Page 34 of A Very Grumpy Doctor

Not now.

Not with Hugh standing beside me, his hand warm on my stomach and his eyes full of so much love that it still makes my breath catch.

Daisy’s smile turns knowing.

I narrow my eyes.“What?”

“Nothing.”

“That’s your I’m-about-to-be-annoying face.”

“I’m hurt,” she says, placing a hand over her heart.

“You’re never hurt.You’re plotting.”

“I was just thinking,” she says, settling into the chair, “that if I hadn’t dragged you here five years ago, none of this would have happened.”

“And I’m grateful every day,” Hugh says sweetly.

“Wolf Valley is tiny.Hugh and I would have run into each other eventually,” I correct her.

Hugh smiles as he slides his hand over my stomach.“She sped things up.You couldn’t run from me here.”

“I believe I did run from the room,” I sass.

His smile becomes a smirk.“True, but those five minutes with you are what convinced me to chase you.”

“So, you’re welcome,” Daisy says smugly.

The room goes quiet for a second.I take a deep breath, trying to get comfortable, which is almost impossible being this far along.I don’t think I’ve been truly comfortable since sometime around month seven.

“All good?”Hugh whispers.

I nod.

A knock sounds at the door, and a second later, Dr.Tracy steps in with a bright smile.

“There’s our mama!”she says warmly.“Ready to check on this baby?”

“Ready,” I say.

Hugh straightens, his doctor persona firmly back in place.

I roll my eyes at him, too tired to argue with him about it right now.

The appointment moves quickly.Dr.Tracy checks my blood pressure with Hugh hovering over me.I answer the usual checkup questions and go over our birth plan before Dr.Tracy asks me to lie back.

Hugh steps forward, helping me recline.

“I’m capable of lying down,” I remind him.

He gives me a sheepish look.

The gel is cold as the doctor squirts it over my swollen stomach.Then the ultrasound wand is there, twirling around.My eyes are glued to the monitor, and I smile as our little one appears on the screen in grainy black and white.

Hugh’s fingers tighten around mine, and I look up to see his eyes fixed on the screen, his jaw tight, his expression overwhelmed in a way I’ve never seen before.

“Hugh,” I whisper.