Page 83 of Trick's Trap

“Are you sure about that?” Ethan asked. “It’s a buttload of money. You could always fight the will in court. Any jury with a half a brain cell to share between them would side with you.”

Tahlia shook her head vehemently. “Not a penny.”

“She doesn’t need their money.” Patrick was just as adamant. “And you do have family. You have me.”

Ethan shrugged as Tahlia sighed and cuddled closer to her fiancé. “If you insist. Seems a pity. It would really stick it to them if you sued for the cash. But if Trick wants to do the what’s-mine-is yours-thing after you get married, more power to you. It’s not like he can’t afford it.”

Tahlia’s smile was smug. “Patrick knows I don’t need his money. And if I do someday, I’ll win it off him fair and square.”

Both men laughed, and she stood with a decent approximation of regret. “I have to run. I’m meeting the girls for coffee,” she lied.

Tahlia hadn’t told Patrick about her doctor’s appointment. She didn’t want to needlessly worry him.

“Oh…I could use a cup before I drive back.” Ethan jumped up.

Damn it.She should have said something else. Ethan was always ready for an excuse to see Peyton. “Sorry, it’s going to be the final reveal of my wedding dress. Girls only.”

Ethan wasn’t deterred. “Isn’t it only bad luck if it’s the groom? I promise I won’t tell anyone what it looks like.”

Trick stood and clapped him on the shoulder.

“Let the ladies do their thing. How can they talk about us if we’re there?” He walked over to the bar. “Come on. I’ll make you a coffee from the pod machine here.”

Ethan followed him and she snuck out of the room, hurrying down to the hotel’s medical office.

Tahlia stared at Eric Tam,the head of the concierge medical team that worked for the hotel.

“I’m what?”

“Pregnant.” He glanced at his chart. “And quite a bit farther along than I would have guessed looking at you. But there is some firmness in your stomach now. I’m guessing you’re not going to show until you pop.”

Tahlia’s hand flew to her middle. It was true. Her stomach was harder than she remembered.

“But I haven’t been sick.” She hadn’t experienced any nausea…just a little dizziness.

Oh,crap.

“Have your breasts been more sensitive than normal?”

Her eyes flew up to meet Dr. Tam’s. “Maybe a little.” Her blush was a fiery red.

“What about the baby?” she asked, her stomach fluttering. “Is it okay? Will the drugs I was given affect it?”

“My educated guess would be no, but technically there is a risk. I’m more concerned with the opium smoke you were exposed to, although honestly, Trick had more in his system. Since you were on the ground most of the time, you escaped getting the bulk of the effect. Trick breathed in more because he was standing and fighting, exerting himself.”

He leaned forward. “I can’t say with certainty there will be no adverse effects to the baby, but I have seen infants born under far more difficult circumstances. Children of drug addicts or women undergoing treatment for cancer or on anti-psychotic medication for example. Some of those children did have problems in the beginning, but most of them went on to have happy and productive lives with a little TLC.”

Dr. Tam patted her hand. “You and Patrick are both very healthy. We’ll monitor this pregnancy closely, but I predict you’re going to get lucky and everything will be fine.”

Tahlia inhaled deeply, calming down instantly. “You’re right. We are lucky.” She got up and thanked him, promising to tell Patrick right away so they could set up their first joint sonogram.

Patrick spun around.Tahlia was standing there over the remains of their gourmet meal, her hands twisting around the napkin.

“Pregnant?”

She rose from the small dining table. They were supposed to eat with his brother and Caroline, but Tahlia had asked him to reschedule. He’d done so gladly, thinking she wanted some alone time before the wedding or—and this was ungenerous of him—to spare him a night of Caroline’s company. She knew he wasn’t a big fan of his brother’s girlfriend.

This news was the last thing he expected.

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