Page 50 of Strike Zone

When the triage nurse comes in to see us, she asks Linc to leave the room. He’s not happy about leaving me, but it’s part of their protocol. It gives me a chance to let them know I’m pregnant before they take me back, and hopefully, I can pluck up the courage to tell him before we speak with the doctor. I need to be the one to tell him.

I go through the motions, answering their questions and letting them take my blood pressure, which they aren’t too happy with. I’m quickly taken back to a room and hooked up to an IV for fluids.

After that, everything becomes a little hazy. Flashes of nurses. A doctor who’s insanely hot and yet doesn’t come close to Linc. I’m so tired I let my eyes rest a while, waiting for them to bring Linc back to sit with me. The scent of his cologne lingers in the air at some point, but I can’t quite put the smell with an image of his face in the room with me. I hear his voice, but I don’t know what he’s saying.

There’s a blanket that surrounds me, but it’s not a physical thing. It’s him. I feel safe when he’s around. Wanted and cherished, even though I’ve done nothing to deserve it. Eventually, I give up trying to grasp the strings of broken conversation, letting myself rest in the knowledge that he’s here, protecting me.

It’s okay to let my guard down, if only for a few moments.

* * *

Jarred by the unfamiliar smells and sounds of the emergency room, I awake with a gasp, my body trembling.

“It’s okay, Diana. I’m here.”

“Linc?”

“The one and only.” His voice is flat, the warmth of only moments ago nowhere to be found.

“Have they said when the doctor might be in?”

“You don’t remember talking to him?”

“He was in earlier before you were here. I don’t remember them bringing you back.”

“I’ve been here for a few hours.”

“Hours?”

“You’ve been asleep for a while. And yes, the doctor came by about an hour ago.”

“Oh.”

He scrapes his palm over the stubble on his jawline, considering his next words carefully.

“Were you ever going to tell me?”

Chapter Twelve

LINC

“Linc, I can explain.” Hollow words coming far too late.

“That might have been a good thing to do a few months back when you realized you were pregnant.”

“I was in shock. It was one time. I have an IUD, and I told you it was okay not to use a condom for that very reason.”

“Are you keeping it, or are you planning to have an abortion?” It takes every iota of self-restraint in my body to keep my cool right now. I know what I want, but I’m not going to force her. She didn’t even see fit to tell me, so that’s a pretty clear indicator of where she’s at with this curveball. Anger radiates through every muscle in my body, adrenaline curling my hands into fists. I can’t even look at her right now.

“Is that what you want? For me to have an abortion?” Her voice is smaller than it’s ever been—fragile.

“You don’t get to put this on me. You’ve had months to talk to me about this. How long have you known?”

“Since about a week after I got sick at Brooke’s place. The night you drove me home.” Holy-fucking-shit. I shoot to my feet, unable to sit and listen to this, and start pacing the room like a caged animal. My chest is tight with the weight of a thousand hopes and dreams, dashed and trodden beneath her feet.

“You never once thought to call me and say, ‘Hey, Linc, you’re going to be a daddy. Want to talk about it?’ That’s kind of a big deal, Diana.”

“I know. I picked up the phone a million times, but I couldn’t find the words.”

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