Bidding Wars (Love Strikes)(29)

“What are you doing here?”

“I heard you were sick, and I came to check on you.”

“Sick is an understatement. I think I’m dying.”

He grinned that sexy adorable smile with his dimples. “You’re going to survive.”

He helped her change out of her pajamas and into a pair of leggings and a T-shirt. Normally she would have objected to him seeing her in her bra and panties, but she didn’t have the strength. He picked her up and carried her out to his truck.

“I can walk, you know.”

“Yes, but it’s been so long since I’ve touched you. I’m taking advantage of your situation.”

She giggled slightly. “Oh, it hurts to laugh. Please stop.”

“Anything you need, I’m here for you.” He started his truck.

She had no doubt he was there for her for anything. She’d much rather be seeing him again on better terms, but this would do for now. Looking over at him, she was glad he came when he had. Otherwise, she knew she would have passed out by the toilet for God knows how long.





An hour later, Molly was in a room at the hospital with an IV hooked up to her. The doctors had drawn blood and were now running some tests. Luke was sitting in a chair near her in the room, watching TV. He hadn’t said much since they’d gotten here, but just knowing he was there was enough for her. She was thankful he’d shown up this morning and hadn’t stayed away from her any longer.

“Luke.”

“Yes, are you OK? Do you need something?” He jumped from his seat to her side.

She smiled. “I missed you.”

“That’s music to my ears. I’ve missed you too. And so has Sammy. He’s been dying to come by and see you.”

“Thank God you two didn’t. I’d hate to get him sick. Whatever this bug is, it’s really knocked me out.”

“With everything going on, you probably wore yourself out.”

She nodded and then reached for his hand. “I wanted to call you so many times. But I had to get my feelings sorted out first. Do you understand?”

Luke squeezed her hand. “Not fully, but we have time to work this all out. I just hope like hell you’ve got your feelings sorted out now. I don’t think I can be away from you any longer.”

“I have. I want you in my life.”

“That’s a huge relief. For a while now, I thought things were over.” He leaned closer to her. “I’d kiss you right now, but seeing as though you’re in the hospital for some mystery stomach bug, I think it’s best I wait until you’re better.” He kissed her palm.

“Probably best.”

“Do you mind if I step out for a moment? I had a call from work and I need to check in with them.”

“Oh, yeah, go. I’m fine here.” She released his hand, and he went through the door.

She let out a long, overdue sigh. This morning she was the weakest she had been yet. And the doctors said it was good he’d gotten her here. She was very dehydrated, as she had suspected. They were running a few tests to check some things, but felt confident that she could go home this afternoon. If it was only a stomach bug, they suspected it was sticking around a little longer from all the stress she’d been under. A few more days of rest and she’d be good as new—she hoped.

The door opened and the nurse who had been helping her came in, followed by a doctor.

“How are you feeling, Molly?” The doctor was looking at her file and then closed the folder.

“Better actually. Can I take this IV home with me?” She laughed lightly.

“Well, your test results came back in.” The doctor set the folder on the table at the end of the bed.

“OK, what are they?” She was nervous from the way the doctor and nurse were looking at her. Were they about to tell her she had some strange disease they’d never seen before? But that wouldn’t explain the nurse’s wide grin.

“There is no other way to tell you this.” He cleared his throat. “You’re pregnant.”

“What?” Had she heard him right? “I think you have someone else’s chart. I told you guys when I came in that I couldn’t be pregnant. I can’t have kids.”

The doctor picked up the chart again and looked it over a moment. He shrugged. “When was your last menstrual cycle?”

She stared at him. She never really kept up with it, but she usually circled the date in her calendar each month so she knew when to carry extra pads. “Can you hand me my purse?”

The nurse grabbed it from the chair and handed it to her. Molly scrolled through the calendar and saw she was late. “I’m two weeks late. But I don’t understand. I’ve been to fertility doctors and everything. My ex-husband and I tried for over a year. He’s having a baby with someone else now, so it had to be me. The doctors said I’m infertile. You’ve made a mistake.”

“Ms. Harper, I don’t know what to tell you other than when we ran your blood, it came back that you were pregnant. And seeing that you’re two weeks late, this makes sense. Have you been sexually active?”

“One time.”

“That’s all it takes.” The doctor said something to the nurse and then turned back to Molly. “Congratulations, Ms. Harper.”

After he left, the nurse checked her temperature again and told her she’d get the discharge papers going. She also said she’d get an appointment set up for in the morning at the OB/GYN so they could confirm the pregnancy. Molly was such a state of shock that she didn’t even notice Luke coming into the room again. When he came over to her and planted a kiss on her cheek, she knew he didn’t know yet—but she wasn’t ready to tell him. She was certain the doctor had made a big mistake and tomorrow she would receive the news, once again, that she was infertile.





Chapter Twenty-Two





“Good night. I love you.” He kissed Sammy’s cheek and then pulled the covers up high as he tucked him in for the night.

“Love you. Can I see Molly tomorrow? Maybe bring her some soup?”

He’d been asking all day since he’d gotten home from school. It seemed Molly was on both of their minds.

“I’m going to check on her in the morning, and then I’ll see.” He dimmed the light the way his son liked and left.

Something had happened to Molly when he left the room to check in with work. Before he left, she was all smiles. Things felt like they were on the right track. But when he returned, she was quiet and didn’t even look him in the face. The nurse gave her a card and said she had an appointment the next morning at nine. She had quickly shoved it into her purse.

Had she gotten some sort of news about her illness? He attempted to ask, but she shut him down. After she was discharged, he brought her home. He could tell by the look in her eyes she’d learned something, but she wasn’t opening up. She simply told him she was fine and he needed to take care of Sammy. Leaving was the last thing on his mind, but she basically ordered him out of the house.

Before he went home, he’d warmed up some soup for her and set it down on the coffee table. He hoped she ate it.

“I’ll call you in the morning,” he said before he left.

All she did was nod. And as he left, he figured whatever the news was the doctors gave her, it couldn’t be life-threatening or else they would’ve kept her for observation. He had overheard she had an appointment scheduled in the morning. He planned to be at her house by lunch. She wasn’t going to shut him out again. He’d let her have the ball long enough. It was time that he took the lead.



* * *





Molly felt silly sitting there in a paper dress. She hated those things. In all this time, no one had invented anything other than this itchy material that left no warmth in the ice-cold rooms. Her foul mood didn’t help. She hated that they were putting her through this. She’d peed in a cup, and they were running a pregnancy test. They also had that stupid ultrasound machine in the room.

She didn’t want to have her heart broken all over again. Hadn’t she been through enough this past year? This was her new beginning. She huffed. Some great new beginning. So far she’d been sick, and now some nut job of a doctor was claiming she was pregnant. This new life was crueler than the last.

Luke had wanted to come with her, but she didn’t have the heart to tell him what was going on. Why tell him that someone thought she was pregnant only to give him the news that she wasn’t? It would be heartbreaking enough for her. She didn’t want to drag him in as well.

She knew she had closed down yesterday and hurt him. But once this was over, she’d tell him why, and hopefully he would understand. He had to. Having a look back, though, she knew she didn’t want him to leave her again. They were going to move forward from this and see where life took them. She glanced up at the ceiling. Screw that life.