“I’m alone,” she said hoarsely.
“You’re not alone.”
Finally, Laurel Hudson has been found—and no one is more relieved than her ex, Adam Fortune! But reuniting Laurel Hudson with her son will be harder than anyone realizes. An accident has left her with amnesia, and he’s got several days and two thousand miles—in extremely close quarters—to help his former fiancée remember their baby boy...and how much more they truly share!
New York Times Bestselling Author Allison Leigh
MEET THE FORTUNES!
Fortune of the Month: Adam Fortune
Age: 31
Vital Statistics: The restaurant manager is six foot three with dark brown eyes, a cleft chin and a famous last name…but not the pedigree.
Claim to Fame: This good-hearted Fortune recently discovered he was a bone marrow match for baby Linus—but he had no idea why.
Romantic Prospects: He’s already had his heart broken twice. What are the odds that the third time’s the charm?
“Laurel doesn’t remember me, not really. Though she told the nurses at the hospital that I looked familiar, she has forgotten everything we once were to each other. And she certainly doesn’t remember that she had a baby.
“Of course I’m hoping she gets her memory back. But when that happens, if that happens, she’ll remember how things ended between us. And then I might lose her forever. I won’t give up, though. No matter what it costs me…I owe Linus that much.”
THE FORTUNES OF TEXAS: RAMBLING ROSE
Dear Reader,
Welcome to Rambling Rose, yet another town that has been turned on its ear by the Fortunes of Texas!
Rambling Rose is a place where people care.
That particular fact in action is what lands the town’s newcomer, Adam Fortune, on the national news one summer night. And it’s a good thing, too, because across the country, a woman who can’t remember her own name sees him on the news and knows he means something to her.
Laurel Hudson just can’t imagine how much that something turns out to be.
A road trip, a baby and a lot of memories ensue. Some sweet. Some painful. But at the end of Adam and Laurel’s journey is the same thing that had also been at the beginning. And this time, fortunately, they are a little older. A lot wiser. And they know to grab on, together, to that most precious thing of all.
Love.
Allison
The Texan’s Baby Bombshell
Allison Leigh
Though her name is frequently on bestseller lists, Allison Leigh’s high point as a writer is hearing from readers that they laughed, cried or lost sleep while reading her books. She credits her family with great patience for the time she’s parked at her computer, and for blessing her with the kind of love she wants her readers to share with the characters living in the pages of her books. Contact her at allisonleigh.com.
Books by Allison Leigh
Harlequin Special Edition
Return to the Double C
A Weaver Christmas Gift
One Night in Weaver...
The BFF Bride
A Child Under His Tree
Yuletide Baby Bargain
Show Me a Hero
The Rancher’s Christmas Promise
A Promise to Keep
The Fortunes of Texas: The Rulebreakers
Fortune’s Homecoming
The Fortunes of Texas: The Secret Fortunes
Wild West Fortune
The Fortunes of Texas: All Fortune’s Children
Fortune’s Secret Heir
The Fortunes of Texas: The Lost Fortunes
Fortune’s Texas Reunion
Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.
This book is dedicated to the extraordinary Susan Litman and Marcia Book Adirim. Your minds are simply fierce!
Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Epilogue
Excerpt from Coming to a Crossroads by Marie Ferrarella
Prologue
“I’m never going to be able to thank you enough for what you’re doing for my son.” The man raked shaky fingers through hair that already looked well-raked. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost Linus, too.”
Adam Fortune didn’t know exactly what to say. He and his brother had participated in the recent donor drive just like everyone else in town had. It was a way of showing they were in Rambling Rose to stay. He’d never expected to actually be a match. “Glad to help.” What was an overnight stay in a Houston hospital compared to what Eric and Linus Johnson had been going through? Linus was only a baby. “Still can’t believe how many possible matches came up during the drive.”
“Possibles are only possibles. You’re the ideal match. Thank God.” Eric’s voice was shaky through the surgical mask he wore. He also wore a protective gown and booties over his clothes and shoes. “I’d shake your hand—hell, I’d give you a hug if I could—but they warned me against any contact before I came in here.”
Here was Adam’s hospital room.
He’d checked in a few hours ago. Every nurse who’d been in to take blood or his temperature or a dozen other things had all said what a wonderful thing he was doing. He’d been getting uncomfortable with all the attention. He was donating bone marrow to help a very sick baby. Not once had it crossed Adam’s mind to refuse when he’d been a match.
“I mean, seriously,” Eric went on. “Anything you need. Anything.”
Adam almost said, “Forget it,” but thought better of it. For him, this had taken a week of time out of his life with the lab tests and exams that had been necessary. For Linus, diagnosed with aplastic anemia, it was a matter of survival.
He started to reach for the water on his bedside but remembered the nurse had emptied it. Just in case he forgot himself and took a drink. He was in that period of no food and no drink before surgery. “That news crew who was following me around last week get in touch with you, too?”
Eric nodded. “Talked to them on the phone. Linus’s medical team has had us basically sequestered the past few weeks while he gets prepped for today. Last thing I wanted to do is interviews, but if the story gets someone else to join a donor registry or do a drive like you folks in Rambling Rose did, it’s the least I can do. I can remember when the town was
