Page 40 of An Heir Made In Hawaii (Hot Winter Escapes)

“Congratulations!”

“Thank you.”

“Are you alright?”

Anika turned to see a concerned expression on the technician’s face.

“I am.” Anika let out a small, self-deprecating laugh. “I’ve always wanted a family and I just want everything to go well.”

“I understand. Your first appointment went well?”

“Very.”

“Then I’d say today is going to be great, too,” the technician said with a reassuring smile.

Anika heard a rustle, then felt a hand come to rest on her shoulder. She looked up to see Nicholas gazing down at her, his expression serious. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to. His presence alone settled some of the nervous energy zipping through her.

“Ready?”

At Anika’s nod, the technician lowered the wand. She rubbed it over Anika’s belly a couple times, her eyes fixed on the screen. Anika watched, waiting, her breathing starting to escalate as her mind whirled—

“There it is!”

Wonder filled her at the sight of the tiny creature on the screen. Pure, breathtaking wonder as she gazed at her baby.

“That’s...”

“That’s your baby.” The technician glanced at something. “Heartbeat at one-sixty, right in the range for healthy.”

“So, everything’s okay?”

Anika glanced up to see Nicholas staring at the screen, an unreadable expression on his handsome face.

“Everything’s great.”

His shoulders seemed to relax a fraction. Finally, he tore his eyes away and looked down at her.

“I’ve never seen an ultrasound before,” he said, his voice muted.

She looked back, wanting to soak up every last moment. Her eyes trailed over the rounded head, the swell of the stomach, the teeny arms and legs.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

“Beautiful and healthy,” the technician pronounced. “I’ll get you cleaned up and then you’ll go back with the doctor to talk through everything. I’ll print you off copies of the photos to take home with you.”

As the technician shut off the screen, Anika stole another glance at Nicholas. He was watching the printer as it churned out photos from the ultrasound.

“Nicholas?”

He looked back at her, his expression unreadable. Trepidation whispered through her. Had the sight of the baby changed his mind? Seeing it literally in black-and-white?

The rest of the appointment flew by, with the doctor pronouncing both her and the baby healthy, as well as reassuring her that her levels of fatigue and nausea were normal for the stage of pregnancy she was in. Nicholas asked a couple of questions, but mostly kept silent.

At first, his unusual quietness made her nervous. But as the doctor gave her a rundown of the upcoming weeks, her earlier excitement returned and she tuned out Nicholas’s presence. If he wanted to share with her later, he could. But she was not going to focus on him. Not right now, when she had so much to be joyful for.

Nicholas walked with her to her car after the appointment. She barely glanced at him, her eyes focused on the pictures in her gloved hands.

“Anika?”

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