Page 16 of The Unexpected Lineup (Lost in Translation #2)

YOU’RE GROWING A FUTURE HOCKEY STAR

RASMUS

D ouble-checking my phone that I’m in the right place, I walk across the street to the doctor’s office. My nerves are all over the place, which is ridiculous because I’ve been through hundreds of high-pressure situations on the ice.

But this is different. I might pass out.

I can’t quite explain why I’m so damn jittery. Maybe it’s because I missed the first ultrasound, and no matter how much Haisley says it’s normal for dads to miss some appointments, I still think of myself as a failure. And our kid isn’t even here yet.

I pull open the door, and the bell above it rings as I step inside. A cheery receptionist looks up from her computer, smiling at me as if she’s used to seeing nervous dads-to-be. “Hi there, how can I help you?”

My voice cracks. “Uh, I’m here for the ultrasound. I’m Rasmus Westerholm.”

“You’re here with Haisley, right?” I nod, so she continues. “ Right, you’re all set. Follow that yellow line to the waiting area. Someone will come and get you.”

I nod again, muttering a quiet “thanks,” and walk to the other room. A couple passes me, and the woman seems ready to pop soon. I can’t believe that it will be me and Haisley this summer.

Sitting down in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs, I glance around at the other people.

There’s a couple in the corner, the woman with her hand on her growing stomach, smiling softly at her partner.

A new dad, who clearly hasn’t slept well in days, walks past me while pacing with a crying baby in his arms. The posters on the wall feature information about pregnancy and labor.

Everything feels so…real. Until now, the baby has been an abstract idea. But in this situation, it’s actually hitting me: I’ll be a dad this year if everything goes well.

I fold my arms across my chest, trying to settle down, but it’s no use. My heart is thudding, and I can’t keep my mind from racing to what’s coming. The ultrasound. The baby. Our baby.

“Mr. Westerholm?”

I turn and see a young woman in colorful scrubs. “That’s me,” I tell her, my voice shaking.

“Follow me—I’m Nurse Amy. Your partner is waiting in the examination room.”

My partner. I liked hearing that more than I expected. But no, Haisley isn’t mine. We’re just two adults trying to find a way to raise a baby without being together. I hate it, but what can I do? I have to respect her wishes.

As Amy opens another door, I spot Haisley. She turns to see me and smiles. “Hey. ”

“Hey.”

“You ready for this?” Haisley asks, slipping her hand into mine, easing the tension in my shoulders.

“Not really,” I admit. “But I’m here. And I’m not missing any more appointments.”

She squeezes my hand, her smile softening. “I’m so glad you are, Ras.”

Taking a deep breath, I focus on her. On us. Whatever happens in the next few minutes, I’m not alone.

Another person in scrubs walks in, both cheerful and calm at once, immediately putting me at ease. “Hi there, Dad. We haven’t met yet, but I’m your sonographer, Holly. Ready to see the little one?”

“Yes,” I barely get out.

Haisley lays back on the exam table, her movements slow and careful as she pulls her neon yellow top up to uncover her stomach. It’s still pretty flat, and I can’t help but feel a little impatient. I long for that bump to be there to see more of the baby growing inside her.

She giggles as Holly squirts the gel onto her stomach. I tighten my hand in hers, trying to make her feel better, even though I might be the one who needs the comfort right now. My palms are sweating so freaking much.

Haisley’s here. I’m here. We’re in this together. That’s what I keep telling myself. And then, without warning, the most incredible sound fills the room, and everything else stops.

Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh .

My nerves fade into the background as I realize what the sound is—our baby’s heartbeat. The only thing that truly matters right now. It’s steady and strong, and so remarkable.

I glance at Haisley, and she’s looking at me with her eyes full of wonder.

There’s also softness in her that I’ve never seen before.

It’s a mix of joy and disbelief. I don’t know who’s more overwhelmed, me or her.

But my chest still tightens, and the tears fall down my cheeks.

I don’t care that society tells us men don’t cry.

That’s bullshit, because that heartbeat is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard in my life.

My eyes are too blurry to focus on the screen, so I swipe at them with my sleeve. The moment the image of our baby is seen more clearly, I cry some more.

Taking a shaky breath, I whisper, “Thank you for this gift,” before pressing a lingering kiss to Haisley’s forehead.

Her gaze softens as she tenderly touches my cheek, her thumb brushing away another tear.

Her lips curve into a gentle smile, and there’s so much happiness in her eyes that it takes my breath away.

She leans into me, her forehead resting against mine, and in that pocket of time, it’s truly just us.

Nothing else matters except this little heartbeat, the sound of our futures woven together.

“Now that you’ve heard the heartbeat, let’s check the rest of the baby,” Holly says in the background.

“I didn’t think I could feel all this,” I admit, my voice rough with emotion. “I didn’t know I could love someone so much without meeting them first.”

Haisley smiles through her tears as she whispers back, “I know, Ras. I know.”

It’s the second time she has used my nickname, and I love it .

“I’ll spend every day showing you and that baby how much they mean to me,” I promise, my words quiet but filled with promises.

“They’re lucky to have a dad like you.”

“And a mom like you.”

“Look, it’s snowing!” Haisley calls out as we leave the doctor’s office twenty minutes later, her mesmerizing eyes lighting up as the first few flakes drift down from the sky.

“I remember how much you love the snow,” I tease, watching her excitement.

She turns, giving me a knowing smile, the kind that makes my heart skip a beat. “You’re totally saying that to get brownie points.”

“I don’t need to play games with you,” I comment, tugging my scarf around my neck. “So, what do you wanna do now?”

“Want to have coffee?”

“Something warm to drink does sound perfect right now.”

Her entire face lights up. “And maybe something sweet to go with it?”

“I’m game if you are.”

Haisley laughs. “Since I got pregnant, I can’t go a day without eating something sweet.”

“Let’s go then. We can’t let our baby be hungry.”

We decide on a small, cozy coffee shop only a few minutes’ walk away. As we approach the door, I hold it open for her. “Go ahead, Mama.”

She pauses in the doorway, a little stunned in her expression. “I love the sound of that. Mama. ”

“That’s what you are now,” I point out. “You’re growing a future hockey star.”

“Maybe they’ll want to play the piano or paint or be a figure skater instead.”

I laugh as I lead us to an empty table. “Figure skating’s not bad. It’s similar to hockey but with sequins and more choreographed movements.”

Haisley snorts, the sound music to my ears. “You’re impossible.”

As we sit down, I reach for her hand across the small table, brushing my thumb against her knuckles.

“Seriously, though,” I say, my voice dropping into a more sincere tone. “Whatever this kid wants to do—hockey, piano, being a freaking astronaut—I’ll be there cheering them on. You know that, right?”

A gentle laugh escapes her, and she squeezes my hand. “I do. Our kid will be blessed with two supportive parents.”

“That’s right.” I release her hand and look at the menu. “What’s good here?”

She hums, scanning the options even though I suspect she already knows what she wants. “I love their blueberry scones with tea. They do daily house blends.”

I stand up. “Alright, then. I’ll get us both that. ”

Walking to the counter, I glance back and admire her secretly. I wonder if she notices how easily I get lost looking at her.

I place the order and on impulse add little chocolate squares to the tray. Carrying our snacks back to the table, the scent of fresh scones makes my stomach growl.

Haisley takes her tea, her hands wrapping around the warm cup. “You should decide what to get me as a push present.”

I frown, my brows pulling together. “What the heck is a push present?”

“Something you buy for me to thank me for pushing.”

“Pushing what?”

She gives me a pointed look, gesturing toward her stomach and then at her crotch. “Your offspring.”

It takes a few seconds to process her words, but when it finally clicks, my mouth parts in realization. “Wait a minute.”

“I don’t have all day,” Haisley teases, bringing the cup to her plump lips.

For a long moment, I stare at her before throwing my head back with a deep, full-bodied laugh that makes a few other coffee shop visitors glance our way. I don’t care. This is too good.

“Is this a real thing, or are you messing with me?” I ask, still grinning.

“Oh, it’s real,” Haisley assures me, biting back a smile that makes me suspicious. “And the longer you take to accept it, the more expensive my present becomes.”

I take a sip of my tea. “You’re unbelievable. ”

“It’s not as if you don’t have the money.”

I snort, my tea almost making its way to my nose. “Says the woman who’s an heiress of both a multibillion-dollar cosmetics company and a successful hockey franchise.”

Her lips quirk into a smile and she leans back in her seat, crossing her arms. “Oh, so now we’re going to play the who’s richer game?”

“Well, that game wouldn’t be fair because even if my latest contract is for millions a season, I don’t have the kind of wealth that comes with being a double heiress.”

“Did you look me up after the party?”

“Like you didn’t search my stats and contract details right after finding out who your baby daddy is.”

Haisley chuckles, shaking her head. “Okay, fair point. I didn’t stalk you, Rasmus. I was simply curious.”

“Curious?” I raise a brow. “About what exactly?”

“What kind of man you are.”

“And?” I prompt, intrigued to hear what she found out.

“It looks like you’re a former bruiser who knows the game better than I do, which says a lot because I grew up around hockey, too.”

Her short but accurate assessment of me makes me laugh. “Facts. So, what do you want, then? A diamond necklace? A trip to Paris? A puppy?”

Her eyes twinkle with amusement. “Paris would be nice, but I was thinking of something a little more practical.”

“How about you just give me a hint? ”

“Well, you could always get me a massage chair. Or maybe a fridge or a vending machine stocked with all my favorite snacks for late-night cravings when I breastfeed the baby.”

Fuck if the image of her feeding our baby doesn’t make me feel hot. What the heck is wrong with my brain for lusting after the mother of my future kid in weird situations like this?

“I can get you both without it being a push present,” I suggest, nudging my thoughts aside.

“I was kidding.”

I study her. “Deep down, you want something special. So let me spoil you.”

“I guess I can live with that,” she relents with a satisfied smile.