Luckily, I wouldn’t have to take another appointment with him.

“Alright, well your pregnancy test came back positive, so you are indeed pregnant. Today we’ll be doing a sonogram on you to double check the dates, but with what I heard about you being a midwife, I’m fairly positive that your calculations on your gestation are correct,” he grinned.

I hid my wince once again with a smile. “Yeah, I’m fairly positive myself.”

He nodded. “What does your husband do?”

Instead of telling him that I wasn’t married, I just smiled and told him, “He’s a police officer.”

Something in his eyes flared, but was gone just as quickly as I saw it.

“Well that’s nice, I bet y’all are excited,” he said, standing up and walking to the sink to wash his hands.

I leaned back and lifted my shirt when he came back to me, his hands moving to my belly.

He pressed into my abdomen, and I had to clench my core tightly when the movement made the state of my bladder go from bearable to Defcon One.

“Everything feels alright,” he said, moving back until he was standing at the sink. “I’ve written a prescription for prenatal vitamins, as well as some nausea meds if you feel that you’ll be needing some, since I read in your chart that you’ve been experiencing quite a bit of nausea and vomiting.”

I nodded, and he smiled, that leer tilting up just the corner of his lips once again.

“Alright,” he said, standing up and heading to the door. “If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call if need be. Do you know where the sonogram room is?”

I nodded, and he winked. “Alright little lady, you’re more than welcome to go! See you next month.”

I held my shiver in check until he’d closed the door, and I let out a breath of air.

Then an irrational rage swept through me.

If that bastard boyfriend of mine didn’t have to be so irrational about children, then I wouldn’t be freaking out right now alone. I’d have him holding me, telling me we’d never see that fucker again.

Because I knew damn well that Michael would’ve felt the same coming from him as I had.

I left the little room, waving at Dalia as I headed in the direction of the ultrasound room.

I found the room, and immediately realized that I’d fucked up.

Because Memphis, the wife of another member of the SWAT team, was smiling brightly at me.

“I just knew it!” She crowed happily. “I knew it!”

I blinked.

“Knew what?” I asked carefully.

“When I saw your chart. I bet Michael’s so happy!” She cheered happily.

Wrong. Michael didn’t even know!

“Umm, Michael doesn’t know,” I told her softly.

Her eyes cleared of their happiness.

“What?” She asked.

I was sure that was a shock to her.

Downy, her husband, was a really good man who’d been over the moon at hearing that Memphis was pregnant.

She probably didn’t even realize that some men didn’t feel the same way that hers did.

“Yeah, I haven’t told him yet,” I informed her. “And I’m not sure I want to…or how to.”

She blinked. “But why? He’s Saint. He’s the baby whisperer. He loves children.”

Yeah, I could see this going really wrong. “Michael doesn’t want kids,” I finally said. “I don’t know how he’ll react to hearing that I’m pregnant, nor if he’d be happy about it. If I’m being honest, I’m fairly sure he’s going to flip out and leave me.”

“Oh, Nikki. I’m sorry,” she whispered forlornly.

I shrugged.

It was what it was.

I’d deal with everything else once it happened.

Tonight, though, I’d tell him. I didn’t want him finding out from a friend when it should be coming from his woman. At least I could give him that.

Chapter 15

Nobody cares about your problems. We’ve got enough shit of our own to deal with.

-Michael to a suspect

Michael

“Surprise!” I said, throwing the door to the restaurant that I’d rented for the night open, revealing all of our family and friends.

Nikki’s mouth dropped open in surprise.

“What…why…what…” she stuttered, flabbergasted.

I smiled.

“Congratulations on your certification, best friend,” Georgia said, wrapping her arms around Nikki and hugging her tightly.

“Oh, my God!” Nikki jumped up and down, then turned and barreled into me, knocking me off balance. “You are the best man ever.”

I huffed out a laugh and let her go when her parents made their way over to us.

“Mom, dad!” She cried in happiness.

And that’s when I knew.

I did all this just to get that very smile on her face.

“You did good, suck up,” Nico said, slapping me on the back.

I snorted and turned, offering him my hand.

He took it and narrowed his eyes on me.

“I can see now that you’ll try to worm your way into my parents’ hearts. But it won’t work. I’m the favorite,” he deadpanned.

I blinked.

He was serious as far as I could tell.

Or maybe he was just that good at holding onto his composure.

“No you’re not!” A young woman that looked a lot like Nikki, but had yet to develop all the luscious curves said. “I am!”

Nico glared at her. “What the fuck are you wearing, Nila?”

She looked down at the short skirt that clung to her toned thighs. “A skirt. What’s wrong with it?”

“Uh,” Nico said, slapping his head and looking to me for direction. “I know you have a sister. Does she dress like a harlot?”

I shook my head. “No. Not anymore, at least. She had a baby at sixteen, though.”

Nico’s eyes turned murderous. “You will not have a baby! And ruin your life! Pull your skirt down.”

“Our babies ruined your life?” Georgia asked with laughter filling her voice.

Nico’s ‘babies’ were now one year old’s, but Nico still acted like they were born yesterday.

“Yeah, when was the last time we had se…” Georgia slapped her hand over Nico’s mouth before he could finish your sentence.

“…you will watch your mouth around our friends, you randy bastard,” Georgia hissed at her husband.

I cracked up and turned to Nila. “It’s nice to meet you, finally, Nila. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Nila smiled. “And I you. Although all that Nikki and I have spoken about is the fact that you can give it to her…”

“Not you, too!” Georgia kept right on hissing. “What is wrong with you Pena’s? Obviously, Nikki has the right way of it, finding a man to get her the hell out of this fucked up family.”

Nico laughed, as did Nila.

I, though, froze. Was she talking to Georgia about getting married?

I hadn’t actually thought much past the summer, but the thought of being with Nikki forever really made me happy.

Like, manic happy.

Which also worried me.

I didn’t want to marry her yet.

We needed time to get to know each other.

She’d never even witnessed any of my manic/depressive episodes.

I, at least, needed to get through this winter with her, then I could think about marriage.

Right now, I was just happy having her in my arms, knowing she’d be there when I woke up.

“Michael?” Nikki called to me.

I looked over to see her parents and her studying me.

I turned and walked away from the arguing siblings, offering my hand to Sol, once again.

“How’s it going?” I asked.

He smiled.

“You did a good job, keeping this from her. I was just telling her that you were the one to organize all of this,” Sol said.

Nikki looked from her father to me.

“You’re good at keeping secrets,” she teased. “I’m usually the first one to talk my family into opening the presents. Next time I’ll have to pay attention for the signs of you hiding something.”

I snorted. “You’d never figure out if I was hiding something from you. You, on the other hand, are an open book.”

Her eyes widened. “Really?”