by Cindy Kirk
“I’m not sure of the exact date,” Charlotte told her, “but the date of conception is July Fourth.”
“We’ll assume a twenty-eight-day cycle.” The doctor flipped screens. “Which makes March 27 your due date.”
Adam’s heart rate quickened. This suddenly became very real.
“You appear to be in excellent health. However, any pregnancy after age forty is considered high risk. Which is why I’m going to be watching you very carefully.”
Adam forced a calm into his voice he didn’t feel. “High risk for what?”
“High blood pressure. Diabetes as well as placental problems and birth complications and defects. I also suggest doing a blood test called NIPT.”
Adam exchanged a look with Charlotte. Though her expression gave nothing away, he saw alarm in her eyes.
“Routine for a woman your age.” Dr. Swanson offered a reassuring smile. “It’s a noninvasive prenatal test. It can be done as early as nine weeks, so you’re very nearly there. The test will give us more genetic information on your baby’s risk factors. Most insurance companies cover—”
Dr. Swanson paused, flipped through the screens, then glanced up. “You left the insurance information blank.”
“I don’t currently have coverage,” Charlotte explained. “I lost my insurance when I closed my business in San Diego and moved back. None of the individual plans in Wisconsin offer coverage for pregnancy. I was hoping that once my business was up and running, I’d look into group—”
“It’s not a problem,” Adam interrupted. “I checked with my policy, and it has coverage for domestic partners. I spoke with my agent, and he confirmed both Charlotte and the baby will be covered. I can give you the information before we leave today.”
“Sounds like you’ve both done your research. Our front desk will appreciate the information on your policy, Adam.” Dr. Swanson shifted her gaze to Charlotte. “At your next visit, plan on a head-to-toe physical and an ultrasound. We should be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat when we do the ultrasound. In the meantime, I’m giving you a prescription for prenatal vitamins that I want you to start taking immediately.”
Dr. Swanson sat back. “I strongly urge you not to drink any alcohol because of the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome. Even small or moderate amounts pose a risk.”
Charlotte made a swipe across her heart. “No alcohol will touch these lips.”
“What about caffeine?” Adam asked, recalling Charlotte’s comment about her coffee tasting funny.
“Good question.” Dr. Swanson smiled. “I’d prefer you limit yourself to two hundred milligrams of caffeine per day. That’s equal to one twelve-ounce cup of coffee.”
“Is it because the caffeine will make me jittery?” Charlotte asked.
“High levels of caffeine during pregnancy can result in a low-birthweight baby.”
Surprise flickered in Charlotte’s eyes.
“Is that for all pregnancies, or just in situations where…?” Adam let his sentence trail off. He wasn’t sure that referring to Charlotte as “an older mother” was exactly what she needed right now. Fortunately, Dr. Swanson seemed to understand.
“It’s a risk for all mothers. We do take extra precautions with later-in-life pregnancies, but it’s becoming increasingly common for women to give birth after forty. Women are delivering healthy babies throughout their thirties and beyond. Studies have shown that children of older mothers have fewer behavioral, social and emotional difficulties.” Dr. Swanson smiled reassuringly at Charlotte, then widened that smile to include Adam. “Achieving a pregnancy at forty-one is probably the most difficult part of the process. I’m very happy for both of you.”
After scheduling the next appointment, Charlotte remained silent as Adam gave his insurance information to the front desk.
Once they started down the stairs, she slanted a sideways glance at him. “Domestic partner?”
He shrugged. “I thought I’d check it out. Frankly, I was surprised you didn’t have to be a spouse to get benefits. I’ll contact the agent and add you to the policy when I get home.”
“I’d rather you didn’t.” The thought of being anyone’s partner and sharing insurance coverage made her twitchy.
He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned to her. “Why?”
“I don’t want to be linked that way.” She kept her voice nonchalant and her expression impassive as his gaze searched her face for answers.
“We are linked.” His tone remained matter-of-fact. “Taking advantage of this option will save us both thousands of dollars.”
Perhaps if he’d appealed to her on a personal level, it might have been easier to stand her ground. If she thought of this as strictly a business transaction, it made sense.
“Okay.” She waved a hand, blew out a breath. “It would be silly of me to say no.”
He flashed a smile. “I agree.”
It was funny, really, that while he’d been doing his research, she’d been doing hers. Not regarding insurance, but on paternal rights. Yesterday, she’d met with a family law attorney in Sturgeon Bay.
Initially, she’d been relieved to learn that under Wisconsin law, when a child’s parents weren’t married, the mother had sole legal custody until the court granted that status to the father. For one short second, Charlotte had rejoiced, thinking she was home free, until the attorney had added that Adam could ask the court for shared legal custody.
It would be best, he’d told her, if she and Adam could work out an arrangement without having to face each other in court.
Adam was making it clear he wasn’t going to walk away and let her raise this baby on her own. She gave a halfhearted chuckle. How was it possible that she got knocked up by the last noble man?
Right now, she had other, more pressing concerns. Charlotte couldn’t stop thinking about what the doctor had said about her age and the increased risk of complications. Of course, she had known this theoretically, but now that the risks were reality, she felt afraid.
“It sounds as if,” she had to pause to clear her throat, “as if she considers this pregnancy high risk.”
“Probably for some women, but not for you.”
She stopped by her car, but instead of getting in and driving away, she turned and rested her back against the shiny red paint. “You need to explain that comment.”
Charlotte hoped he could, because though she assumed it hadn’t been Dr. Swanson’s intent, fear now warred with joy.
“Age is simply a number. There are women in their fifties who are young and vibrant and ones in their twenties who are old before their time.” He took her hand. “Take you, for example.”
She closed her fingers around his strong, callused hand, accepting the comfort he offered. “Okay, take me, for example.”
“You’re fit and healthy, and you’re already starting your prenatal care.” Adam gestured with his head toward the prescription peeking out of the top of her small bag. “Like the doctor said, the most difficult part for you was getting pregnant. You’ve already cleared the toughest hurdle.”
“Thanks to you.” The words came out before she could stop them.
Adam’s lips curved in a slow, easy smile that did crazy things to her insides. “I’d say the pleasure was all mine, but I believe you enjoyed it, too.”
She chuckled. As she released his hand, she swatted him on the arm. “What am I going to do with you?”
“You’re going to let me be a part of your life and the life of our child.”
Her smile faded. His words struck at the heart of her fears. To him, she probably seemed selfish, but she had good reason not to want to compromise, to let him into her life.
Her ex had seemed like a reasonable guy. And he had been, as long as he’d gotten his way. “I’m fully capable of caring for this child on my own.”
“I know you are, and that gives me comfort.”
Charlotte cocked her head, not understanding.
“If anything happens to
me, I have no doubt you will carry on and make a good life for yourself and our child.” His voice took on an earnest tone that matched his expression. “But I am here, which means you don’t have to go it alone.”
“What if I don’t want you here? What if I asked you to walk away?” Might as well be blunt, Charlotte told herself. She was past the age of playing games.
He paused for a long moment.
She braced herself.
“Are you hungry?”
“What?”
“I think better on a full stomach. I didn’t take time for breakfast this morning.” His eyes took on a knowing look. “If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say you didn’t eat much either.”
“I had a granola bar.” Charlotte had been afraid if she didn’t eat at all, she might be sick. Though she hadn’t thrown up yet, her stomach churned.
“A bar doesn’t count,” he told her. “Let’s grab an early lunch at Muddy Boots. Once we’ve eaten, we’ll talk.”
Charlotte experienced a surge of hope. Perhaps her doctor’s visit had made him realize the enormity of what they were facing. By telling him she didn’t want him involved with the baby, she’d given him an out that he could live with.
She reminded herself he hadn’t said he’d take the out, or expressed an interest in taking the out. But he also hadn’t been as firm as he’d been when he first learned of the pregnancy.
Her nod had him smiling and the tension in his shoulders easing.
“I’ll meet you there.”
Charlotte reached out and touched his arm when he started to open his door. Big mistake. What was it about this guy that could set off an explosion of nerve endings with simple contact? “Aren’t you busy at the farm?”
“You let me worry about that.”
“If the café is crowded and we can’t speak privately, after we eat we can go up to my apartment to hash out any details.”
She hoped those details would be him seeing reason and walking away.
But as he got in his truck and backed out, offering her a jaunty wave, Charlotte couldn’t quite quell her doubts.
Adam deliberately kept the conversation light while they ate. Helen, the waitress who’d worked at the café for as long as Adam had lived in Good Hope, cleared the dishes.
She’d just dropped off the check when Adam spotted Len Swarts and Anita Fishback entering Muddy Boots.
“Let’s take our conversation to your place.” He kept his tone low and tossed a couple of bills onto the table. Enough to cover the check and tip.
He and Anita had once dated and he knew her propensity to spread gossip.
Charlotte gave a nod, pushed back her chair and stood, knowing she wouldn’t be able to avoid Anita.
The owner of Crumb and Cake, a popular bakery, had been one of Charlotte’s most loyal customers. Partially because the striking brunette liked the way Charlotte did her hair. Partially because of her complicated relationship with the Bloom family.
Anita stood with her palm resting possessively on Len’s arm. Len had been the sheriff the last time Charlotte had lived in Good Hope. He’d retired, and Cade had taken over the position.
After greeting the couple, they left the café and walked to Charlotte’s apartment. Adam hoped being on her own turf might help her relax, but the change in location didn’t appear to be working. Not if her tightly set jaw and stiff shoulders were any indication.
They sat, angled toward each other, on opposite ends of the sofa. He considered the best approach.
Adam knew she was stubborn, but he also knew she was smart, which meant she had some kind of plan. “What do you plan to do?”
“About?”
He spread his hands. “About the baby. Once he or she arrives.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”
“Where will you live?” He gestured with one hand toward the small space surrounding them. “Your apartment has one bedroom and no space for a crib. Not to mention walking up those steep steps won’t be safe while you’re pregnant or when you’re holding a baby.”
When she said nothing, he continued. “You’re launching a business with a partner who not only has a new baby, but who’s also pregnant. Marigold likely expects you to shoulder more of the load this first year.”
Her spine went ramrod straight. “Like I said, I’ll handle it. All of it.”
Adam thought of all she was facing and felt a twinge of sympathy. If she would just see him as her partner in this journey, rather than her adversary…
Deliberately, he gentled his tone. “I’m just trying to speak your language. You’re pragmatic and straightforward, both traits I admire. These are practical questions we need to contend with, just like health insurance.”
“My business arrangement with Marigold Rallis has nothing to do with you.” The unmistakable chill in her voice told him to back off.
But he couldn’t back off. Not all the way. This was too important. She and the child she carried were too important.
“Fair enough. But your health and safety—and that of our unborn child—do have something to do with me, which is why you should move in with me.”
“Move in with you?” The expression on her face would have been funny at another time. “Is this your idea of a joke?”
“I’m serious.” Convincing her wouldn’t be easy, but then, Adam hadn’t expected it would be. “It makes sense.”
Her chin jutted up, and her eyes shot blue fire. “To you, maybe. You—”
“Hear me out.” He lifted his hands and kept his voice even. “We’ve got a couple of extra bedrooms. You wouldn’t need to pay rent. It’d be a way for you to save money.”
“I get by just fine on my own.”
“I want to take care of you. Be there for you and our child. Once you give birth, you’ll need the extra room. And an extra pair of hands.” He drew in a long breath, let it out. “It’s not just about you, Charlotte. We both have to put this baby first. I need you to do it for me.”
Chapter Eight
No way would Charlotte move into Adam’s home. Even if she had been considering it, that last bit about doing it for him would have shut that down in a hurry.
How many times had Jake said those words to her? It wasn’t that she was hung up on the past or that her ex-husband had scarred her so badly she could never have a true relationship. It was that she’d learned doing something that felt right to another person but didn’t feel right to you was a slippery slope toward disaster.
“First, take moving in with you off the table. We barely know each other, and I like my space.”
Adam opened his mouth, then shut it.
Charlotte gave him credit for not pushing the point. If the uncomfortable look on Adam’s face was any indication, backing off wasn’t easy for him. She appreciated him making the effort.
“I’m not moving in with you,” Charlotte repeated. “But you bring up a good point. I need to consider not only what type of apartment will meet my needs now, but once the baby arrives.”
“Probably before. Those steps will be dangerous when you’re eight months pregnant and your center of gravity is off.”
“Center of gravity?”
“Look it up. It’s a real thing. Happens in the last trimester.”
“I will look it up.”
“I’d expect no less.”
His sudden grin coaxed a reluctant smile from her.
“The offer is open-ended. Let me know if you change your mind.”
She studied him for a long moment. “Let’s be real. You’re no more interested in having me move in than I am in taking that leap. But I appreciate the offer.”
He nodded. “We’ll put the housing situation on the back burner. I’ve got a couple ideas of how we move forward from here. I’m betting you have your own thoughts.”
Charlotte did, and she wasn’t afraid to share them. She needed to clear up something first. “This wasn’t deliberate.”
When Adam inclined his head, Charlotte contin
ued. “The baby. I didn’t plan to use you to get pregnant. I realize this child is an unwanted complication in your life.”
“Just because a baby is unexpected doesn’t make that child unwanted.”
Charlotte’s expression softened. “I like you, Adam. You’re a good guy.”
He smiled. “Liking me is an excellent start.”
“That doesn’t alter the fact that you are a bit of a snag.” Because that sounded cold, she clarified. “My being pregnant doesn’t need to change your life. Not if—”
“—if I turn my back on you and our child and walk away? Not happening.”
The finality in his voice told Charlotte she wouldn’t change his mind.
The problem was, the path she’d planned to travel once she got pregnant was now crumbling under her feet. She hadn’t planned on a baby daddy being in the picture.
“I don’t like seeing you worried.”
Then give me what I want. The words circling in her brain remained unspoken.
“Once the baby is born, we’ll discuss visitation.” Charlotte resisted a nearly overpowering urge to sigh.
“First things first.” Adam spoke easily. “We need a plan to get better acquainted over the next seven months.”
She blinked. “Why?”
“We’re going to have a child together.” His expression turned thoughtful. “I did some reading on the benefits of divorced parents being friends.”
“We’re not divorced,” she pointed out.
“Which only means we know each other less than those couples.” Adam’s tone stayed easy and conversational. “The articles all say that having both parents play an active role in a child’s life is best. In fact, the mother and father having an amicable relationship is a strong factor in the emotional well-being of the child.”
Charlotte shot him a quizzical glance. “You did all this reading before you knew for sure I was pregnant?”
“I believe in being prepared.” Adam shrugged. “Acting in our child’s best interest needs to be our top priority. To do that, we need to be on the same page.”
Charlotte said nothing.