Page 43 of Just One Night

Willow

The door chimeswhen we walk in, and the nurse behind the counter jumps up from her chair to greet us. Her smile collapses when she notices Dallas behind me. She has the perfect sun-kissed blonde hair and a summer tan. She reminds me of Lucy. Dallas’stype.

She tucks a strand behind her ear. “Dallas … I didn’t see you on the bookstoday.”

“Hey, Fiona. I’m with Willow Andrews. We have an appointment with Aidan,” he explains, keeping his focus onme.

Dallas wasn’t lying about there being an office inside. It’s not modern, like the one I went to for my first pregnancy test. First professional one. I’d taken fifteen at-home tests and then finally gone to the doctor because I was in denial and determined they were alldefective.

A few chairs sit in the waiting room across from the wooden front desk A photo of an older man with his name underneath it is centered on the wall, and a corkboard covered with flyers is hung next toit.

Get your flushot!

Join the bowlingleague!

Fire department fundraiser thisFriday!

The nurse’s red lips dip in surprise as she stares at me in curiosity the same way everyone did at the fair. “I see. Let me collect the paperwork your doctor sent over this morning, and then I’ll show you to your examroom.”

Dallas tucks his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Is Rick intoday?”

“No, he’s out hunting. Won’t be back until the weekend. We have a light schedule today, even with Aidan here.” She laughs. “Everyone remembers all the trouble he got into when you guys were younger, and they aren’t sure if they trust him with needlesyet.”

I jerk my head to glare at Dallas.The hell? Is he bringing me to somequack?

“Aidan knows what he’s doing,” Dallas says, reassuring me. “We can’t all stay the kids who drank behind my parents’ barn or nearly lit the town square onfire.”

Fiona slaps his shoulder. “I miss those days.” She taps it next. “How have you beendoing?”

He nods, scraping a hand through his hair, and his face tightens. “Fine.”

“You let me know if you need anything, allright?”

“Thanks,” he repliesflatly.

Well … this sure isfun.

“So, where to?” heasks.

She leads us to a room at the end of the hallway. The door isn’t numbered but does sayDr. Aidan Rileyacross the topglass.

I sit on the exam bed while Dallas scoots his chair next to me. I don’t realize I’m tapping my feet until he rests his hand on my thigh, causing me to flinch. I surprise myself by not moving it. He might piss me off, but his touch relaxes me. That still doesn’t stop me from scowling at himthough.

There’s a knock on the door, and Dallas moves his hand like a kid caught with it in the cookie jar when the doctor walksin.

The first thing I notice shouldn’t be how attractive he is, but he’s definitely a looker. Blond hair cut short in almost a frat-boy style but more sophisticated and an oval face with perfect features. I was expecting a dude in overalls. Now, I’m stuck in a room with two men I wouldn’t have a problem screwing. My OB-GYN and the off-limits man who knocked meup.

He holds out his hand with a smile. “Willow, pleasure meeting you. I’m Dr. Riley, but call me Aidan, considering my father has the same name, and I’m not an oldgoat.”

I smile back, and his attention goes to Dallas next, worry crossing hisfeatures.

“Dallas, you doing okay,man?”

My smile collapses. I feel bad for Dallas. His loss follows him everywhere. He will forever be known as the man who tragically lost his wife too soon. And I’ll forever be known as the woman who screwed the heartbroken widowed man and got knockedup.

Dallas’s attention stays on me as he answers, “Sure am,Doc.”

Aidan sits down on the rolling stool and comes closer. “The doctor who gave you your initial pregnancy test sent over your records. It appears, you’re around twelve weeks. Good timing for your firstultrasound.”

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