For No Reason (The Camdyn Series Book 4)

by Christina Coryell

  “Who is that, exactly?” I laughed, stepping forward and relaxing against his chest while his arm stretched around my back.

  “The other half of me,” he said simply, resting his chin against the top of my head.

  “Why are you always so sweet?” I sighed. “I know you don’t mean it, though. If you honestly have no qualms about the thought of me parenting your child, you are in denial.”

  “You make it so easy to have confidence in you,” he complained sarcastically, holding me a little tighter.

  “Besides, I can’t even get as far as thinking about having a baby in the house, because my mind always gets trapped on the actual process of childbirth. I was in the delivery room with Trina. Those hours will haunt me for the rest of my life.”

  “You’re not being dramatic?”

  Leaning back, I took in his teasing grin and widened my eyes. “I couldn’t make that dramatic if I tried – the screaming, the moaning, the vice grip she had on my fingers – that was all very real. I don’t want to think about it right now, though. Today we might actually get to meet the doctor.”

  “Our first joint doctor visit,” he added with a smirk. “This could be very interesting.”

  -§-

  The nurse who didn’t much care for me had taken us to the room - that brown hair pulled so tight that I was surprised it wasn’t dragging the corners of her eyes back. Once again, she had no interest in making conversation with me, but Cole seemed to bring a little spark to life.

  For whatever unknown reason, as soon as she deposited us in an exam room, she disappeared. Cole promptly began pacing like he was in a cage. From one end of the room to the other he marched back and forth, while I sat silently observing him from my paper-covered perch. I casually remarked that there were magazines for him to peruse, or he could just sit and talk to me, but he persisted in acting unbelievably nervous.

  “What do you think this is for?” he asked, picking up a long clear textured tube.

  “How would I know? If you don’t know what it’s for, I wouldn’t pick it up. This is a gynecologist’s office, after all. There’s no telling what kind of tools are in here.”

  His hand released that tube in near record-breaking fashion. “That’s ridiculous,” he said, but crossed straight over to the sink and washed his hands. I hadn’t given much thought to the idea that a joint doctor visit could be awkward, but it was turning out to be quite uncomfortable.

  “Why don’t you sit down for a minute?” I suggested as he pulled brown paper towels from the dispenser above the sink.

  “I can’t,” he informed me quietly. “I can feel myself getting sick just being in here. My throat is closing up, and my sinuses are bothering me.”

  “The room’s not making you sick, Cole.”

  “How do you know? You have no idea who has been in here today.”

  “It’s an exam room for pregnant women, not infectious diseases. You’re not going to catch anything simply by sitting in a chair.”

  Rubbing his forehead, he seemed slightly perplexed for a brief second before he lowered himself on a rolling stool, spinning it around a couple times. When he began sliding himself back and forth across the floor, I glanced guiltily at the door.

  Great. I walked in here with my husband and I’m leaving with a hypochondriac adolescent.

  “Is something bothering you?” I asked in a whisper. He stopped rolling as he passed some sort of machine and began fiddling with its attachments.

  “No, why do you ask?” He picked up a long round attachment and began studying it, rolling it around his hand and down his arm.

  “You realize that probably touches people,” I hissed, causing him to drop it and slide quickly away from the machine.

  “That is so disgusting!” he muttered, heading for the sink again. “What’s taking so long? I’m starting to feel queasy.”

  “You are never going to make it in the delivery room.” Ripping a couple more towels out of the dispenser, he gave me a smirk from across the room.

  “Alright, Camdyn,” the nurse stated as she opened the door, suddenly very friendly. She shot Cole a smile as she closed the door, and her change in attitude was impossible to ignore. Also hard to look past was the fact that she had dropped her hair around her shoulders, and she was now sporting pink sparkly lip gloss on those smiling lips. I desperately tried to catch Cole’s eye so I could mentally signal him about her change in appearance, but he was momentarily distracted.

  “How have you been feeling?” she wanted to know.

  “Miserable,” I mumbled. “I’m so ready for the first trimester to be over.”

  “I’m sure you are, too,” she said sweetly. Looking up at her, I saw her staring blatantly at Cole, and I fought the urge to gasp at her obvious flirtation.

  “I’m not as uncomfortable as Camdyn,” Cole assured her, rising from that rolling stool and planting himself in a chair like a normal person.

  “I would certainly hope not,” the nurse added with a laugh, tossing her hair over her shoulder. That action caused me to blink in disbelief, and my eyes immediately shot to Cole, who didn’t seem to notice anything amiss. She began going about her business of taking my blood pressure, all the while ignoring me and peppering my husband with questions. Within merely a few seconds, I learned that her name was Janet, she was newly single, and she had worked for Dr. McCavin three years. Suddenly Debbie Downer was Chatty Kathy, and I didn’t appreciate it one bit.

  “You’ll be happy to know that my bladder’s full today,” I blurted, interrupting her flirt session.

  “Um, okay.” She giggled as though I was a bit ridiculous. “I guess we can do a test then, since you’re so insistent.” After she breathed those slightly condescending words, she turned to Cole and her left eyelid ever so slightly bopped up and down, her eyelashes fluttering as she gazed at him.

  She just winked at my husband.

  Standing up, I moved to the door and prepared to head to the restroom, but I turned and paused before walking into the hallway. “Aren’t you leaving the room?” Janet shot me a startled look, as though she had forgotten my very existence, and shrugged.

  “I’ll just wait here until you get back.”

  Sure, flirty nurse. You just stay here with Cole while I pee in a cup. Ugh.

  I’m sure I’ve never done my business faster than I did in that clinic restroom, with the exception of the time we went camping and I did my business in the bushes. The clinic was probably a bit faster, though, because there was no nurse at the campsite trying to hit on my man. When I returned to the room rather quickly, I found her leaning against the counter listening to Cole talk about fixing a leak.

  Wow, Janet the flirt, nicely done. Pretending you’re interested in plumbing. Pathetic.

  “I’m back, so what’s next?” Interrupting was definitely a rude trait, and my grandmother had certainly raised me not to do that, but Janet deserved it a bit.

  “Oh, well, I guess I’ll get Dr. McCavin,” she said with a sigh, peeling herself away from that counter. She gave Cole a parting glance as she left the room, and I widened my eyes as I stared at him. The minute the door clicked closed, I began shaking my head at him.

  “You’re just going to sit there and let that nurse flirt with you, right in front of me?”

  He wrinkled his forehead a bit when he looked up at me. “What are you talking about?”

  “Oh, please,” I moaned, climbing back up on that paper-lined exam table, “don’t pretend you didn’t notice.”

  “She was being kind of friendly.”

  “She wouldn’t even pretend to be nice to me last time.”

  “Don’t overreact,” he said with a smile, but I knew he was making light of it just to appease me. Either way, our discussion was cut short, because about that time there was a slight knock at the door and it swung open a bit, revealing a tall, athletic-looking man who appeared to be in his mid-40’s. He stepped forward with my chart in his hand, a pleasant smile lighting up his
rather handsome face.

  “I’m Dr. Craig McCavin,” he said, extending his hand first to me, and then to Cole. “It’s nice to meet you both, Mr. and Mrs. Parker. You’re about twelve weeks, according to your records. How are you feeling?”

  “I’ve been better,” I stated simply, giving a slight smile. He started talking about common pregnancy symptoms, and I nodded politely as he talked, although I’d read most of it while I was researching the passion fruit’s size.

  Meh, passion fruit’s weird, too. There goes my clever fruit nickname pattern.

  “I’m sure none of that interests you in the least, because you’re thinking about hearing the baby’s heartbeat,” he finally laughed, motioning for me to lie back on the table. “This is your first baby?”

  “Yes,” I answered quietly, suddenly feeling very anxious. Cole rose from his chair and stepped up to the table, standing next to me. Dr. McCavin was quick to inform him that there was nothing to worry about, but I knew he was just pressing toward me because he was so excited.

  The gel was cold against my abdomen, and I flinched when it touched my skin, because I hadn’t expected the temperature. Cole’s fingers slid into mine, and I glanced up at him to find him smiling down at me, nothing but love shining in his eyes. For a second I wondered if Dr. McCavin would be able to hear my own heartbeat with that monitor, because I was fairly certain it was pounding harder than normal.

  A whirring sound came to my ears, almost like the sound of ocean waves rolling across the sand. The strange noise was enough to cause me to furrow my brow in surprise as I stared at Cole, who responded by merely lifting his eyebrows to express his own uncertainty. The static-filled shushing continued as the doctor smoothed the gel across my abdomen, gently gliding from one side to the other in a rhythm. Then, suddenly the room was full of a tapping sound, faster than I expected, but loud and strong. The rat-a-tat-tat pounded like a drum beat, and it almost seemed to echo off the walls. Cole’s fingers tightened around mine, and I laughed quietly as I looked at him.

  “That sounds really fast,” Cole stated, looking at Dr. McCavin.

  “Perfectly normal,” he assured us, allowing us to listen for a little while longer.

  The sound of that heart beating penetrated my soul immediately in a way I hadn’t expected, and tears sprung to my eyes. That was my baby’s heartbeat filling the air, like a gift from heaven settling upon us in that exam room. I felt a drop of moisture begin to trail from the corner of my eye and slide onto my cheek, and I inhaled sharply as the enormity of the moment hit me. In a matter of a few simple seconds, I knew that my life would never be the same, because my heart was instantly filled with a new love that was both strange and thrilling.

  I was going to be a mother.

  “You okay?” Cole whispered, gazing into my eyes.

  “We’re going to have a baby,” I stated incredulously, managing a slight laugh. Dr. McCavin began wiping away the gel from my abdomen, and the mysteriously lovely beating sound had been silenced, but it was still hanging in the air between us as Cole and I looked at one another in wonder. He placed his hand under my shoulder to help me sit up, and I couldn’t help but notice that he left it there even after I was sitting erect.

  “That was pretty phenomenal,” he breathed quietly, smiling down at me.

  “I know,” I whispered. “I think I can safely say that I will be dwelling upon that for a long time.”

  “Everything looks great,” Dr. McCavin confirmed, breaking into our magical moment. “When you come back in four weeks, we’ll continue to monitor your progress.”

  “Thank you,” I said in a hushed voice.

  “And if you wait just a second, I’ll have Janet come around. I’d like to see you in my office, if you don’t mind.”

  He didn’t bother waiting for an answer, and as soon as he closed the door, I shot Cole a puzzled look. Exactly why would the doctor want to see us in his office?

  He wants to confirm the thing about the shoes, Camdyn. He saw your totally cute yellow ballet flats and he feels the need to break it to you gently, in case you dissolve into tears.

  Before I had the chance to ask Cole what he thought that was about, and hear him tell me that my shoe theory was preposterous, Janet reappeared, all smiles and obviously happy to be allowed another interaction with my husband. She led us into the hallway, glancing back every couple seconds to make sure Cole was still as stunning as she remembered. (I’m sure she would have said she was just making sure we didn’t get lost in those corridors, but I knew the truth.) A few steps from the end of the second hall, she opened a door and stepped aside.

  “You can wait for Dr. McCavin in here,” she gestured.

  A large desk sat at one end, with two green upholstered armchairs and a matching loveseat along the wall. Two ferns were perched in the corners, and a smaller version of the waterfall in the waiting area was along the back wall. Either Dr. McCavin loved the sound of running water, or he must have used it for a relaxation technique – like a never-ending noise machine.

  “I’ve never been in an actual doctor’s office before,” remarked Cole.

  “Well, there aren’t any germs in here, so you can sit down.” He shot me a smirk before he sat in one of those armchairs, propping his right ankle casually on his left knee and leaning back as though he were completely at ease. About the time I began to sit, there was a rap on the door, and it swung wide open. Seeing Dr. McCavin, I couldn’t help but think that it was slightly funny to knock on the door to one’s own office. It would be a bit like ringing the doorbell upon entering one’s own house.

  “Sorry about the disarray,” he stated casually, pointing to his desk, where there were maybe five or six papers strewn about. If he called that disarray, he had obviously not ever seen my brother Charlie’s bedroom. “I’m sure you’re wondering why I wanted to see you in my office. The truth is, I just didn’t want to make things uncomfortable in the exam room.” He lowered himself onto the love seat, and my heart dropped into my stomach.

  What could he possibly mean, uncomfortable? It must be the shoes after all.

  Or, it could be that flirty nurse. Janet said something about Cole, didn’t she? He’s had to fire her for overtly flirting with a patient’s husband. She should have known better, really. I suppose it serves her right.

  “I know this is all very awkward, but…” Dr. McCavin began, leaning forward and placing his elbows on his knees, “…the truth is, my wife and I are huge fans. We saw you on Jamie Price, and she bought your new book the minute it was available. I might not have realized who you were, but when I saw the two of you in the room together, and I had already seen your name was Camdyn…”

  “Oh,” I stated stupidly, completely taken by surprise.

  “This is all very untoward, isn’t it? If I’m being a nuisance in any way, please tell me so.”

  Cole glanced at me with a slight smile, and I averted my eyes as I returned my attention to Dr. McCavin.

  My obstetrician is celebrity stalking me. This is completely bizarre.

  “Um, thanks, Dr. McCavin,” I muttered, linking my hands together in my lap.

  “You can call me Craig.”

  No, I can’t. I really can’t.

  “Thank you, I’m very flattered.” Clearing my throat, I made an attempt to act relatively normal. “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m still not accustomed to having people recognize me. I’m afraid I haven’t had much experience with this kind of thing.”

  “Well, neither have I,” he assured us with a chuckle. “I’m sorry if I’m making you uncomfortable.”

  “It’s fine, really,” I tried to reassure him, even though it really wasn’t fine. I absolutely did not want anyone who might be witnessing some of my worst moments in that delivery room to be a self-described fan. Honestly, I would rather he didn’t know who I was at all.

  “I can’t believe how fortuitous it is that you wound up here, in my clinic,” he continued. “I would say it is a marvelous coinciden
ce, but I know from your last book that you don’t believe in coincidence.”

  Can’t be happening. I am mortified.

  “So, it must be fate,” the doctor rattled on, undeterred. “I sincerely wish I had your book here to sign, but unfortunately I don’t today. Maybe next time.”

  “Of course,” I answered, rising from my chair. “Next time I’d be happy to autograph your book.”

  “Could we get a picture, though? Just so my wife will believe you were really here? She’s going to be so thrilled.”

  “Um, sure…” I mumbled, more because I couldn’t think of a way to politely turn him down than because I wanted to accept the proposition. Moving toward the center of the room, I waited awkwardly while he handed Cole his phone, positioning himself next to me with his arm around my shoulders. A few short seconds and Cole was handing the phone back, glancing at me as though he would love to bust out laughing, and I was making my excuses to Dr. McCavin.

  …sure you have patients to see…lovely meeting you…tell your wife hello…

  Cole and I strolled through the front doors to the lobby and past the waterfall, where I stopped to make my next appointment and then followed him out toward the elevator. The minute we were out of earshot, he let the laughter pour forth, and I smiled timidly as I pushed the button marked with a downward-pointing arrow.

  “I can see this being a very awkward delivery,” he managed to squeeze through his laughter. “We might have to set up a paparazzi watch. Of course, we would have to limit access to the doctor, so that might make things a little difficult.”

  “Please don’t make this any weirder than it already is. I don’t know if I can continue this journey with our buddy Craig.”

  “You can’t dump him now, knowing that he’s your fan,” Cole stated nonchalantly. “Think of the bad publicity that could bring you.”

  “I knew I should have kept the pen name,” I lamented, watching as the elevator doors opened. “He’s not going to want to take pictures in the delivery room, I hope! What a nightmare.”

  The doors to the elevator met and I felt the familiar jolt of the sudden descent, giving me a split-second queasiness in the pit of my stomach. It disappeared as quickly as it came, however, and I glanced up into those eyes that read me so well. “At least I’m fairly certain we won’t have that nurse at the hospital. I couldn’t believe the way she came back in the room with her hair down and that lip gloss on.”