Page 31 of Never Stop

“Except it wasn’t a doctor. It was a genetics counselor. Brooke’s surgeon back in Boston wanted her to meet with a genetics counselor because there’s typically an underlining reason for desmoid tumors.”

“Okay…”

I sighed again. “So we met with her, and she explained that people with these tumors usually have a genetic condition called familial adenomatous polyposis that’s referred to as FAP.”

“What the fuck is that? Does she have it?”

My throat began to tighten. Around Brooke, I was trying to stay strong—for her, but my nerves were just as high as hers. I didn’t want to see her suffer again, and there was no telling what was entailed if she did have it. “We don’t know. She has to get a colonoscopy on Wednesday, and we’re waiting for the genetic testing to come back, which could take a month or more.”

“Fuck,” he muttered.

“Anyway, I don’t want to rain on your parade about getting engaged, but that’s what’s been going on.”

“Has Brooke told Nic?”

I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”

He took a few more pulls of his beer and I did the same. “How am Inotgoing to tell Nicole? She’s Brooke’s best friend.”

“Focus on your engagement.”

He huffed. “Idoneed to get her a ring. I kinda proposed spur of the moment.” There was a slight smile on his face.

“Do that then. Enjoy being back together. We’ll be fine. Brooke will fight this, and if she has FAP, then we’ll decide if we want kids.” I shrugged, trying to show that I wasn’t worried, but in reality, I was scared as fuck.

He tilted his head to the side. “What? What do you mean?”

I hesitated for a beat. “If she has FAP and fights the cancer, we might not have kids.”

“Why?”

“Because there’s a fifty-fifty chance she can pass the gene to our child.”

Avery looked away. “Sorry, give me a minute…”

“Are you okay?”

“It’s still fresh.”

“Right. Sorry…”

“At least you have C.C.” He smiled a thin smile.

“Just because I have Chey doesn’t mean I don’t want kids with Brooke.” He was starting to irritate me. I wanted to give my womaneverythingshe wanted.

“I know, but what if Nic can never have kids either?”

“Shit, I’m sorry. We shouldn’t be thinking this crap. Nic will give you a baby, and Brooke will have one too.”

“I hope you’re right.”

I leaned back in my chair and stared up at the off-white ceiling. When I watched Avery with Cheyenne, I knew he wanted his own one day. And he was right, I had Cheyenne and had experienced fatherhood already. Except I want to give Brooke everything she desired in life. She had been beaten up in the short amount of time I knew her, and she deserved everything she wanted.

“Just like I tell Brooke, let’s not worry until we know for sure.”

“Jesus,” he sighed, “how are any of us going to sleep?”

“By fucking our women until we pass out.” I joked with a grin.Fuck, it would be nice to do it, though.