I was young and idealistic. All I needed to be happy was you, spending time with you. I’m older now and understand that you’re a doctor and the kids need you. You’re a gifted physician. You’re also a good man, the best man I know. You have wonderful qualities and I’ve never met anyone more brilliant or dedicated. And it has to be said that you’re not hard on the eyes.”
“I hear a but.”
“Only that I understand you couldn’t give me what I needed. Not then, anyway.”
“Here’s the but,” he said.
She nodded. “You can give me what I want now. And I want a baby.”
When what she was asking for finally sank in, he looked like he’d swallowed his stethoscope. “That’s a joke, right?”
“I’ve never been more serious.”
“That’s crazy.” Nick stood and started to pace. “Do you realize what you’re asking? A child would tie us together forever.”
“It wouldn’t have to.”
He stopped and stared at her. “You expect me to father a child, then disappear?”
“We got married and you did that,” she pointed out. “Not blaming you. Just saying… Look, I’m sorry to spring this on you, but there was really no good way to bring it up. And frankly, I’m glad it’s out there. Take some time to think it over—”
“Done,” he snapped. “And the answer is no.”
“Just like that?”
“Yeah. You can’t be serious. And when you come to your senses, we’ll laugh about this.”
Disappointment shuddered through her as hopes and dreams went on life support. “You know, when we were married, I actually thought about going off birth control. An ‘accidental’ pregnancy. An oops-the-condom-must-have-broken conversation.”
“Why didn’t you?” Surprise slid into his eyes as he stared down at her.
“It just wasn’t right. I couldn’t do it. Maybe this idea is insane, but at least it’s straightforward and honest.”
“I’m sorry, Ryleigh. I just can’t go along with it.”
“I had to ask.” She worked hard at keeping the profound and emotional regret out of her voice. “I had a feeling you’d say no. So now it’s on to plan B.”
His gaze narrowed. “What’s that?”
“I go to the second name on my list.”
“That’s not funny.”
Bluffs never were. There was no list. This was about keeping her spunk factor in one piece. “I’ve never been more serious in my life.”
Nick stood at the third-floor nurse’s station in the PICU—Pediatric Intensive Care Unit—and finished charting. The job could be done sitting down, but he might fall asleep. After Ryleigh dropped the baby bombshell on him yesterday, getting to sleep last night had been a challenge he couldn’t overcome. He was grateful for the emergency call that had kept him too busy to think. Fortunately the asthmatic kid was doing fine now. Him? Not so much.
He put the chart back, then walked down the hall and turned right toward the elevators. The familiar sound of Ryleigh’s laughter drifted to him. At first he thought it was a hallucination due to sleep deprivation, until he saw her standing in front of the newborn nursery. There was a man with her. Carlton Gallagher. The doctor Nick was currently evaluating as a partner in his medical practice. The guy was smiling down at her. Was he the next name on her list?
The primal anger that blasted through Nick was shocking in its intensity.
Ryleigh had told him that she was completely serious about getting pregnant. It hadn’t taken her long to move forward with plan B.
Nick’s long stride quickly chewed up the length of the hall until he stopped beside them. “What’s going on?”
He’d meant the question to be casual, but his tone had fallen far short of friendly to just this side of a hostile growl.
Ryleigh’s puzzled expression was proof of that. “Hello, Nick. Dr. Gallagher just introduced himself. I’m glad you finally found someone to share the patient load in your practice.”
“It’s not a done deal,” he said. “We’re testing the water to see how we work together.”
Carlton’s gaze was challenging as he slid his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “A probationary period seemed wise, before we go to the trouble and expense of lawyers and contracts.”
Nick had only evaluated this guy in a professional way. Gallagher had gone to one of the finest medical schools and graduated at the top of his class. He’d trained in Dallas at one of the best children’s hospitals in the country and came highly recommended. After a couple months here at Mercy Medical he was getting high marks from the staff, too. Who were primarily of the female persuasion, so the poll results could be skewed.
The other doctor was about Nick’s height, a little over six feet tall. His dark hair had some gray at the temples which probably made him look distinguished as opposed to old. Yeah, double standard. His eyes were brown. He was tan. And women would most likely think he wasn’t bad looking. But was he brilliant? A good man? Not the best, because Ryleigh had first asked him, Nick, to father her baby. And the primal anger pushed through him again when his gaze dropped to Gallagher’s naked left ring finger. His reaction must have showed because the other doctor tensed.
“It’s getting late,” he said. “I have to go.”
Not exactly gosh look at the time, but close, and Nick felt a sense of satisfaction.
Ryleigh smiled up at him. “It was nice to meet you, Dr. Gallagher. And about the upcoming fundraiser, can I count on you to buy a table for the Children’s Medical Charities Fundraiser Gala?”
“That’s a question for the boss. Later, Nick.” The other man met his gaze, frowned, then walked away.
Nick’s work there was done and he started to say goodbye. Then he saw Ryleigh looking at the babies in isolettes in the newborn nursery on the other side of the glass. There were only a couple of infants since the majority of new mothers kept their babies in the room with them. Ryleigh would be one of those, judging by the tender yearning so plain on her face.
“So, are you settling in okay?” It was a lame question, but he didn’t know what else to say. The favor she’d asked was like the elephant in the room, and he wanted out of there in the worst way. But he couldn’t leave her looking like that. “Ryleigh?”
“You were kind of rude to Dr. Gallagher.” She glanced over her shoulder at him. “Did you think I was hitting on your partner?”
“He’s not my partner yet, and that wasn’t rude. You know better than anyone that I have a limited capacity for people skills and it’s reserved for the kids in peds.”
“I thought about asking him to father my baby.” There was teasing in her brown eyes when
