“AJ?”
Jerking my head up, I gazed across the full waiting room. Dodging the shocked expressions from the other women and men, I sought out Mia. Finally, I found her. She sat in a corner chair, gaping open-mouthed at me. “Hey babe,” I replied lamely.
As Mia’s brows shot up, the dude across from me snickered until his wife or girlfriend elbowed him in the ribs. Ignoring him, I somehow managed to pick one aching foot up and put it in front of the other to close the distance between Mia and me. It seemed like years before I collapsed down in the chair next to her.
“I can’t believe you made it.”
“Promised. I. Would,” I wheezed, wincing at the pain in my chest. When I opened my eyes, Mia, along with the rest of the waiting room, was staring expectantly at me. “Was afraid you’d already be done.”
“Well, normally I would’ve already been taken back, but the ultrasound technician is stuck in some horrible traffic caused by a wreck.”
I snorted thinking that I probably ran by his or her car on my way in. Mia reached over to grasp my hand in hers. “AJ, are you okay?”
“Just. Fine.”
As I continued sounding like I was hacking up a lung, Mia shook her head. “No offense, but you look like hell.”
I winced. “I meant to wear something nicer.”
She squeezed my hand. “Oh AJ, it’s not what you have on. I could care less how you’re dressed.”
“Really?” When she started to bob her head, I grinned and added, “You wouldn’t mind if I were nude?”
Instead of admonishing me, she actually giggled. “I don’t think you could have made any more of a scene nude than the way you just busted in here.”
“Yeah, sorry about that.”
She gave me a once over from head to toe and sighed. “I’m worried about you. Your face is beet red, you’re sweating profusely, and you’ve just caught your breath. You look like you just ran a marathon or something.”
“I sorta did.”
“Huh?”
Now that I had my breath fully back, I explained about the delayed flight, the ticket, then the police escort and finally about the traffic jam that had caused me to run the last half mile to the doctor’s office. Mia’s hand flew to cover her mouth as her eyes widened. “Oh AJ, you went through all of that for me?”
“Of course I did.”
Mia’s bottom lip trembled, and I could tell she was about to let loose crying. “I, um, I need to run to the bathroom again,” she said, as she rose out of her chair.
I slung both my arms over the backs of the chairs next to me. “I’ll be right here waiting for you.”
With a jerk of her head, she replied, “Okay, I’ll be right back.”
Feeling someone’s hot stare on me, I glanced up from the floor and over at the middle-aged woman directly across from me. Her shaking hands held the latest copy of Rolling Stone—the one our kick-ass PR firm had somehow managed to get us on. She appeared to be fanning herself because she kept pulling back the cover, staring at it, and then glancing at me.
Deciding to put her out of her misery, I ran a hand through my sweat-slick hair to smooth it down before giving her my most winning smile. “Yup, it’s me.”
Her eyes widened in astonishment. “I-uh,” she stammered.
“Nice to meet you.”
“Yeah,” she squeaked before burying her face back in the magazine.
Gazing around the waiting room, I surveyed the women of different ages and sizes of pregnancy, along with the ones who were there just for just routine checkups. My throat suddenly started closing up.
Holy shit. The realization that I now sat in an OB/GYN’s office where I was about to learn the sex of my first child crashed over me. My legs involuntarily started bouncing up and down on their own accord. I jerked my hands off the chairs and started wringing them over and over. I fought the urge to text Bray to tell him I was having another impending fatherhood breakdown. I’d had several of those over the past week after finding out that Mia was pregnant. Bray had talked me down from the ledge each and every time. Although they’d been married at the time, Jude had been a total surprise for Bray and Lily, and one that freaked the hell out of Bray at first. I mean, we were barely twenty-two and just starting to make a name for ourselves. It was hardly the best time to start a family.
My erratic heartbeat stilled a little at the sight of Mia exiting the bathroom. Her long, dark hair cascaded down her back—she had it down just like I loved it. Her dressy top was loose fitting and red—the color that made her dark eyes pop, and she even sported red heels with her black pants. Although I knew she probably thought she was as big as a house, her baby bump still wasn’t so pronounced. As she eased back down beside me, I couldn’t help reaching out and rubbing her tiny tummy. She froze at my touch.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, as I started to pull away.
Mia grabbed my hand in hers and placed it back over her belly. “No, I want you to feel the baby if you want to.” She smiled. “You just surprised me by wanting to, that’s all.”
Gently, I rubbed her stomach over her shirt. “Like I said before, I want to be a part of this child’s life.” I drew in a deep breath. “I want to be a part of your life if you’ll have me.”
Mia’s mouth made a perfect ‘O’ of surprise just as the waiting room door opened. “Mia Martinelli?” a nurse questioned. Snapping her mouth shut, Mia shot out of her chair. She fumbled for my hand before dragging me along behind her.
After we left the reception area, a nurse ushered Mia over to some scales. “Let’s get your weight,” the she instructed. When Mia stepped on, I started to look at the digital read out. “No, don’t look!” she hissed over her shoulder.
I held up my hands in mock surrender. “Okay, okay,” I muttered, stepping back. Once her weight was recorded and she was off the scales, I took a few tentative steps forward, I said, “You look absolutely beautiful to me.”
With a grin, the nurse patted my back. “Aren’t you a sweetheart?”
“Thanks,” I replied before winking at Mia. She rolled her eyes but smiled in spite of herself.
Out of nowhere, a young receptionist came bounding up to me. “Oh my God! It really is you. I almost didn’t believe the other girls when they said you were here.”
“Oh, um, hi,” I said, extending my hand. I was in unchartered territory considering I’d never been ambushed by a fan in an OB/GYN office.
“I’ve never missed seeing any your shows in Atlanta. In fact, my friends and I have even driven to some in Alabama and Tennessee. I’m that big of a fan.” Digging in the pockets of her scrubs, she pulled out a sharpie and thrust it at me. “I would like totally die of excitement if you would sign my boobs.”
When I dared to peek at Mia, she stood with her arms crossed over her chest, giving the bimbo a death glare. “I’ll be happy to sign anything but your boobs,” I said tightly.
She pouted as she turned around and swept her hair over her shoulder. “Will you sign the back of my scrubs then?”
I gave Mia an apologetic look to which she held up her hands. “Don’t mind me. I’m just here to see the gender of my unborn child. Excuse me, our unborn child.”
Yep, I was in serious trouble. Capping the sharpie, I tossed it back at the girl. “This is really not a good time.”
“Later then?” she pressed
“How about never!” Mia blared.
The nurse at Mia’s side stepped forward and gently shoved the girl back into the reception area. “Beth, please do not bother Ms. Martinelli and her guest anymore.”