Page 73 of Sinful in Scrubs

“I don’t have any intention of turning your dad down if this potential comes knocking on the door. Let’s just keep in mind that right now, this is all nothing but speculation. Okay?”

She nodded, hopefully understanding that whatever her father and I decided, it wasn’t decided just yet. And once Marcus heard the very non-business-related news I had for him, I didn’t know how any of this was going to play out.

As Lily chopped cucumbers and I made the peanut chili sauce for the salad, something happened. A shift. A change. I don’t know if I would say a miracle occurred, but Lily started talking to me—just talking and asking questions. It wasn’t an interrogation. It was just a normal conversation.

“I thought you went to L.A., but you’re back. I thought you moved.”

“I had moved, but it turns out L.A. was not a good fit for me. I’m a New York girl through and through. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“So you just gave up and came back?”

“I don’t know if I would call it giving up. I’d call it admitting I was wrong.” I glanced at her, wondering how this conversation had turned so introspective. “And I think one of the most grown-up things a person can do is admit when they’re wrong, apologize where necessary, and course correct. Just because we make decisions that turn out to be bad choices, they don’t have to define us. We’re allowed to say, ‘I was wrong, and I will do better.’”

I didn’t know what Lily was planning to say next because at that moment, Jason came bursting into the kitchen.

“Can I come in now?” he asked with great drama.

“Of course, you can,” I said.

“Dad said you had to talk.”

“Oh, my God, you loser. Yes, we’ve talked, and we’re talking now,” Lily said with an eye roll.

Lunch was wonderful. I regaled them with the horrors of L.A. traffic—which really is as bad as they always make it out to be in the movies—and everyone laughed. There were no upended chairs, no fights. It was exactly what I needed.

Every time I looked over at Marcus, the way his face softened as he smiled at me, I knew this was where I belonged.

“Okay, kids, I cooked, you clean. Dr. Emma and I have some work to do.”

I followed him into the study and carefully closed the door behind me.

“Marcus, before we get started, there’s something I need to tell you.”

34

MARCUS

Ijust stared at Emma.

I heard the words she had spoken, but I was having a hard time comprehending them at first.

“You’re what?”

“I’m pregnant,” she said, “and it’s yours.”

“You’re… you’re what?” My jaw dropped open and stayed there. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around the exact meaning of the words she was saying.

“We’re gonna have a baby,” she said with a laugh. She gently placed her hand over her stomach. There was no sign of the baby growing inside. After staring at her midsection for a while, I lifted my eyes to meet hers. I continued to stare at her in disbelief.

“I thought it was a complete and total miracle when Lily apologized, because I didn’t know how else I was going to tell you,” she confessed.

“Wow. Wow. You need to sit down.” I started bustling about the room, taking her notepad from her and guiding her to the most comfortable chair in the room “Are you comfortable? Do you need to put your feet up?”

She laughed. “Why are you so nervous?”

“Because I don’t know what to do,” I admitted.

“Maybe you should sit down,” she suggested.

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