Chapter 12
TWELVE
PARKER
The nausea hit at the worst possible times.
Mornings, afternoons, evenings and the middle of the night. I'd thrown up twice already today, and we still had the evening broadcast to get through.
"You okay?" Dawson appeared in my dressing room doorway, concern etched across his face. "That's the third time this week you've looked green."
"I'm fine." I managed a smile. "Just a bug or something."
That was a lie. It wasn't a bug. I knew exactly what it was and had known since the doctor confirmed it three days ago. Four and a half weeks pregnant. I was an omega who'd bonded with his alpha mate, and apparently the universe had wasted no time making sure everyone knew it.
Well, everyone except Dawson.
I'd tried to tell him. Twice yesterday and once this morning. But every time I opened my mouth, the words stuck in my throat. We'd only been together a month. Well, a month since he'd revealed he was a shifter so almost two months. It was too soon. Would he think I'd trapped him somehow?
And shoot, I was doing what I'd told him never to do. I was keeping a huge secret that would affect our lives and I hadn't told him. Now I really understood why he hadn't opened up about being a shifter.
"Parker." Dawson moved into the room, his hand coming up to feel my forehead. "You're warm. Maybe you should go home."
"I'm fine," I said again. "It's just that…" My stomach turned over and I barely made it to the bathroom before I was sick again.
Dawson's hand pressed against my back. When I finally stopped heaving, he wet a towel and pressed it to the back of my neck.
"That's not just a bug. You need to see a doctor."
"I already did." The words came out before I could stop them.
He went still. "When?"
"Three days ago."
"And?" He didn't raise his voice and he deserved a medal for that. "What did they say?"
This was it. The moment I should just tell him. But Zara knocked on the door, calling that we had ten minutes to air, and the moment was gone.
"I'll tell you after the show," I promised.
Dawson didn't look satisfied, but he nodded. "Okay as soon as we're done."
The broadcast started normally enough. I did my usual cheerful host routine, Dawson provided his weather updates, and I tried very hard not to throw up on camera. Everything was fine until Dawson pulled up the latest tropical models.
"We're tracking a system that's beginning to form off the coast of Africa," he said, pointing to the screen. "It's still in early development stages, but conditions are favorable for strengthening over the next few days."
I don't know what came over me but I muttered under my breath, "It's not the only thing forming."
Dawson glanced at me. The rest of the people in the studio wouldn't have picked up on what I said, but Dawson continued. "Current models suggest it will remain out at sea, so we don't expect any direct impacts to our region."
"But we could be expecting something else," I whispered. Sheesh. Was this the baby insisting I tell their alpha dad they were on the way?
Dawson's eyes narrowed slightly, but he pressed on. "We'll continue monitoring this system in the coming days."
"Forget days, try nine months," I said, a bit louder this time. I needed to lie down and stop talking.
Dawson paused mid-sentence, looking at me with genuine confusion. I could see the wheels turning in his head, trying to figure out what I was talking about. The camera was still on both of us, and I knew I should stop, but the words kept coming.
"If this system does develop into a named storm," Dawson continued carefully, still watching me, "it could become a life-changing event."
"Like a baby."
The words came out clear and loud. They were loud enough for Dawson, the crew and for every viewer watching to hear.
Dead silence fell over the studio.
Dawson froze, his hand still pointing at the weather map. His green eyes locked on mine with an expression I couldn't read. Shock? Joy? Terror?
"Parker," he said slowly. "What did you just say?"
"I'm pregnant." The words tumbled out now that I'd started.
"Four and a half weeks. I found out three days ago.
I've been trying to tell you and you started talking about things developing and expecting and life-changing events, and it just came out.
Oh gods, did I just announce I was pregnant on live television? "
Dawson's expression changed through about six different emotions in two seconds.
Then he was moving, crossing the small space between us on the set, and before I could process what was happening, he was kissing me on camera, during a live broadcast after I'd just accidentally announced my pregnancy to the entire viewing area.
His hands cupped my face, and the kiss said everything his words couldn't in that moment. When he pulled back, he was grinning, the full genuine version I'd only seen a handful of times. The shock in his eyes had transformed into wonder and from there to joy.
"We're having a baby," he said as his face lit up.
"We're having a baby," I confirmed. "And I just told everyone on live TV because I have the worst timing in the history of broadcasting."
"Cut to commercial!" Isla's voice carried across the studio. "Right now!"
The red light on the camera finally went dark and the studio erupted with crew members talking over each other, Zara laughing and someone applauding. But I could only focus on Dawson, who was still holding my face like I might disappear.
"You're really pregnant?" he asked quietly.
"Very pregnant. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I was trying to find the right moment, and then I just—"
"Blurted it out during weather coverage." His smile widened. "That's very on brand for us." His thumb traced small circles on the back of my hand, an intimate gesture that had become a habit over the past month.
I laughed. I was a little hysterical at what I'd done. "I can't believe I did that. Isla's going to be furious. That was so unprofessional. I just announced personal news on live television in the middle of a weather segment."
"She won't be angry." He kissed me again. "She's probably already planning the ratings boost from this. 'Local news host announces pregnancy live on air' is going to be everywhere by tomorrow morning."
"Oh gods." I buried my face in his shoulder. "Everyone I know is going to see it."
"Hey." He pulled back so I had to look at him. "I'm really happy. We're having a baby, Parker."
The fear that had been clamping down on my chest for three days finally loosened. "You're not upset? We've only been together a month or more.”
"We're mates. This is what happens with mates sometimes." His hand moved to rest on my still-flat stomach. "It is fast but it feels right."
"Yeah," I replied. "You feel right too."
"Okay, lovebirds." Isla appeared beside us, looking torn between exasperated and amused. "We need to finish the broadcast. Parker, can you pull yourself together for five more minutes, or should I have someone else close out the show?"
"I can do it." I straightened, trying to look professional despite having just had a breakdown on camera. "I'm fine."
"Good. Because we're getting calls already. The switchboard is lit up." She shook her head. "This is either going to be the best thing that's ever happened to our ratings, or I'm going to have to explain to corporate why my morning show host announced his pregnancy during weather coverage."
"For what it's worth," Dawson said, "the storm system is legitimately worth monitoring."
Isla stared at him. "That's what you're concerned about right now?"
"I'm a meteorologist. It's literally my job."
This was not how I imagined it. I'd just announced my pregnancy on live television, Dawson had kissed me in front of thousands of viewers, and somehow everything was going to be okay.
We finished the broadcast in a daze. I smiled and did my closing remarks, thanked everyone for watching, and managed not to throw up or say anything else mortifying. When we finally signed off, I collapsed into a chair.
"That happened," I said to no one in particular.
"It definitely did." Dawson sat beside me, taking my hand. "Our kid's going to love this story someday. 'Remember when Dad announced he was pregnant during a weather segment?'"
"Our child is going to be so embarrassed."
"Probably." He squeezed my hand. "But that's what parents do. They embarrass their kids and love them."
And just like that, the fear dissolved. We were having a baby. It was fast and unexpected and I'd announced it in the most unprofessional way possible.
But we were together.
"I love you," I said, the words coming easily.
"I love you too. Both of you."
"Should you mark me or something before the baby arrives?" I leaned my head on his shoulder.
"Or we can wait until our little one is here."
"I chose that option if it's okay with you."
His hand rested on my stomach again, and I thought maybe blurting out about my pregnancy on live television wasn't the worst way this could have gone.
Even if Isla was never going to let me live it down.