by April Wilson
His expression remains neutral, and I have no idea what he’s thinking. Is he going to be mad at me if I am? Will he blame me?
I lean my head back on my pillows and close my eyes. “This can’t be happening.”
“Just close your eyes and rest,” he says, his tone gentle. “There’s nothing to worry about. We’ve talked about having children – we both want them. If the test comes back positive, it’ll just happen a little sooner than we expected, that’s all.”
“But we’re not even married yet,” I say.
He kisses me gently. “That doesn’t matter, sweetheart. Now, please don’t worry. Everything’s going to fine, I promise.”
The nurse comes back into the room to collect the cup, promising to return in about fifteen minutes with the results.
I give her a weak smile. “Thank you.”
I’m pretty sure this will be the longest fifteen minutes of my life.
Chapter 28
My mind races as we wait for the verdict. Am I pregnant? Yes? No? I look at Shane. “I wonder why Cooper insisted on a pregnancy test.”
Shane shrugs. “I’m sure he had his reasons.”
There’s a knock on the door.
“Come in,” Shane says.
I’m expecting the nurse to return with the test results, but no. It’s my brother.
“Tyler!” I say, so happy to see him.
Tyler closes the door, then comes to my side. He’s dressed in a suit and tie, so he must have come directly from work.
“Hey, kid,” he says. “I came as quickly as I could.” Tyler looks at Shane. “Thanks for calling me. How is she?”
“Possible broken left wrist, and abrasions on her hands and knees. Otherwise, she’s all right. Sam wasn’t so lucky. He’s in ICU, post-surgery. He’s got a compound fracture in his left leg, fractured skull, and bleeding in the brain. He’s in critical, but stable condition.”
“And Lia apprehended the driver?” Tyler shakes his head in disbelief. “I read the police report. That sister of yours has some serious balls.”
Shane nods. “She gets the job done. The driver tried to flee the scene. If Lia hadn’t shot out his rear tires to stop him, it would have been a hit-and-run. She cuffed him and held him until the police arrived.”
“Was anyone else hurt?”
“Just Sam.”
Tyler sits carefully on the side of my bed and looks me over. “Mom’s on her way.”
I’m torn at the thought of my mom arriving. On the one hand, I want to see her, but at the same time I hate putting her through all this drama. And then there’s the pregnancy issue hanging over our heads. I can’t even think about what it will mean if the test is positive. I can’t even go there right now.
There’s a light rap on the door, then it opens and the nurse walks in, smiling. “I have the test results,” she says. She stops in her tracks when she catches sight of Tyler. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know the police were here. I’ll come back a little later,” she says, looking my way.
“No, it’s okay,” I tell her. “This is my brother. He might as well know too.”
“Know what?” Tyler says.
“We just took a pregnancy test,” Shane says.
To his credit, Tyler doesn’t say a word. His eyebrows go up a bit, but other than that, he keeps his opinion to himself.
We all turn our attention to the nurse.
She gives me a hesitant, almost apologetic smile. “It’s positive, honey. You’re pregnant. Congratulations.”
As she walks out of the room, my stomach drops.
I’m pregnant.
We’re having a baby.
So many things make more sense now, like the frequent nausea I’ve been having. Like my lack of appetite lately. Cooper pestering me to eat in the mornings. He must have suspected for a while now. I’d been attributing all these symptoms to the stress of dealing with Luciana, but that wasn’t it at all.
This day just keeps getting more and more surreal. Numb, I look at Shane. He gives me a reassuring smile, then leans forward and kisses me gently. I think he’s probably in shock too.
“I take it this wasn’t planned,” Tyler says, looking hard at Shane.
Shane lays his hand on my lower belly. “It’s a little sooner than we’d planned, that’s all.”
Tyler’s gaze moves from Shane to me, and he studies me intently. “Are you okay with this?”
I swallow hard. “Sure. I mean, it wasn’t exactly planned, but we want children.” And I’m sure once the shock wears off, I’ll be excited.
Tyler looks far from convinced.
“It’s just a bit of a shock, that’s all,” I say. “I’ve been on the pill for months, so this is a bit unexpected.”
Tyler shakes his head. “Jesus, Beth, you’re only twenty-four.”
I try not to let his words sting. “Mom was younger than that when she had you.”
“Yes, but Mom and Dad were married.”
His words strike me like a slap in the face.
“Watch it, Tyler,” Shane says, his voice hard. “What Beth and I do is our own business, not yours. And as far as I’m concerned, she’s already my wife, and I’m her husband. The wedding is just a formality.”
Tyler lays his hand on my leg and gives it a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry, Beth. I didn’t mean it the way it came out. I just meant they were prepared. It was a conscious choice on their part. I was planned.”
Shane’s hand is a warm comfort on my belly. “I assure you, Tyler,” he says, “unexpected or not, no child could be more loved than this one.”
Tyler nods. “I guess what I should have said is congratulations. I look forward to becoming an uncle.”
The door to my room opens abruptly and Lia pokes her head inside. “We need Beth in the ICU right now,” she says. “Sam’s awake, and he’s agitated. He’s worried about Beth. He needs to see she’s okay.”
Tiffany rushes into the room pushing a wheelchair. “Here,” she says to Shane. “You can transport her in this.”
* * *
Shane helps me into the wheelchair and pushes me down the hallway to the elevator.
“He’s really confused,” Lia says as she punches the elevator call button. “His doctor said that’s normal.”
When we reach the ICU, we find Jonah standing in the hallway, waiting for us. “Cooper’s having a hard time trying to keep him still. He thought if Sam saw for himself that Beth’s all right, he might settle down.”
Lia stays out in the hallway with Jonah as Shane wheels me inside a large, brightly-lit room. In the center of the open space is a circular nurses’ station, and along the perimeter of the room are beds separated by curtains.
It’s easy to spot which bed is Sam’s. Cooper and a nurse are hovering over him, trying to placate him. Shane wheels me closer to the bed, and I’m shocked to see Sam strapped to a bed, a half-dozen wires attached to his bare chest. He’s hooked up to a number of monitors, a couple of which are beeping loudly as Sam struggles against his restraints.
Cooper looks up as we near Sam’s bed. “Thank God,” he says, looking relieved. “Sam, look. Here’s Beth. She’s fine, see?”
Sam turns to look at me, his eyes wide and frantic. “Beth!” His voice is a hoarse rasp.
Shane wheels me right up beside Sam’s bed, and I reach out with my good hand and grasp his. “Sam, it’s okay,” I say, nearly choking on the lump in my throat. I blink back tears. He’s hurt because of me.
“Beth?” he says, looking me over. “Are you okay? I pushed you so hard, and I saw you fall. I’m so sorry.”
“Are you kidding me? You saved my life, Sam.” And not just my life, but my baby’s life too. But I don’t think he’s ready to hear that yet.
Now that I’m close to him, I can see that his left leg, which is elevated, is in a cast. His head is wrapped with bandages.
“I’m so sorry, Sam,” I say, choking back tears. “You’re hurt because of me.”
He stills and squeezes
his eyes shut. “Thank god you’re all right.”
Shane lays his hand on Sam’s bare shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze. “You saved her life, Sam. I’m in your debt.”
Sam shakes his head, then winces. “I was just doing my job.”
“Yeah, sure you were,” Cooper says, stroking Sam’s hair.
I smile, trying not to cry. “I owe you everything, Sam. I’ll never be able to repay you.”
“You don’t owe me anything, princess.” He grimaces as he shifts his leg.
He has no idea how much I owe him. I owe him not just for myself, but for a tiny unborn child.
The ICU nurse comes to Sam’s bedside to check his vitals and tells us Sam needs to rest now. As we take our leave, Cooper follows us out into the hall.
“He’s going to be laid up for a while, with that broken leg,” he says. “He won’t be able to take care of himself.” Cooper looks at Shane. “I want to bring him home to the penthouse while he’s recovering. I want him to stay with us, so I can take care of him.”
“Of course,” Shane says, clasping Cooper’s shoulder. “He’s always welcome. You don’t need to ask.”
Cooper nods dismissively, as if he’s hoping to make light of the request. “Thanks.”
If Sam comes to stay with us, Cooper won’t exactly be able to hide their relationship.
* * *
There’s a welcome surprise waiting for me back in my room. My mom’s here, seated next to Tyler on the visitor’s sofa.
“Oh, my God, honey!” she cries, jumping up and rushing to me. She sees my left wrist in a brace and my hands wrapped in gauze, and she hesitates.
“It’s okay, Mom,” I say, giving her an awkward one-armed hug. “I’m fine, really.”
“Thanks for coming, Ingrid,” Shane says, stepping forward to kiss her cheek. “It’s good to see you.”
Shane helps me back into bed, and I lie back on the pillows, exhausted from the trip to ICU. He uses the remote control to raise the head of the bed so I can sit up and visit with my family.
Mom sits on the side of my bed, her hands lightly moving over my body as she catalogs my injuries.
“The worse is my wrist,” I tell her. “I’ll be going to get an X-ray soon, I think, to find out if it’s broken.”
“Oh, you poor darling girl,” she says, blinking back tears. She looks at Shane. “What happened?”
“We’re not exactly sure yet, but Beth was nearly run down in a crosswalk today. Sam Harrison, her bodyguard, pushed her out of the path of the car, but unfortunately, he was hit in the process.”
“Oh, my God!” Mom gasps, her hand covering her mouth. “Is he okay?”
Shane nods. “He’s in stable condition. He’ll be okay.”
Tyler’s phone vibrates with an incoming call, and he checks the screen, frowning. “I’m sorry, but I have to take this. I’ll be right back.”
Tyler goes out into the hallway, closing the door behind him.
Mom leans forward and kisses my cheek. “My poor baby girl. You’ve had such a rough time of it lately. Are you doing okay? Really?”
I glance at Shane. I suppose now’s as good a time as any to break the news to my mom.
Shane gives me a reassuring nod. “Tell her.”
“Tell me what?” Mom says, looking worried. Her brow is furrowed as if braced for bad news.
I reach for her hand. “It’s nothing to be worried about. On the contrary, we have some good news. I’m... we’re... ” I freeze, unable to get the words out.
“Beth’s expecting,” Shane says. His palm returns to my belly, covering it protectively. “We only found out about an hour ago. As a precaution, the nurse ran a pregnancy test ahead of Beth’s X-rays. The results are positive.”
Shane smiles at me, and for the first time since getting the news, I start to feel the coil of anxiety in my belly begin to loosen.
“We’re having a baby,” he says.
My mom’s pale blue eyes widen as the news sinks in. “A baby?” she whispers, as if it’s a big secret.
Shane grins. “Yes. And we couldn’t be happier.”
Tyler opens the door and pokes his head inside the room. “Shane, can I see you please?”
Shane pats my belly, then rises from the bed. “I’ll be right back.”
He closes the door on his way out, and I feel oddly bereft without him.
“Sweetheart,” Mom says, cradling my good hand in hers. “A baby.” She gives me a beautiful smile, and the knot in my belly loosens even more. “I can’t believe I’m finally going to be grandmother.” She gives me a teary laugh. “I’d just about given up on your brother. I never thought you’d beat him to it.”
We both laugh. “Don’t hold your breath waiting on him,” I say. “I think it’s fair to say Tyler’s married to his job.”
With gentle fingers, she brushes back my hair. “You must have fallen pretty hard. Is the baby okay? Have you been examined yet?”
I shake my head. “We just found out. I haven’t even had time to think about seeing a doctor.” I lay my good hand on my belly. “I feel fine. My injuries are minor.”
“Your bodyguard saved your life,” she says, sobering. “That poor young man.”
The door opens and Shane and Tyler step inside. I can tell from their expressions that something is seriously wrong.
“What is it?” I say, sitting up in bed. My heart starts pounding. “Is it Sam?” If something’s happened to Sam, I’ll never forgive myself.
“No,” Shane says. “It’s not Sam.”
“Then what is it?” I look at my brother, whose expression is dark. “Tell me!”
Shane comes to my side and sits on the edge of the bed. “You know Lia apprehended the driver who hit Sam. He would have fled the scene if Lia hadn’t stopped him.”
“Yes?”
“When the police took the driver into custody, they searched him and found something in his wallet.”
“What?”
Tyler comes forward. “A photograph... of you.”
“What? Why? Why would anyone – ” And then it dawns on me. “It wasn’t an accident?”
Tyler shakes his head. “No, it wasn’t.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “That’s crazy! Why would anyone want to run me over?”
“The driver’s name is Paul Conroy, and he has a criminal record a mile long. If he’s convicted of attempted murder, he’ll go to prison for the rest of his life. He’s asking the prosecutor for a plea bargain. He’ll give up the name of the person who hired him in exchange for immunity from prosecution.”
I look at Shane, whose expression is carefully neutral. “Oh, my God,” I say, feeling sick. I lie back on the pillows and close my eyes.
Someone tried to kill me.
Chapter 29
Someone from the hospital staff comes to my room to take me to the X-ray department. Shane comes with me and waits out in the hallway outside the lab.
Once I’m situated on the X-ray bed, the technician asks me the expected question, “Is there any chance you could be pregnant?”
I feel a tiny thrill at hearing the question, and I can’t help smiling. “Actually, yes, I am pregnant.”
She smiles warmly. “Congratulations! How far along are you?”
“I have no idea,” I say. “I just found out this afternoon. I haven’t been to see an obstetrician yet.”
She lays a heavy lead apron across my abdomen and chest. Then she steps behind the divider wall and presses some buttons, snapping pictures of my poor wrist bones. Then she rearranges my arm and takes a few more. When we’re done, a hospital staff member wheels me back to my room, and Shane helps me back into bed.
“When can I go home?” I ask, feeling tired and sore. “I want my own bed.”
“I hope I can take you home once we find out about your arm,” he says.
I’m glad Sam will be coming to stay at our place while he recuperates. It will let me keep a close eye on him and try to pay back just a sma
ll bit of the debt I owe him. I can never fully repay him for what he did for me. For us. For our child. My God, if I’d been hit, our baby might have died. It’s a frightening thought.
Shane squeezes my good hand. “We also need to get you to the doctor to find out how far along you are.” He releases me and presses his hand to my belly. “You’re not showing yet, so you can’t be too far along.”
I still can’t wrap my mind around the concept of having a baby. Of becoming a mother – me! Frankly, it’s overwhelming. And what am I going to do about work?
“Hey,” Shane says, sifting his fingers through my hair. “What’s wrong?”
“What am I going to do about work when the baby comes?”
He smiles. “Don’t worry about that, sweetheart. We’ll have plenty of time to figure that out before the baby comes.”
* * *
A knock on my door signals the arrival of more visitors. Jamie and Sophie come into my room.
Jamie approaches my bed and leans down to kiss my cheek. Sophie does the same.
“Beth, you gave me a heart attack,” Jamie says. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Jake and Liam are here, too,” Sophie says. “They’re out in the waiting room. We didn’t want to overwhelm you with too many McIntyres all at once. Mom and Dad send you their love and said to tell you they’re so grateful you weren’t hurt worse.”
“There are also a bunch of people from the bookstore in the waiting room,” Jamie says. “And Molly’s here. She’s the one who called me.”
“She was with me when it happened,” I tell him. “I ran into her at Clancy’s and invited her to join us for lunch. We were walking to the restaurant when it happened.”
Sophie motions toward the brace on my arm. “Is it broken?”
“We’re waiting to find out,” Shane says. “Once we get her arm taken care of, I can take her home.”
After we chat for a while, Jamie and Sophie leave, and Jake and Liam take their places. After that, there’s a steady stream of visitors in and out of my room, including Gabrielle, Gina, Erin, and Mack.