Dr. Michaels taps away on her iPad. “The report says you were wearing your seat belt which is good. I need to do an ultrasound to make sure everything is okay with the baby,” she tells me.
“Wh—what? Baby?” I look at Blaise for clarification.
“I need to step out and find an MA. My last one was escorted out. I will be right back,” Dr. Michaels says as she leaves the room.
I look to Blaise. “Baby? What is she talking about?” I ask, confused. Does he know that I know about his daughter?
Blaise gently runs his finger down my cheek. “I have a lot to tell you. Just listen, okay?” he says, his voice gentle.
“First and foremost, I love you so f*cking much. To think that I could have lost you.” He stops to get his emotions under control. “Second, the MA that Dr. Michaels was talking about is Beth, my ex Beth. When she saw you lying here, she came clean about the lie she told you about her daughter being mine. She’s not, Tate. I insisted on a paternity test the day she was born. I would never not be a part of my child’s life. I still have copies of the test at home in the safe. I will send Asher to get them,” he says calmly.
I try to shake my head no, but the pain prevents the sudden movement. “I don’t need to see it. I trust you.”
“Then why were you leaving town? You didn’t bother to tell me,” he questions.
“Honestly, I just wanted some time to wrap my head around this, us. We haven’t been together that long, yet it feels like a lifetime. I’m emotional from selling the house, and well, I just needed time,” I tell him.
He smiles at me. “Baby, it wasn’t just selling the house that has you emotional.” He stands up and leans over the bed so we are eye-to-eye, nose-to-nose. He rests his palm against my belly. “We’re having a baby,” he says, his eyes sparkling. “That’s why the obstetrician is here. She needs to make sure the baby is okay. Your doctor says you will make a full recovery; now we just have to worry about our little peanut here. Make sure all is fine,” he says, gently stroking my belly.
His words cause a waterworks of emotions to break loose. “I’m pregnant?” I ask again through my tears. I need to hear it again.
Blaise shakes his head no. “No, baby, we’re pregnant. You and me. We are in this together, and just so you know, I plan on marrying you and having at least two more,” he says with a wink. Then his lips find mine. He’s careful of my injuries. The kiss is packed full of tenderness and love.
“I love you,” I say once he releases my lips.
“I love you, too,” he says just as the doctor enters the room.
“All right, let’s take a look at your baby,” she says as she and her new assistant wheel in the ultrasound machine.
The doctor explains something about the hormone levels of my blood show that I’m not too far along. By her calculations, a few weeks. She says she will be doing a trans-vaginal ultrasound. When she pulls out a wand, I watch as Blaise’s eyes go wide. He doesn’t say a word, just holds my hand and stands beside me. Every few minutes he kisses my temple, my cheek, or my fingers. It’s almost as though he has to touch me to reassure himself I’m okay.
Dr. Michael’s assistant dims the lights and she directs our attention to the screen. I’m grateful for the distraction considering the position I’m currently in.
After a few uncomfortable minutes, Dr. Michaels points to the screen. “There,” she says. “There is your baby.”
I watch the tiny blip on the screen flutter. So tiny. My hand instinctively moves to my belly. Blaise covers mine with his and laces our fingers together. Tears fall from my eyes. I’m having a baby.
Blaise leans down and whispers in my ear. “We made that,” he says, kissing my temple.
“Oh,” Dr. Michaels says, and my heart skips a beat.
“’Oh’ what? You can’t just say ‘Oh’ and nothing else,” I scold her.
“What’s wrong?” Blaise asks. I can hear the fear in his voice.
“Nothing, nothing. I’m sorry I frightened you, it’s just that…well, you see this dark spot here?” she asks.
Blaise and I both nod our heads. “You see this one here?” she asks.
Again we nod.
Dr. Michaels removes her eyes from the screen to look at us. “You’re having twins,” she says with a grin.
“Hell yeah!” Blaise says as he places a sloppy wet kiss against my lips. “Twins!” he cheers.
I can’t help but laugh. We’re having twins.
“Have you been feeling any sickness, Tatum?” she asks me.
I shake my head no. “No, nothing. I had no idea. I’m on the pill,” I tell her.
“The pill is not one hundred percent effective. Have you been taking it regularly?” she asks.
I start to nod my head, but then stop. “I had a stomach bug a few weeks ago. I took it, but I wasn’t able to keep much down.” I look up to find Blaise smiling down at me. “I didn’t even think about it; I’m sorry,” I tell him.
“Sorry? For making me the happiest man on the damn planet? We’re having twins,” he says happily.
We all laugh at his outburst.
“It looks as though you are only about three weeks. I was worried due to your numbers being so low, but you are so early in the pregnancy that it makes sense. I see no issues with either baby. I will want to see you in a week for follow-up and we’ll keep a close eye on the three of you. Congratulations,” she says before she leaves us alone.
Blaise leans down and kisses my nose. “I love you so much, future Mrs. Richards,” he says.
“Just because I’m—” He interrupts me.
“Stop. I love you, all of you. I talked to my dad today about doing less time at the department to spend more time with you. I told him I wanted to build a life with you. All of this before we found out about the babies. You’re it for me,” he tells me.
“I love you, too,” I tell him.
Blaise falls to his knees beside the bed and holds my hand to his lips. “Marry me. I want you.” He moves one hand to my belly. “I want them, and a few more.” He winks. “I want to build a life with you. I can’t breathe without you. Marry me?” he says.
Without reservation, I answer, “Yes.”
He crashes his lips to mine. “I know it wasn’t the most romantic, and I don’t have a ring, but as soon as I can break you out of here, I’ll do it right and we’ll pick out your ring together. I love you, Tatum,” he says.
“I don’t want you to ask me again. That was prefect,” I say, wiping the tears from my eyes.
Blaise stands to his full height and claps his hands together. “Okay, so no more than two people are allowed back here at a time, but I say f*ck that. Everyone we love is in that waiting room. They all want to see you and we have news to share. I’m going to round up the troops so we can tell them all at once,” he says, beaming. Leaning down, he kisses my cheek and practically skips out the door.
Not two minutes later, the two-visitor rule is shot to hell as all nine of them fill the room. Blaise makes his way to me and stands beside the bed. He reaches down for my hand and brings it to his lips.
“Blaise, you know they’re gonna kick us out,” his mother scolds him.
He smiles at her. “This won’t take long. I just wanted everyone here at once.” He looks down at me. “First of all, I wanted you all to be the first to know that Tate and I are getting married,” he says.