To Have the Doctor's Baby (16 page)

“And you knew this when you slept with him?”

“Yes.”

“So it was just because—”

“I wanted to. Yes,” Ryleigh confirmed.

“How do you know you missed ovulation?”

“My email alert said so.”

“When charting one's fertility online, one must expect a margin of error.” Avery looked skeptical; then she looked annoyed. “What's
he
doing here?”

Looking over her shoulder, Ryleigh followed her friend's gaze and saw Spencer Stone, Mercy Medical Center's foremost cardiac specialist and target of panty-throwing groupies. She started to wave him over, and Avery hissed a warning.

“No. That man is the bane of my existence.” She hunched down, trying to make herself smaller. “What's he doing slumming in the cafeteria instead of meeting his peers in the doctor's dining room?”

“Maybe he's looking for you.”

The man had dark blond hair and piercing green eyes. He was tall and broad-shouldered, a football player's build.

“I wonder if he would be interested in having a baby.”

Avery looked horrified. “Bite your tongue. You're in love with Nick. And Spencer Stoneheart still thinks he's the big man on campus females cannot say no to.”

“But you say no on a regular basis. Good thing you're around to give him balance,” Ryleigh said.

“I'm not going to be around.” Avery watched the doctor
leave, then stood. “I'm going to hide. Before I do, I have a suggestion.”

“Which is?”

“If I were you, I'd do a pregnancy test.”

 

The next morning Ryleigh stared at the test stick. She'd left a message on Nick's voice mail that she was spending another night at her apartment because she had things to do there. It wasn't a lie. Avery had put doubts in her mind and before she saw Nick again, she wanted to know for sure.

And now she did.

She left the test stick on the bathroom counter, went to the living room and sat on the horrid couch. Her state of shock had nothing to do with the hideously decorated apartment and everything to do with the test. Before doing it, she'd carefully studied the instructions. She'd waited until morning, the optimum time for accuracy and memorized all the factors that could cause a false negative. She'd been prepared for that. She'd already seen the minus and knew how disappointment felt. Nick had been there to cheer her up.

This time she didn't need cheering up. Or maybe she did.

“Pregnant,” she whispered.

She was having Nick's baby, a child conceived in love. At least for her. Him? Not so much. And that's when the tears started.

“Oh, for crying out loud,” she said, swiping at her cheeks.

Then the doorbell rang. She was tempted to ignore it until there was a knock followed by Nick's voice.

“Ryleigh? I know you're in there. Your car is in the parking lot.”

“Oh, for crying out loud,” she said to herself. Then, louder, she called out, “Coming.”

She scrubbed her fingers beneath her eyes to remove the traces of tears. Still wearing the sweatpants and long-sleeved T-shirt she'd slept in, she walked to the door. Her hair wasn't brushed and the only cosmetic on her face was night cream that was long gone. The words “worst-case scenario” came to mind. When those words came to mind, a woman wanted to look her absolute best.

“Ryleigh?”

That was not the tone of a tolerant and long-suffering man who would patiently wait for her to freshen up. She opened the door and they both spoke at the same time.

“I have something to tell you—”

“You need to listen to me—”

“I'm going first.” Nick's anxious gaze dragged over her from head to toe as if he hadn't seen her in years. “I'd appreciate it if you didn't interrupt me.”

“Okay.” She closed the door, then folded her arms over her chest and looked up at him. It was so good to see him, and she felt a familiar tightness just beneath her heart.

He took a deep breath. “You scare the crap out of me.”

Ryleigh wasn't sure whether to be flattered or cry at the unexpected admission, but didn't say anything. She was too surprised to form a coherent sentence even if he hadn't ordered her to not speak.

“With you there was nowhere to hide. You really nailed me. Every time you threatened to get past my defenses, I disappeared into work.” Nick met her gaze. “You know me better than anyone so you'll be able to spot a lie a mile away. You're the only woman who ever made me want to lose control. Technically you have to have it before you can lose it. I was in over my head the first time I saw you
and have been fighting that feeling ever since. I can't fight it anymore. If you give me a chance, I swear I'll never let you down again. I love that you love me. And I'm so damn tired of living half a life.” He curved his fingers around her upper arms and tugged her close. “I love you. I want to marry you again. I want children with you.”

Cautious hope turned into sheer joy as she recognized the intensity on his face for the sincerity it was. She did know him and he was telling the truth.

He waited for several moments and the intensity sharpened. “It would be good if you said something.”

The happy news was dammed up inside her, and she couldn't wait to tell him. “I have permission to speak?”

“As if you need it.” One corner of his mouth curved up. “Permission granted. What are you thinking?”

“It's really good you want to marry me for two reasons. Number one: I love you, but you already know that.”

There was relief along with a smile in his eyes. “What's the second reason?”

“I'm pregnant.”

“But—” Nick stared hard at her, then dragged his fingers through his hair. “I thought we missed the fertile window.”

“Apparently the email and internet elves were wrong. I just did the test. Come and check it out for yourself.” She took his hand and pulled him into the bathroom to look. “See?”

He stared at the stick. “The plus sign means you're—”

“Pregnant. That's why I've been so tired.”

Ryleigh recognized the emotion on his face because she'd just experienced it herself. He went from stunned shock to unconcealed joy. It was beyond wonderful to see his awed reaction and share the excitement with him.

“My boys are badass,” he said proudly.

She grinned. “What about my eggs?”

“Superior. Awesome.” Then he turned serious. “I'm going to be a father.”

“I'm going to be a mother. Finally.” She snuggled her cheek on his chest. “And the best part is this baby doesn't exist because we made a bargain. He or she was conceived because we love each other.”

“That's the headline.
Love trumps science and technology.
And isn't it lucky that I came over here with the intention of making an honest woman of you.”

“You're the only man I've ever wanted to make me an honest woman.”

She'd come to him because she wanted a child and was prepared to do anything except fall in love. But love was all she needed to have the doctor's baby.