Baby & Bump (The This & That Series) (25 page)

             
Her cheeks were pink as she grinned at me. “Do you really mean it?”

             
“I do, Ma. In fact, I have something to tell you. But it’s a secret.” I bit my lip, words dancing at the end of my tongue, threatening to fall off. I lowered my voice to a whisper “I think I may have found myself someone who makes me happy, too.”

Chapter Twenty-four

              The door to the examination room swung open, and the moment Fletcher stepped in, it felt like the room flooded with sunshine. His blonde hair was mussed, and his white coat was unbuttoned over a denim shirt and wrinkled khaki pants. He wore a grin so wide and unabashed I literally felt my insides squeeze.

             
Actually, I’d been feeling my insides squeeze all afternoon. Stupid Braxton-Hicks contractions. But the point was still clear: Seeing Fletcher two days earlier than planned was a wonderful treat. Ten bazillion times better than a chocolate mousse filled cupcake.

             
He shut the door and grinned at me. “Lexie.”

             
I gripped the edge of the examination table until my knuckles went white. What a treat. I’d expected to get Dr. Javornik-the-wonder-hippie to check on my baby. Fletcher and I were going on our first official date in exactly forty-seven hours, right after my baby shower at Candace’s house, and after two weeks apart, I was more than ready to see him.

“Hi,” I whispered, suddenly shy. “I thought you weren’t coming back from Arizona until Saturday morning.”

Fletcher stepped closer, resting his clipboard on a nearby stool. His warm hands touched my knees softly, sending an exciting tickle dancing up my legs. “I called to check on things in the office, and my receptionist mentioned you had an appointment today. I flew in early so I could catch it.”

My head felt light. T
he squeeze in my stomach flexed, then released. He’d flown all the way home to see
me
? “I’m glad.”

He smiled and his eyes crinkled. “Me, too. Are you sure it doesn’t make you uncomfortable?”

“Why would it?” I relished the way he looked at me. It was like being under a heat lamp.

             
“Because we’re together.” He moved closer so he stood between my knees. His hands wound themselves around my middle, settling on the small of my back. “I’m going to let Dr. Javornik do your examination, but I’ll be nearby. I can step out and handle some dictation while you’re speaking with her.”

             
“You don’t have to do that,” I said quickly. “I mean, you can stay with me, you know, for moral support. You won’t even have to put on gloves to do that.”

             
He brushed his knuckles down my arm. “You sure you won’t mind? It won’t bother me to wait outside.”

             
“No. Stay. You can watch Dr. Javornik in action.”

             
“All right. Maybe she’ll teach me a thing or two.”

              “Hey.” I pursed my lips, trying not to grin like a kid caught with candy. “You said we’re together. That’s very presumptuous, doctor.”

             
“Is it?” His nose brushed mine. “I missed you.”

             
“I missed you, too,” I whispered. “I was afraid you’d changed your mind.”

             
“About what?”

             
“About me.” I ran my hand through his hair.

He turned his face into my palm and drew in a deep breath. “
Don’t think that’s possible.”

“So the date is still on?” I closed my eyes as Fletcher pressed light kisses along my cheekbone.

“Buffet dinner, then a movie, then dessert overlooking the river,” he said.

             
I giggled. “Perfect.”

             
“You smell so good.” He cupped my face. “Have you always smelled this good?”

             
My chest swelled. “I’m wearing the same perfume I always wear.”

             
“That’s it.” He snapped his fingers. “When I met you at that first appointment, you smelled like this. It hung in the office for a long time after you’d left, and it drove me bonkers.”

Oh good Lord, how I loved this man. “How’s Martha?”

He hesitated. “I told her.”

My eyes widened. “You told her a
bout us?”

“Yeah.” His eyes shone. “I asked her what she thought about us dating, and she danced around the room.”

“I might have danced around the room a little, too,” I confessed. A pain rolled through my lower belly like a wave, spreading to my back. I sucked in a sharp breath. “Especially after we kissed.”

His grin widened. “I
can neither confirm nor deny that dancing took place when I got home.”

The pain in my belly was going away now, but the twinge in my heart
remained. “I’m going to tell Marisol now. I was waiting until after our first date.”

When I paused,
Fletcher finished for me. “To see if we still wanted each other?”

I nodded.

“Well, I’m here, aren’t I?” He leaned in and brushed his mouth against my ear. It sent a flurry of shivers sliding down my spine. “How about you? You still in?”

My eyes rolled back. Just a little. “Abso-freaking-lutely.”

“Then it’s time to tell her.” He played with a strand of my hair. “I should be with you when you do it.”

“No.” I swallowed. It was getting really difficult to concentrate with Fletcher’s mouth so close to mine. “This is my responsibility. I can do it.”

“You just call me, and I’ll be there.” His breath tickled my ear. “There’s no reason you have to do this—or anything—alone again.”

My mouth found his, and a whirl of hysterical joy rushed through me, setting every hair on my body on end.

              We kissed and kissed, and it was glorious. I’d been afraid that the spark between us would’ve shrunk during our time apart, but I was wrong. It was alive and well. And I
couldn’t wait
until our date.

             
After about five minutes of very teenager-ish making out, the door swung open, and Dr. Javornik appeared. “Hello, Lexie, how are… oh!”

             
Fletcher and I pulled apart, our faces red and swollen. “Sorry.” Fletcher stepped back and smoothed a hand down the front of his coat. “Sorry, Bev. I guess the secret’s out then. Lexie and I are dating.”

             
Dr. Javornik’s eyes widened. “Clearly. And how long has this been going on?” Her eyes flicked down to my belly.

             
“Not long,” I said quickly.

             
Fletcher took my hand and laced his fingers with mine. “Long enough. Lexie would like me to keep her company during the examination. Is that all right with you?”

             
“Of course.” Dr. Javornik nodded, a smile teasing the sides of her mouth. “You know the nurses are going to have a heyday with this, don’t you?”

             
Fletcher pressed his lips together. “I expect they will, won’t they?”

             
Patting my knee, Dr. Javornik smiled kindly. “You’ll live. Now, how about we get down to business. How are you feeling, Lexie?”

             
The baby wiggled deep within me, setting off another cramp that rushed to my spine, then receded. “Doing all right, I suppose. I’ve been cramping a lot lately.”

             
The doctor flipped open my chart, while Fletcher rubbed circles on my back. “Cramping is normal in the last weeks of pregnancy, but we’ll do a quick internal check to make sure you’re not dilating,” she announced. “Your non-stress test last week looked good.”

             
I nodded. I’d been having those tests on a weekly basis for four weeks now. They were a pain in the butt, but I’d been happy to get the weekly ultrasounds. I’d even decided to leave the baby’s sex a mystery, much to Candace and my mother’s frustration. But so much about my pregnancy had been unorthodox. It felt good to leave this one last detail alone. One last surprise for me to keep, when so much of my life was right out there in the open for all to see.

             
“Overall, I’m feeling okay.” I leaned back on the table, as Dr. Javornik started to feel my belly. “I mean, I’m a bit worn out, I guess. But I assume that’s what’s to be expected when you’re eight and a half months pregnant and working full time.”

             
“That’s true.” She smiled.

“H
ow’s the swelling in your feet?” Fletcher interrupted. “Are you putting them up at night? Drinking the water like I told you?”

             
“Yes, doctor. I’m putting my feet up.” I rolled my eyes at him. “Isn’t Dr. Javornik doing this examination?”

             
“Right.” He sat on the stool next to my head. “Old habits, and all that.”

“
Anyway, the swelling is—” I gasped as another cramp ripped through my abdomen, shooting into my back, and down into my bum.

“You al
l right?” Fletcher touched my cheek.

“Hmmm.”
Dr. Javornik’s hand’s covered my stomach. “That’s a strong contraction you’re having. Your uterus is rock hard.”

I tried to reply, but all that came out was a mangled whimper. These cramps were really starting to tick me off.

Fletcher stilled next to me. “Want me to get a monitor?” he asked in a low voice. Dr. Javornik didn’t answer. She just watched me as I grimaced my way through the cramp.

Finally I caught my breath.
“Okay, when you warned me about these practice contractions, you never said they’d make me want to die.”

             
“Sometimes they can be pretty rough,” Dr. Javornik agreed. “There can also be pain when you bend or twist, because of all of the ligaments being stretched in your midriff. But I think you’re having some contractions, young lady.”

“How long have you had them
?” Fletcher asked me.

             
I sucked in a breath of air as the pain wore off. “I don’t know. A day or so.”

             
A line appeared between his eyebrows. “How far apart are they?”

             
My eyes searched Fletcher’s face for some sort of reassurance, but all I could see was complete seriousness. He was in doctor mode now. My new boyfriend was nowhere to be found. “I don’t know. I haven’t been paying attention. A minute or two, I guess.”

             
“Any back pain?” Dr. Javornik’s hands moved around my middle.

             
I thought for a moment. “Well, yeah, I guess. It usually starts in the front, down low, then sort of radiates upward before shooting to my back.”

             
Fletcher stood up. “What do you think, Bev? Should I get the—”

             
“Yes, please.” A line formed between her eyebrows.

I watched her
as the pain receded. Panic was starting to creep up on me like a shadow. “Is something wrong?”

Dr. Javornik patted my leg reassuringly. “I’m sure everything’s fine. We’re just going to take a quick peek to make sure this isn’t preterm labor.”

“Wait,” I blurted. “I thought this was normal. Fletcher, what’s going on?”

             
“I’m sure it is.” He bent down and pressed a dry kiss to my forehead. “Dr. Javornik just wants to be sure.” Fletcher darted out of the door before I could ask him anything else.

              “Is the pain in the perineum area at all?” Dr. Javornik asked.

             
“My what?” When she glanced downward, I laughed. “Oh,
there
. Um, yeah. That’s where the worst of it is.”

             
“Uh huh.” Her lips pressed together, just as Fletcher charged back into the room pushing a portable sonogram machine. “Have you had any discharge?”

             
I felt my face heat. There was nothing I wanted to discuss less in front of my new boyfriend that I’d not even gone on my first date with yet than
discharge
.

“I, um, well—” Again my words stopped, and I froze in place while my abdomen morphed into cement again, and gripping pain flashed through my body. I opened my mouth to keep talking, but no words came out. Just a high-pitched squeal of air. Part of me felt embarrassed, but the pain was too strong to care. I was locked into place.

“Lex?” Fletcher took my hand. “Squeeze my fingers. It’s okay.”

I obeyed, closing my eyes. These weren’t Braxton Hicks contractions anymore, that much
was clear. And if they were, then real labor was going to freaking
kill
me. The pain in my back made me want to go lay down in traffic. After a minute, the pain started to subside, and I released a long, ragged breath. When I opened my eyes, Dr. Javornik was watching me closely, with her watch poised under her chin.

“Fletcher,” I said breathlessly. “I’m starting to freak out.”

“Everything’s fine,” he told me. “I’m right here.”