Page 58 of Unexpected Pass

“One of my teammates—Cam. He and his wife Elli have twins, and she’s pregnant again. She said this doctor was a godsend, especially when she was hormonal and freaking out.”

“So you told a teammate about me?” I questioned.

“I asked a hypothetical question and told him we’d chop the shit later.” He looked up at me with a curious look on his face. “Why? Do you have a problem with me telling people about you?”

Before I could respond, the door opened. A tall, mahogany-hued woman in a white coat stepped in with a warm smile that immediately put me at ease. Her skin was the same rich brown as mine, and there was something comforting in that.

“Good afternoon. I’m Dr. Gaines. You must be Phileigh. And you…” She turned to Kellon with a knowing grin. “…are Kellon Barnes.”

“That’s us,” I said, returning her smile.

“Well, first, go Warhawks,” she said with a wink at Kellon. “Congrats on the win. And second, congrats on the baby.”

We both grinned, and I stared at Kellon when he didn’t correct her. Instead, he smiled and said thank you like a proud dad. It warmed my heart and gave me pause at the same time. He was really serious about being a part of our lives.

“So, it says you’re visiting from out of town and had a few concerns. What are they?”

I fidgeted. My cheeks heated up with embarrassment, but Kellon jumped right in.

“We had sex this morning and… I’ve been freaking out ever since. I just want to make sure I didn’t mess anything up.”

Dr. Gaines chuckled gently and wheeled her stool over. “First time parents?”

“Yeah,” we said in unison.

“Any bleeding or discomfort?”

“No. None.” I shook my head.

“Well, let me put your mind at ease. Sex during a normal pregnancy is completely fine. It won’t harm the baby. Actually helps keep hormones balanced and strengthens your emotional connection. As long as Phileigh is comfortable, you two can have as much sex as you want.”

Kellon exhaled sharply, and relief washed over his face.

“Told you,” I whispered, nudging him playfully.

“Whatever,” he mumbled. A smile crept back up.

“Let’s take a look and make sure everything’s on track,” Dr. Gaines said, rolling over the ultrasound machine as I lay back on the table and rolled my shirt up. I glanced at Kellon, who looked eager to see the baby. His eyes were glued to the ultrasound screen.

“Okay. Here we go!”

The cold jelly made me jump, but a second later, the soft static of the machine filled the room, and then a heartbeat followed strong and steady just as it was the last time I visited the doctor.

“There baby goes. Looking great. Beautiful heartbeat. Would you like to know the sex?”

My heart skipped.

“You can tell already?” Kellon asked, taking the words right out of my mouth.

“Sure can,” Dr. Gaines said, rotating the wand. “Do you two want to know, or do you have some big reveal planned?”

My eyes immediately flew to Kellon, looking to him for direction. Did I want to know? I thought I had more time before I found that out. Lolo had mentioned a gender reveal, but I didn’t want all the hassle.

“It’s your call, baby,” Kellon said, squeezing my hand. I looked over at Dr. Gaines, unsure of what to do. Knowing the sex of my baby would make this whole thing a lot more real, but I guess there was no going back.

“Yes. Let’s do it. Let’s find out,” I said quickly before I could change my mind.

“Right there… That’s the sex,” Dr. Gaines said, making me turn my head toward the screen.

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