The Expectant Executive

When he heard the bathroom door open, he stopped pacing. The look on her beautiful face answered his question even before he got the words out. “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”

He watched her take several deep breaths as if she needed fortification, then nodding, she walked over to sit on the side of the bed. “It was such a strong positive that it didn’t even take the entire amount of time the directions said it would for the results to show up.”

Before his knees gave way, he sank down on the mattress beside her, then, putting his arms around her shoulders, he tried to think of something to say.

Hell, what could he say? He felt as if he’d just been hit right square between the eyes with a two-by-four.

“I don’t know how you feel about all this, but I’m going to keep my baby,” she said suddenly. Emphatically.

He shook his head. “I never doubted for a minute that you wouldn’t.”

She straightened her shoulders and turned to face him. The only indication of her turmoil was the slight trembling of her perfect lips. “Patrick forced me to give up Jessica, but this time I won’t let anyone take my child.”

Travis could understand why she felt the way she did, given that her parents had made her put Jessie up for adoption. But the baby was his, too, and he fully intended to be part of his child’s life.

Only now wasn’t the time to start discussing shared custody. Fin was about as fragile as he’d ever seen a woman and she needed his support. And he’d damned well give her the encouragement she needed or die trying.

“I give you my word that as long as I have breath in my body no one will separate you and the baby,” he said gently.

Tears welled up in her pretty emerald eyes. “There’s no way I could bear to go through that again, Travis.”

“I know, sweetheart, and I promise you won’t have to.” He pulled her into his arms and held her close. “I’ll be right beside you every step of the way and I’ll walk through hellfire and back before I let anyone or anything harm you or our baby.”

They sat in silence for some time before she pulled from his arms. “If you don’t mind, I think I’d like to be alone for a little while.”

He could understand her need for a little solitude. A lot had happened in the past hour or so and they both needed time to sort out their feelings.

“Are you going into the office today?” he asked as he rose from the side of the bed.

She shook her head. “My absence is going to raise a few eyebrows and generate more than a little speculation, but I’ll call Cade and have him take over for me today. Aside from the fact that I wouldn’t be able to concentrate, I’d like to see my gynecologist as soon as possible. Hopefully, she’ll be able to work me into her schedule sometime today.”

As she walked him to the door, he shrugged into his coat and picked up his wide-brimmed hat. “Will you be all right on your own or do you want me to go with you to see the doctor?”

“You really meant what you said about being there for me.” Her amazed expression and the sound of her voice left little doubt that he’d surprised her.

He caught her gaze with his as he touched her soft cheek with his index finger.

“I never say anything that I don’t mean, Fin.” Giving her a quick kiss, he opened the door. “I’ll be back this evening to check on you and see that you’re all right.”

Stepping out into the hall, he put his hat on and closed the door behind him.

The last thing he wanted to do was walk away from her. But they both had a lot to think about and things they needed to do. Fin was going to try to get an appointment with her doctor and he had to call his housekeeper, Spud, to see how the ranch was faring in his absence. Then, after a quick lunch with Jessie, he had to get fitted for that damned monkey suit she was going to make him wear when he walked her down the aisle.

While he stood on the sidewalk waiting for a passing taxi, he couldn’t stop thinking about the baby Fin was carrying. He shook his head in total disbelief.

Most of his friends back home were becoming grandpas and here he was starting a second family.

When he and Lauren had discovered that she was unable to have children, they’d accepted the fact they would never have a child of their own and started the adoption process. And although Jessie wasn’t his biological daughter, she was, and always would be, his little girl. From the moment he’d laid eyes on her bundled up like a little doll in her light pink baby blanket, she’d stolen his heart. He loved her more than life itself and that would never change.

But the baby growing inside of Fin would be his own flesh and blood—a child he never in a million years expected to have. That was going to take some getting used to, especially after all this time. It was also going to take awhile to wrap his mind around the fact that his adopted daughter and his biological child had the same mother.