been calculated and illegal, the second a relatively minor error in judgment.

  “She embarrassed us publicly! After the way we botched this, I doubt anyone of his caliber will look twice at the fertility center.” Her voice bristled.

  To keep the peace, Mark refrained from observing what an exaggeration that was. “Let me talk to Owen myself. I’m sure he’ll see things differently once he simmers down.” In his experience, people often backed away from ultimatums after a day or so of reflection.

  “Simmers down? You’re forgetting his reputation.”

  The man was known for terrorizing nurses and antagonizing coworkers, but Mark had been willing to attribute that to perfectionism. Now, though, doubts bubbled to the surface. Dr. Tartikoff had no business insisting that the hospital fire its head of pediatrics over a verbal blunder. If Owen was that arrogant, he might not be the best choice to head up the new center.

  He doubted Chandra would see it that way, however, so he tried a different tack. “Has it occurred to you how it will look if we fire Dr. Forrest under these circumstances? The press will have a field day.”

  “Then it’s your job to persuade her to move on voluntarily,” Chandra said. “If she’s as outstanding as you say, I’m sure she has plenty of other opportunities.”

  Sure, but I don’t want her to take them. Unthinkable to lose Sam not only as a lover but also as a friend and colleague.

  Yet he stopped short of a direct refusal. This position at Safe Harbor had given Mark the chance of a lifetime, to transform a community hospital into a first-rate medical center for women and babies, and the fertility center represented the jewel in the crown. Securing someone of Tartikoff’s stature was critical. Two years ago, Mark had made a major life decision to come here, and he wasn’t ready to throw away this opportunity without exploring all options.

  “I’ll discuss it with her,” he said into the phone.

  “Do this right, Mark.”

  That, he reflected as he said goodbye, was exactly the point.

  DESPITE THE HOLIDAY, SAM SAW patients on Monday morning because kids always managed to get sick on Christmas. She attributed that to a combination of irregular diet, too little sleep and viruses transmitted from person to person at holiday gatherings.

  At midafternoon, she wolfed down a sandwich in the hospital cafeteria. About to head for her office on the fourth floor to catch up on paperwork, she saw Mark sitting alone at a table, watching her.

  Glad that there was no one around to snoop and stare and gossip, she joined him. Her heart twisted as this man who normally radiated welcome merely lifted a hand in greeting.

  It’s my own fault. “I’m sorry,” Sam replied miserably.

  “I know. I got your messages.” His voice rang hollowly through the empty cafeteria. “I was just going to call you.”

  “Did Tartikoff tell you to jump off a cliff?”

  “Not exactly.”

  She saw the conflict in his eyes. He didn’t have to say another word. “I’m the sacrificial lamb. Well, I refuse to be forced out. Honestly, Mark! It’s not as if I screwed up a diagnosis or was negligent with a patient!”

  “I know that,” he said quietly.

  “I refuse to accept a blot on my record. Getting fired is unreasonable, unfair and a violation of my contract. You know perfectly well I could fight this.”

  He nodded. “No one’s firing you.”

  “What, then?”

  “Chandra asked me to persuade you to leave voluntarily. Sam, it’s up to you. I’ll fight right alongside you if that’s what you want.”

  On the verge of agreeing, she hesitated. She wanted very much to stay. Not for the counseling clinic, which she seemed unable to save, and not for being chief of pediatrics—heck, she might resign from that position, anyway—but for her patients and friends, and to be around Mark. Mostly, to stay with Mark.

  Where could this relationship lead, though? They saw the world from such opposite perspectives that something like this had been bound to happen, sooner or later. If she stayed, it would happen again.

  Should she consider her other options? Sam had built a comfortable nest in Safe Harbor, but now that she had children, maybe she ought to consider moving closer to family.

  “My brother’s been trying for ages to talk me into moving back to Seattle,” she said.

  “He’s a cardiologist, isn’t he?”

  She nodded. “On the other hand, now that I’ve finally paid off my student loans, I’d prefer to join my parents in Mexico. It would be great for my kids to live near their grandparents.”

  “You’re sure you’re okay with this?” His tone implied that he wasn’t.

  Neither was Sam, yet she ought to be feeling enthusiastic. She’d always planned to make a major contribution to the poor, and here was her chance. So what if she’d miss the life she’d established in Safe Harbor? I owe a debt to those who’re suffering. Her parents were always talking about the need for more doctors.

  “It may take me a few months to work out the legalities with adopting the triplets,” she warned. “And I also have to find a pediatrician to take over my practice. But I could make an announcement as soon as I talk to my parents. Maybe right after the first of the year.”

  He scowled. “I hate this. They have no business forcing you out. I’m the one who leaked sensitive information.”

  “And I’m the one who shot my mouth off, as usual. Besides, I’ve always intended to do something like this eventually. And I miss my family.” That reminded her. “Speaking of family, did your sister ever get here?”

  He shook his head. “I’m a little concerned, but I refuse to climb back on that emotional roller coaster. This time, I’ll wait for her to contact me.” His brow furrowed as he stared past Sam. “Do you realize it’s snowing?”

  She glanced out the glass doors to the patio. Sure enough, snowflakes were swirling thickly around deserted tables and chairs. “Wow, that’s more than a flurry. It’s starting to accumulate. But that never happens in southern California.”

  “Sure it does. Once or twice a decade.”

  “Special for us.” Sam couldn’t believe she was feeling sentimental about snow, but their weekend in the mountains would remain a cherished memory all her life.

  Mark’s mouth curved into a smile. “Snowballs.”

  “Oh, come on!”

  “Dare you.”

  She couldn’t resist following as he went to open the doors. A blast of chilly air raised goose bumps beneath Sam’s sweater, but she didn’t care.

  Outside, white fluff transformed the nearby hedge and the parking lot beyond it into a scene of pristine beauty. She gazed upward at the unfamiliar sight of snow dusting palm trees.

  Crouching by a bush, Mark scraped a thin layer of white into his hands. “Brace yourself.”

  “Oh, grow up. Just think, we barely missed having a white Christmas. Wouldn’t that have been lovely?” Determined not to be outmatched, Sam brushed the snowy accumulation on a tabletop into her own palms and pressed it hard. As soon as she opened her hands, the stuff fell apart. “This won’t pack.”

  “I thought we were supposed to grow up,” he reminded her as his own would-be snowball melted in his hand.

  “I’ll grow up if you will.”

  Mark tipped his face to the sky. Flakes dappled his dark hair and eyebrows. “I could move to Seattle with you.”

  “I’m going to Mexico.”

  “Oh, be a sport. It never snows down there.”

  “Great food, though.”

&nb
sp; “If you like things spicy.”

  Sam stopped talking as the snow blotted out the world around them. She loved being isolated with Mark. A week ago, they’d played in the snow and hurried back to the cabin with their arms around each other. If only they could do that again.

  Time, stand still. Let me stay here with him.

  His cell phone beeped. He glanced at the message. “Delivery.”

  “I’d better go, too. The paperwork keeps piling up. Whatever made me think I was cut out to be a bureaucrat?” Sam grumbled. “You can replace me as chief of pedes right away. Please.”

  He slid an arm around her waist. “My pleasure.”

  “Mark! Anyone can see us.”

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “Well, they can’t accuse me of favoring you, since I’m about to remove you as chief of pediatrics.”

  His body sheltered hers, warm against the cold, solid against the fragility of snow. “They’ll gossip anyway,” she said, and touched her lips to his. Immediately, she wanted more.

  He lifted his head. “Who cares?” And he proceeded to kiss her thoroughly. They stood there for a while, wrapped up in each other, until his beeper went off.

  “Delivery,” they both said.

  To be discreet, Sam let him go inside ahead of her. When she entered, she saw only a couple of cafeteria workers, whose positions required them to face away from the patio. Lucky break, she supposed.

  Sam didn’t feel lucky.

  She never ran from a challenge, and that was not her intention now. By leaving Safe Harbor she’d be running to the kind of commitment she’d always wanted to make. So why was she listening to a selfish inner voice that urged her to stay?

  Better tackle those reports awaiting her attention upstairs. She owed a clean desk and an empty in-basket to whoever succeeded her as chief.

  On the way, she decided to stop and see if Mark’s secretary had his sister’s phone number. There was no harm in checking on Bryn, just to be certain she hadn’t run into trouble.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The snowfall amounted to less than an inch, but that was enough to pass for a blizzard in southern California. Although the stuff melted within an hour, the news media provided coverage of freeway jams, farmers struggling to save their citrus and avocado crops, children frolicking and people using hair dryers to deice their front steps. Safe Harbor’s latest snafu seemed to be forgotten—except by those who mattered.

  True to her word, Sam informed Mark that she’d put in some phone calls about finding a replacement pediatrician and spoken to Tony about fast-tracking the adoption. However, Mark realized that little could be accomplished during this week between Christmas and New Year’s, when half the world had gone out of town.

  The situation had almost driven the counseling clinic from his mind, until Eleanor stopped by his office late on Thursday afternoon. “I never thought I’d say this, but would you please tell Dr. Forrest I didn’t mean to drive her away entirely?”

  “You could speak to her yourself.” Mark hated to rush this conversation, but he still had to pick up his tuxedo from the cleaners for Jared and Lori’s wedding tonight.

  “She scares me.”

  He regarded the aristocratic woman in her designer suit. “You’re kidding.”

  Her chest heaved. “I suppose I’m having trouble acknowledging how high-handed I was. It never occurred to me that, without her, there truly isn’t anyone in charge. Clients show up without appointments, peer counselors go on vacation and don’t tell anybody, and there’s no one to keep a lid on things. I’ve had to drive down here two days in a row. This is crazy.”

  “I’ll ask her to pitch in.” He felt certain Sam would do her best.

  Eleanor drummed her fingers on his desk. “I suppose I was unreasonably optimistic about budgeting and staffing. I doubt we’ll be able to afford a real director for at least a year. We need Dr. Forrest.”

  He took a deep breath. “I’m afraid that, at best, she’ll only be around for a few more months.” He explained about Sam’s decision to relocate.

  “Is this because of me?” Eleanor asked in dismay.

  “It’s a lot of things,” he said. “She’s always intended to work full-time at a low-cost clinic eventually.”

  “But she’s got three children! Has she any idea what an education costs these days?”

  “If I could change her mind, I would.” Listening to his own words, Mark realized he meant it. And that he’d accepted her decision to leave much too readily.

  He loved Safe Harbor Medical Center and everything he’d accomplished in the past couple of years. Even more, he treasured the prospect of what he planned to accomplish in the years to come.

  Yet without Sam, all the flavor went out of the place. He couldn’t imagine coming to work every day without looking forward to seeing her. Or going home to his sterile house, knowing he’d never hold her in his arms again.

  If he wanted to change Sam’s mind, he had to do something drastic. And he’d better do it soon.

  The problem was, he had no idea how to accomplish that.

  AS CO-MAIDS OF HONOR, Sam and Jennifer had been instructed to walk down the aisle side by side. They stood waiting their turn in the church foyer, wearing identical silver-and-blue dresses, Jennifer’s dark hair and Sam’s blond curls pinned back with matching silvery ornaments. Sam hoped the three-inch difference in their heights didn’t look awkward.

  Oh, well, who would notice? Lori’s auburn splendor and the joy on her face were bound to steal the show.

  “Have I apologized enough?” Jennifer asked in a low voice. She and Lori were among the few Sam had told about her decision to leave. “I feel like I helped push you into this.”

  Sam tried to reassure her friend. “I’m famous for shooting my mouth off. I just did it one time too many.” She didn’t bother to repeat her contention that she’d always intended either to join her parents in Mexico or work at a similar facility elsewhere. Her closest friends knew that she wouldn’t have chosen this particular timing.

  Her mom, too, had cautioned her not to make a snap decision. “Not that I wouldn’t be thrilled to have you here. Either way, I’m coming to visit my three new grandchildren next month, the first chance I get,” she’d added.

  The thought of the triplets soothed Sam. They seemed to get stronger and smarter every day. Since they still weren’t big enough to sleep through the night, she’d used a referral service to find a nanny who specialized in caring for twins and triplets. Nanny Nancy had started two days ago and was holding down the fort this evening.

  Already, she’d organized the house so Sam no longer banged into furniture and tripped over supplies. The woman was capable, cheerful and experienced.

  Wonder how she’d feel about moving to Mexico.

  The music shifted into their cue. “Don’t trip,” Jennifer advised.

  “I wasn’t planning to.”

  “I’m talking to myself, not you.”

  “Let’s hope neither of us trips,” Sam suggested.

  “Go!” Lori urged from behind.

  Silver bells and green-and-silver wreaths gave the small chapel a wintry charm. In the pews, friendly, familiar faces greeted them. Tony Franco and his fiancée, Kate. Ian Martin and nursing director Betsy Raditch. Doctors and nurses, childbirth educator Tina Torres, secretary May Chong…people who’d become like family over the past five years. How could she leave them?

  But she had to. Controversy aside, this was what she’d always meant to do.

  Finally, Sam allowed herself to focus on the man standing beside Jared at the altar, studying Sam with a gaze that could melt chocolate. In that crisp tuxedo, Mark Rayburn might have been a Mediterranean prince or an old-time movie star. Or simply the man she loved.

  I didn’t really admit that, did I?

  Her chest tightened as she struggled to come to terms with her sudden romanticism. It must be the effect of walking down an aisle clutching a bouquet, she told herself desperately.
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  What she should have done was paid more attention to her footing. As she reached the front, she took a misstep, stumbled and might have fallen if Jennifer hadn’t grabbed her arm.

  “You promised!” her friend hissed.

  “Sorry.” Regaining her balance, Sam took her place beside her fellow maid of honor. When she glanced over at Mark, she caught the edge of a grin and a small headshake. Hopeless, it said.

  She didn’t have time to dwell on her clumsiness. The wedding march swelled and, along with the guests, Sam turned her attention to Lori. The bride glowed with happiness as she strolled down the aisle on her mother’s arm.

  Sam’s eyes misted as Lori reached Jared and the couple joined hands in front of the minister. Thank goodness these two people hadn’t lost each other, because they obviously belonged together.

  Sometimes things worked out the way you hoped. And sometimes, she conceded with a pang, they didn’t.

  SINCE THE COUPLE HADN’T BEEN able to find an affordable facility at the last minute, the cake-and-champagne reception took place in the hospital’s workout room, which was also used for childbirth classes. Lori had assured Mark that she didn’t mind, since her “real” reception would be held at a restaurant the following month.

  Nevertheless, it was hard to ignore the posters detailing the stages of labor, and another graphically depicting exercises for pregnant women. “I think every couple should have posters like these at their reception,” joked Tina, the childbirth instructor.

  “I didn’t realize they were still going to be up,” Lori said tartly. “I may deal with pregnancies every day, but on a personal level, I’d rather not think about it for a few years yet.”

  Jared gave his new wife a hug. “We can start practicing, though, right?”

  “For which part?” she challenged.

  “You don’t expect me to spell it out here, do you, sweetheart?”

  As Lori’s cheeks flushed, Mark raised his glass. “I propose a toast. To the couple best qualified of anyone I know to practice for childbirth.”