Their Little Princess. Susan Mallery

that Tanner Malone was really going to have a baby in his life. Waiting in the hospital was his own precious child.

      So many years had gone by since she’d given up her daughter for adoption. For the most part, the pain of loss had dulled. While she frequently thought about her daughter, she didn’t ache for her very much anymore. Unless something happened—something like seeing someone else have the very thing she’d given away.

      “What are you thinking?” he asked.

      “That you’re very lucky. You have a lovely daughter.” She gave him a quick smile. “Sorry. I don’t mean to get emotional, it’s just that I always wanted a large family and it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.”

      He leaned against the door frame and folded his arms over his chest. “Why hasn’t it? You could have an even dozen by now.”

      That made her laugh. “I wasn’t looking for that many.” She paused. “I’m not sure of the reason. Some of it is being a doctor. Medical school, then my residency didn’t leave much time for a personal life.”

      “So what’s your excuse now?”

      What was her excuse? She couldn’t tell him the truth…that her past made her feel guilty and small. That if any man knew about the flaws in her character, he would never want her. She knew that her sense of lacking worthiness was something she should work on, but she’d never found the time. Somehow it was always easier to get lost in her job.

      “I’m not sure I have an excuse,” she told him. “It takes time to get established in a new town. I haven’t met anyone who interests me. You know, the usual stuff.”

      He grimaced. “That makes sense. I, on the other hand, have had too many relationships, but that’s going to change now.”

      She couldn’t hold back her smile. “Don’t be so fast to think so. Many women will find you even more attractive now that you have a child.”

      “It’s not about them,” he said. “It’s about me. For the past few months, I’ve been looking at my life and I’m not sure I like what I see. It was one thing to fool around while I was on my own, but now I have a child to think about. She deserves a father who makes good relationship choices. I want her to be proud of me.”

      Kelly couldn’t help thinking that Tanner was much deeper than she would have given him credit for. Between the muscles, the incredibly blue eyes and the smile that screamed seduction, she would have thought him to be a player, with no interest in anything of value. And she would have been wrong.

      The doorbell rang.

      “I bet that’s Ronni. She probably brought Ryan along,” he said as he headed for the stairs.

      Kelly followed him. Ronni and Ryan stood in the family room. Ryan held up a container holding three cups of coffee, and a pink box from a bakery. “I see we both thought to bring breakfast,” he said with a smile. “Great minds think alike.”

      “Good to see you both,” Kelly said. “I brought bagels.”

      Ronni set down the brightly wrapped gift box she’d been holding and reached for the bag of bagels. “Thank you, Kelly. I’m dying for a danish, but I can’t eat all that sugar on an empty stomach. It makes me queasy. So I’ll have a bagel first. Then a danish. Maybe even two.”

      She glanced up and saw everyone staring at her. “What?” she asked, sounding indignant. “I’m eating for two.”

      Kelly shook her head. “Fine. Eat for two. But don’t be screaming when you step on the scale for your monthly appointment.”

      Ronni pressed her lips together. “Fine. I’ll have half a bagel and then half a danish.” She sighed. “I never knew I’d hate having one of my friends also be my doctor.”