Forever My Baby Read online

  A second-chance love

  Back in college, Garland Warner developed feelings for her older brother’s best friend, Ryker Dugrandpre. But she soon learned the attraction wasn’t mutual when he left school and married someone else. In time, Garland moved on and even had a baby of her own. She and little Amya now have a great life together, just the two of them. Yet that may be about to change when a guilt-ridden nurse reveals that Amya might have been switched at birth with another infant girl—Ryker’s.

  His wife died the same day she delivered little Kai, so Kai is all Ryker has left. Both Garland and Ryker want what is best—both for their biological child and the daughter of their hearts. The solution is as obvious as it is crazy—move in with each other and raise the girls as sisters. Ryker still thinks of the sensational beauty as his friend’s kid sister, but the passionate glances and smoldering kisses they now share heat up the distance between them. Will they be able to let go of the past in order to finally build a bright future and family together?

  Garland glanced up at the sky. “It’s really beautiful out here. I love nights like this when the moon is full.”

  Ryker just sat there absorbing what she’d said.

  Garland gave him a sidelong glance. “This is such a perfect night.”

  He pulled her to her feet. “You’re right,” he murmured. “Everything about this night is perfect.”

  Ryker backed her up until her legs hit the poolside table and she stood pressed up against the hard surface. There was no escape.

  Garland’s breath quickened, making her breasts rise and fall faster as they brushed against his chest. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were swollen from his kisses.

  It was clear that Garland wanted him, but she was fighting herself as much as she was fighting him.

  Ryker did not just want her. He needed her.

  He felt a low growl rumble in his throat, and then he crushed his lips against hers. Grabbing her neck to pull her closer, he pushed his tongue against her lips, demanding entrance.

  Dear Reader,

  “The hospital mixes up babies” are the words every parent dreads. Garland Warner and Ryker Dugrandpre are no different. In the first book of my new series, The Dugrandpres of Charleston, the deathbed confession of a nurse brings Ryker back into Garland’s life. Though the circumstances are less than happy...

  Ryker’s very reason for living is his daughter, Kai. And Garland loves every minute of her life with her daughter, Amya.

  Their worlds are turned upside down after a phone call from the hospital where both children were born. They are stunned when they discover that the little girls they have been raising may not be their biological daughters.

  I was inspired to write this story after reading an article about a young couple who lost their lives in a car accident. After their deaths, it was discovered that the baby girl, the lone survivor in the accident, was not their biological daughter. There was a mix-up at the hospital where she was born and her grandparents and the other set of parents involved decided not to switch the babies.

  What would you do in this situation? I’d love to hear from you!

  Best Regards,

  Jacquelin

  Forever

  My Baby

  Jacquelin Thomas

  Jacquelin Thomas has published over fifty-seven books in the romance, women’s fiction and young-adult genres. When she is not writing, Jacquelin enjoys spending time with her family, decorating and shopping. Jacquelin can be reached at [email protected]. She is also on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jacquelinthomas) and Twitter (@jacquelinthomas).

  Books by Jacquelin Thomas

  Harlequin Kimani Romance

  The Pastor’s Woman

  Teach Me Tonight

  Chocolate Goodies

  You and I

  Case of Desire

  Five Star Attraction

  Five Star Temptation

  Legal Attraction

  Five Star Romance

  Five Star Seduction

  Styles of Seduction

  Wrangling Wes

  Five Star Desire

  Forever My Baby

  Visit the Author Profile page

  at Harlequin.com for more titles

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  “A dying nurse confessed to a possible baby swap just hours before her death. Martha Belle Hayes called for hospital administrators and revealed that she may have mistakenly switched baby girls who were born two years ago on September 8. According to family members, at the beginning of October two years ago, Hayes had abruptly quit her job at the hospital to find work in a clinic.

  “Former coworkers say that she’d seemed troubled by something but never confided in anyone. Her mother said Hayes was unwilling to take this secret to her grave and this is why she finally unburdened herself. The state of South Carolina, in cooperation with the hospital, is investigating into how a switch could have taken place.”

  Ryker DuGrandpre turned off the small, flat-screen television in the kitchen. The story of the baby switch had first broken last night and was the top story on all the news channels. Grateful that it had nothing to do with his family, Ryker glanced over at his two-year-old daughter, his heart filled with love. She sat at the table in a booster seat, patiently waiting for her breakfast.

  Kai’s presence gave him such joy. She made him feel a bottomless peace and contentment whenever she was around. Despite the tragic circumstances surrounding her birth, his daughter was all that was good in his life.

  “Daayee...” she said. “Eat...”

  “I hear you. Would you like some applesauce, Kai?”

  Her features became more animated as she answered, “Yessh.”

  “Okay, little lady, but you have to eat your eggs,” Ryker said, placing a small plate in front of her.

  She glanced down at the plate and then shook her head. “Nooo.”

  “I thought you like scrambled eggs, princess. You eat them when Jordin makes them.”

  Scrunching up her nose and pointing to the eggs, Kai responded, “Me no like it.”

  Ryker chuckled. “Oh, is that your way of saying that you don’t like my cooking?”

  She grinned at him, her infectious smile echoing through his veins, making his heart sing with delight.

  “How about some toast then?” he suggested. “You can’t just eat applesauce.”

  “Yessh.”

  “I guess I’m going to have to get Jordin to show me how she makes scrambled eggs,” he muttered to himself.

  Ryker smiled as he heard Kai singing to herself. She loved to sing. He stole a peek at her. Her tiny head was bobbing as she sang softly, and the warm brown spiral curls danced around her cinnamon-tinted face.

  He took a piece of toast lathered in apple jelly over to her. “H
ere you go, sweetie.”

  “Tank you,” Kai murmured.

  Ryker planted a kiss on her forehead. “Eat up, Kai.”

  After they finished breakfast, he cleaned her up and helped her slip on a sundress.

  He checked his watch and then said, “It’s time to take you to day care. Hurry up and put on your shoes.”

  Kai rushed off and returned a few minutes later with a pair of pink sandals.

  “Don’t you want to wear the black ones?”

  She shook her head no.

  He decided it was better to let her win this round than to risk a tantrum at this point. He had to be in court this morning so he needed to get to his office early.

  * * *

  After dropping Kai off, Ryker drove the short distance to his office. He parked his SUV in his assigned space and hopped out. The May weather was already warming up; the sun was bright and the sky a calming hue of blue. He wanted to be anywhere but inside the law firm founded by his grandparents.

  The DuGrandpres had been a solid fixture in Charleston since the 1960s, when his grandparents had relocated from New Orleans with their twin sons and opened the doors of the DuGrandpre Law Offices in the downtown business district.

  His uncle, Etienne, and father, Jacques, had taken over the business after their parents retired. Etienne’s twin daughters, Jadin and Jordin, were attorneys, as were Ryker and his mother, Rochelle DuGrandpre. Ryker’s sister, Aubry, had chosen not to join the family business. A world-renowned chef in her own right, she owned a restaurant near the Charleston waterfront.

  “Jordin, what are you doing here so early?” he asked his twenty-six-year-old cousin as he walked into the office’s kitchen. She normally did not come into the office until nine or ten.

  “I needed to take care of some paperwork,” she responded while surveying the selections of coffees, teas and hot chocolate packets for the Keurig brewer. “Why are you here at this hour?”

  “I have court this morning.”

  “How’s my sweet pea?” Jordin asked as she selected a coffee pod and placed it in the machine. “Want one?”

  “I’ll pass on the coffee, but Kai is great,” he said with a smile. “This morning she decided to wear pink sandals with the orange and yellow dress I picked out for her.”

  Jordin laughed. “It’s fine for her to express herself, Ryker. She is her own kind of beautiful. I like that.”

  “Oh, I need your recipe for making scrambled eggs. Kai doesn’t seem to like the way I cook them.”

  “Cheese,” she responded. “Kai likes shredded cheese in her eggs. She won’t eat them if they’re plain.”

  “I had no idea.” Ryker released a short sigh. “I feel like a terrible father when it comes to things like this. I should know my daughter’s likes and dislikes.”

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself.” Jordin retrieved her coffee and added sugar. “I only discovered it by accident. I eat mine with cheese and the weekend Kai stayed with me she had some and loved them.”

  “I was surprised that she wanted scrambled eggs in the first place,” he said. “She saw me making some and asked me to share.”

  “That seems to be her new word,” Jordin responded with a chuckle.

  Ryker agreed. “I’m always reminding her that she has to share.”

  Jordin took a sip of her coffee. “She’s growing up so fast.”

  “I’m not ready for it,” he uttered. “That little girl is my life. I hate that her mother isn’t here to see our daughter.” Angela should be there to help him raise Kai. It had never been in the plans for him to be a single father.

  Jordin gave his arm a gentle squeeze. “I know that this isn’t easy for you, but I want you to know that you’re doing a great job, Ryker.”

  He awarded her with a smile. “Thanks, cousin.” They were words he wanted to hear but he wasn’t sure he deserved them. He was still a newbie when it came to fathering skills.

  “You know I’m here if you ever need me. I love Kai like she’s my own.”

  “That’s why I love you,” Ryker told her as he checked his watch. “I better get to work. Talk to you later.”

  The only two ways Ryker had been able to deal with the death of his wife were lavishing all of his attention on his young daughter and staying busy as a managing partner in his family-owned law firm.

  He strode with purpose into his corner office, anxious to start his day. It was going to be a long one.

  Ryker sat down at his desk, turned on the computer and was soon engrossed in the notes for his upcoming court case. He studied the declarations of the witnesses, committing them to memory.

  When he looked up at the wall clock, an hour had passed. Ryker had about another hour before he had to show up in court, so he relaxed.

  * * *

  Three hours later, he bumped into his other cousin at the courthouse. “What’s up, Jadin?”

  “Nothing much,” she responded with a smile identical to her twin. “I’m waiting to meet with my client. He’s not here yet.”

  “I’m on my way back to the office,” Ryker announced. “I’ll be glad when this day is over.”

  “Right now I’ll just settle for some lunch,” Jadin said. “I didn’t have breakfast this morning and I’m starving.”

  Ryker pulled a Slim Jim out of his attaché case and handed it to Jadin. “Maybe this will tide you over. It works for me.”

  She embraced him. “Thanks, cousin. See you at some point this afternoon.”

  When Ryker arrived back at the firm, Jacques DuGrandpre met him outside his office. “Dad, do you need to see me?” he was inclined to ask.

  Tall and solid in stature, his father was a well-respected member of the legal community.

  “I just stopped by to see if you wanted to have lunch with me and your mother.”

  “I’m going to order something from the deli across the street,” Ryker responded. “I have a lot of paperwork on my desk and I need to stay on top of it. Why don’t we plan something later in the week? Maybe Aubry can join us, too.”

  Jacques nodded. “That’s fine.”

  Ryker quickly walked into his office and closed the door behind him. He could have taken time to have lunch with his parents, but he was definitely not in the mood to be interrogated by his mother. He already knew the questions she would ask: Have you met anyone special? Don’t you think it’s time you developed a social life? His mother was on a campaign for him to find a wife so that Kai would have the love of two parents. Rochelle Harper DuGrandpre did not believe that a child could thrive without a mother and a father.

  He was determined to prove her wrong. Ryker was not looking for a wife—he was still grieving the loss of Angela, although it would be three years in September since she’d been gone.

  Ryker released a sigh of relief when the workday ended at five o’clock. He was looking forward to spending the rest of the evening with Kai. She made life bearable for him. She was truly his reason for living.

  * * *

  Garland Warner laughed in delight as she watched her two-year-old daughter dipping her tiny toes in the surf. They’d been walking hand in hand along the beach, enjoying the cool island breeze swirling around them.

  “Mommy...”

  “Yes, baby,” she prompted.

  Pointing, she murmured, “Wadda...”

  “Very good, Amya,” Garland said with pride. “There’s a lot of water out there. It’s called the ocean.”

  “Osen,” Amya said, encouraging a grin from Garland.

  Garland truly loved her life on Edisto Island. The beaches, saltwater marshes and low-country oaks draped in Spanish moss were a picturesque combination. Historical landmarks were prevalent on the island, providing the backdrop to a rich cultural heritage. The awesome beauty and rich history wer
e why Garland elected to open her high-end children’s boutique there.

  Garland and Amya usually came to the beach for a stroll before heading home. She found the daily routine a welcome break from the rush of everyday life. And she relished this quality time spent with her daughter.

  Garland had desperately wanted to have a child before she turned thirty, so after her last relationship failed she’d decided to take fate into her own hands by using an anonymous sperm donor to get pregnant. Although she’d suffered complications in her pregnancy and during delivery, Garland had delivered a healthy and beautiful little girl.

  She glanced down at her daughter and smiled. “C’mon, sweetie. I’m afraid it’s time to go home.”

  Amya did not protest, provoking a soft sigh of relief from Garland. Her daughter loved the ocean as much as she did and often resisted leaving, but this evening was different. Perhaps she was tired, too.

  Ten minutes later, they were in the car and on the way home, driving on streets lined with prime beachfront real estate, shops and boutique hotels. Edisto Island was a favorite tourist destination. Garland’s shop was only one block over from the main street.

  The Fairy Kisses Boutique featured exclusive designer children’s dress-up clothes and accessories. Garland had always dreamed of being able to provide kids with outfits for creative, free play all year, along with formal attire for weddings, parties and other affairs. Her store, stocked full of everything from gorgeous and detailed princess and fairy gowns to wizard robes, capes and Native American headdresses, was very popular with the locals and tourists alike.

  Garland had grown up in a home where money was tight, but her foster mother had encouraged open, creative play. She had kept a trunk filled with feather boas, hats, dresses, pants and all sorts of accessories to keep her two children occupied.

  Having studied psychology and theater in college, Garland believed that pretend play through dressing up enhanced a child’s social, emotional, language and thinking skills.

  After they got home and had dinner, she gave Amya a bath and dressed her for bed.

  “TV,” her daughter mumbled, pointing toward the flat screen above the fireplace.