Cowboy Up (Lucas Brothers)

“Yeah,” I answer, as he relays the information that I put on the paperwork the receptionist gave me.

“I’m going to have the nurse come in and do some bloodwork, but the history you filled out says that you’re regular on your menstrual flows. I’m taking that to mean you’re pretty positive that you’re pregnant?”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure,” I admit, blushing so much it’s a wonder that I don’t spontaneously combust. Blue starts to laugh and then tries to cover it up by coughing. I shoot him a death glare, but he just smiles.

“Good, let’s get some bloodwork done and if you are positive, we’ll go ahead and do an initial sonogram and you might can see the little peanut today,” the doctor says with a kind smile.

“Really?” I breathe, not expecting that at all. I’m both excited and nervous as hell.

“Yep. I take it you’d like that?”

My gaze moves over to Blue who is holding my hand tightly. He’s looking right at me, and I haven’t seen this happiness on his face since we were kids. I squeeze his hand back.

We’re doing this.

It takes a little time for the bloodwork to be done and maybe it’s because we are both nervous, but we don’t talk much. Blue keeps holding my hand the entire time, though. Finally, a sonogram machine is rolled in by one of the nurses. She makes small talk as she sets up, but I’m only half listening. There’s a part of me that thinks I might be dreaming all of this. Then, the doctor comes back in to do the sonogram.

“Woah,” I gasp, as he puts gel over my stomach.

“Sorry, it’s a little cold,” the doctor says, as he takes the wand and begins moving it around on my stomach.

Blue squeezes my hand again in a show of support. Seriously, how has all of this happened—well, besides hormones.

“Here we go,” he announces, and suddenly the sound of a baby’s heartbeat fills the room. My gaze moves from my joined hand with Blue to the screen of the sonogram. “There it is, the little peanut,” the doctor says. It’s just a little tiny thing, but my heart leaps into my throat.

My baby.

Our baby.

“Everything looks spectacular. The measurements all check out sometime in October. I don’t like to say it will happen on an exact day. Babies can be very picky. If you want an official due date it appears to be the fourteenth. This being your second baby, however, I’d expect earlier.”

“October…” I murmur.

“This is good news, I take it.”

I look over at Blue for reassurance.

“No, it’s not good news,” Blue says, and if it wasn’t for the look on his face, I’d be worried. “It’s great news.”

The doctor laughs. “I’ll have the secretary set you up a follow-up appointment, and I’ll send some prescriptions to the drugstore of your choice. It’s just prenatal vitamins.”

He keeps talking, but I can’t follow along. I’m on emotion overload.

I’m having Blue Lucas’s baby.

I maybe have mostly known it before, but this makes it completely real.

Chapter 27

Meadow

“You’re quiet,” Blue murmurs.

“There’s been a lot packed into one day,” I breathe, pushing my food around on my plate.

“I happen to think it’s been a great day.”

I look up at him. I don’t question what he’s saying because all you have to do is look at his face and tell he’s happy. I’m busy trying to reconcile the Blue who took me with so much pent-up rage in the playhouse, with this new Blue. I’m afraid to trust it. I know that sounds insane, especially if I miss parts of the old Blue. My brain is a mess. I’m just going to chalk it up to pregnancy hormones—I don’t want to really think about why I miss him the way he was.

“Blue Lucas! Is that you?”

The high-pitched, nasally, near scream comes from the door. The busy diner was loud to that point, but it seems everyone goes quiet in shock with the near scream.

“Oh fuck,” Blue growls under his voice, the happiness on his face minutes earlier replaced by a look that would make a smart woman scream in terror and run.

“Who is that?” I whisper, transfixed as it appears the woman is making a beeline for our table.

“A bitch,” he snaps. His voice is so harsh that I jump back. Did I just think about the fact that I missed the old Blue? Forget that shit. Blue must sense what I’m feeling because he reaches out and grabs my hand, pressing his thumb against my palm and rubbing it back and forth. I look at him stunned. He even squeezes his hold reassuringly.

“Blue! It is you. How have you been?”

“Up until this moment, great, Lyla,” he responds, his voice cold.

I blink. I didn’t recognize her. I blink again, even hearing her name, I still don’t.