Page 32 of Last Resort

But Chance wasn’t letting it go. “What about the fact that she’s been throwing up multiple times over the past few weeks? She’s exhausted all the time and is crazy sensitive to certain smells. Even the flu shouldn’t last this long. Plus, sometimes she seems fine and then it just comes on her without warning.”

She squeezed his hand. She’d had no idea he’d been paying such close attention. “Chance, it’s okay. I’m okay. Let’s just worry about the concussion and getting this case solved.”

He brushed a strand of hair back from her forehead. “You’re here at the hospital. You might as well let them run some tests or whatever. If something is wrong with you, let’s find out now. Find out early. Whatever it is, I’m here.”

“Dr. Ashburn said my bloodwork came back normal. I’m okay.”

He leaned closer, his brown eyes pleading. “Mace, you and I both know something is wrong. Let them check you over while you’re here. What if it’s cancer or something like that?”

“I don’t have cancer.”

“How do you know?” he whispered. “I’ve been watching you suffer and I can’t stand it anymore.”

She had to tell him. It wasn’t ever going to get easier. “I’m not sick, Chance. I’m pregnant. About ten weeks along.”

Chance’s eyes got big, but thankfully he didn’t let go of her hand.

“And I can attest that the fetus is fine, even despite the bump to the head,” Dr. Ashburn said. “Maci, let me know if you have further questions. We’ll do one more CT scan, then release you if everything looks good.”

The doctor said goodbye to everyone and headed out the door, but Maci couldn’t focus on that. All she could focus on was the raw shock on Chance and his brothers’ faces.

Her secret was out.

PREGNANT.

The word kicked around in Chance’s brain.Maci is pregnant.

Had she known when she made the suggestion that she go undercover?

Was it his?

That question stuck around the longest. Was the baby she carried one they’d made together? They’d used protection, but it wasn’t always perfect. Birth control failed and condoms broke. The how wasn’t the issue, thewhowas.

Who was the baby’s father and what would Chance do if it wasn’t him? He and Maci had no commitments to each other—although that hadn’t been by his choice.

“Give us the room, guys.”

His brothers knew him well enough not to argue in any way.

“You owe me ten dollars,” Luke muttered to Brax as they left. “I told you there was no way there wasn’t something between them.”

Weston was the last one out, laying a grounding hand on Chance’s shoulder. “Be gentle, brother. She’s been through a lot tonight.”

He didn’t say anything as Weston left and shut the door behind him. If there was any word that didn’t fit the way Chance currently felt, it wasgentle.

Off balance, amazed, fearful, angry... But not gentle.

Although he would find it. He knew right now that was what Maci needed, so he would find it.

Maci adjusted herself in the hospital bed, and it brought Chance’s focus back.

“Is it mine?” For some reason, he couldn’t look her in the face when he asked, so he stared at his lap instead. “You and I never had any commitments, so I don’t want to assume...”

“Yes, it’s yours. I haven’t been sleeping around with a bunch of people.”

Now his eyes flew to hers. “I didn’t mean it that way at all. Truly. I didn’t think you were involved with anyone else, but I thought it would be more rude just to assume the baby was mine.”

She nodded, but he felt like an ass when a tear leaked out of her eye and she wiped it away quickly.

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