Page 51 of Unexpected Forever
I sit quietly while she takes my temperature, blood pressure, and pulse, asks me a few other questions, then enters the information on her tablet.
“When did y’all go all fancy?” I ask.
She taps the screen. “A few weeks ago. I told Doc we might be small but it doesn’t mean we can’t have technology. We also hired a new nurse. She starts next week.”
“That’s great. I can’t believe he’s retiring.”
“I know. I thought the man would die in that old chair in his office.” She shrugs. “But Aunt Lindsey said she wants to travel, and she’s got someone watching the inn for her now. And now that I’m here, he has no excuses.”
It’d been a shock to us all when Doc had announced his retirement over the holidays and brought on another doctor full-time. We always figured he’d sell the practice or work until he dropped.
Val had been an ER doctor until last fall when she’d moved back to Madison Ridge after falling in love with her best friend, Brian, a deputy in town.
“Your vitals are good, Charley. What brings you in?”
I blow out a breath. “I think I’m pregnant. Actually, IknowI’m pregnant. I took seven tests. All positive.” My hands fidget in my lap, even though Val’s gaze is professional.
She’s quiet for a moment, glancing between Nate and me. My cousin has an amazing poker face.
I wonder if she’s ever played with the Poker Posse.
I also wonder if random thoughts are part of the pregnancy brain I’ve read about.
“Okay,” Val says, “sounds like you’ve got the test front covered, but we’ll just do one more for confirmation and to add to your file.” She taps the screen again. “When was your last cycle?”
“Mid-March.”
She nods, making a note, and then sets aside the tablet with a smile. “Let me go run the test real quick.” She pats my knee. “Sit tight.”
Nate and I sit quietly. There are so many things I want to say. Yet I don’t know what to say to the man who I’m now tied to for the rest of my life.
A few moments later, Val comes in, a smile on her pretty face.
“Well, test number eight confirms it. You are indeed pregnant.”
“I didn’t think seven tests could be wrong.”
Val chuckles. “Why don’t you lie back and let’s see if we can hear the heartbeat.”
Butterflies take flight in my belly and I look at Nate. He leans forward, his forearms on his thighs, hands clasped between them, his stare intent on mine.
Val helps me lean back, then grabs a small handheld machine and squirts blue gel on my stomach.
She moves the wand on my belly for a few moments until she finds the spot.
A rhythmic sound fills the room that sounds like a heartbeat underwater. “There it is,” she says, smiling.
Nate appears by my side, his hand in mine. I look up at him. His throat moves as he swallows, his golden-green gaze on mine. “Our baby,” I whisper.
“Yeah…” His voice is low and husky. He leans forward and kisses my forehead then the back of my hand.
Val raises a brow but doesn’t say a word.
She’s going to be after me like a dog with a bone sooner than later.
Listening to the sound of my baby’s heartbeat makes tears clog my throat, and inexplicably, I want to see my mom and hug her.
“Nate?”
