Everything was going great. So, of course, she was terrified something would be wrong with the baby. It was their first appointment, and she was a nervous wreck.
“It’s going to be fine, honey.” Dade reassuringly squeezed her hand.
She made a face. “How do you know? What if our baby doesn’t have a heartbeat or looks deformed?”
“I think right now, it’s supposed to look like a sea monkey.”
She smacked him on the shoulder.
“Ow!” He rubbed his shoulder, grinning. “It will be fine, Lizzy. Stop worrying.”
Easy for him to say. But she saw the worry lines around his mouth as he put on a smile to help keep her calm. God, she loved this man. How could she have ever been stupid enough to let him go?
The door opened and the doctor came into the room. Her heartbeat sped up as a kind looking woman with graying hair gave them a warm smile.
“Ms. Hayworth?”
“Yes, call me Lizzy, and this is Dade.”
The doctor nodded with a smile then went to the sink to wash her hands. “I’m Dr. Barnes. Just lie back on the table, and we’ll take a look at your baby.”
Taking a deep, calming breath, she laid back on the small, uncomfortable exam table. Dr. Barnes put on some latex gloves then wheeled over a stand that held some crazy TV looking thing. She draped a sheet over Lizzy’s lower half then pulled up her gown to reveal her belly. Grabbing a tube of blue gel, the doctor squirted it on her stomach. Lizzy sucked in a sharp breath at the shock of the chilly substance covering her belly.
“Sorry,” Dr. Barnes apologized. “It’s a bit cold. Now, let’s see.”
She grabbed a wand-like tool attached to the TV unit and pressed it to Lizzy’s stomach, moving it this way and that while watching the screen.
“Ah, there you are.”
Lizzy shot her gaze to the screen.
There what is?
She couldn’t see anything on that fuzzy blob image.
“Right there.” The doctor pointed to a tiny little bean-like object. “There’s your baby. And there’s the heartbeat. Everything looks great. We’re just going to take some measurements, and you two can go start getting the nursery ready for junior.”
Smiling through her tears of joy, she turned to Dade, surprised to see tears streaming down his face as well.
“That’s our baby,” he said with wonder.
“That’s our baby.”
Dr. Barnes finished up, congratulated them, and left so Lizzy could clean up. Dade grabbed the tissues from her, wiping the remnants of goo from her stomach. She held on to the sonogram picture the doctor had given her, staring at the tiny image that already took up such a big place in her heart.
“I know we’ve been talking about it, but I want to make it official.”
She glanced up from the photo to see Dade had finished cleaning her up and was now kneeling before her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box. Opening it, she saw a beautiful diamond ring.
“Will you make me even happier than you already do every day by agreeing to become my wife?”
So much joy filled her, she was afraid she’d burst from it. “Yes, of course!”
He rose, kissing her soundly before slipping the ring on her finger.
She laughed. “Maggie and I have been talking about having a double wedding.”
“Sounds perazing,” he said with a smile.
She giggled. “That’s not a word.”
“It should be.” He leaned close, nuzzling her ear. “It’s perfect and amazing. Just like you.”
“I love you, Dade.” She wrapped her arms around him.
He returned the embrace, placing a hand on her stomach. “I love you, too. Both of you.”
Life was good. She had a job she loved, friends who cared about her, a healthy baby on the way, and most importantly, a man who loved her for all she was. What more could a girl ask for?
“Let’s get some Chocolate Mint Madness cupcakes on the way home,” she said as they headed out the door.
Well, a girl always needs more cupcakes.
Read the first of Mariah Ankenman’s Peak Town, Colorado series from The Wild Rose Press, Inc., with Maggie and Colton’s story…
LOVE ON THE SWEET SIDE
Maggie Evans is back in Peak Town, Colorado to take over her grandmother’s cupcake shop, but problems keep arising. Is it rotten luck…or something more nefarious? To top it off, her former best friend/childhood crush, Colton Denning, won’t leave her alone. He’s sexier than ever. But Maggie has no time for love.
When his best friend comes back into town all grown up, Colton finds his feelings for her go far beyond friendship. Unfortunately, the pretty baker only sees him as the town playboy. He plans to convince her otherwise, but may not get the chance when someone starts threatening Maggie’s life.
Whether she likes it or not, Colton plans to take her safety into his own hands. How will Maggie keep her shop afloat with a madman after her? More importantly, how will she keep her heart intact when Colton admits her safety isn’t the only thing he wants in his hands?
A word about the author…
Mariah began writing at the tender age of five. Her first book, George and the Green Glob, received high praise from her mother. Many years and green glob stories later, Mariah received a playwriting degree from the University of Wyoming. After a few years in Hollywood, working in “the biz,” she came home to the beautiful Rocky Mountains. When she’s not writing Mariah loves to read, crochet, and play her ukulele. She loves to hear from readers.
www.mariahankenman.com
Twitter @MAsbooks
www.facebook.com/mariahankenmanauthor/
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Love on the Wild Side Page 21
