Billionaire Romance: Christmas Surprise (Book One)

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The Billionaire Christmas Story: Christmas
Surprise

D
ean Harwood was having a hell of a
day and now he was headed home at noon. The last thing he needed to
deal with right now was an emergency cooked up by his housekeeper.
He was in the middle of negotiations for a new med-tech company and
he wanted the deal sealed by Christmas. This new acquisition would
forge a new era for Harwood Industries, making them the leader for
tech advancement in the medical field. Between research, multiple
visits to Switzerland to speak with the developers and trips to
China to figure out the manufacturing side, Dean had spent nearly
two years on this deal. It was so close he could taste it, yet he
was on his way home when he should be behind his sturdy oak desk
looking over the latest changes.

Flora wasn’t a woman normally given to
histrionics. She was in her fifties with a long grey braid down her
back, comfortable and functional shoes and a no nonsense attitude.
That perhaps, was the only reason his sleek black Aston Martin was
racing down the highway towards his mansion just outside of town.
Something must have shaken the woman badly.

He sped down the long private road leading
to his home eager to get to the bottom of whatever the hell was
going on. Skidding to a stop just inside the circular drive, Dean
barely closed the door before he marched up three short steps and
barreled through the large wooden doors that opened to a massive
foyer. “Flora!” His long strides roamed the first floor of the
mansion in search of his housekeeper, trying to keep his temper in
check. “Flora!”

“In the solarium, Mr. Harwood.”

Abruptly changing directions to get to his
housekeeper, Dean stopped dead in his tracks at the sound of a baby
cooing. That didn’t make sense but maybe she worried he’d fire her
for bringing a baby to work. He could handle that since Flora
always did a spectacular job and she’d been with him for a long
time. Finally, he could see the sun streaming through the doorway
from the end of the hall. “Okay Flora, what seems to be the
problem?”

“There’s no problem Mr. Harwood, just a
situation for you to deal with.” The woman’s gaze never left the
tiny bundle in her arms, her voice a pitch higher than normal. He
did his best to ignore the baby talk from his housekeeper, but he
could not ignore the child in her arms.

“Okay what
exactly
is the situation?”
She said nothing, simply pulled a letter from her apron and handed
it to him.

Meet Angel Thorpe Harwood, your daughter.
Angel is nine months old and she is a happy, healthy baby. Her
mother was Karen Thorpe and though she left little Angel in my
custody, I strongly believe a child must be with her parents when
possible. You have plenty of money, Mr. Harwood, I just hope you
have as much love to give Angel. I’m sure you will do the right
thing. ~KH

He balled into his fist the moment he
finished reading it. “When will these damn women get it through
their thick skulls!” His roar frightened the child and she began to
fuss, but Flora quickly soothed her. “Did you see who dropped the
letter off?”

Flora shook her head. “I didn’t. The bell
rang and I answered it to find this little beauty babbling away. I
did get the feeling that whoever dropped her off lingered until she
was brought inside. Felt like someone was watching me.” She stood
and held the baby out to Dean. “Go on and take her.”

“Why should I when she isn’t mine?”

“Well she is just a baby so you can save
your attitude for whoever you’re convinced has done you wrong this
time.” She harrumphed and walked over to the window, cooing bundle
bouncing lightly.

“You say that as though I’m wrong.” He
walked to the window and stood beside Flora. He didn’t dare look at
the child. He was too busy; he couldn’t have a kid.

“Well did the person ask for anything or
even stick around to get anything? Sounds to me like this person
did the right thing by letting you know when the mother couldn’t
even be bothered to do so.”

He sighed heavily, knowing Flora was right.
She’d been with him for years and acted more like a mother than a
housekeeper. “You have a point, but I’ll reserve judgment until
after I get the payoff request.” It was coming, he knew it was. “I
need to speak with Rinaldo. Can you keep an eye on her until I
figure out what the hell is going on?”

“Of course I can,” she said, talking more to
the baby than him, “this big old house could use a darling
baby.”

Dean pretended not to hear her and continued
to his security office.

***

The next morning, Dean’s Astin Martin ate up
the pavement as he drove to a budget motel to find the striking,
petite blonde they’d identified from the security footage. In the
hours since his world had been thoroughly rocked, Dean found out
that the blond, Krista Halloway, was the nanny and legal guardian
of baby Angel. Her feelings for the baby were clear and he couldn’t
get his mind around the heartbreaking image she made, whispering
words to the babbling baby and swiping away tears. A heartfelt kiss
goodbye and the woman had hidden behind a manicured hedge until
Flora took Angel inside.

It was that heartbreaking image that made
him question her motives. If he was the father, a quick paternity
test would get a handsome child support payment on which Angel and
Krista could live. She must have a bigger payday planned. It was
the only thing that made sense.

He smacked the steering wheel in
frustration, pulled into the parking lot of the only budget hotel
in Loving, New York, and climbed out of his car. A quick trip to
the lobby and a fifty dollar bill and Dean was walking off the
elevator and straight to room 321. He stood in front of the door
poised to knock when the door was wrenched open and a short body
capped with wild blonde curls backed up into him.

“Oh, shit. Sorry.” She turned and looked up,
took a step back and looked up further. He saw the moment
recognition flashed. “How can I help you, Mr. Harwood?”

“How
you
can help
me
? You’re
joking, right?” He leaned down uncomfortably so he could look the
woman in her eyes. Her big almond-shaped eyes that were the perfect
blend of blue and green. “I’m here to tell you, Ms. Halloway,” he
practically spat her name, “that if you continue with whatever this
scam is, I’ll have my lawyers on you so fast your head will
spin!”

Smacking his hand out of her face, Krista’s
tiny face reddened and a small growl escaped her mouth. “You
arrogant fool! That precious baby is yours and I was trying to do
the right thing to make sure Angel grew up knowing her father,
knowing she was wanted. If that’s not the case I’ll happily pick
her up and we can go back home and I
guarantee
you won’t
hear from us ever again.” She turned and began to pull her luggage
down the hall. “What will it be, Mr. Harwood, am I taking Angel or
are you keeping her?”

Dean grabbed her arm a little rougher than
he meant to and she yanked out of his grasp. “Neither of you are
going anywhere until we’ve all had DNA tests!”

“Get your paws off me, you animal!” She
stopped walking and shook her head. “I’m not the mother, you idiot.
Do you remember having sex with me?” At his silence she laughed
bitterly, “I didn’t think so. Angel’s mom was Karen Thorpe, one of
your many conquests. Is that ringing a bell? It doesn’t matter that
you don’t remember. What matters is that Karen is dead and God help
Angel, but you are all the family she has left. That is, if you can
stop working long enough to give her any of your
precious
time.”

Her words dripped with such disgust Dean was
taken aback. Had he gotten this wrong?
No
. He hadn’t. He
just needed to figure out her angle. “And I’m supposed to just take
your word for it.”

“I don’t give a damn what you believe. If I
wanted, I could have just kept Angel and never said a word to you.
If it makes you feel better, have the test. I’ll sign papers giving
my consent to a paternity test and when it comes back telling you
what you obviously don’t want to hear, you can find me and I’ll
sign over guardianship to you.”

“And how much is that going to cost me?”

“No wonder Karen didn’t tell you. You really
are an incredible jackass.” With those words she brushed by him and
entered the elevator just before the doors closed.

A
lone in her apartment, Krista looked
around and tried not to bawl like a baby at the absence of a dark
haired girl with beautiful green eyes. She’d spent the past few
days crying every time she spotted a stuffed animal in the corner,
pulled a bottle from the dishwasher or folded a onesie with her
laundry. It was torture, seeing remnants of Angel when she wasn’t
around. She knew she was doing the right thing. No matter what
Karen had said, Dean Harwood deserved a chance to be the father
Angel needed. She was giving him that chance, success or failure
was up to him.

That didn’t mean she had to like it. She
didn’t. It was torture being here without Angel but she would get
used to it. She had to. Once Dean made up his mind, she would leave
New York and search for work elsewhere. She would go somewhere
there were no memories of a negligent mother and a sweet baby.
Maybe she would spend some time traveling. She always wanted to see
more of the world, and thanks to Karen’s generosity, her savings
could afford to spend some time sightseeing.

Maybe she could even make time for romance
and dating. It would be nice to fall in love and have a few
children. Krista had never really thought about having children
until Angel, but now she knew her life would never be complete
without a little angel of her own. First, she would have to pick a
city and get a new job. Then she could focus on her happy
ending.

For now, she would clean. Her apartment
wasn’t dirty but it was extremely cluttered. Most of Angel’s
belongings were scattered around her place and she needed to tidy
up to keep busy and to keep from going stir crazy. She hadn’t had
so much free time in forever and she wasn’t sure how to fill her
time other than cleaning.

Unfortunately, it took less than an hour to
have the two bedroom apartment so clean it gleamed. Her apartment
had never gleamed. Dressed in black workout shorts and a white
tank, she collapsed on the sofa and gulped down a cup of water. It
was cool and refreshing. As soon as she could get her legs working
again, she would hop in the shower.

The doorbell sounded and she groaned. “Go
away, please,” she moaned at the door. Krista refused to move from
her place on the floor so she yelled. “Who is it?” The voice was
muffled by the door so she didn’t understand, but she knew the
voice was male. “Who. Is. It?”