James - A Christmas Miracle for the Doctor

Table of Contents

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Copyright 2018 by Victoria James. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.

Entangled Publishing, LLC

2614 South Timberline Road

Suite 105, PMB 159

Fort Collins, CO 80525

rights@entangledpublishing.com

Bliss is an imprint of Entangled Publishing, LLC.

Edited by Alethea Spiridon Cover design by Bree Archer

Cover photography by iStock, Shutterstock ISBN 978-1-64063-718-4

Manufactured in the United States of America First Edition November 2018

Dear Reader, Thank you for supporting a small publisher! Entangled prides itself on bringing you the highest quality romance youve come to expect, and we couldnt do it without your continued support. We love romance, and we hope this book leaves you with a smile on your face and joy in your heart.

xoxo

Liz Pelletier, Publisher

To anyone who is waiting for a miracle of their own this Christmas, never stop believing.

I dont want joint custody anymore.

Drew Barrett stared at his ex-wife through bloodshot eyes as she stood in the doorway of his penthouse. Hed just fallen asleep after a long night and then morning of emergency surgery in the ER and was in deep sleep before Jill dropped off their daughter, Isabella, unannounced. It was her weekend to have Bella. He looked over his shoulder to make sure their daughter wasnt within earshot. What are you talking about?

Jills chin wobbled, and her eyes filled with tears. Im on the verge of a breakdown. I cant do this single parent thing anymore. I think shed be better off with you. Just you.

He scraped his hand across his jaw, stubble pricking his palm. Youre not a single parent. She goes back and forth. We have a nanny. You have a housekeeper. You have a cook. You have staff. You even have your parents as backup.

She looked up at the ceiling and shook her head, perfectly highlighted blond hair tumbling around her shoulders. Despite this supposed breakdown she was having, shed managed to take the time to look as though she was ready for a photo shoot. Its not the same, she said, looking at him. He clutched the doorframe and tried to think of anything to convince her that this was just a temporary blip. Youre overwhelmed with work. Itll pass. Hang in there. The fact that he was telling her to hang in there was pretty laughable, but he didnt like what she was implying right now.

The truth was they could both be better parents. Every parent thought that, he was sure. The only thing theyd ever been able to offer their daughter was material wealth. He worked insanely long hours because he was a talented surgeonit was a fact and not an exaggeration. He took his job seriouslybut he felt it had been at the expense of their daughter. Jill worked because she loved the fame. Together, they were absentee parents.

Drew, I want my freedom again, you know? I miss it. Weve been divorced for a year, and I want to get out there again before Im old.

He leaned against the doorjamb. As I remember it, you had no trouble getting out there when you were married with a child. Shouldnt this be easier for you now that you dont have a husband to lie to?

She crossed her arms, and her surgically enhanced cleavage threatened to tumble out of the top of the skin-tight dress she wore. You dont have to throw that in my face. I apologized.

It was a waste, talking about that anyway. Hed fallen out of love, or infatuation maybe, with Jill years ago. They had stayed together because of Bella. But when shed cheated on him, he was out. What do you want from me then?

I want you to take her full-time. We both know neither of us signed up for this whole parent thing. I never wanted to be a mom. You fell into this role much easier than I did.

Panic slammed into his gut, and he forced himself to remain calm. That was never part of the plan. He had a demanding career. He saved lives; he wasnt able to just put everything on hold while Jill had some kind of life crisis.

He stared at her, wondering how theyd gotten here. How hed gotten here. He didnt know how to be a father; he never had. When it was his turn to have Bella over, Brenda, their nanny, came along to help. Okay. Fine. So, what? Weekends, every other weekend?

She shook her head. Maybe I can take her on holidays?

He pushed off the door and stood straight as anger swept through him. So, she stays with me every day and then you get her at Thanksgiving, Christmas? What the hell, Jill?

She shook her head, shrugging, her eyes filled with tears. Im sorry. I dont evenif you want her at holidays too, thats fine.

He looked down and swore. Its almost Christmas. What, youre just going to fall of the face of the earth?

She shrugged, embarrassment staining her cheeks red. I wanted to go to Paris with Bruce.

Revulsion slammed into his gut, but he forced himself to think clearly. Lets deal with this through our lawyers, he said, needing physical distance from the woman who was even more selfish than him, not wanting to hear any more. He wasnt thinking straight right now and didnt want to agree to something hed regret later.

I knew Id be able to count on you, she whispered, taking a step closer to him, the smell of her Chanel perfume filling his nostrils. Ill make sure youre well compensated.

I dont need your money, he said, backing up a step, disgust replacing the smell of Chanel. Jill came from a very wealthy family, but he didnt need it. Just the idea of needing compensation to take care of his own daughter was revolting.

She gave a nod and a wobbly smile. Ill call you tomorrow. We can figure things out.

He held onto the door frame tightly, giving her a nod. She turned and walked away, her lithe and sculpted body shown off to perfection in her clinging dress and three-inch heels. She gave him a wave before entering the elevator. He let the door close and slowly turned around, wondering what the hell he was going to do now.

Shame burned through his body as he saw Isabella standing at the end of the hallway. He stared into his daughters green eyes his eyes and he knew shed heard. Shed heard them callously talk about her as though she were this worthless object neither of them wanted. They had broken her heart. He may have been an absentee father, but he wasnt so far gone that witnessing the pain on her face wouldnt affect him.

Mommy doesnt want me anymore? she asked, her large eyes wide but void of tears.

He cleared his throat, and in all his years, all his mistakes, all his regrets, nothing had ever prepared him for the self-hate he felt at this moment, at hearing the pain in his daughters voice. He was better than this. His parents had raised him better than this. He was a smart man, but he didnt know what to say, what he could do to make any of this better. You are very loved, Bella. Your mother needs a little more time tosort things out. Sometimes, adults need time on their own.

She looked down at the ground, and he knew he should go over there, but he didnt know what to do; he didnt know how to comfort her. Am I going to live with Brenda?

The moment that Jill had told him she was pregnant flashed in front of him, their shock, their panic. They had never wanted to be parents. They had both mistakenly thought that if they could provide for their child, they were doing enough. There had been a nanny from day one, and they hadnt missed a beat when it came to work. They never ate together, they never played together He slowly walked to his daughter, each step feeling as though it would never be enough, that the divide was too great, that it was all too little, too late.