A &E Docs: His Baby Surprise

The prospect of coparenting with him made her more than a little uneasy, but there was no point in worrying about that unless and until her pregnancy was confirmed. And even then, nine months was a lot of time. She was confident his determination to be involved would wane long before their baby was born. Maybe that was an unfair assumption to make considering how attentive and solicitous he’d been, but he had a notoriously short attention span when it came to his relationships with women.

She could have taken a test already. The presence of hCG, the hormone that indicated pregnancy, could be found in very low levels within seven days after conception. But she wasn’t ready to confirm her pregnancy just yet. Because as soon as she knew for certain that she was going to have a baby, she’d feel obligated to tell Justin, and she wanted to hold the excited anticipation close to her own heart for a while before he trampled all over it.

Three more days.

The words echoed in her head as she waited for sleep to come.

She awoke a few hours later with a crampy feeling low in her belly. Uneasy, she got up to go to the bathroom. That was when she realized her instincts and intuition were wrong.

She wasn’t pregnant, after all.

She crawled back under the covers of her empty bed, in her quiet apartment, and cried softly.

When Justin finally got a break and went in search of a much-needed caffeine fix, he found Avery sitting alone in the cafeteria with a single-serving tub of cookies ’n’ cream ice cream in front of her. He took his extralarge cup of coffee over to her table, wondering if the ice cream was evidence of some kind of pregnancy craving or just strange eating habits.

“Do you mind if I join you?”

She glanced up when he stopped by the chair across the table from her. “Of course not.”

He lowered himself into the empty seat. “Breakfast?” he asked, nodding toward the ice cream container.

She dropped her spoon into the melting dessert and shook her head. “I was hoping to see you today.”

He was surprised and pleased to think that she wanted to see him rather than avoid him, which was her usual modus operandi. “You were?”

“I figured you’d want to know as soon as possible that you’re off the hook.”

“Off the hook?” he echoed, the implication of her words taking a moment to sink into his brain. “Oh.”

She nodded. “I got my period last night.”

“Oh,” he said again.

“We successfully dodged that bullet.”

But her clichéd phrases and the forced cheerfulness warned him that her feelings weren’t as simple or straightforward as she wanted him to believe. “How are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m relieved, of course.”

“You are?”

She shrugged. “Sure, I’m a little disappointed, too,” she admitted. “But considering the circumstances, it’s probably for the best.”

“You’re probably right,” he agreed.

He was certainly relieved to have “dodged the bullet,” and grateful that their impulsive actions wouldn’t have long-term consequences. He liked his life just the way it was and hadn’t been thrilled to think of the adjustments he would need to make to accommodate a child. Of course he would have, if it had turned out that she was pregnant, but he was undeniably relieved that wouldn’t be necessary just yet.

“Now our lives can go back to normal,” she said, her words echoing his own thoughts.

“By normal, you mean that you intend to go back to ignoring me as much as possible,” he guessed.

“I mean that you can go back to dating a different woman every weekend,” she countered lightly.

He started to protest her erroneous assumption of his habits, but what was the point? She’d made up her mind about him a long time ago and obviously nothing he’d said or done in the past couple of weeks had changed her opinion.

Instead, he nodded his agreement. “There is that.”

“Who was that?”

Justin glanced up as Nora slid into the seat Avery had recently vacated. “What are you doing here?”

“Thanks to the introductions you made, I’ve got an interview with Jovan Crncevic,” she explained, naming the supervisor of the hospital’s physiotherapy department. “Of course, I came way too early so I decided to stop in here and grab a cup of coffee and I saw you having a deep tête-à-tête with...your girlfriend?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“Ex-girlfriend?”

“No,” he said again, lifting his own cup to his lips to finish his coffee.

“Really?” she challenged. “Because I’m pretty sure that was the same woman who stopped by your condo when I was there, and there were some serious vibes between the two of you just now.”

“We work together,” he explained.

Nora laughed. “It was definitely not a work vibe.”

He scowled. “How long were you watching?”

“Long enough to know it was not a work vibe,” she assured him.

“We had a thing,” he admitted.

“A thing?”

“A shared moment of insanity.”

“Ah.” She nodded. “A thing.” She sipped her coffee. “You still hung up on her?”

“No.”

“I think I understand why it didn’t work out—she’s probably intimidated by your conversational prowess.”

“You’re a real smart-ass, you know that?”

“I always figured it was better than being a dumb ass.”

His lips twitched a little in response to that, but all he said was, “Shouldn’t you be preparing for your interview?”

She shook her head. “Even thinking about it makes me nervous—your love life is a great distraction.”

“Glad to be of service.”

“Do you want my advice?”

“No,” he said bluntly.

She frowned. “Just because I’m young doesn’t mean I don’t have any wisdom to offer. I’ve got some experience in matters of the heart.”

“Good for you.”

“I’m only telling you because I recognize the symptoms of a serious infatuation.”

“Dr. Wallace is not infatuated with me,” he assured her.

Nora laughed. “I wasn’t talking about Dr. Wallace.”

Chapter Six

Life did go back to normal—eventually.

Although Avery had lived with the possibility of a baby for only a couple of weeks, she’d wanted to be pregnant so much that she’d let her imagination run with it, and it took a few days to shake off her melancholy.

The depth of her disappointment forced her to reevaluate her life and her choices. It was time, she decided, to stop being passive and go after what she wanted. Which meant that she needed to start dating again—and actually make an effort to meet the man who might want to father her future children.

Maybe she’d even ask Amy to set her up again—as soon as she shook the exhaustion that had recently taken hold of her body and which she suspected was a result of some lingering disappointment.

“Are you up for grabbing a drink?” Amy asked, when the last patient of the day had finally exited the clinic.

“I thought you’d be anxious to get home to Henry,” Avery said, referring to her friend’s fifteen-month-old son.

“He’s spending the night with Ben’s parents.”

“So that you and your hubby can have a romantic evening together?” she guessed.

“That was the original plan,” her friend admitted. “Until his brother snagged a couple of tickets to a Canes game and asked Ben to go with him.”

“In that case, a drink sounds good.”

“And nachos?” Amy prompted hopefully.

She laughed. “Marg & Rita’s?”

“I’ll meet you there.”

Avery left her white coat on the hook behind the door in her office, untied the fastener around her ponytail, brushed out her hair and added some lip gloss. A quick glance in the bathroom mirror confirmed that she looked better—but she still felt like crap.

She arrived at the restaurant first and didn’t wait for her friend. It was Friday night, which meant that if there was a table available, it wouldn’t be for long. Shortly after she was seated, the waiter brought two menus. Knowing her friend’s preferences, she ordered a Top Shelf margarita for Amy and a virgin classic for herself along with a platter of deluxe nachos.

“Sorry I’m late,” Amy said, sliding into the empty seat across the table. “Ben called as I was on my way out to remind me to watch the game so I can see him on TV.”

“Maybe we should have gone to the Bar Down,” Avery said. “No doubt the game will be on one of the screens there.”

Her friend shook her head, then smiled at the waiter who set her frosty drink in front of her. “I have less than zero interest in hockey and I’ll see Ben when he gets home.” Then she picked up her drink and tapped the rim of her glass against Avery’s. “I didn’t think this week was ever going to end.”

“It’s not over for me yet,” she said. “I’ve got morning rounds at the hospital tomorrow.”

Her friend made a face. “I’m planning to sleep in late and then have leisurely morning sex with the man of my dreams.”

“I’d be happy enough just to sleep in,” Avery told her. “I’ve been exhausted and nauseated for the past several days.”

“Maybe tequila isn’t the best medicine for that,” her friend said worriedly.

“I didn’t think so, either,” she agreed. “That’s why mine is a virgin.”

The waiter delivered their heaping platter of nachos and they both dug in.

“Exhausted and nauseated you said?” Amy queried a short while later.

“Trying not to think about that right now,” Avery told her.

“Well, I was just thinking that’s how I felt when I was pregnant with Henry.”

“I’m not pregnant,” Avery said quickly.

“I wasn’t suggesting that you were,” Amy agreed. “Unless you somehow managed to orchestrate an immaculate conception.”

When she didn’t respond to her friend’s teasing comment, Amy’s gaze narrowed. “Or is there something you’re not telling me?”

“There are a lot of things I don’t tell you,” she said.

“Such as?” Amy prompted, brushing a jalapeño off her nacho chip.

Avery glanced around to ensure there was no one they knew within hearing range, but still dropped her voice to a near whisper before confiding, “Such as the fact that I had sex with Justin Garrett.”

Amy choked on her margarita.

“When did this happen?” she asked, when she finally managed to stop coughing.

“New Year’s Eve—actually, in the early hours of the morning on New Year’s Day.”

“Oh. My. God.”

Avery nodded.

“So...” A smile teased at the corners of her friend’s mouth. “How was he?”

She took her time selecting another chip. “A colossal disappointment.”

Amy’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“No. Not really.” She sighed. “In fact, it was the single most incredible sexual experience of my life, which probably tells you more than you ever wanted to know about my sexual experience.”

“I always wondered if his reputation was exaggerated,” her friend confessed.

“It’s not,” she admitted unhappily. “And now I belong to the not-so-exclusive club that includes almost every other woman who works at the hospital.”

Her friend smiled. “Sweetie, if Dr. Romeo slept with even half the women who claim to have slept with him, he’d hardly have time to get out of bed.

“I’ve known Justin a long time,” Amy continued. “There’s a lot more to him than most people realize—and he’s not nearly as indiscriminate as his reputation would imply.”

“So you don’t believe he’d get naked with someone in a supply closet in the middle of his shift at the hospital?”

“No way,” her friend said. Then her eyes went wide. “Are you telling me that’s what happened?”

She nodded.

“Oh. My. God,” Amy said again. “You and Justin. In a supply closet. Wow.”

“It was wow,” she agreed.

“So...are you guys together now?” her friend asked hopefully.

She shook her head. “No.”

“Why not?”

“Because he’s Dr. Romeo and I don’t want to get involved with a man described in either of those terms.”

Amy sighed. “Your parents really did a number on you, didn’t they?”

“They taught me an important life lesson,” she countered. “Which is that two career-focused medical professionals cannot make a marriage work and definitely should not be parents.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“Says the woman married to a newspaper editor.”

“I was in love with Ben long before he was a newspaper editor or I was a doctor,” Amy pointed out.

“Since I didn’t know you in high school, I’ll have to take your word for it.”

“Now—getting back to the exhausted and nauseated part of our conversation, I have to ask...were you careful?”

She felt her cheeks burn. “You’d think, being a doctor, I wouldn’t be anything else.”

Amy nodded, accurately interpreting her response as an acknowledgment that she hadn’t been. “Then is it possible that you’re pregnant?”

Avery shook her head. “I got my period last week.”

“Did you take a pregnancy test?” her friend pressed.

“I was going to,” she admitted. “And then, there didn’t seem to be any point.”

“You know as well as I do that it’s not unusual for a woman to experience some bleeding in the early months of a pregnancy.”

“It was more than that.”

“Maybe it was,” Amy acknowledged. “But I think you’ll feel better if you take a test.”

Avery nodded, though she didn’t really believe it was true.

Taking a test and confirming that she wasn’t pregnant wasn’t going to make her feel any better. It would just be one more reminder of how completely her life had gone off track.

Justin had enough experience with women to know when one was attracted to him, and it frustrated him beyond belief that Avery was continuing to deny the attraction. But that was “back to normal” as far as their relationship was concerned.

He’d wanted her when he first met her and he wanted her now, but he didn’t chase women. Not even a woman who stirred his blood and haunted his dreams.

He thought they’d made some real progress over the past couple of weeks. During dinner at her house, they’d talked and laughed and connected on a whole other level. Maybe it was his own fault—maybe he hadn’t handled the possibility of a baby very well, but he’d felt angry and betrayed and helpless.

Yeah, there had been two of them in that supply closet, and yeah, the thought of protection had never crossed his mind because he’d been thinking about Avery and being inside Avery and that was all that had mattered. And then, to learn that she’d consciously decided not to take the morning-after pill—a decision that had potential consequences for both of them—without even talking to him, had made him furious.

He didn’t have an issue with her choice, just with her complete and total disregard of his thoughts and feelings. She’d deliberately cut him out of the process—as if he wouldn’t care. As if he’d walk away from his own child. That was what had pissed him off.

But now the possibility and the panic were past. Avery wasn’t pregnant. There was no baby and no future for them together. And eight days after their conversation in the cafeteria, he decided it was time to stop obsessing about the woman who didn’t want him and enjoy the company of one who did.

He decided to take Heather up on her offer of dinner followed by drinks at a popular club. While they were out, she flirted with him outrageously and rubbed up against him on the dance floor, and Justin found himself wondering why he wasn’t tempted. She was offering him a good time without any strings, and he could really use the distraction of a simple fling to help him forget about the impossible woman who was stuck in his mind.

But when he’d walked Heather to her door, she’d put her arms around him and pressed her mouth to his, and he’d felt disgusted. Not with the young nurse but with himself, that he’d considered—for even half a minute—using her to help him forget about Avery. That was one thing he’d never done. He enjoyed women—their company and companionship—but he didn’t use them.

So he’d quickly extricated himself from Heather’s embrace, thanked her for an enjoyable evening and walked away.

The next day, wanting to ensure there was no repetition of the same scene, he decided to seek out some male camaraderie instead. With his younger brother in Florida and his older brother dealing with his own issues, he headed over to the headquarters of Garrett Furniture to see if anyone was around. He found Nathan in the CFO’s office.

“Where’s Allison?” he asked, having noted that the desk outside his cousin’s office—usually occupied by Nate’s wife, who was also his administrative assistant—was vacant.

“Dylan had a dentist appointment so she took off early.”

“You dock her pay for the missed time?”

“Nah—she makes it up with sexual favors.”

Justin winced. “I don’t need to know things like that.”

Nathan laughed. “Maybe you do. Maybe you need to realize that being with one woman—the right woman—night after night is far more satisfying than being with a different woman every night.”

“I’m not with a different woman every night,” he denied.

“That’s true—some nights you’re working.”

“And to think that I came to you for advice.”

Nathan leaned back in his chair and crossed his feet on the edge of his desk. “You did? This oughta be interesting.”

“I had a date last night,” Justin admitted.

“See point above,” his cousin noted drily.

“Her name’s Heather,” he continued, ignoring Nate’s sarcasm. “She’s a nurse. Young, attractive and apparently willing to get naked with me.”

“So far I’m not seeing why you need my advice.”

“Because at the end of the evening, I said goodbye at her door and walked away.”

His cousin’s brows lifted. “Now that is a surprise.”

“Do you think there’s something wrong with me?”

To his credit, Nate didn’t offer a flippant reply but took a minute to consider the question. “I think,” he eventually said, “that you’re finally growing up and realizing that you want something more substantial than a short-term fling, which you’re never going to find if you keep dating women who worship the ground you walk on.”

“Avery would more likely spit on the ground I walk on,” he admitted glumly.

“Avery?” Nate prompted, sounding intrigued.

“Avery Wallace.” Justin shook his head. “I need to get her out of my mind.”

“This conversation just got a lot more interesting.”

“Except that Avery’s made it clear she’s not interested.”

“And you, of course, look at that as a challenge.”

“Maybe. Partly,” he acknowledged. “But it’s more than that.”

“Is it?”

“I think I could really fall for her—and she won’t even go out with me.”

Nate chuckled. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I know this isn’t funny to you. But after having seen so many women fall at your feet for so many years, it’s refreshing to learn that there are still some females who are immune to your considerable charms.”

“I’m glad you find this amusing,” Justin grumbled.

“I can laugh now, because I’ve been in your shoes,” his cousin admitted. “Allison had all kinds of reasons for not wanting to get involved with me—even before I was her boss.”

“Really?”

“Really,” Nate confirmed.

“What changed her mind?”

“I think it was the chicken soup.”

“Huh?”

His cousin grinned. “Long story. Let’s just say that some women need to be convinced that a man has staying power—that he’ll stick around through good times and bad, in sickness and in health.”

“And you managed to do all of that with chicken soup?” he asked skeptically.

“I think it was what the soup symbolized more than the bowl of broth and noodles itself,” Nate told him.

“How am I supposed to show Avery that I want to stick around when she keeps pushing me away?”

“That’s a dilemma,” his cousin acknowledged. “And before you commit to any course of action, you need to decide if she’s worth it.”

Justin didn’t need to think about it. “She’s definitely worth it.”

The Sixth Annual Storybook Ball—named to reflect both its fantasy theme and the fact that the proceeds benefitted the children’s wing of Mercy Hospital—was held annually on the last Saturday in January. It was their biggest fund-raiser of the year and all doctors were invited and encouraged to attend, to mingle with patrons, talk to them about the work that was being done at the hospital and how past donations had been used to benefit their young patients, and explain why their support was needed now.

A handful of staff were always on hand to greet the guests as they arrived, and Avery had planned to be one of them this year—her support of the cause overrode her usual inclination to avoid formal events. Unfortunately, a complicated delivery put her behind schedule so that by the time she got home, showered and dressed for the event, she’d missed dinner. In fact, she was just sliding into her assigned seat as dessert was being eaten and coffee was being served.

No one asked any questions about her tardiness—they all understood that a career in medicine often caused scheduling conflicts with other events. Dr. Terrence, seated beside her, nudged his untouched strawberry shortcake toward her, offering a second dessert to compensate for the other four courses she’d missed. She gave him a grateful smile. The table of ten was rounded out by an accountant and her husband, a software designer and his wife, and a couple of prominent local business owners and their respective spouses.

As a result of her late arrival, it wasn’t until after the coffee service was over that Avery realized Justin was in attendance. When she finally did see him, when his eyes skimmed over her even from the other side of the room, her body tingled as if he’d actually touched her.

The man was spectacular in scrubs. Dressed in a shirt and tie, he was mouthwatering. And in black tie, he was breathtaking. Literally. Because when he started across the room, his gaze locked on hers, she could not draw any air into her lungs.

“Dr. Wallace,” he said, inclining his head in greeting.

“Dr. Garrett,” she returned, grateful that her cool tone gave no hint of the heat that flooded her system. “I didn’t expect to see you tonight.”

“I usually prefer to write a check in lieu of attending these kinds of events,” he admitted.

“But not this year?”

He lifted a shoulder “I heard that you were going to be here.”

“You didn’t pay $1500 for a ticket because I was going to be here,” she chided.

“You’re right—I didn’t,” he admitted. “I convinced my cousin Nate—the CFO of Garrett Furniture—to pay $1500 for a table in support of a good cause and for the charitable tax receipt. But I only sat at that table because I wanted to see you.”

“I should thank your cousin, on behalf of the Mercy Hospital Foundation, for his generous contribution toward the purchase of an EOS imaging machine for the orthopedics department.”

He raised his eyebrows. “That’s a pricey piece of equipment.”

She nodded. “And it will provide clear and detailed images of children’s entire limbs–the spine, arms or legs—with a single scan and a lot less radiation exposure.”

“I know what it does,” he told her.

She flushed. “Of course, you do.”

“Are you nervous, Dr. Wallace?”

“A little,” she admitted. “These gala events aren’t really my thing.”

“So it’s the event that has you feeling...edgy?”