A Father For The Twins

He’s falling for his clients’ legal guardian...

But can business and love ever mix?

Signing a young sister and brother to his new talent agency could be a great move for Adam Wilding, especially when he meets their legal guardian. Cassie Bryant’s first priority is her niece’s and nephew’s welfare. But she herself remains a mystery. Can Adam convince this prickly, stubborn, utterly appealing woman they’re not as different as she thinks?

As a kid, CALLIE ENDICOTT had her nose stuck in a book so often it frequently got her in trouble. The trouble hasn’t stopped—she keeps having to buy new bookshelves. Luckily ebooks don’t take up much space. Writing has been another help, since she’s usually on the computer creating stories instead of buying them. Callie loves bringing characters to life and never knows what will prompt an idea. So she still travels, hikes, explores and pursues her other passions, knowing a novel may be just around the corner.

Also By Callie Endicott

Emerald City Stories

Moonlight Over Seattle

Montana Skies

The Rancher’s Prospect

At Wild Rose Cottage

Kayla’s Cowboy

That Summer at the Shore

Until She Met Daniel

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

A Father for the Twins

Callie Endicott

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08502-1

A FATHER FOR THE TWINS

© 2018 Callie Endicott

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

“I want the twins to dream whatever they want to dream.” Cassie truly meant those words.

“You’d probably make a good talent agent for kids,” said Adam.

“Me?” Cassie snickered. “Hardly. I like my orderly career in web programming. It makes the rest of life’s messiness easier to face.”

“You’re great with computers, but you also have solid instincts for people.”

The compliment was sincere, but it was the look in his eyes that made her pulse jump. When Adam leaned closer and kissed her, it was everything it should have been. His lips were firm, his arms strong and gentle. But the moment was so brief, it left her aching for more.

Dear Reader,

I’m so excited to have my next Emerald City story published with Harlequin Heartwarming.

My hero, Adam Wilding, is a special guy who became a famous model more or less by accident. Now he’s embarked on a second career as a talent agent, and he has his hands full with Cassie Bryant, the aunt and guardian of his two newest clients. Cassie can be a little prickly, but she’s fiercely protective of her niece and nephew.

The two cats in my household have an odd relationship—the female dislikes all other felines, and the male just wants to play. There’s a great deal of spitting, but not the all-out war that we expected. Over time it’s become clear that a certain amount of affection has grown between the two.

Relationships aren’t easy, but the fun part of writing is that I don’t have to just wait and watch. Adam and Cassie have a number of hurdles to overcome before they find their way together...but I enjoyed showing how they got there.

I love hearing from readers and can be contacted at: c/o Harlequin Books, 22 Adelaide Street West, 40th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 4E3. Please also check out my Facebook page at Facebook.com/callie.endicott.author.

Best wishes,

Callie

To Ruby and Albert

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Dear Reader

Dedication

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Extract

About the Publisher

PROLOGUE

ADAM WILDING WANTED to turn the car around and drive away from his parents’ house, but that didn’t seem very mature for a college student. He had to face telling them the truth.

The golden late afternoon light played on the Sandia Mountains in the background. Dried red chile ristras hung on the porches and thousands of luminarias lined the yards and walkways of homes, ready to be lit once it was dark.

He’d grown up in New Mexico and the sights and scents of Albuquerque brought back an avalanche of memories. Especially at Christmastime.

His nerves tightened even more as he turned into the driveway. Three months had passed since his mother’s emergency heart surgery, but it was never far from his thoughts.

Elizabeth Wilding must have been watching, because she met him at the door. He looked at her closely. She seemed healthy. There was good color in her cheeks and her eyes were bright and lively.

“Hey, Mom.” Adam stepped inside and kissed her cheek. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, dear. Are you well?” she asked anxiously. That was his mom—always concerned about everyone else’s health.

“I’m great.”

Dermott Wilding appeared from the back of the house. He was thinner than when Adam had seen him a couple of months earlier. “Merry Christmas, son. Did you have a good trip?”

“Not too bad. There was snow in Flagstaff, but I got through it okay.” When time wasn’t an issue, he preferred driving over flying when traveling from Los Angeles to Albuquerque.

“Are your classes for next term lined up?” Dermott asked. “You can’t take anything frivolous, you know, it might look bad on your application to law school,” he added without waiting for an answer.

Adam managed a tight nod. Ever since he could remember, his parents had expected him to grow up and become an attorney. It had been the same with Sophie. How often had they heard their father say, “My children are going to be respected lawyers instead of working stiffs like me”? Along with, “Before you know it, Adam and Sophie will be on the Supreme Court.” To Dermott Wilding, being appointed to the US Supreme Court was the ultimate success.

“Is Sophie here?” Adam asked.

“Right behind you.”

He turned and gave her a hug. “Hey, sis, where’s the ponytail?”

“Gave it up, along with my tricycle.”

“Sophie is such wonderful help around the house,” Elizabeth declared, yet sounded anxious again. “But she hasn’t been able to enjoy her new school.”

“It’s okay, Mom,” Sophie told her quickly.

Adam had wanted to take the fall term off at UCLA to help take care of his mother, but the idea of him interrupting his life had upset his parents so much, he’d decided it would do more harm than good. As a result, too much responsibility had dropped onto his sister’s shoulders.

“I hope you’re hungry,” Elizabeth said.

“Starved.”

They went into the kitchen for pozole, a traditional Christmas Eve soup in New Mexico made of hominy and meat and seasoned with various toppings.

“Fantastic as always,” he said after the first spoonful. “It wouldn’t be Christmas without your pozole, Mom.”

“Thank you, but Sophie made it.”

“Great job, kiddo.”

Sophie just shrugged.

An awkward silence fell and Adam decided to give his parents his news. “Mom, Dad, you know how much I’ve wanted to do something to help out?”

They nodded.

“Well, I saw a notice about this company wanting new faces for a marketing campaign. I sent my picture in, and after a several interviews and stuff, they picked me to act in their commercial. And now I’ve got a bunch of other modeling work scheduled. The money is really good, so I’ll be able to contribute toward paying the bills. I have a check for you.”

Dermott’s face grew tight. “You’re a pre-law junior. You have to focus on grades, not add another job. Especially modeling. It’s vain and superficial.”

Adam let out a breath. “There’s nothing wrong with modeling and it earns a heck of a lot more than minimum wage, which is what my other job at the college paid.”

“Paid?” his father repeated. “That means you’ve quit.”

“Yeah. Like I said, modeling pays more.” Actually, Adam had been shocked at the fees his new talent agent had negotiated for him. If it kept up, he’d be able to cover the rest of his mother’s medical bills and all of his college expenses.

“How will you be taken seriously as an attorney if people know you’ve paraded around, selling some product?” Dermott demanded. “I want my children to have respect, not be laughed at.”

“I’m not parading, I’m modeling, and nobody is laughing.”

Adam decided not to add that he’d switched from pre-law to another major. Being a lawyer was his parents’ goal for him, but he’d become convinced over the past year that he wasn’t cut out for a legal career.

In all honesty, he’d never been that interested. As for modeling? It was fun and there was a lot of money that could be made. If he hit it really big, he could save enough to retire early and start a whole new career. He wasn’t sure what that career might be, but he knew it would be something he wanted, rather than a dream of his parents’.

“No,” Dermott barked. “That isn’t—”

“Would you quit it? You’re upsetting Mom,” Sophie suddenly yelled.

Shocked, they all looked at Elizabeth, who was pale and had her hand to her throat.

“I’m...okay,” she gasped. Yet her face lost even more color and Adam saw beads of perspiration dotting her forehead.

He barely managed to catch her as she pitched forward in the chair.

* * *

TWO HOURS LATER at the hospital, Elizabeth Wilding’s heart specialist glared at Adam and his father equally.

“Mrs. Wilding is going to be all right. She hyperventilated due to anxiety and passed out. But how many times have I said that she requires rest and calm? She worries far too much, and I’m convinced she feels guilty for getting sick in the first place. Regardless, having the two most important men in her life squabbling like boys in a school yard is unacceptable.”

“How can she feel guilty for needing heart surgery?” Adam asked, bewildered.

“Because that’s how patients with a major illness often feel. It’s human nature.”

“It isn’t logical.”

“Agreed, but the emotions are real. I’ve seen it over and over again. Now, as to the argument between you and your father, that’s the last thing she needs to hear at this point in her recovery.” Dr. Chu crossed her arms over her chest and her glare became even more severe, except this time it was specifically directed at Adam’s father. “So your son is modeling to help pay the bills and you don’t approve. Deal with it. One of Elizabeth’s concerns is about money.”

Dermott, who was at least ten inches taller than the surgeon, flushed and looked abashed. “I’m sorry, ma’am. It’s just that Adam won’t be respected in the legal—”

“Frankly, I don’t care how you feel about it,” Dr. Chu interrupted. “My concern is Mrs. Wilding. She has a full, happy life ahead if her family resists putting undue stress on her. Now, I’ve said a whole lot more than I’d intended, but I don’t appreciate a patient’s recovery being hindered this way. I trust that I won’t have to say any of this again in the future?”

“No, Doctor,” Dermott and Adam declared in unison.

“Good.”

Dr. Chu gave Sophie a reassuring smile, then turned and marched down the hallway.

Adam and his father glanced at each other.

“Are you going to keep modeling?” Dermott asked.

“Who cares?” Sophie hissed. “Adam can do whatever he wants. Just give his check to the hospital. I have to keep hiding the bills from Mom because she gets upset and I’m sick of it.” With that, she burst into tears.

Feeling awful, Adam fished the certified check from his wallet and handed it to his dad before putting an arm around Sophie’s shoulders. At twelve, she’d had too much put on her the past few months.

“Fine. For now,” Dermott muttered. He turned and headed down the hallway. Clearly he hadn’t given up, just temporarily retreated.

Adam ground his teeth, knowing a part of him blamed his father for Mom’s illness. Okay, maybe that wasn’t fair. But Dermott was her husband and he’d been there, every day. Why hadn’t he noticed his wife losing energy and the other slow, insidious signs of declining health? She might have gotten treatment earlier, before it came to a crisis.

Adam squirmed at the thought, knowing he could have returned to Albuquerque for the summer and gotten a construction job. Then he would have been at home, too. Instead he’d stayed in Los Angeles, helping build swimming pools for the Hollywood elite and hanging out with his friends.

So if he wanted to blame anyone, he didn’t need to look any further than his own mirror.

CHAPTER ONE

Fourteen years later...

A KNOCK SOUNDED on Adam’s office door and he looked up to see Nicole George, one of his three business partners.

“Hey, Nicole, you seem excited.”

She grinned. “I just learned that a new TV movie is going to be shot here in the Seattle area. They’re hoping the network will like it enough to turn it into a series. The casting director saw Doria Atchison in the clip we posted online and was impressed enough that he’s emailing a list of what they’re looking for. Auditions won’t be for a little while, but it sounds promising.”

“Excellent.”

When he and his friends had bought the Moonlight Ventures talent agency, one of their concerns had been that Seattle wasn’t at the heart of the fashion or entertainment industry. Local business was fine, but they also wanted broader exposure for their clients.

Their concerns had proved unfounded, though. Several of their models had already gotten television ads for national campaigns and they’d placed actors with two movies being filmed locally, as well as guest and extras spots with a network series based in the region.

“I’ll forward the list as soon as I get it,” Nicole assured. She was an exceptionally beautiful woman, but ever since she’d gotten engaged, her face possessed a special glow. If she hadn’t quit modeling, it would be easy to pick up the phone and get her a dozen top contracts.

Adam almost chuckled at the thought; after just a few weeks on the job, he was already thinking more like an agent than a model. Nicole had run Moonlight Ventures by herself for months, though he and their other partners, Logan Kensington and Rachel Clarion, had flown in regularly and teleconferenced with her. Now that his own modeling contracts had been satisfied, he’d started working at the agency full time.

“How is the writing going?” he asked. The previous owner of the agency had put out a quarterly trade newsletter, but they were working toward converting it to a general circulation publication. For the launch issue Adam wanted a feature piece by Nicole about “lessons learned” from her years as a supermodel.

She scrunched her nose at him. “Slowly.”

“Anything I can do to help?” he asked.

“You can tell me you’ve changed your mind about having me write it.”

“Afraid I can’t.”

Actually, Adam felt bad that they’d asked her to be “the story” again, as Nicole put it. Ironically, it was when PostModern magazine had asked to do a series of articles about her transition from supermodel to agent that she’d met her fiancé.

Technically she’d simply met Jordan again, having known him as a kid. Jordan had still written the articles, telling readers that while he was now engaged to the subject of his interviews, he’d tried to be unbiased—but might have failed. In response, the articles had been well received, which had been good for the agency.

In turn, Nicole had penned a piece for the agency’s blog about Jordan and the process of being interviewed. The popularity of the blog site had convinced them it was worth giving their own magazine a shot.

“I had to try,” she said. With another grin and a flip of her hand, she rushed out again.

Adam rubbed the back of his neck, thinking about the years he’d known Nicole. He’d watched her go from being hopeful about falling in love to being convinced it could never happen for her. Now she’d come full circle, deeply in love and full of plans for a future with Jordan.

He was glad she was happy.

He’d like to find that kind of happiness himself again, but it wasn’t easy. He’d been engaged for a brief, wonderful time to a woman he’d met while still at UCLA and wouldn’t settle for second best.

Isabelle had charged at life with enthusiasm and laughter, unconcerned by his growing success as a model. He’d always known where he was with her—first when they were just friends, and later when they were falling in love and deciding to get married. But a brain aneurism had changed everything in the blink of an eye.

Renewed grief went through Adam at the memory. One minute Isabelle had been there, the next she was gone.

It had taken a long time to be ready for another serious relationship, and then the frequent travel and the less-than-kind scrutiny of the press had played havoc with his dating life—lots of first and second dates, few beyond that. Maybe it would be different now. He’d like to find someone confident and outgoing, who shared his interests and could be a real partner.

Not like his parents.

Adam sighed, knowing he was being unfair. His parents had a good marriage, but it had always seemed as if his mother’s needs came second, at least until her heart problems developed. As for shared interests? Hardly. Dad was interested in construction, period. Mom was a science fiction and fantasy buff. She loved to write and had wanted to earn a place among authors like Arthur C. Clarke and J.R.R. Tolkien. Instead she’d slogged away at a dull teleservice job because it was secure and helped earn money for her children’s educations.

Adam got up and moved restlessly around his office, pausing to look out the window at the trees that softened his view of the street.

He felt bad that his parents hadn’t pursued their own dreams instead of ones for their children. It wasn’t just his mother—his father’s plan to become a contractor had been deemed too great a risk to the family’s financial security, so Dermott had done construction for someone else and taken jobs as a handyman in his spare hours.

Just then Adam’s personal line rang, breaking into his musings. The caller ID displayed his sister’s number.

“Hey, Sophie.” He could hear his nephew and niece in the background, shrieking and giggling. Bobby and Lila were great, but like most kids they could be loud. “What’s up?”

“The twins had friends over this weekend and now I want to speak with someone closer to my own age.”

He grinned. “How bad was it?”

“We had a serious outbreak of video games, Star Wars battles and The Lone Ranger.”

“The Lone Ranger?”

“I made the mistake of bringing out my classic TV DVDs and the next thing I knew they were all running around with pretend six-shooters, trying to catch pretend bank robbers and cattle rustlers. Mom retreated to my bedroom along with the cat.”

Adam sat back in his chair. He was proud of his kid sister for making a tough situation work. She’d gotten pregnant at seventeen and married her boyfriend, only to have him leave before the twins were born.

Now Sophie had a brisk mail-order business selling New Mexico–themed Christmas ornaments and decorations she made herself. That way she’d avoided childcare costs for the twins—which would have outstripped any income from a minimum-wage job—and was still able to make a decent living using her artistic talents. To Adam’s frustration, she’d even insisted on repaying the checks he’d sent after her brief marriage fell apart, though they’d been a gift.

“How is Mom adjusting to them both being retired?” he asked.

“Pretty good. But I should warn you, I think the folks are planning a trip to Seattle this summer to see you.”

Gripping the phone, Adam counted to ten. “Any special reason? I was home two months ago and expect to come for Christmas as usual.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Surely they don’t think I’m going to change my mind about becoming a lawyer. They must know it isn’t in the cards.” Even when he and his friends were buying Moonlight Ventures, his father had suggested it wasn’t too late for graduate school, unable to resist trying to resurrect the remnants of his old ambition.

“I think they’re getting resigned to your new career, especially since it means you won’t be gazing back at them from magazine covers in the grocery checkout line. You know how stuffy Dad can be. Seeing you in those swimsuit editions used to really get him going.”

Adam rubbed the back of his neck. He was sorry it bothered his parents that he didn’t have the career they’d chosen for him, but he had the right to live as he saw fit. Nevertheless, maybe the agency’s success would alleviate their vague sense of failure since “our son is a businessman” must sound more respectable to them. While he didn’t crave their approval, he wanted them to be happy.