Summer With Love: The Spanish Consultant

Praise for

Sarah Morgan

‘Full of romance and sparkle’

—Lovereading

‘I’ve found an author I adore—must hunt down everything she’s published.’

—Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

‘Morgan is a magician with words.’

—RT Book Reviews

‘Dear Ms Morgan, I’m always on the lookout for a new book by you …’

—Dear Author blog

About the Author

As a child SARAH MORGAN dreamed of being a writer and, although she took a few interesting detours on the way, she is now living that dream. With her writing career she has successfully combined business with pleasure, and she firmly believes that reading romance is one of the most satisfying and fat-free escapist pleasures available. Her stories are unashamedly optimistic, and she is always pleased when she receives letters from readers saying that her books have helped them through hard times.

Sarah lives near London with her husband and two children, who innocently provide an endless supply of authentic dialogue. When she isn’t writing or reading Sarah enjoys music, movies and any activity that takes her outdoors.

Readers can find out more about Sarah and her books on her author page at www.millsandboon.com/sarahmorgan. She can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

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Summer

With Love

Katy

Libby

Alex

Sarah Morgan

www.millsandboon.co.uk

All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited,

1 London Bridge, London SE1 9GF

SUMMER WITH LOVE © Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l. 2013

The Greek Children’s Doctor © Sarah Morgan 2004 and The English Doctor’s Baby © Sarah Morgan 2004

eISBN: 9781472012630

Version: 2018-04-11

CHAPTER ONE

SHE’D forgotten how much she hated coming home.

Katy’s breathing quickened as she looked round the elegantly landscaped garden filled with groups of people sipping champagne and laughing together. The air smelt of summer, the heady fragrance of blooms mingling with the scent of grass mown to uniform perfection.

Suddenly she felt completely stifled and longed for the familiarity of the riverside apartment in London.

If it weren’t for her mother she wouldn’t be here.

‘Happy birthday, Dr Westerling.’

Hearing the familiar voice behind her, Katy turned with a smile of relief, her mouth dropping open as she caught sight of her sister.

‘What happened to your hair?’

Libby tossed her long, shaggy mane and grinned wickedly. ‘I did it especially for Dad. It’s called strawberry blonde. Don’t you love it?’

‘It’s pink,’ Katy said faintly, and Libby’s smile widened.

‘I know. It’s perfect, isn’t it?’ Her eyes moved defiantly over the throng of conservatively dressed people and Katy bit her lip, looking at Libby’s normally gorgeous blonde hair in dismay.

‘Will it wash out?’

‘Yep.’ Libby reached out and scooped a glass of champagne from a waiter who was passing. ‘But hopefully not before I’ve caused a spectacular firework display from our esteemed parent.’

Katy tensed, anticipating her father’s anger. ‘You always try and provoke him. Couldn’t you have worn a slightly longer dress?’

‘Definitely not.’ Libby wiggled her bottom provocatively. ‘Think he’s going to like it?’

Katy slid her eyes over the skin-tight dress that exposed almost all of Libby’s perfect legs. For a nightclub it would have been barely decent and for a summer garden party it was—

‘He’s going to have a heart attack.’ Katy’s eyes darted warily over to where their father stood, broad-shouldered and unsmiling, deep in conversation with several cabinet ministers. There was going to be trouble. She bit her lip and shook her head. ‘Why do you always do this, Lib? Can’t you conform just once?’

‘Why would I want to?’ Libby reached out a hand and touched the pearls that lay around Katy’s neck. ‘I’ve never been a pearls sort of person. And neither are you underneath.’

Katy looked away.

She didn’t know who she was any more.

As usual, Libby’s directness had unsettled her. ‘Just because I dress appropriately for our parent’s summer party, there’s no need to—’

‘Our birthday party,’ Libby reminded her pointedly. ‘This is supposed to be our birthday party, remember? You, me and Alex.’ She glanced round the manicured garden at the hordes of elegant guests and rolled her eyes. ‘We’re the only triplets in the world whose parents throw them a garden party and then invite all their own guests and offset it against tax as business entertaining. Well, I, for one, refuse to play the game. And you only do it because you’re so sweet and gentle and hate confrontation.’

There was a light in her eye that made Katy feel extraordinarily jumpy. ‘We can all go home in a few hours,’ she reminded her sister wearily. ‘Just play along, Libby. For Mum’s sake. Please.’

‘Like you do, you mean?’ Libby’s eyes slid over her. ‘Don’t you ever want to shock them all, Katy? Rip your clothes off, get drunk, take drugs, swear?’

‘All at once?’ Katy gave a wan smile and glanced towards a group of men who were downing champagne at a remarkable rate.

‘Ah—yes. I forgot. You can’t do things like that. Lord Frederick Hamilton wouldn’t approve.’ Libby was silent for a moment and then she gave a sigh, her pretty face suddenly serious. ‘I can’t believe you’re going to marry that man, Katy.’

Katy swallowed.

Sometimes she couldn’t believe it either.

But it was the right thing to do.

‘I mean, look at him now! Why isn’t he trying to drag you into the bushes for a grope?’ Libby studied him curiously, her head on one side. ‘He’s too busy networking to even notice that you’re here. You could be naked and covered in whipped cream and he’d still be mingling with the movers and shakers.’

Everything her sister said was true and Katy wondered why she didn’t mind more. She chewed her lip. The truth was that she didn’t mind because she didn’t want Freddie to take her into the bushes for a grope. She was quite happy for him to be talking to his business colleagues, leaving her alone to make her own amusement.

Freddie was safe.

At that moment their mother glanced towards them and a horrified expression crossed her face. Visibly agitated, she cast a terrified look towards her husband who was still deep in conversation and hadn’t yet noticed his daughters.

Libby sucked in a breath and grinned. ‘We have lift-off. Ten, nine, eight …’

The girls waited as their mother hurried towards them, Katy tense and on edge, Libby amused and defiant.

Katy glanced at her sister with a mixture of exasperation and envy. How could she be so completely unafraid of their father?

Instead of avoiding confrontation, she relished it.

As if to prove a point, Libby tugged her dress down to expose a little more of her already exposed cleavage.

‘Elizabeth.’ Lady Caroline Westerling stopped in front of her daughters and her eyes darted nervously towards her husband. Fortunately he still had his back to them. ‘Your hair is a disgrace, and what do you think you’re wearing?’

‘A party dress.’ Libby smiled happily at her mother. ‘For my birthday party.’

Katy winced at her less than subtle reminder that this annual event had originated as a celebration of their birthday. Her mother seemed oblivious to the dig.

‘It’s indecent and common.’ She ran her eyes over Libby’s long bare legs and winced. ‘Your father will … He’ll throw a fit.’

Libby’s eyes gleamed. ‘Oh, I do hope so,’ she said softly, and their mother gave her a helpless look.

‘Why, Elizabeth? Why do you have to do this?’ Her eyes flickered around the lawn. ‘There are any number of suitable men that you might have been introduced to this evening, but not dressed like that.’

Libby’s smile widened. ‘I’m only interested in unsuitable men.’

Her mother’s eyes closed and sweat broke out on her brow. ‘You look like a prostitute. Go upstairs and ask Sally to find you something more conservative before he sees you.’

‘I like this dress and I don’t care what he thinks. And neither should you.’ Libby’s eyes gleamed. ‘You shouldn’t let him bully you, Mum.’

Katy let out a breath. ‘Not here, Lib, please.’

Libby was staring at their mother. ‘You should stand up to him.’

Caroline Westerling ignored her comment and looked away, her breathing suddenly rapid. ‘Your father has some very important guests here today.’ She turned to Katy and gave a bright smile that fooled no one. ‘Freddie is doing so well. He has something to say to everyone. Your father thinks he’s heading straight for the top.’

‘Hopefully he’ll bang his head when he gets there,’ Libby drawled, and Katy hid a smile.

What would she do without her sister? She loved her irrepressible nature and the fact that no one scared her.

No one made Libby do anything she didn’t want to do.

Not even their father.

Katy watched Freddie weave his way through the crowd, exchanging smiles and handshakes.

Her mother gave a sigh. ‘Such a suitable man. You’ve made a wonderful match, Katherine. All we need to do now is to sort your job out. I hope that once you’re married you’ll give up all this doctor nonsense.’

Katy stiffened. ‘I won’t be giving it up.’

What did it take to convince her parents that this was the career she wanted?

‘What about me?’ Libby’s tone was airy. ‘I’m a nurse—does that count? And Alex is a doctor. Doesn’t Dad want us to give up, too?’

Their mother bit her lip. ‘You and Alex are different.’

‘He can’t bully us, you mean,’ Libby said softly, and Caroline’s eyes darted nervously around the lawn.

‘Keep your voice down, Elizabeth.’ Her mother looked pained and turned back to Katy. ‘You’ve qualified now. You’ve shown everyone that you can do it. You don’t need to carry on working any more. Freddie is extraordinarily wealthy in his own right and with your trust fund there’s absolutely no need for you to work. When you’re married Freddie will need you at home for entertaining clients. You won’t have time for a job.’

Katy felt stifled again. ‘I love being a doctor, it’s what I do. There’s no way I’m giving it up.’

Sometimes she felt that her job was the only thing that kept her sane.

Her mother rubbed her hands together nervously. ‘You can’t carry on doing nights and all those horrible hours once you’re married.’

Katy liked the horrible hours. Horrible hours gave her a perfect excuse not to have a social life.

‘I’ve got a new job starting in two weeks,’ Katy reminded her. ‘I’m a casualty officer in the accident and emergency department.’

And she couldn’t wait.

‘Oh, Katherine, what is the matter with you?’ Her mother screwed up her face in horror. ‘All those drunks and rough people—Saturday nights after the rugby. Why would you want to do that when you don’t have to?’

Because she loved medicine. And it was a million miles away from the ruthless world of banking that had been her entire life.

The garden was closing in on her.

‘It’s just such a waste,’ her mother was saying. ‘I still tell everyone that you were a successful model when you were seventeen. You were on so many magazine covers and if you hadn’t thrown it all in to become a doctor you’d be one of those supermodels now.’

‘No, she wouldn’t,’ Libby interrupted cheerfully. ‘Katy’s grown hips and boobs since then and you’re not allowed to have those if you’re a supermodel. Just bones.’

Their mother’s mouth tightened. ‘Just promise me you’ll give up this emergency department rubbish. I know Freddie’s parents are worried about it, too. It’s just not suitable, Katherine.’

Suitable. There was that word again.

Katy felt as though her head was exploding.

What was happening to her?

Normally she’d do anything to keep the peace for her mother’s sake, but today she just wanted to run screaming into the distance.

‘Start the job if you must,’ her mother carried on, ‘but you’ll be marrying Freddie in three months and you’ll have to give it up then. Oh, look, there’s Freddie’s mother. I must talk to her about the arrangements.’ She glared at Libby. ‘Elizabeth, go and change into something that hides your underwear before your father sees you. Please.’

She turned and walked with studied elegance across the lawn, beaming at her guests and reaching for another glass of champagne.

Libby gave an exaggerated sigh. ‘It’s a good job we’re triplets. At least they managed to get the physical contact over in one go.’

‘Libby!’ Katy turned to her, her blue eyes wide with reproach, and Libby shrugged.

‘Well, it’s true. Look at them.’ She tilted her head to one side. ‘They don’t show each other any affection. Their marriage is a business arrangement. It’s no wonder you, Alex and I are so dysfunctional. Look at our role models.’

Katy licked dry lips. ‘We’re not dysfunctional.’

‘Yes, we are. You’ve spent so much of your life trying to please Dad and avoid his wrath that you don’t even know who you are any more. I’m so determined to be the opposite of everything they want me to be that I’ve forgotten who I am, too. And as for Alex …’ Libby turned and scanned the garden, looking for their brother. ‘Alex is so disillusioned about marriage that he sets a three-month rule. After three months with a woman he ends the relationship just to be sure that they don’t start hearing the word “serious”. He’s the original commitment-phobe.’

Katy looked at her. ‘So are you.’

‘And can you blame me?’ Libby looked at her parents and shuddered dramatically. ‘If that’s marriage, then I hope I die single.’

‘Libby, that’s an awful thing to say.’

A bee hovered close to them and Libby took a step backwards.

‘Oops. Killer insects.’

Katy frowned, knowing that her sister was very allergic to bee stings. ‘Are you carrying adrenaline?’

Libby grinned and tapped her tiny bag. ‘Lipstick and adrenaline. A girl’s best friends.’

Katy knew that, despite the smile, Libby took her allergy seriously. They all did. Libby had had a frighteningly severe reaction to a sting in the past and none of them had ever forgotten it. Particularly Alex, who had been the one who’d kept his sister alive until the ambulance had arrived. Ever since then Katy had always carried adrenaline and she knew that Alex did, too. Just in case.

The bee moved away and Katy’s gaze was caught by Freddie, who was taking a call on his mobile phone.

Libby’s soft mouth tightened. ‘Don’t marry him, Katy.’ Her voice was soft. ‘As Mum says, there are three months to go. Plenty of time to change your mind.’

‘I don’t want to change my mind.’

Libby shook her head in disbelief. ‘Katy, life with Lord Frederick is going to be one long round of business entertaining. He’s marrying you because of Daddy.’

‘I know.’ Her sister’s bluntness should have upset her but it didn’t. It was the truth, after all. Freddie was marrying her because of her father’s immense wealth and influence. And she didn’t even care.

Libby looked at her with exasperation. ‘So why are you marrying him, Katy?’

‘Because I want to.’

Because their relationship was safe and predictable. Libby shook her head. ‘It isn’t right, Katy. Don’t you want to be in love with the man you marry?’

Katy felt her breathing quicken. No. No, she didn’t. Love was terrifying.

Love had almost destroyed her.

‘Well, maybe you can do without love, but what about passion?’ Libby was studying Freddie with narrowed eyes. ‘I mean, that man would never do it for me. I want someone who’s so overwhelmed by lust for me that he thrusts me against the wall, lifts up my dress and takes me there and then.’

‘There’s nothing to lift,’ came a dry male voice from behind them. ‘Your dress barely covers your bottom.’

‘Alex!’ Libby gave a delighted squeal and threw her arms around her brother.

He glanced over her shoulder and down her back. ‘Nice knickers, Lib.’

Libby grinned and tugged her dress down. ‘You’re late. We thought you weren’t coming.’

His handsome face was inscrutable. ‘I was busy.’ He released her and turned to Katy, his customary indifference momentarily suspended as he looked at his other sister. ‘Hi, there, kid. You all right?’

No.

Katy hugged her brother, avoiding his penetrating gaze. ‘Happy birthday, Alex.’

He tucked a finger under her chin and forced her to look at him. ‘All right. What’s going on? Tell your big brother.’

Katy gave a wan smile. Alex had been born first by all of three minutes.

‘She’s being bullied into marrying Freddie,’ Libby muttered darkly, ‘that’s what’s going on. She’s doing it to please Dad. It’s time for the triplets to unite.’

Alex’s blue eyes narrowed sharply. ‘Katy?’

Katy pulled away from her brother. ‘She’s talking nonsense. I’m fine. Really. Just a bit tired. And nervous about the new job, I suppose.’

‘A and E is great,’ Alex said immediately. ‘You’ll love it. I just wish you’d chosen to do it further from home. You could have come and worked in my department. We need good doctors.’

Katy smiled. ‘You never stay in one place for five minutes, Alex, so there’s no point in joining you. I wanted to be in the same hospital as Libby and, with Freddie in the City, I need to be in London.’

‘Well, of course you do,’ Libby drawled. ‘Which brings us back to the point I was making when you arrived, Alex. I just can’t imagine Lord Frederick indulging in spontaneous sex. He probably gets his secretary to book slots in his diary. Is that really what you want, Katy?’

Suddenly Katy felt sick and she closed her eyes to blot out the images.

She didn’t want sex with Freddie at all.

Alex frowned and was about to say something when their mother called him over.

‘Back in a minute.’ He touched Katy gently on the cheek, exchanged a meaningful glance with Libby and strolled across the lawn, lithe and athletic and totally confident.

‘He’s bloody good-looking. How come we’re both blonde and he managed to have such dark hair? It’s really spectacular with those blue eyes.’ Libby watched him charm a group of her father’s clients. ‘He’s everything a man should be. Sexy, strong, clever. The funny thing is, if he weren’t his son I’m sure Dad wouldn’t approve of him. He’s just a little bit bad and dangerous, isn’t he? And we all know what Dad thinks of dangerous men.’

Katy sucked in a breath.

She’d only ever met one dangerous man.

There was a tense silence. ‘You still think about him, don’t you?’ Libby looked at her, her blue gaze penetrating. ‘It’s been eleven years since he broke your heart but you still think about him.’

Katy didn’t even have to ask whom she meant. ‘I—I don’t …’ The sick feeling grew worse and her heart started to beat faster.

‘Don’t lie to me, Katy.’ Libby’s voice was soft. ‘It all seems such a long time ago now, doesn’t it? Our eighteenth birthday party. Do you remember that summer?’

Katy stood still, her features frozen. Of course she remembered it. She remembered every single minute.

Libby’s voice was soft and dreamy. ‘I envied you so much. I would have done anything to have been you.’

‘Stop it, Lib.’ Katy closed her eyes and then opened them again quickly. Closing them just made the images worse.

‘How was it that Dad used to describe him?’ Libby tipped her head on one side. ‘Brilliant, but dangerous. I’ll never forget the first time he came to our house for one of Dad’s social evenings. We were sixteen, remember? Everyone else was in a black tie and Jago Rodriguez turned up on a motorbike dressed in black leather with absolutely no respect for English social customs.’

‘That’s because he’s Spanish,’ Katy muttered, wondering why Libby was choosing this particular moment to tackle a subject that she’d studiously avoided for years.

‘That probably was half the problem,’ Libby agreed. ‘He wasn’t British and he didn’t have the right pedigree. I thought Mum was going to have a heart attack. I loved the fact that he didn’t give a damn what anyone thought of him. You would have thought that being the son of our housekeeper might have made him feel awkward but he had absolutely no hang-ups about who he was or where he came from.’

‘That’s because Mrs Rodriguez was such a great mother,’ Katy said, not wanting to remember those times. ‘Spaniards are renowned for having close families and she gave him pride and a belief in himself. And then Dad gave him his big break in the City—’

Libby gave a cynical laugh. ‘Don’t be naïve, Katy. Dad doesn’t have even the thinnest streak of altruism in his make-up. Every single move he makes is calculated and he does absolutely nothing that won’t benefit him.’ Her tone was bitter as she surveyed her father across the lawn. He still hadn’t noticed her. ‘He didn’t employ Jago Rodriguez out of any sense of kindness. He employed him because he spotted raw talent and the same character traits that he possesses himself. Both of them are ruthless, ambitious and completely lacking in emotional conscience.’

Katy flinched slightly at her sister’s harsh analysis. It didn’t match her memory of those few glorious weeks. ‘Jago was kind to me, Libby, gentle.’

‘He walked away without a word,’ Libby pointed out grimly, and Katy sighed, unable to argue with the truth, knowing that Libby was just being protective. And she would have felt the same if positions had been reversed. Libby and Alex were her best friends and the three of them were as close as brothers and sisters could be.