The Cowboy’s Mistake

by Jackson, Mary Sue

  She drew herself up to her full height. “Wow, Gina. Are you blind or just stupid? I’m not fat, I’m pregnant.” She let the revelation hang in the air between them and delighted in the way Gina’s smile slid off her face and embarrassment replaced it.

  “You know…” Charity looked at her thoughtfully, letting her gaze travel down to Gina’s toes and back to the top of her head. “You’re just as nasty as you were back in high school.”

  At that moment, a man strode into the lobby from a narrow side hallway. “Stopped for the restroom.” He placed his hand on Gina’s lower back. “Did you run into some friends?”

  Charity looked him right in the eye. “Run while you still can.”

  “What?” The man glanced down at Gina, an awkward smile coming across his face. “This is our first date. We had a perfectly nice dinner.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Charity frowned. “How’d she treat the waitress? Better than she’s just treated me, I hope. Giving diet advice to pregnant women is usually considered pretty rude.”

  The look on his face changed, and he cut a glance toward Gina as if he was seeing her for the first time. The air around them chilled. He dropped his hand from Gina’s back and shifted his body away. “Come on, Gina. I’ll give you a ride home.”

  He turned and left without a backward glance.

  Gina was clearly stunned. She opened her mouth, then shut it again and whirled around, calling after him in a frantic voice.

  That felt good.

  That felt really good.

  Trey put his arm around Charity. “You’re incredible.”

  “Your table is ready,” said the hostess from behind them.

  “Time to celebrate.”

  “Celebrate what?” Charity laughed as the hostess led them to a table for two in a quiet back corner of the restaurant.

  “How proud I am of you.” Trey’s eyes were locked on her face, and they were shining with pride.

  “I’m proud of you, too. I could tell you wanted to step in and defend me, but you held back so I wouldn’t think you were overstepping.”

  “You’re strong enough to stand up for yourself.” Trey reached for her hand across the table. “I know you’re all grown up.”

  Charity laughed. “I’m sorry—I…I know you’re being so sweet, but you have to know that I grew up a long time ago.”

  “I did know that.” An amused smile curled Trey’s mouth. “I’ve known that since you were in the eleventh grade.”

  That—that was a revelation.

  “Since you came home from that camp, and you were…someone new. Someone totally irresistible.”

  Now Charity’s heart was pounding. It was like a light had gone on, illuminating a part of her past that she had never seen that way before. She’d come back from camp knowing that she was in control of her own destiny. And she’d known with absolute certainty that Trey Cantor would never see her for anything but Austin’s younger sister. She’d made it a point not to notice him that summer.

  “But why—” Her throat went tight. “Why did you wait so long to say anything?”

  “Because I had an insane crush on you. Clearly. And it was insane. We both thought so at the beginning of all this.”

  “I felt the same. The whole time. Only I tried my best to ignore it.”

  Trey shook his head. “I thought that never acting on it would make it disappear. Only…most of me didn’t want it to disappear. I only wanted to avoid disappointing your family. And pissing off Austin.” He cleared his throat. “All of you mean so much to me. But you mean more. You mean everything. Even though I still might be wrong for you. I don’t have the kind of family that—I don’t have any family."

  Charity tugged Trey’s hand farther across the table and brought her knuckles to her lips. “You have to be quiet now.”

  He laughed, a low sound. “Why?”

  “You—you just have to.” Bringing up his family—that was rare for Trey. He’d never said something so nakedly vulnerable to her before, and it broke her heart. “I don’t think less of you because your family…isn’t here.”

  “I’m just one man. And all I have to offer is—”

  “Shh.” She put her palm to his face, then kissed the lines there. He watched her, eyebrows raised.

  He couldn’t keep speaking, because she wasn’t ready for what was going to come next.

  He was going to say that he loved her, and if he said that…everything would change. Charity could feel the change coming like a storm on the horizon, and she wanted it to hold off for a little while. Saying that he loved her would bring up a whole new set of expectations for their relationship. For both of them. And things were complicated enough already.

  Part of Charity wanted desperately to hear that Trey loved her. She had always wanted Trey to say that he loved her, ever since he started hanging around the house. Back then, she’d been too young to know that what she was feeling was anything other than a crush. Puppy love. But it had never gone away. And if he admitted it, and she admitted it, did that mean that marriage was inevitable?

  Charity knew she wasn’t going to marry a man if it wasn’t for love, not even if she was carrying his twins. But…things were different if Trey had fallen in love with her. If they were both in love, how could she possibly reject him? And yet, part of her—the part of her that had broken when he’d called their night together a mistake—was afraid to count on his love.

  It was too much to think about before they’d eaten.

  “Charity?”

  “Yeah?”

  “You’re holding my hand really, really tightly.”

  She managed a shaky smile across the table at him, then stood slightly from her seat so she could lean over the table. He met her halfway and kissed her just long enough for everything in her to become a warm pleasure that spread through every inch of her.

  It was that kiss that she thought about the entire time they ate dinner, chatting about nothing in particular. But Charity couldn’t take her eyes off Trey’s face. She was desperate for his mouth on hers, and not in a way that would be even remotely appropriate in public.

  They were practically silent as they rode back from dinner, the atmosphere in Trey’s truck crackling with tension. He did not let go of her hand all the way up to the hotel room, and as soon as the door shut behind them, he took her in his arms and kissed her. Charity felt his heart in the kiss, and she felt like she was flying when he lifted her to the bed, took her clothes off, and kissed her some more until she was a molten puddle on top of the bed.

  Trey was silent as he spread her legs and entered her in one powerful thrust. But as she curled around him, all of her nerves alive with the closeness of him, she felt all the love and warmth she ever could have wished for.

  Maybe she’d get her happily ever after in the end.

  Maybe it would be with Trey.

  Twenty-Three

  It was easy to feel positive when he’d spent the night in a hotel room with Charity, even if they’d missed some sleep. If Trey was honest, they’d missed quite a bit of sleep. He hadn’t planned on keeping her up late, but something happened after their clothes came off. Time lost all meaning. All he cared about was Charity. Trey found himself completely focused on the little noises she made when he did something she liked, the way she stretched her arms above her head, the way her hair spilled out over the pillowcase…

  All of it.

  He was still humming with it the next morning as Charity dried her hair in the bathroom. They’d showered together, which had very nearly turned into more sex.

  “Afterward,” Charity had whispered into his ear.

  “Afterward,” he agreed.

  But then she’d frowned, her pretty face the picture of disappointment. “But we’ll probably only have a little time, since checkout is at noon.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Let’s just get dressed before I lose all control.”

  “Oooh, losing control,” Charity teased. “Sounds hot. Maybe you should
prove—”

  He kissed her before she could get that last word out. If she dared him to prove it, there was no way he could resist.

  Charity poked her head out of the bathroom. “You ready to go?”

  “I’ve been ready.” He sat up from his spot on the loveseat and went to the door, but it was another couple of minutes before Charity emerged from the bathroom.

  “Where are my shoes?”

  “Over here.” He held her waist while she stepped into her flats.

  “So gallant,” she teased.

  “Let’s get to this appointment.”

  At the medical center, they hardly had any wait before being called back to meet with Dr. Atkins, the specialist. His nurse went over the details of their file with them, then bustled out with a smile, saying the doctor would be right in.

  “What do you think he’s—” Charity asked Trey. But she never got to finish the question, because Dr. Atkins came in on a burst of good humor.

  “Good morning,” he boomed. He came over to where Charity sat on the exam table, with Trey next to her, and shook both their hands. “I’m Dr. Atkins, but you should call me Tex. Everyone does.”

  All…right. That was a little bit weird for a doctor, but it wasn’t like Trey could ask Charity what she thought while Dr. Atkins was still in the room.

  “What I’d like to do first off is take an ultrasound. That’ll give us a starting point for our discussion.”

  “Sounds good.” Charity lay back on the table, rearranging her clothes. Trey wasn’t so sure. Maybe they should find another specialist—one who didn’t insist on being called Tex. That was weird, wasn’t it? But before he could find the words to politely end the appointment, Dr. Atkins had dimmed the lights and was already pressing the wand into Charity’s belly.

  His movements were far brisker and somehow more confident than Dr. Rosario’s. Trey had never noticed a difference until this moment. It wasn’t as if he had a lot to compare it to. But he felt himself drawing closer to the screen. There they were—his daughters. Right there on the screen. His heart beat faster. It was a miracle, every time he saw them. Trey’s throat tightened.

  Dr. Atkins turned on the sound for the machine, and together the three of them listened to the babies’ heartbeats.

  By the time he turned the sound off, Trey was standing up tall. That was it, right? What else could they possibly need to see? They were clearly perfect. Perfect in every way.

  But Dr. Atkins wasn’t done. He brought the wand back across Charity’s belly.

  “Have you had any shortness of breath?”

  Charity was still watching the screen. “Um…yes. A little bit, here and there. I thought it was mostly because there are two babies.”

  “When did you feel short of breath?” Trey asked softly. He was a little hurt that she hadn’t told him.

  She squeezed his hand, looking a little guilty. “It’s come and gone while I’ve been working. I didn’t ever think to mention it.” Charity dropped her voice. “I wasn’t trying to exclude you.”

  “It’s all right.”

  Dr. Atkins was focused on the screen. “I’m concerned about the amount of amniotic fluid in Baby A’s sac. I think the next step is to reduce it slightly.”

  “Reduce it? How do you go about doing that?”

  Dr. Atkins checked a few more things with the ultrasound wand, then gave Charity a towel before he gradually brought up the lights. “I’d reduce the fluid using amino-reduction via amniocentesis. I’d insert a needle through the uterus and draw it out.”

  Charity was sitting up now, looking concerned. “A needle? Isn’t that a little risky?”

  “Yeah,” Trey agreed. “How do we know this is the best course of action?”

  Dr. Atkins sat back on his stool and considered them. “There are a couple of different options. There are medications we can prescribe to decrease fetal urine production, but I’d be concerned about using those with a multiple pregnancy. Decreasing the fluid via medication could result in further complications for Baby B.”

  “Where’d you go to school, again?”

  “Trey,” Charity chided.

  “It’s perfectly all right,” Dr. Atkins said with a laugh. “I know it seems informal, asking you to call me Tex. But I deal with a lot of complicated situations in this office, and sometimes it helps parents feel more at ease. If it helps, I went to Harvard Medical School.”

  Trey laughed out loud, out of relief more than anything. “Harvard, huh?”

  “Yes,” Dr. Atkins said, but then his expression shifted. “In all seriousness, I’m bringing all my medical experience to bear when I suggest the amnio reduction. I think it will result in the best outcome for both babies, and for you, Charity. But if you’d like to get a second opinion, you’re absolutely within your rights to do that.”

  Charity looked at Trey, and with a shock he realized that she was consulting him. If he said no, right now, he got the sense that she’d listen.

  “It’s up to you,” he said softly.

  “I think we should do it.” She still hadn’t looked at Dr. Atkins. “But if you want to consult with somebody else, then I’ll go with you.”

  “Dr. Rosario recommended Dr. Atkins,” he said. “I didn’t ask her for any other recommendations.”

  “Do you trust her?”

  It was an intimate conversation to be having in front of a stranger, but Dr. Atkins didn’t seem to mind at all. He sat on the stool, going through information in their file while they made a decision.

  “Yes,” Trey decided. “I do. I’ve trusted her most of my life, so I don’t see why right now should be any different. I just—”

  “I know,” Charity said. “It’s a lot.” Then she turned to Dr. Atkins. “Can you do the procedure today? Right now?”

  “Yes,” he answered simply. “I’ll bring in the nurse, and we can have it done in the next half hour.”

  Charity gave him a crisp nod, and that set everything in motion. Dr. Atkins stayed to go over a few other things in their file with them, then went out to get the nurse.

  When they were alone, Charity let out a deep breath. “I’m nervous. A needle?”

  Trey tried not to let on that the thought of it made him more than a little lightheaded. “Everything will be all right. He said they’ll use numbing cream, so—”

  “I’ll probably still feel it,” Charity fretted. “And what if something goes wrong?”

  “It won’t.” They had to go on trust. There was no other option at this point. They could worry over every single one of the details, or they could do what needed to be done so that Charity and the babies would be safer and more comfortable. Trey also had the feeling that this would be one of the easier decisions as far as parenthood went. It was just getting started. “Just try to relax. I know that sounds stupid, but maybe…”

  Dr. Atkins came back in with the nurse and a raft of forms to sign. Charity was a good sport about it. “Are you sure you’re qualified to do this?” She said it lightly, jokingly, but Dr. Atkins reached forward and patted her hand.

  “I can assure you that this procedure will have my full concentration, and that I’ve done it many times before. There are never any guarantees in medicine, but I’ll do my very best to make sure everything goes according to plan.”

  That seemed to comfort Charity, and before Trey knew it, it was time for her to lay back on the table. Dr. Atkins explained that he would use the ultrasound machine to guide him for the procedure. The nurse stood by the tray of medical equipment. Charity had changed into a gown while they were out of the room, and the nurse helped her fold it back so that her belly was exposed.

  She looked so vulnerable like that, but she also looked…brave. She stayed focused on the images on the ultrasound machine and followed along as Dr. Atkins rubbed the numbing cream onto her belly and waited for it to take effect.

  Then it was time.

  He located Baby A on the ultrasound machine, then double-checked with the nurse to
be absolutely sure his placement was correct.

  Trey held Charity’s hand and found that he could not look at the needle.

  He’d glanced at it but he knew that if he watched it going into her skin, he would think of this moment always. His heart was in his throat, but Charity looked calm. She closed her eyes and waited.

  “I’m going to insert the needle now, Charity,” Dr. Atkins said.

  It was over in less than a minute.

  Trey felt like he’d been holding his breath the entire time, and then…it was just done. The nurse turned up the lights, and Charity sat up carefully. The mood in the room had lifted. It was like they could all breathe again.

  “Now’s where you come in,” Dr. Atkins said to Trey.

  “Me?”

  “Yes. You need to make sure she rests for at least twenty-four hours. And no hanky panky.”

  “No problem,” said Trey.

  “Wait. What does that mean, hanky panky?”

  Dr. Atkins raised his eyebrows. “No sex, Ms. Miller. Not for twenty-four hours. I’m sure you’ll be able to get through it.”

  She rolled her eyes, blushing. “It’s not me who’ll have the trouble. Trey has a tendency to…overthink restrictions. I don’t want to reach thirty-six hours and still be debating whether—still be debating,” she finished.

  That was the moment Trey knew Dr. Atkins was a true professional, because he didn’t even laugh. He confirmed that twenty-four hours meant twenty-four hours and gave them a quick rundown of what to expect. Light spotting was normal with this kind of procedure, and so on. Then he shook both of their hands, let them know they should schedule a follow-up appointment with the receptionist, and sent them on their way.

  The door shut behind him, and Trey and Charity were alone.

  “All right,” said Charity. “Help me down, and we can…I don’t know. Get brunch? Get lunch? Go back to the hotel?” Despite her bravery, she did look a little tired.

  “The hotel sounds good to me.”

  He held her hand all the way out to the truck.