The Texan's Surprise Baby Read Online Free

family would be kept hopping, though Andrew hadn’t heard them complain during the two weeks he’d spent here last summer. With the exception of Shelby’s brother, Steven, they all seemed to love the jobs they’d chosen. Steven had grown restless and would be leaving soon to try his hand at his boyhood dream of firefighting, but Andrew figured there was a chance he’d be back someday to take his place in the family business.
    After passing through the manned entry gate, he took a right on the circular main road through the resort. A two-story lakeside building held the reception office, convenience store and diner, with the private business offices upstairs, and the marina at the back. He parked in front and climbed out of his car. To his right lay the public swimming pool, the sixteen-room lakeside motel and three of the eight cabins. Turning left, he saw the pavilion and playground often occupied by family reunions, corporate gatherings or other events. Beyond the pavilion lay the day-use area, five more stand-alone cabins, RV pads with hookups and tent camping grounds.
    A steady stream of resort guests flowed both ways through the big double glass doors, some in swimwear and cover-ups, most in shorts and tank tops or T-shirts, some carrying bags of purchases as they exited. The marina, store and grill would be open until seven, and Andrew figured the diner would be full now with customers hungry after a day of water sports. The air carried whiffs of boat motor exhaust from the lake and burning charcoal from the campgrounds, scents that had become very familiar to him during his almost-two-week stay last summer.
    He still remembered the first time he’d entered this building after having been hired by the family last year. That was the day he’d met Hannah, who was twenty-seventy then, the eldest of the Bell cousins by a few months. Chagrined that her ex-husband had caused her family so much trouble and anxiety, she’d held her chin high, her emerald eyes glittering with anger and determination. Andrew had taken one look at her and almost swallowed his tongue, his first thought being that she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
    He’d managed to keep his distance from her for the most part during the next two weeks only by constantly reminding himself that he was on a job, and that it would be unprofessional of him to get involved with a client. He’d told himself she was too vulnerable, having been so recently divorced and dealing with the painful repercussions of her unfortunate choice of a spouse. They had been surrounded almost constantly by her caring and inquisitive family. Not to mention that he and Hannah had seemed an unlikely couple, with both of them committed to family businesses four hours apart, and with her announcing to all and sundry that she had no intention of getting married or even seriously involved with anyone again for a long time, if ever. Not even thirty himself then, he’d thought that sounded like a wise plan.
    And then she’d shown up at his office in December, and he’d foolishly decided he’d been given an early Christmas gift. Maybe the holiday should have been April Fool’s Day instead, considering the situation he found himself in now.
    “Hey, Aaron. What are you doing standing out here in a daze? Come on inside and—wait.” Maggie Bell skidded to a stop on the pavement nearby, studying him with a frown. “Okay, either you’ve cut your hair in the past hour or you aren’t Aaron. Andrew?”
    He smiled at her. “Hello, Maggie. Nice to see you again.”
    “Wow.” She shook her head, tucking a strand of silky brown hair behind her left ear. “Now that I’ve spent a few days with your brother, it’s even more startling that you look so exactly alike. I’m sure you get tired of hearing that.”
    He shrugged good-naturedly. “Part of the identical-twins thing. We don’t mind.”
    “We didn’t even know you had an identical twin until Aaron showed up