Midlife Baby (Small Town Lovers)

My eyes slammed shut and I groaned. Protection. It was the only thing missing from that night with Grady. Shit, Grady. “Tell me this isn’t happening.”

“I thought you wanted a baby?”

“Not like this, and not with…not like this,” I repeated because there was no way on this earth that I would admit I had a one night stand with my sworn enemy, and worse, that we hadn’t done anything to prevent this very thing from happening.

Carlotta dropped my overnight bag on the floor and dropped into the plastic chair near the window. “Wow. We have a lot to talk about, after Dr. Hines finishes with you.”

Hines blinked and then nodded, eager to get through his spiel and get away from the crazy hormonal pregnant geriatric. “I’ll have a nurse bring you the names of a few OB/GYN doctors in the area. In the meantime you need to make sure you’re eating a healthy diet, get enough exercise and pay attention to your body.”

“Pippa just had a baby, and she’s not much younger than you Margot, maybe you should see her doctor?”

“Thanks. Maybe I will.” Pippa had a baby recently, and she was fine during her pregnancy, if a little irritable, and had given birth to a beautiful baby girl.

“Congratulations,” Dr. Hines offered hesitantly. “Call if you have any questions.” Before I could utter another word, the man left my room so fast I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d left skid marks on the floor.

“Yeah, thanks,” I grunted to the door and turned to Carlotta.

Her face was lit with excitement and curiosity. “Tell me everything. Who is this mystery baby daddy?”

I shook my head. I couldn’t tell her or anyone, not even Grady. Admittedly that was an impossible task in a town as small as Carson Creek, and if I didn’t tell him, someone else likely would once word spread. How would he react to the news? Would he pack up and leave town, or would he step up and want to parent this child?

“Oh my God,” I practically shouted before I gripped my aching head. “This isn’t happening.”

“Oh, it’s that juicy? Tell me!” Carlotta smiled and stood to push her chair closer to the bed and laid a sympathetic hand on top of mine. “Margot this is good news. However it happened, you are going to be a mom.”

I smiled at Carlotta since we had bonded over our childless states many times over the years. “Thank you, and I am happy, or I will be, right now I’m shocked and stressed out.”

“Let’s start with the easy questions, how far along are you?”

“Eight weeks,” I answered a little too quickly. “Or thereabouts according to the doctor.”

“Okay,” she nodded. “Eight weeks. How many lovers have you had in that time?”

I glared at Carlotta.

She laughed. “It’s an honest question. Last I heard you swore off men indefinitely, and here you are, with child.” She fake-gasped and squeezed my hand. “It is a vibrator baby?”

I couldn’t stop the laughter that exploded out of me at her silly question meant to make me feel better. “Funny. No, definitely not from a vibrator.” Grady was so much better that I didn’t know how I would be able to go back to my reliable collection and find any satisfaction.

“Even if you don’t want to tell me, and you totally should tell me, news of your pregnancy won’t stay secret for long. There are at least nine elderly residents of Carson Creek in the waiting area with nothing to do but slowly and eagerly text the latest gossip to their friends.”

“No.”

“Yep. They probably saw you come in, and I’m sure Chase has checked in with them so they know you’re still here.”

“Not helping Carlotta.”

“Just tell me who it is and you’ll feel better.”

I shook my head. “I can’t.”

“It’s embarrassing? Is it Roman? He’s a little young, but he’s mega hot. Nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“It’s not Roman,” I grunted. “Do I look like a cradle robber?”

“It’s not cradle robbing when it’s a hot celebrity,” she clarified.

“It’s not Roman Gregory,” I growled.

Carlotta tapped her fingertip to her chin, deep in thought. “There aren’t too many single men in town that fall within the appropriate age range, so really it’s just a matter of elimination,” she said more to herself than to me. “That eliminates the under eighteen kids and Gigi,” she laughed at the mention of Lacey’s cranky, elderly father.

“You’re on a roll tonight,” I told her sarcastically.

“Given the chemistry between you two, my best guess is Grady, except that you two hate each other.” Her musings ended abruptly and she slowly turned to me with a wide-eyed expression. “You and Grady?”

“Carlotta, please.”

“Oh wow, this is even better than I thought! How was it? Did your toes curl? Did you scratch up his back? Do those tattoos go beyond his arms?” She squealed and tapped her feet on the floor excitedly. “Don’t keep the details to yourself honey, it’s not good for your complexion.”