Foolish Expectations

by Alison Bliss

  She felt him smile. “Good. Because that’s what I want too.”

  A surge of endorphins flooded her system. Was that his way of telling her he was falling for her? God, she hoped so. Because she didn’t want to be the only one having those kinds of feelings. The last thing she wanted was to be in another one-sided relationship that turned sour.

  His free hand moved down to her stomach and rubbed lightly.

  “I’m thinking I’m going to have to get your hand surgically removed if you keep doing that.”

  Nash laughed. “Tough shit. Get used to it.”

  “I already am,” she said, smiling up at him. She loved when he touched her belly.

  “You haven’t been getting nauseated lately. Maybe the morning sickness is already subsiding.”

  “But I’ll miss it so much,” she said, sarcasm tickling her voice.

  “Well, I’ve been reading those baby books I bought for us. You could still end up with heartburn and indigestion. That’s something to look forward to.”

  “Oh, and don’t forget my personal favorite: hemorrhoids.”

  Nash chuckled and nuzzled into her neck. “Mmm. That’s sexy as hell.”

  She laughed and pushed him away. “I’m probably going to be so big that getting up is going to be a chore.”

  He winked suggestively. “Not for me, it won’t be.”

  “I hope you’re attracted to sumo wrestlers, then,” she said with a teasing smile. “Because I’m pretty sure I’m going to resemble one.”

  “Only if you’re having twins. They do run on my mom’s side of the family, you know.”

  Bailey blinked. What? Oh, fuck that. His mother hadn’t said a word about it during their lunch date. “I’d kill you first,” she threatened, gigging him in the ribs.

  “Ouch!” he said, rubbing his side. “That isn’t fair. I can’t do that to you.”

  “Well, this is all your fault, anyway. If you’d have just left me alone in the bar that night…” She grinned playfully.

  Nash grabbed her and pulled her on top of him, his member hardening fast between her legs. “Then we wouldn’t be lying naked in this bed right now.”

  “True,” she said, angling her body until his hard length slid inside her. Placing her hands on his chest, she began moving. “But if our baby suddenly becomes two babies, I’m going to strangle you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Nash sat at his desk, studying a case file for one of his clients while whistling an upbeat tune. He glanced at the clock. A few more hours to go before he would head home, but he couldn’t wait for his workday to end. Tonight was the night. He was finally going to tell Bailey exactly how he felt about her.

  They’d only been married three short weeks, but he couldn’t even remember his life before her. It was such a distant memory. Like his brain and heart had highlighted only the moments she’d participated in and tossed the rest aside. That was fine by him, though. Because nothing mattered if his wife wasn’t by his side.

  His secretary knocked lightly on the door but didn’t wait for him to respond before entering the room. “Sorry, I know you’re busy. I just need to grab a file. One of your new clients is here to pay his retainer fee. Also, this fax just came in for you.”

  He glanced at it, then set it down. “Thanks, Debbie. Any messages?”

  She bit her lip. “Well, um, your father called…again.”

  “Did he say what he wanted?”

  “Same as always. He wants to talk to you, but he won’t leave a message or tell me what it’s concerning.” She moved to the large wooden file cabinet along the far wall and opened the middle drawer, searching through the alphabetized names for the file she needed.

  Nash sighed. Why can’t that damn man just give up already? “It’s okay. I know what my dad wants to talk to me about. And I’m not interested.”

  His dad was still trying to force him into having a conversation he didn’t want to have. Been there, done that. And it got him nowhere. His persistent—and equally annoying—father just wouldn’t accept that Nash didn’t want the fucking job, all because the unreasonable old man didn’t like to be told no.

  Well, too fucking bad.

  If he gave in and called him now, his father would only look at it as a victory. Nash wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. In fact, he didn’t give a shit if his law practice went belly up. He wasn’t calling his father for anything. Ever.

  “If my dad calls back again, tell him I’m in a meeting and won’t be out of it until hell freezes over.”

  Debbie glanced over her shoulder and grinned. “Will do, Boss.”

  Sure, he’d promised Bailey he’d think about returning his call, but she didn’t know his dad or how frustrating the asshole could be. If she did, she’d know the man wouldn’t stop at anything to get what he wanted.

  Immediately, his mind rewound to the week before when he’d found the newspaper article about his dad in Bailey’s suitcase. He’d meant to ask her why she had it, but he’d forgotten all about—

  “By the way, I want to know your wife’s secret,” Debbie said, breaking Nash’s train of thought.

  His mouth went dry. “Uh, secret?”

  “Well, yeah. I mean, the woman obviously knows how to put you in a good mood. You’ve been smiling nonstop for weeks, and I’ve heard you in here whistling all morning long. I’m assuming Mrs. Sutherland has something to do with it. I’ve never seen you so happy.”

  Nash smiled at that. It was true. He was happy. “I love her.”

  The moment he said the words out loud, his heart thumped inside his chest. God, that felt good. He couldn’t wait to say it again, but this time, to Bailey herself.

  “Never a doubt in my mind,” Debbie said, pulling the file she was looking for from the cabinet. Then she headed out the door.

  Nash went back to work, hoping to finish up what he was working on before the end of the day. No way in hell was he taking his work home with him. He had plans and they didn’t involve sitting at his desk while going over his next court hearing.

  A half hour passed before Debbie opened his door again. “Nash, there’s an urgent call for you on line two.”

  He groaned. “It’s not my father, is it?”

  “No, it’s your wife.”

  His hand flew to the phone, knocking it off the cradle, before he picked it up and lifted it to his ear, punching the button for line two. “Bailey, what’s wrong?”

  “I need you to come home.” Her strained voice sounded weak.

  “What is it? What’s going on?”

  She hesitated, then whispered, “I…I started bleeding.”

  His stomach sank and a knot formed in his throat, but somehow he managed to reply in a calm voice. “I’ll be there in less than ten minutes.”

  “Okay,” she replied, then sniffled.

  “Baby, it’s okay. Everything’s going to be just fine.” He closed his eyes, hoping like hell he was right about that. “I’m walking out the door right now.”

  They hung up and Nash reached for his suit jacket from the back of his chair. “Debbie, I need you to cancel the consultation appointment I had for this afternoon. There’s an emergency at home.”

  “All right,” Debbie replied. “Is your wife okay?”

  Nash stared directly at her as the realization hit him. “No. She’s not.”

  Then he ran out the office door, sprinted across the parking lot to his truck, and sped home as quickly as he could.

  When he arrived, Bailey met him at the door, dry tear streaks marring her somber face. “I’m sorry I called. I didn’t know what else—”

  “No. Don’t be. I want you to call me when something’s wrong.” Nash glanced back to the truck. “I called Doctor Stevenson on the way here. He’s on duty at the hospital today, so they’re going to page him the moment we arrive. Should I carry you to the truck?”

  She shook her head, but allowed him to guide her. “Is that the doctor I was supposed to see next week for my first p
renatal appointment?”

  “Yes. He’ll take good care of you, too.” Nash opened the cab door and lifted her into the passenger seat. “Not only did he deliver me, but he’s my dad’s old poker buddy. He’s been treating my family for years.” He shut the door, ran around to the driver’s side, and climbed behind the wheel.

  As he started to pull away, Bailey placed her hand on his arm, gaining his attention. “Nash, I’m scared.”

  “Me, too, baby.”

  The twenty-minute drive to the hospital on the outskirts of Houston was the longest trip of his life. Nash ran every yellow light and even some red ones to get Bailey there as quickly as possible. The moment they arrived, he helped her inside and had her sit in a chair while he talked to the receptionist about paging the doctor. Almost immediately, a nurse called them back to triage and took Bailey’s vitals. Everything seemed normal, which was a good sign as far as he was concerned.

  Moments later, the nurse led them to a large room and asked Bailey to change into a gown. She was lying back on a gurney with a small pale green sheet covering her when the doctor entered the room, wheeling in a machine. He clasped his hand on Nash’s back in a friendly gesture and then introduced himself to Bailey, shaking her hand.

  She looked pale and fragile, like she would start sobbing at any moment. Nash couldn’t stand it. He knew she was assuming the worst…that she was having a miscarriage. Sonofabitch. Just the idea alone sickened him.

  Doctor Stevenson explained that he was going to perform a vaginal sonogram on her to get a look at the baby and make sure everything was all right. As he started the procedure, Nash moved to Bailey’s side and reached for her hand. Her cold fingers trembled beneath his, so he wrapped his hand around hers to warm it and held on tight.

  His heart lodged in his throat as he scrutinized the doctor’s face for any signs of bad news. Unfortunately, the man was a professional and kept careful control over his expressions. His face revealed nothing. No wonder Nash’s father always bitched about losing a bundle of money after their poker games.

  When the doctor finished, he examined Bailey, then pulled off his gloves and tossed them in the trash. “Why don’t Nash and I step out and let you get dressed, then we’ll talk?”

  Bailey stared at him, but didn’t respond. She looked numb to everything and everyone around her. Nash was just about to argue that he wasn’t leaving her side when Doctor Stevenson gave him an imperceptible nod toward the door. He wanted to talk to Nash…alone? Shit. That can’t be good.

  His wife seemed oblivious to the doctor’s request, but Nash didn’t want to worry her any more than necessary. At least not until he knew what they were up against. So he kissed her temple and squeezed her hand to reassure her. “I’ll be right outside if you need me.” Then he followed the doctor out the door.

  The moment Nash stepped into the hallway and pulled the door shut behind him, he scrubbed his hand through his hair. “How bad is it, Doc?”

  Stevenson shook his head and frowned. “We’ll get to that in just a second. First, I need to ask you an important question. How well do you know your wife?”

  Nash took a step back. “What kind of goddamn question is that?”

  “A logical one. Last month you had me test you for sexually transmitted diseases, though you told me you weren’t involved with anyone. Then three weeks ago, I run into your father on the golf course who tells me you got married. Now you’re in here with a woman who claims to be carrying your child. None of it makes any sense.”

  My father knows about Bailey? Fuck. Of course, he does. His dad had always kept tabs on him. Why would this time be any different? “Look, it’s complicated, okay? She’s my wife now and I…well, I know her well enough.”

  “You sure about that?” Dr. Stevenson raised one brow. “Because I’ve done several DNA tests on babies whose mothers claimed had been fathered by a Sutherland, and not a single one of those claims proved to be true.”

  Nash didn’t know what any of this had to do with Bailey, but he wasn’t going to stand there and defend his reasons for marrying her. Screw dancing around the subject. Something was obviously wrong, and although he dreaded hearing what it was, he needed to. “None of this matters. I just need you to tell me if the baby is all right.”

  The doctor sighed and placed a hand on Nash’s shoulder. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but there is no baby.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Bailey sat alone in the sterile-smelling room, taking deep breaths to keep the panic at bay. She knew something had happened. Something bad. Why else would the doctor ask Nash to step out of the room while she got dressed?

  The door opened and Dr. Stevenson entered the room, followed by her husband. His glum face reeked of bad news as he slumped into the nearest chair and stared at the floor. He wouldn’t even look at her.

  But she didn’t even have to ask. The doctor placed his cold hand on hers and his eyes softened, as he prepared to give her the horrible news. “Mrs. Sutherland, I’m afraid I have something to tell you that may be difficult to hear.”

  Bailey’s breath caught in her throat. Every nerve ending stood on high alert. No, no, no! This isn’t happening!

  Grief fisted her heart in the palm of its hand, while sadness swept through her blood stream in a fast flowing current of sorrow. Using her free hand, she rubbed at the deep ache growing inside her chest. “I…I lost the baby, didn’t I?” Her voice cracked and her eyes brimmed with tears.

  “No.”

  No? She should have been relieved, but the way the doctor continued to stare at her sympathetically worried her even more. “Then what? What’s wrong with our baby?”

  “That’s just it, Mrs. Sutherland. There is no baby. You aren’t pregnant.”

  She shook her head furiously. “What are you talking about? Of course I’m pregnant.”

  “The bleeding you’re experiencing is due to your monthly cycle. There is no pregnancy, and as far as I can tell, there never was. At least not recently.”

  Closing her eyes, Bailey rubbed at her temples. “What? That’s not…possible. It doesn’t make any sense. I was pregnant.” She pointed at Nash. “Ask him. He was with me when I got the results. And this wasn’t some home pregnancy test I did. I went to a doctor who confirmed it through bloodwork.”

  “Yes, Nash told me. But that doctor’s clinic is currently being investigated for three counts of malpractice, I’m afraid. All of which were due to faulty test results.”

  What? No. This had to be some kind of sick joke. Her heart hammered against her ribcage. “B-but I missed my last period….and I even had morning sickness.”

  “Since you weren’t my patient, and I didn’t see you at the time, I can’t say for certain what caused the symptoms. My best guess is that you may have had some sort of viral stomach bug or possibly food poisoning. Nash told me you were also going through a divorce at the time. Stress can lower your immunity and that, especially combined with an illness, has been known to cause women to miss a cycle.”

  Unable to believe any of it, she shook her head again. “No, it’s just…not possible.”

  “Mrs. Sutherland, if you want, I can run more tests and check your bloodwork again, but I’m certain I’m not going to find anything that will change the outcome. You aren’t pregnant.”

  “No, I…” Lightheaded, she swayed in place as a wide range of emotions swam through her. Confusion at how this could happen. Sadness over a child who had apparently never existed. Anger at the idiot doctor who led them to believe a baby was in their immediate future.

  And then something else took hold. A debilitating fear rooted itself deep in her belly, shaking her from the inside out.

  Nash.

  He’d only married her because they’d thought she was carrying his child. Now that he knew she wasn’t, would he want a divorce? No. Surely, he wasn’t thinking that. He hadn’t said a word—or even looked at her—since they’d returned to the room, but he had to be as shocked as she was and still
processing it all.

  Elbows on his thighs, Nash continued to stare at the tile floor with his fingers clasped tightly together between his legs. The anguish over losing a fictional child showed plainly on his grim face, casting a dark shadow.

  In just a few short weeks, they’d experienced the same joys most expecting parents were gifted. The delight in picking out their baby’s first gender-neutral outfit. The surprise in announcing the news to the grandmother-to-be. The pride of talking about their child’s future hopes and dreams. Maybe to the doctor, the pregnancy had never existed, but to the two of them, the baby had been real…even if only in their hearts.

  This isn’t right. It isn’t supposed to be like this. A stray tear dripped onto her cheek, and her body vibrated with the rage of injustice. “I just…want to go home.”

  Dr. Stevenson nodded. “I’ll send the nurse in with your discharge papers.”

  Once he left, thick tension and cold silence filled the room.

  She would have given anything for Nash to put his arms around her and tell her everything between them would be okay. To lift his gaze and give her the connection she needed now more than ever. But he didn’t.

  Instead, he sat back and crossed his arms, keeping his eyes from meeting hers as they waited for the nurse to come in. Once she did and the release documents were signed, Nash rose immediately and held open the door, as if he couldn’t wait to get out of there. But as they made their way out to the parking lot, he still didn’t speak.

  When he reached for the passenger door handle, Bailey touched his shoulder. “Nash, say something.”

  He paused and closed his eyes, as if it pained him to speak. “I can’t. Nothing I say will change a damn thing.” He pulled open the door for her, then paced around to the driver’s side, climbing behind the wheel.

  Bailey winced, but tried not to take his gruff tone personally. He was angry and hurt. She understood that. Hell, she was upset, too. She was still having a hard time believing any of this had happened.