“No. Nothing. Until the pain hit me today, I’ve been fine. I didn’t even get sick while I was away,” Meredith said, her voice sounding stronger than it had in a while.
“Right, well, I think we’ll get a urine sample as well as draw some blood. Have you been sexually active in the last couple of months?”
“Umm, yes. Just once, about a month ago,” Meredith mumbled, blushing again.
He’d been the one and only person she’d slept with. He tamped down the rush of pleasure. Which was ridiculous, considering they’d only had one night together. But he’d thought of her occasionally, late at night when sleep was elusive.
“I’ll get them to run a pregnancy test as well. Just to be on the safe side.”
Pregnant?
Shit, was it possible?
He hadn’t had that much to drink the night they spent together that he’d forgotten about using protection. His father had drummed into his head when he’d hit puberty that if it’s not on, it’s not on. Linc always made sure he was on.
“Linc? Are you okay?” Meredith’s soft voice washed over him.
He looked up and found the doctor had walked out and it was just them again. “Yeah.” He shook his head as though clearing away cobwebs. “Yeah, I’m fine. How about you? How’s the pain? Did the doctor say he’d give you some meds?”
Dammit, he couldn’t believe he had to ask her these questions. He should’ve been paying attention to what was going on around him.
“He’s waiting to see what the tests show.” She grimaced.
Linc reached out and grabbed hold of the hand clenching the sheet. He flinched at the strength of her hold.
“I’m sorry, Meredith.”
“What. Are. You. Sorry. For?” She panted each word.
“That you’re going through this.”
“It’s not like you’re responsible or can do anything about it.”
He sighed. “I know. I just wish I could take it away. I don’t know how you’re coping.” He rose and leaned over, brushing his lips across her forehead. “It’s so stupid to say this right now, but you’re amazing the way you’re dealing with the pain.”
“I don’t feel so amazing right now.”
A knock on the door startled him and he sat down with a thump as the door opened and the nurse who’d initially taken Meredith’s vitals entered the room.
“Hi, again,” she said, smiling as she wheeled in a trolley. “I’m just going to take some blood as well as a urine sample. Do you think you can walk to bathroom, or shall I get you a bedpan?”
“Why don’t I wait outside?” Linc stood. He could apply pressure to a fellow soldier’s wound to stop him from bleeding out, but watching a woman pee was way too intimate.
“Thanks, Linc.”
He could use some time to wrap his head around the possibility that Meredith could be pregnant. Condoms weren’t one-hundred percent foolproof. He knew that. Hopefully, the test would come back negative. An unplanned pregnancy was a complication he didn’t need or want. What if he was too strict on his child and became an enemy instead of a father? He couldn’t bear the thought of turning his own child against him. If the test turned out positive, he’d stand by Meredith. No way would he walk away from a child, even if the thought scared him shitless.
*
“Thank God,” Meredith muttered the second the door closed behind Linc.
“Your man is very supportive and considerate.”
She shook her head while the nurse tightened the tourniquet around her arm. “We’re not together. He’s the best man and I’m the maid of honor.” That was all she could manage before being swamped again in gut-wrenching pain.
Seriously, would they hurry up and give her something for it? Linc might think she was being brave, but what she really wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry.
“Well, for a best man, he’s going above and beyond the call of duty. I wouldn’t mind someone showing me the same devotion. Especially when he looks like that.”
The nurse bustled around and Meredith flinched as she slid a needle into her vein. “As far as I know, he’s single.” Meredith immediately wished she could take the words back, which was completely ridiculous.
They’d shared one night together. If it weren’t for Isabella’s wedding, they’d have never seen each other again. And, let’s not forget Mark the ex. Nope, a man was not what she needed now.
“Honey, I don’t think he’d be interested if I threw myself at him. From the moment he carried you in here, he’s been focused on you and you alone.” The nurse placed the vials of blood in the kidney-shaped dish resting on her trolley. “Okay, now, do you think you can make it to restroom or do you want to use the bedpan?”
Sure, the nurse had probably seen it countless times, but even if Meredith had to crawl, she would. “I can make it to the bathroom.”
“Okay, let me help you.”
The second her feet hit the ground and she stood straight, her head spun and she clutched the nurse. “Whoa, give me a second.”
“Take your time, but there’s no shame in saying you can’t make it.”
“It’s fine, I can do it.”
Ten minutes later, sweating profusely and shaking like a wet dog after a bath on a cold day, Meredith sank down on the bed with relief. Linc hadn’t been by the door when she returned, and she couldn’t stop the stab of disappointment flowing through her.
He hadn’t taken off, had he? No, if he wasn’t going to hang around, he would’ve dumped her and ran the second they’d arrived.
A gentle knock on the door was the only warning she got before it opened a sliver. “Hey, is it safe to come in?”
Linc.
“Sure.”
“How are you feeling?” he asked as he sat in the chair.
“I don’t know. I’m just getting through every second as best I can.”
As he had when she’d been cramping, he laid a hand over hers. “Hopefully, they’ll have an answer soon.” He looked up at the ceiling before looking back at her. “Meredith, umm, the doctor said pregnancy was a possibility. Does he have a point? Is this something we need to worry about?”
She’d been hoping she’d imagined the doctor uttering that one word. That, because she was wanting so badly to become pregnant, she’d projected it to him. “I don’t think so. I mean we were careful.”
“True, but you know that’s not foolproof.”
What would be the odds she’d turn up pregnant from a one-night stand instead of some anonymous donor like she’d planned? But she’d had a little bleeding, a sure sign she was starting her period, so pregnancy wasn’t possible. Unless… Another wave of pain hit her and she closed her eyes.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I’m sorry. But I just want you to know, whatever happens, you don’t have to go through this alone. We can work something out.”
No surprises there. Linc would be altruistic—he was military, after all. It was bred in them to serve and protect. Put others above themselves, including knocked-up strangers, if that was the case. But if he was prepared to stand by her, why did he just look like he’d swallowed a glass of sour milk?
“Hopefully there won’t be anything to worry about.” She mentally crossed her fingers. Either scenario she could be facing wasn’t perfect, or one she wanted to go through right now. At least the pain was ebbing. That had to be a good thing.
“Well, as I said, whatever happens, we’ll do it as a team.”
She nodded, pulled her hand away from his, and closed her eyes, willing sleep to come, even for just a few seconds. A few seconds when she didn’t feel anything and didn’t have to think about anything. No sooner had her eyes drifted shut than the door opened and the doctor strode in, closely followed by the nurse wheeling in another machine. The doctor’s face was taut, his lips set in a firm line. She struggled to sit up and Linc was up from his chair and beside her bed quicker than a Texas hoedown. His hand immediately grasped hers again, and
she savored the warmth from the contact, drawing on his strength.
“Well, Ms. Turner, the pregnancy test has come back positive.”
“Oh.” The word positive zoomed around her brain like an annoying fly.
Of course the test would come back positive. She’d made a plan and the universe had laughed at her and told her how it was going to be. Her hope that it was just a bug causing her pain diminished in a second.
Linc’s hand tightened around hers. “It’s okay, Mere.”
God, could her dream be snatched away from her before she’d even been aware of it? “Am I having a miscarriage?”
The doctor paused in his fiddling of the machine and faced her, his eyes full of sympathy. “That’s something I want to determine by doing a scan. Because of the pain you’re exhibiting and the spotting, miscarriage is a possibility. There are some other things we need to investigate as well.”
“What exactly are you saying, Doctor? If Meredith’s not having a miscarriage, what’s causing the pain?”
“It’s possible Ms. Turner is experiencing an ectopic pregnancy.”
Ectopic pregnancy? That can’t be good.
Meredith had heard that term, but couldn’t recall what it meant or how it would affect her. She opened her mouth to speak, but Linc jumped in.
“Which is?”
Whoa. She needed to be responsible for her own health here. This wasn’t something she could delegate.
She pulled her hand away from his and he raised his eyebrow. “I can ask my own questions, thank you very much.”
Okay, so she could’ve said it with a little less snark, but she was tired and exhausted and being polite was the last thing she was feeling. She should be grateful he was still by her side.
Linc held up his hands and stepped away until he was standing by the door. “Sorry, I’ll just wait here.”
Even the doctor’s and nurse’s eyes held censure. Now she really did feel like a bitch. Well…tough.
“Doctor, what does an ectopic pregnancy mean?”
“What it means is the fertilized egg has lodged in your fallopian tube instead of the uterus. The pregnancy isn’t viable, and depending on the seriousness, there is the possibility the tube could rupture and you would need surgery to have it removed.”
Her heart pounded loudly in her ears. She could lose a fallopian tube? That would reduce her chances of getting pregnant. Would it also limit her chances of being a candidate with the fertility clinic? Suddenly, she wanted to clutch Linc’s hand, but she’d blown that support.
Hadn’t she’d made the decision to go into motherhood alone, without anyone by her side? She could handle this. It was just by chance that Linc happened to be with her.
“How are you able to find out if your suspicions are correct?”
The doctor held up a wand. “Because you’re only a few weeks along, we’ll have do an internal ultrasound and see if we can determine whether you have a viable pregnancy or not.”
Viable pregnancy. Internal ultrasound. Things were just getting better and better.
“Would you like me to leave?” Linc asked.
The fact he had to ask that, knowing full well the child she might or might not be losing was his, made her feel like the worst possible human being. “No. Please stay, Linc. This affects you as much as it affects me.” She lifted her hand, waiting to see what he’d do next. Her breath whooshed out when he closed the distance between them in two strides and grabbed her hand in his. He placed a quick kiss on her fingers.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“It’s okay. This is a shock to both of us. I’ll stay for as long as you want me to.”
Meredith was vaguely aware of hearing the nurse sigh, but her attention was fully on Linc. “Thank you.”
He nodded and faced the doctor. “We’re ready.”
Thankfully, Dr. Hector didn’t say anything as he adjusted some more buttons on the machine. The nurse laid a blanket over her, and Meredith removed her underwear with as much dignity as possible.
“I’m just going to apply some of this gel. It could be a little chilly.” The doctor moved to the foot of the bed. Meredith trained her gaze on the television screen, trying to make sense of the black, white, and gray lines, while ignoring the discomfort between her legs.
The doctor moved the probe while watching the screen, occasionally clicking a button that appeared to freeze the screen before moving on. With a sigh he placed the probe on the tray and adjusted the blanket around her, his movements precise and gentle.
Everything about his demeanor screamed bad news. “It’s not good, is it?” she asked.
The doctor’s lips moved in what she figured was his bad news smile. “I’m sorry, Ms. Turner, but the scan has confirmed that your pregnancy is ectopic and therefore not viable.”
“Oh.” Linc squeezed her hand and she looked over at him. His face was devoid of any emotion—eyes blank, lips even thinner than she’d seen them earlier in the evening. She imagined it was his ready for battle look. Five hours ago, their lives had been completely different. She hadn’t known she’d be seeing Linc again. She hadn’t known she was pregnant. And she hadn’t known her dream was going to be ripped away.
“What happens now, doctor?” Linc asked, and she was grateful he could speak because speaking was beyond her right now.
The very thing she’d been planning and thinking about since she’d returned from Guatemala—a child. Someone of her own to love. Someone who wouldn’t brush her aside because she crowded their space had been within her grasp, just out of reach, and now it was not viable.
Was this a sign?
A sign that motherhood wasn’t in her future. Was she ever going to be able to have children?
“The good news is, we caught it in time and the fallopian tube isn’t compromised. What we’ll do is give Ms. Turner an injection of Methotrexate. This medication will stop the cells from growing and they’ll be reabsorbed into the body.”
God, it was like eating her own offspring. Her stomach churned. At least it was better than the cramping, but she wanted to throw up again.
“Will she have to remain in the hospital?” Again Linc was there for her. Funny how only fifteen minutes ago, she was annoyed at him for speaking for her.
“We’ll give her the shot and observe her for a couple of hours. Once we’re sure she’s not reacting to the medication, you’ll be able to take her home.”
One shot. That was all she needed to erase any presence of the life she’d started creating. She wanted to curl up and sob for hours for a life lost. A life she’d only known about for five minutes.
“Ms. Turner, I know this is a shock, but what happened with this pregnancy won’t affect any future ones. The chance of experiencing another ectopic episode is slim. I’d recommend waiting at least six weeks before trying again, and I’d follow up with your own doctor too.”
Dr. Hector was only doing his job to soothe any doubts she had, but all she wanted to do was have the necessary shot and leave.
Get away from yet another failure in her life.
Chapter Five
What the hell was he doing outside the pet rescue building? The last thing Linc should be getting was a dog, but for the last ten years, he’d had one by his side. It seemed wrong not to have one now.
At least he’d be able to keep this dog with him all day every day, unlike his working partner Rocky. At the end of the day, he’d always have to leave his trained military dog on base. His career might be toast, but he could set up his home any way he wanted, seeing as he wasn’t going to leave San Antonio anytime soon.
The second he stepped through the door, the dog scents assailed his nostrils and the tension that had been his constant companion over the last twenty-four hours seeped out of him. No one would find the aroma of wet dog and loud barking comforting, but he’d worked and cared for dogs for ten years. This was familiar. This was what he knew the best.
Maybe looking at dogs who needed a lov
ing home would remove the memory of those few minutes when he’d been an expectant father. A dog, he knew how to look after. A child, he didn’t. When he’d dropped Meredith off at her place, she’d been stoic, telling him she was fine and didn’t need anything at all.
It had taken all his strength to force himself to walk away the previous evening and not follow her inside, but he could also tell her emotions were close to the surface and she was on the brink of losing it. Probably the last thing she wanted to do in front of him. Considering the sheer number of unexpected things that had happened to her in the space of a few hours, her need to be alone was understandable.
“Hi, I’m Patty. Welcome to Dog’s Paradise Rescue Home. Can I help you?”
“Hi, I’m Linc. I’m thinking of adopting a dog.” Way to state the obvious. Why else would he be in a rescue home?
“Well, you’ve come to the right place. All the dogs are down the hallway and to the left. Some of the dogs are outside with volunteers. Feel free to look around. We currently have dogs ranging from six weeks to twelve years old. If you see an animal you may be interested in, let one of us know and we’ll arrange for you to play with them.”
“Thanks.”
The phone rang and Patty picked it up. Linc started off in the direction she’d told him, which wasn’t hard to find because the farther he traversed down the hallway, the louder the barking got. He spent the next fifteen minutes wandering around the internal cages. There were many sweet-looking dogs, and he spent some time talking to a small, super fluffy dog.
“Hey there, pup. You been here a while? Why hasn’t anyone adopted you? You’re pretty cute.”
This was so not the dog he thought he’d see himself owning, but the little fella had a sweet nature and gorgeous brown eyes that sparkled when Linc gave him a scratch between the ears. But he was never one to impulse purchase anything and adopting a dog was the same. Time to visit with other dogs. Linc steeled himself against the pull of the little dog’s whines as he walked away.
The Matchmaker’s Match Page 4