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The hospital had been founded by Geoff’s grandparents and was still fa with their other local and international business interests The Binghams took their responsibilities to the corporation and to the community very seriously And to the rest of the family, of course

Even Geoff’s late, wild, uncle Billy’s illegitied, anyway—had certain expectations thrust upon them, whether they wanted thehaha their part to pron

Geoff’s gaze lingered on Hannah, as several nancy She had very recently announced her engagehaagerandmother

In their opinions, Hannah needed someone to help her raise the child she had conceived in an ill-advised affair severalEric needed a wife to help hie was the ideal solution, as far as they were concerned

It wouldn’t be long, Geoff feared, before they turned their attentions back to hio, they had been pressuring hihams

While Geoff had no problee did not appeal to him at all As it was now, his free time was almost nonexistent The opportunities were extre without taking anyone else’s needs or wishes into consideration In his opinion, a as siht to his time and attention

Maybe he could subtly redirect the fa efforts to his sister Mari, he mused After all, she was thirty-four and firmly established as an MD and director of the Foster Midwifery Clinic and the Bingham Midwifery School Sure, she was busy with her duties and her plans for the bio here in town, but she was no busier than Geoff, whose prirandiose plans and to keep the other Binghah international market

So chocolate-dipped strawberry, relanced toward the refreshments tables, where a saze lingered on a beautiful brunette in a flame red dress

Cecilia Mendoza A prominent midwife at the clinic, Eric’s sister was an extremely attractive woman Geoff had admired several times but had never actually met

Maybe he would sa affair

The reception was held in the atriu on the hospital cah, the fully enclosed atriureenery, statuary and fountains Wrought-iron tables, chairs and benches were scattered artfully around the stone floors Greenery cascaded fro the eye to the angled glass roof high above their heads Accessed by gently rising raa second level for entertaining and activities

There was very little empty space, Cecilia noted as she entered the atriu When Mari Binghaed an official event, fewbusiness community failed to make an appearance

This affair had been billed as an informal after-hours welcome for the new PR director Cecilia was a bit late because she had taken the tiht red sheath dress she’d chosen to counter the weariness of a long day’s work Sleeveless and scoop-necked, it fit closely to her hips, then flared out just a little and fell to her knees

She had reluctantly swapped her coh-heeled sandals, and her feet were already protesting Several tendrils of dark hair had escaped the upswept style she had worn for convenience, tickling the back of her neck and her freshly reet friends and business associates who had already gathered around the refreshments tables

In deference to the heat of a July evening, the caterers served frosty leht snacks—chilled shrietables, tiny sandwiches, fresh fruits and flaky pastries Cecilia looked longingly at the food She had worked through her usual lunchti chosen just then to ry But since she had never quiteall at the same time, she settled for a clear-plastic tule chocolate-dipped strawberry, which she barely

had time to eat before a deep, masculine voice spoke from close behind her