Maitland Maternity: Triplets, Quads and Quints. Kasey Michaels

he was in too much pain.

      Briana McCallum. Rich woman. Looking for a new thrill. How about a doctor? Try one for the night and then skip town if it didn’t work out?

      But it did work out! He raged within himself. It did! How could she deny what had happened between them? How could she just leave?

      “Sir?” The clerk said with a frown. “Is anything wrong?”

      “No!” Hunter snapped. “No, nothing’s wrong.”

      What could be wrong? He asked himself savagely. He knew his lover’s name now. Briana McCallum. A rich woman—who had walked away.

      But she hadn’t left her name for him. She hadn’t wanted him to know. She hadn’t wanted any more than what she’d got.

      He hoped she was satisfied.

      He wasn’t.

       Chapter Four

       Seven months later

      Briana McCallum was on the first floor of the new wing of Maitland Maternity Hospital, the McCallum Wing, dedicated to her mother, talking to the head of nursing, when the phone rang. Mrs. Rodgers interrupted their conversation to take the call, then handed the phone to Briana. “It’s for you.”

      Bri took the phone, expecting the caller to be her assistant. She wasn’t disappointed. “What is it, Lisa?”

      “The new doctor’s here! R. J. Maitland wants you to come meet him at once.”

      “I thought he wasn’t supposed to arrive until two o’clock,” Bri complained. She hated all the politics involved in her job.

      “He got here early. Come on. I told Mr. Maitland you’d be in his office in five minutes.”

      “All right. I’m on my way.”

      She struggled up from her chair as she handed the phone back to Mrs. Rodgers. “Okay, I think I’ve got a grasp of the problem, Mrs. Rodgers. I’ll get back to you as soon as I’ve worked out a solution. But the new obstetrics chief for the wing has arrived early and I’ve got to go be a part of the welcoming committee.”

      “Oh!” Mary Rodgers said with excitement. “Dr. Callaghan? That’s wonderful. I’m so looking forward to meeting him!”

      Bri smiled tolerantly. She’d had nothing to do with choosing the new doctor, but she’d heard plenty of praise about him. Their head doctor, Dr. Wellborn, had collapsed with a heart attack ten days before the new wing opened. He was recovering, but he’d be unable to take up his appointment. Bri had had her hands full trying to make the adjustments necessary for everything to be up and running smoothly. She’d scarcely had time to note that a committee had hurriedly formed, much less looked at the candidates. She had her own fish to fry.

      Now, having survived the opening, she could turn her attention to the newcomer. She sent up a prayer that the new man would be easy to work with. He should be. He’d have the best equipment and staff that money could buy.

      It suddenly occurred to her that the reception she’d planned for that afternoon might need to be moved. Instead of heading for R. J. Maitland’s office, she stopped by hers.

      “Lisa? Did Mr. Maitland say—” She broke off as she realized her assistant’s office was filled with people.

      “Oh, here she is!” Lisa exclaimed, drawing her attention.

      R. J. Maitland, director of the Maitland Maternity complex, stepped forward. “Bri, we gave up waiting for you. Here’s Dr. Hunter Callaghan, waiting to meet you.”

      Bri actually felt the blood drain out of her face as she turned to look at the only man she’d ever known named Hunter.

      That’s the last thing she remembered.

      DR. HUNTER CALLAGHAN, recently of Chicago, stared down at Briana McCallum, who’d just wilted onto the floor. Same beautiful hazel eyes, he’d noted before she’d closed them. Same silky light-brown hair framing her beautiful face. Same peaches-and-cream complexion, until all the blood had drained out of her face.

      But there was a big difference between this Briana and the Briana he’d left sleeping in a hotel-room bed in New York City seven months ago.

      This Briana was very definitely pregnant. Almost full-term, if he was any judge. So she’d been pregnant with another man’s baby when he’d met her. She’d said she had no boyfriend, hadn’t she? That she was alone? That was the impression he remembered. Obviously she was not only a wealthy woman, but a liar, too.

      Dr. Abby Maitland McDermott, who was chief ob-gyn at Maitland Maternity and who had accompanied her brother R.J. and Hunter, bent over and took Bri’s pulse as she chastised Lisa. “I told you to keep her from rushing around, Lisa. Having triplets carries enough pressure without adding to it.”

      Hunter stiffened. “She’s having triplets?”

      “Yeah, we’re all excited that one of our first customers is our own administrator,” Abby told him with a grin.

      “How far along is she?” Hunter asked, a slight tremble in his voice that he hoped no one noticed.

      “Help me lift her to the sofa. Everyone stand back and give her some room to breathe,” Abby ordered.

      Hunter stepped forward and put his hands on Briana. Lifting her shoulders, he slid his arm under her and lifted. Her head rolled over against his chest. As it had in the deli. Gently, he placed her on the sofa.

      “She’s seven months along and doing well. I don’t know what caused today’s fainting episode, but we’ll check her out. Lisa, call and tell my staff I want a room for Bri.”

      “Oh, Doctor, she won’t like that. Can’t you wait until she comes to and ask her?” the assistant pleaded.

      “No, I’m her doctor. I get to decide what kind of treatment she receives. Get a bed.”

      “Yes, ma’am,” Lisa said.

      “Don’t get me a bed, Lisa,” a faint voice Hunter had never forgotten spoke up. “I’m fine, Abby. You’re right. I rushed because your brother is such a bear when he’s kept waiting.” Bri accompanied her words with a weak smile.

      Hunter watched her, waiting to see if she remembered being introduced to him.

      “I apologize for all the trouble, Dr. Callaghan. Not a particularly graceful way to welcome you to the McCallum Wing,” she said in her soft voice, but Hunter noted she didn’t look at him.

      Swinging her feet off the sofa, she looked at R. J. Maitland. “I wanted to know if you want the reception set up for now, or leave it at two o’clock?”

      “It can stay at two,” the director said.

      “But I’d really like to check you out, Bri,” Abby said. “At twenty-eight weeks, you’re doing well, but I’d like you to carry the girls a little longer.”

      “I intend to, Abby,” she assured her, her smile sassier this time. “Now, I have a list of problems to deal with before the reception this afternoon, so if you and our new head of obstetrics will excuse me, I’ll get busy.” She smiled at the rest of the group, several other members of the Maitland family, and stood.

      They all began to leave the office. Hunter, however, stood his ground. Finally, R. J. Maitland said, “Hunter, you coming?”

      “I need a word with my new administrator,” he said. A hazel-eyed gaze collided with his.

      Abby stepped forward once again. “I’d rather Bri not deal with much right now. In fact, though she said she was going to deal with problems, I’m ordering her back on the couch to rest.” She smiled at Bri, and Hunter was filled with jealousy when Bri smiled back. Bri hadn’t smiled at him that way.

      “I just wanted to