The Holiday Triplets by Jacqueline Diamond Page A

continued into the microphone. “However, we’ve always known that was a temporary situation.”
    She hadn’t grabbed the opportunity to bludgeon the hospital’s reputation. Or was she building to an attack?
    â€œAfter the first of the year, the Serra Clinic will need a new home. I appeal to corporations and other generous sponsors in the Safe Harbor area to contact me about any space you may have available free or at low cost.”
    Unbelievable. The outspoken Samantha Forrest had not only tempered her words, she’d cast the hospital in asomewhat favorable light. And refrained from putting the blame on the planned fertility center.
    Jennifer blew out an audible breath of relief. Fortunately, the members of the press didn’t appear to pick up on her reaction.
    All the same, there was no mistaking the skepticism in the questions that flew at Sam. Both reporters demanded to know if she’d been pressured into downplaying the need to move.
    She held fast. “We have the best interests of women and families in mind. No one’s forcing us to do anything.”
    Crisis averted, for now. Mark could have hugged the woman. In fact, he hoped he’d get the chance. Soon.
    â€œLooks like we’re in the clear,” he observed quietly.
    â€œUh.” Jennifer’s voice seemed to stick in her throat.
    â€œSorry?”
    Wordlessly, she nodded toward the parking lot, where a van had pulled into the nearest handicapped space. A pudgy young woman with frizzy hair was unloading strollers with the help of a pregnant girl, probably a friend from the teen group.
    Candy. He’d specifically requested that she come later, around four.
    And, in the process, he’d told her about the press conference. Mark swallowed hard. How could he have forgotten that she was an even bigger drama queen than Sam?
    Still, her motives might be innocent. “I’ll handle this,” he said, and set off to talk to his patient.
    â€œHey! Over here!” She waved at the press.
    â€œExcuse me.” Mark walked in front of her, trying to block their view. “I thought we were going to meet at my office,” he said to Candy as quietly as he could.
    â€œMy boyfriend dumped me.” Her lower lip trembling, the girl stepped around him. Raising her voice again, shedeclared, “This counseling stuff isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Look at these triplets! I should have put them up for adoption, but Dr. Forrest talked me into keeping them. Now I’m stuck with three kids and no future.”
    â€œOf course you have a future,” he told her, averting his face from the rapidly approaching reporters.
    â€œNot since Jon left! You can’t expect me to earn a living and raise three infants.”
    Sam had gone pale with shock. This had to hurt. Mark knew she’d been trying to meet Candy’s needs, not browbeat the girl.
    It was also ironic that just when Sam had moderated her pronouncements in the media, her old tactics were being used against her. Even worse, from the hospital’s perspective, her attempt to paint Safe Harbor Medical Center as a sympathetic supporter of her project had just backfired.
    Because if Candy succeeded in making the clinic look bad, so would everyone connected with it. Including the hospital.
    And, Mark reflected ruefully, he’d be top of the list.

Chapter Seven
    Had she really talked Candy into making a colossal mistake? Samantha wondered as the young woman and her friend lowered the triplets into strollers. She’d intended to help, not harm.
    As she walked toward the new mom, she sorted rapidly through her concerns. For one thing, these newborns shouldn’t be out in public, exposed to the gathering crowd of press and passersby. For another, what on earth did Candy hope to accomplish by attacking Sam and the counseling center?
    Still, this was hardly the moment for reproaches. Clearly, Candy had suffered a blow.
    Sam tried to