“Of course.” Petal handed her a clipboard. “I entered the information you provided me with yesterday. Can you just confirm that everything is correct?”
She scanned the form—name, address, emergency contact (she’d left that one blank), medical history. Everything looked correct. She signed at the bottom and handed it back.
“Perfect.” Petal studied her thoughtfully for a moment. “I should let you know that the doctor can be a bit… brusque. He doesn’t mean to be, but he tends to be very focused. He’s an excellent doctor,” she added quickly. “I just don’t want you to feel intimidated.”
Intimidated?The warning suddenly cast her vision of a courtly southern gentleman in doubt.
“Right then. This way, Chloe.” Petal led her across the hallway, then knocked on one of the tall wooden doors.
“Dr. Jackson? Your eleven o’clock is here.”
“Send her in.” The deep voice sent an unexpected shiver down her spine as she entered.
The office was larger than she’d expected, and still retained much of its Victorian character with high ceilings and ornate floral wallpaper. Morning light filtered through gauze curtains, bathing everything in a soft gold hue. She was vaguely aware of Petal closing the door behind her, but her attention was caught on the man standing by the window.
He was tall, easily a foot taller than her, with broad shoulders and blond hair that curled slightly at the collar. His features were sharp and aristocratic, with an unexpectedly sensual mouth. He wore a white button-down with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, exposing muscular forearms, and charcoal trousers that fit him far too well for a small-town GP.
But it was his eyes that caught her attention—deep blue with an odd green tint, they studied her with an intensity that made her feel like he could see straight through her. Petal had told her not to be intimidated but when their eyes met it wasn’t fear she felt. Instead, it felt like a jolt of electricity ran through her body. For a long moment she hung suspended in that luminous gaze before he cleared his throat and looked away,
“Miss Bennington.” His voice was deep and calm, without a hint of the southern drawl she’d expected. “I’m Vic… Dr. Jackson. Please, have a seat.”
Her feet finally remembered how to move. She crossed to the chair beside his desk, acutely aware of his gaze tracking her every step.
He’s my doctor. I’m his patient. That’s all.
So why did her pulse feel like it was trying to escape through her throat?
He rounded the desk and picked up her file, scanning the contents.
“It says here you’re twenty-four weeks along.”
“Yes.”
“And this is your first prenatal appointment since moving to Fairhaven Falls.”
“Yes. I’ve only just arrived in town. I had regular checkups with my previous practice,” she added hastily. “All the records should’ve been transferred.”
“They were.” He looked up, those blue eyes locking onto hers. “It appears to have been a healthy pregnancy so far. Your blood pressure is normal, and your glucose levels look good. You’ve been taking your prenatal vitamins?”
“Every day.”
“Good.” He set the file aside. “I’ll need to do a physical exam and an ultrasound today. Is that all right?”
She nodded, not trusting her voice. He rose and opened the door behind him to reveal a smaller room with a standard exam table in the middle, looking oddly out of place against the Victorian setting. Long silk curtains covered the windows, no doubt for privacy, but they added to the intimacy of the room.
“Excellent. If you’ll step behind the screen and change into the gown—opening at the back, please—we’ll get started.”
She managed to stand without wobbling, which felt like a minor victory. The screen was positioned in the corner of the second room, giving her a modicum of privacy. She peeled off her cardigan and dress, her fingers clumsy on the buttons, and pulled on the paper gown. It crinkled loudly with every movement.
Deep breath. This is just a routine exam.
She emerged from behind the screen, her arms wrapped around herself. He had moved to the examination table, his expression completely neutral, and he gestured for her to sit.
“This will just take a few minutes. I’ll need to check your heart, lungs, abdomen. Let me know if anything feels uncomfortable.”
His hands were warm and gentle as he pressed the stethoscope to her back, and her heart sped up.
“Deep breath.”
