What a great way to start the day! Book 7 of 8: The Senator’s Family Series#1 New Release in International Diplomacy Congratulations, Mona Risk, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

Prolific romance author, Mona Risk has a new release! Between Babies and Girlfriends in the seventh book in her Senator’s Family series. Here’s the premise of the book:

Dr. Brian Dutton can’t believe his own eyes when a sixteen-year old patient he saved from suicide abandons her twin babies in his clinic. His present girlfriend is pushing him to propose but doesn’t lift a finger to help him with the babies.

To complicate things, his former girlfriend, a hot Argentinian beauty, arrives with her family to attend her brother’s wedding in Miami. Carla, the daughter of the Governor of Buenos Aires is more than happy to play the nanny to the twins.

When her father insists she should marry his partner’s son, Carla plots a whole scenario to be in Brian’s arms and have her official fiancé pleasantly occupied with someone else.

But things don’t work according to plans, and Brian is about to lose the love of his life.

Here’s a special Valentine treat from the author. A quick peek inside this fantastic series.

Prologue

Carla Lopez stopped short at the door of the formal living room in the governor’s mansion. Through a crack, she studied her mother’s rigid stance and her father’s stomping gait across the colorful rug.

Too distressed to care about his gubernatorial image, Eduardo Juan Lopez, governor of the Buenos Aires province, let out a string of curses. “Lucia, do something. We can’t let her go to America on her own again.”

“Eduardo, watch your language. The servants can hear you.”

Ignoring his wife’s warning, Papa fumed. “Lock her up in her room.”

“At twenty-seven? You must be joking. Besides, Carla has led an exemplary life.” Mama enumerated on her fingers. “University degree in social work, Miss Argentina title, hundreds of medals in gymnastics, a cup for junior tennis, a scholarship for special training in Miami. She’s made us proud with her achievements, Eduardo.” Mama bobbed her head with approval.

“Until a few days ago. She’s postponing her wedding to Armando for the third time to fly to Miami again. The young man is crazy about her, doing her bidding like an obedient puppy. Shame on her.” Papa shook an angry finger under his impassive wife’s nose. “Armando Suarez is everything a girl could wish for. Smart, educated, a bright lawyer, a tall, handsome hombre who’ll give her beautiful niños. And he’s my partner’s son, caramba!”

Yeah, her fiancé was all that and more. Too bad his brotherly attitude couldn’t conquer her heart. Or at least help her forget Brian’s passionate, intense, fiery kisses. Maybe Armando had given up on her or met someone else secretly. Not that she’d blame him after doing her best to exasperate him and break their two-year engagement. They both needed space to reassess their feelings and convince their stubborn fathers a marriage was not a business deal.

Without any sign of emotion on her flawless face, Mama listened to Papa’s edgy speech. “Calm down, querido. Don’t give yourself a heart attack. Eventually, we’ll find a solution that satisfies everyone.”

Carla couldn’t help smiling. It wasn’t the first time that her American-born mother had advised her to stand on her own two feet and follow her dream. “I’ll take care of your father. He’ll come around,” she often said to help Carla.

“Yes, she’ll give me a heart attack.” Papa patted his heart and squeezed his wrist between two fingers. “My blood pressure is soaring again.” He slumped into his favorite chair. “We can’t let her go to America again. We missed her too much last time. And she returned here a different person, with crazy ideas about changing society. Too much independence and assertiveness are not good in a well-born young lady. She’s my little princess, even if she’s grown up.”

Aww, poor Papa. Carla pushed the door open. “Hola, Mama, Papa. Good morning.” With a big smile, she walked straight to her father and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Papito, I have an idea. Wouldn’t it be lovely if we took a family vacation together?” she added with a pout guaranteed to melt her father’s heart. “One last time before I set a wedding date. Besides, we can’t let my poor brother Diego get married by himself in Miami, even if his fiancée is American and not the Argentinean girl of your heart. He needs you, Papa. We all need you, Papito.”

Her father’s somber scowl smoothed, and he squeezed her in his arms. “As if I’d ever abandon my boys or my little princess. We’re all going to Miami.”

“You’re so right, Papa.” Somehow, Carla could make him change his mind on any subject, except her wedding to Armando, a fixed idea he’d nurtured since she graduated from high school.

The governor turned toward his wife. “Lucia, call Diego. He can’t marry without his family. His fiancée should realize he’s a governor’s son and his parents care about him. I’ll tell my secretary to book tickets for all of us, including Miguel and Lucas.”

“Why Miguel and Lucas?” Her two young brothers could be so annoying at times, appointing themselves her bodyguards and embarrassing her.

“Come on, Carlita. They’re Diego’s brothers too,” Mama retorted, always defending her twin boys born eight years after their sister.

“I’ll make it a useful trip,” Papa continued, pleased with his decision. “There’s a political conference I want to attend in Miami. I’ll mix business with family duty and fun.” He dug out his phone.

“I’ll do the same and travel a couple weeks earlier to retrieve a few references from the doctors I trained with last time,” Carla said.

“Good idea,” her father automatically answered as he selected his secretary’s number.

Carla suppressed a jubilant smile. She couldn’t wait to return to Miami, visit Dr. Brian Dutton…and melt in his arms.

Chapter One

“Your babies are gorgeous, Rosita.” Brian smiled at the babies he had delivered almost two months ago.

“Thank you, Dr. Dutton.” The teenage mother beamed, her love and pride for her twin infants shining in her eyes. “Your friend, Dr. Alton, checked them yesterday. He said Alex is almost eight pounds and Angie seven pounds ten ounces. Their weight doubled since their birth.”

“Wonderful. You’ve done a great job taking care of them.”

“I followed Dr. Alton’s advice. I breastfeed them any time they cry, almost every two hours. And I pump extra milk to fill bottles, and my mother feeds them at night.” She was in a chatty mood, but he didn’t have a minute to waste.

“All right, let me examine you now.” He checked the scars left by the C-section delivery, and then gave her a complete physical. “You’re doing great, Rosita. Totally recovered from the difficult delivery.”

“So I can travel back to Nicaragua?”

“No problem. But I thought you were happy to be in the States. Your babies were born here in Miami and have American birth certificates.”

“Yes, but I miss my family and the boy I love.”

“Right, your children need a father. Well, I wish you good luck in your new life.”

“Thank you for everything you did for me. You’re a good man, Dr. Dutton. You deserve to be happy with a good wife and beautiful babies like these.”

He chuckled at her boldness. “Eventually.”

“Do you have a fiancée or a serious girlfriend?”

“Huh…Yes, I have a…an almost-fiancée,” he answered briskly. She was overstepping the boundaries of a doctor-patient conversation. Would she suggest herself as a girlfriend? Annoyed by her inappropriate questions, he put an end to the medical visit. “Take care of yourself. I’ll call the nurse to help you get dressed. Bye.”

He asked Heather to check Rosita out and headed to his office, where he took his messages. Chloe’s message made him scoff. Sometimes his girlfriend didn’t seem to realize he was a very busy OBGYN who couldn’t chitchat when it suited her to call, especially when she’d already called him an hour earlier. He texted her. Very busy. Will see you tonight as planned.

Soon he’d head to the hospital for two scheduled deliveries.

A knock, followed by several stronger ones, snapped him out of his thoughts. “Come in.”

“Dr. Dutton, oh my God, Dr. Dutton…” Heather looked like she’d seen a ghost.

“What’s wrong?”

“Rosita…your patient…the babies…” Her eyes as round as saucers, Heather seemed to have lost her ability to form a coherent sentence.

“What about her? Is she still here? What does she want?”

“She… She left, but…but…”

At the end of his patience, Brian spat out, “Will you please collect yourself? You’re a nurse who’s seen it all. So, out with it.”

“Sorry.” Heather swallowed and fixed a desperate gaze on him. “Rosita is gone, but the babies are here.”

“What?” He narrowed his eyes in irritation. “Heather, I have no time for jokes.”

“Seriously, doctor, she disappeared and left the babies in the room.”

Unable to believe his ears, Brian strode to Room 2, where he’d examined Rosita fifteen minutes earlier, Heather on his heels. In the room, she pointed at the two old-fashioned straw baby baskets and two big bags in the far corner.

His eyes almost bulging, Brian glared at the two bundles in the baskets. The one in the pink blanket giggled, her brown eyes sparkling, and he automatically smiled back.

“Aw, she’s so cute,” Heather said at the wrong moment, reminding him of the humongous problem that had just landed in his arms—two adorable tiny babies.

“How could that happen? Didn’t you see her out?”

“I did. And she took both bassinets. I even commented on how cute they looked.”

“And?”

“She told me she needed to go to the restroom. I turned to walk her, but she said she knew the way, and besides, she may take time to change the babies. I didn’t see her after that.” Heather’s voice wobbled. The last thing he needed now was for his efficient nurse to start crying.

Brian huffed and pressed the front office icon on his phone. “Jenny, Sue, come to room 2, stat,” he bellowed.

A minute later, the two assistants rushed in. “Yes, Dr. Dutton?”

“Did you see my patient Rosita leave?”

“Yes, but I was on the phone with a patient,” Jenny answered. The youngest in the front office, she handled the appointments. “Why?”

“This.” He waved at the bassinets.

“Ah, dear God. She left them.” Jenny threw her hands on her heart.

Well, it looks like the doctor will have his hands full! Get your copy today! I got mine!

You can check out all of the Senator’s Family books here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JHNJP5F?

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