Chapter 22 #2
I huff a laugh, and the sound must ripple through me because the image on the screen shifts slightly. The baby does a little bounce, just enough to be noticeable.
Reid blinks. “Did I do that?”
“No.” The sonographer says kindly, smiling at me. “That was you.”
I bite down on a grin. “Guess the baby doesn’t like me laughing.”
“Guess we’re gonna have to work on that,” Reid mutters, still watching like he’s trying to memorize every pixel. “You’re not getting through life without some chaos and laughter, little one.”
There’s something in his voice, low and awed and entirely unguarded, that makes my heart stutter harder than the baby’s.
The scan ends, and I wipe the gel from my stomach. The tech prints us a few photos, and Reid accepts them like they’re sacred, tucking them gently into his wallet before we head outside.
We sit in the car with the windows cracked, the sun already heating the dash. Reid hasn’t started the engine yet; we both just sit there.
“I keep thinking I’ll get used to it,” I murmur, still staring out the windshield. “But every time, it hits in a different way.”
He slides a hand over the console, rough fingertips curling under the hem of my shirt to find the small curve of my belly. It’s barely there, the faintest swell, and he rests his large, sturdy palm there—a reminder he’s here with me.
I exhale. “It’s a little more real now, huh?”
“Was real the second I knew about it, Havoc.” There’s no hesitation whatsoever. “But yeah. Seeing the baby like that…”
He doesn’t need to say more, just lets his hand linger warmly against my skin.
The shape of the baby on the screen is still burned into the backs of my eyes. The rhythm of that heartbeat. The way Reid gripped my hand, like he could anchor me to the ground.
“When will you tell your family?”
I lick my lips. “Eventually.”
His fingers flex gently against my skin, and I take another breath.
“My mom’ll probably be happy,” I say. “In her way. She’ll send a text with a bunch of exclamation points and a sunflower emoji. My stepdad will send money instead of a gift, and my sister will do the whole oh my god, I’m so excited thing while still forgetting my birthday.”
He’s watching me, I can feel it. The drag of his gaze searching my face, trying to ensure he’s not upsetting me, that I’m not hurt by the truths I’m telling him.
“I prefer it like that,” I add quickly, defending the version of me I’ve built. “It’s easier. They’re not cruel or anything, I just… I don’t have to deal with pretending they’re invested when they’re not.”
He opens his mouth, pauses, then looks me directly in the eye.
“You’ll never be an afterthought to me, Carina.”
My throat tightens instantly, and that stupid, stinging burn behind my eyes kicks up without mercy. I blink hard, willing it down.
“I know,” I manage. “But don’t say that to me right now. I’m already two seconds away from crying, and it’s rude to emotionally ambush a pregnant woman in broad daylight.”
He huffs a quiet laugh. “Right. My mistake.”
My head tilts back on the headrest as I exhale, and his hand trails up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “You too hormonal for a kiss?”
I glance over, narrowing my eyes. “Depends. Is it gonna be a nice kiss or a horny one?”
“Just a kiss,” he says, already leaning in. “Unless you’re gonna make it complicated.”
I don’t get a chance to answer before he’s kissing me.
It’s not long or heated or filthy the way it was last time we were in his car after a scan, but his steady mouth on mine still makes something flutter low in my belly.
When he pulls back, I stay close.
“Well,” I murmur, his nose brushing mine, “at least we didn’t fuck in the car this time.”
“Day’s not over yet.”
I snort, but my chest feels weirdly lighter.
“You sure you wanna tell Moreno today?” he asks, still watching me closely.
“No.” I exhale. “But I’m doing it anyway.”
“You don’t have to do it alone.”
“I know,” I say, reaching to squeeze his hand. “But I should do this part myself. Then I’ll tell him about us in a few weeks. Space out the bombshells.”
He nods, and I feel no pressure, just quiet understanding as he squeezes my hand in return.
The drive back to the clinic is short. He pulls into the parking lot and shifts into park, but neither of us moves right away.
“Hey.”
Reid’s eyes are unreadable for half a second, then he leans in again and presses a soft kiss to my cheek and speaks quietly against my skin.
“I’m proud of you, Havoc.”
The words land before I can brace for them.
He draws back just enough to meet my eyes. “In case no one has told you recently.”
Something sharp lodges in my throat, and I look away too fast, blinking hard as my fingers fumble for the door handle.
“Jesus,” I mutter. “You’re gonna make me cry in a clinic parking lot.”
He shrugs, calm as anything. “Better here than in front of Moreno.”
“Great.” I snort, wiping at the corner of my eye with the back of my hand. “Thanks for the support.”
“You’re welcome,” he says dryly. “Now go in there and tell him you’re a badass.”
***
I’d booked the meeting a few days ago, claiming I had a personal health update to discuss. I kept it vague because I wanted to control the when and how.
Jenny had slotted me into Moreno’s admin time, fifteen minutes between athlete consults and surgery planning. Which means, of course, Jenny is here, seated in the corner with her notepad open and her glasses perched on the tip of her nose like a smug little gargoyle.
“Dr. Park,” Moreno says as I step in. “Everything alright?”
“Yes.” I nod once, then sit across from him. “I wanted to inform you that I’m twelve weeks pregnant.”
Jenny makes a sharp, theatrical gasp, and Moreno blinks, then sits up slightly. “I see.”
“I’m feeling well, the pregnancy is low-risk, and I don’t foresee any disruption to my surgical schedule for the foreseeable future.”
He nods. “Alright, thank you for letting me know. Obviously, we’ll work around any medical needs as they arise. The expected due date?”
“Mid-November.”
“Well, uh… Congratulations,” he says, like he’s checking a box. “Are you planning to stay on through the second trimester?”
“Absolutely,” I say. “I’ll aim to wrap surgeries around thirty-two weeks—possibly thirty-four, depending on how I’m tracking. I’ve already flagged it with the hospital for backup rotations.”
“Fine by me. You’ll want to hand off any scheduled players by August, then.”
“Yes.”
He taps a note into his screen, then glances toward Jenny. “You got all that?”
“Of course,” she says, voice syrupy. “Just wanted to make sure we’re… documenting things properly.” She peers at me over her glasses. “I didn’t realize you had a partner, Dr. Park. Who’s the lucky man?”
My eyes flick to her, and I smile tightly. “That’s not relevant to today’s meeting.”
Her smile freezes just enough to be noticeable. There’s something calculating behind it now, like she’s filing the moment away, slotting it into some part of her brain for safekeeping.
Moreno doesn’t seem to care, which tracks. He’s barely asked me what I do out of the clinic for social time, let alone query my relationship status.
“As long as the handovers are clean, I don’t have a problem. Anything else?”
“No,” I say. “That’s all. Thank you.”
“Well then,” Jenny practically sing-songs. “Congratulations, again. You must be so excited.”
“Very,” I say flatly. “Thank you.”
I don’t breathe easy again until I’m home later in the evening with my comfiest leggings back on and my hair clipped up on top of my head.
A knock sounds at the door, and when I open it, Reid’s there—holding a bag from my favorite Thai place, dressed in soft gray joggers and a black tee that clings in all the right places.
“You didn’t have to—”
“I know,” he says, brushing past me into the kitchen. “But I wanted to.”
I let the door fall shut, and then I drag him to bed and show him exactly how grateful I am.