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“You’re beautiful.” He smiled.
“No, seriously, because I feel like I have snot for brains.”
He chuckled. “You look like you need a new nose.” He brushed her hair from the side of her face. “But that doesn’t change how much I love you.”
“You can bring me flowers in the hospital this time.”
“Is that all I’m gonna get?”
“I love you, too, Keaton Cole.”
“Wow. My whole, entire name.”
“Because I love you with my whole heart.” She closed her eyes and wished for this ride to be over and to be at the hospital. As much as she enjoyed all of this with him, her body hurt. And it hurt a lot.
The following morning,Trinity stared into the mirror. She looked like a horror show. If she wanted one, it would be six months or so before she could get a nose job. That all depended on how crooked this thing ended up. Right now, it was the swelling and bruising that made it look so damn ugly. But it could have been worse.
She could have been dead.
Or Keaton.
Watching his body fly backward after Mallary pulled the trigger had been one of the most horrifying experiences, only second to when her father had been shot.
Knock. Knock.
“Come in.” Trinity stepped from the hospital bathroom and padded back to the hospital bed. She’d forced Keaton to go with his friends down to the cafeteria and eat some real food with the understanding he’d bring her back a milkshake.
There was something to those milkshakes that Hayes was constantly slurping on.
“Good afternoon, Trinity,” Emily said with a sheepish grin.
Trinity had always thought one of the reasons she’d gotten such good care the last time she’d stayed in this place had been because her dad had money, not because he had a freaking girlfriend.
As in Doctor Emily Sprouse, of all people.
She couldn’t believe her old man had kept that juicy piece of news from her, but she supposed he did so because Trinity could be a pain in the butt.
And Emily was younger. But she was so sweet and kind, and Trinity was thrilled for her dad.
“Are we here on official doctor duty or as my dad’s girlfriend?” Trinity winked, and the effort hurt, but it was worth it to see Emily blush.
“I’m so sorry we kept our relationship from you.” Emily sat on the edge of the bed. “He wanted to tell you, but I was worried. He kept telling me that you’d accept me and that our age difference, which is barely ten years, wouldn’t bother you, but it being so new, I wanted to?—”
“Emily, it’s fine. I get it. I do. You’re a private person, and I respect that. I do accept you. I think you’re good for my dad. He adores you, and it’s obvious you care about him.”
Emily smiled and nodded. “I do. I never thought I could feel this deeply about anyone. But he’s so special.” She cleared her throat. “However, I’m here right now as your doctor, and I have a bit of a touchy, personal matter to discuss with you.”
Trinity stiffened. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
“It’s not bad. It’s just that I wouldn’t want to discuss this in front of anyone but the patient, and Keaton wouldn’t leave your side—all night.”
“Now, you’re really scaring me.” She touched the side of her cheek. Sometimes, when she talked, her face hurt.
“Like with every patient, we run a standard blood test, and your hCG levels came back elevated. I had the lab techs run them again and also run a pregnancy test to confirm?—”
“Pregnant?” She grabbed Emily’s arm. “I’m pregnant?” Trinity had forgotten all about the missed pills and unprotected sex. The plan to pick up a different option had all flown out the window when she’d been kidnapped. “How is that possible?”
“Seriously?”