Bianca protested.
Katie disconnected the call and tossed the phone on the floor. Mental anguish ripped a hole through her heart. She felt abnormally empty inside as if she’d lost something tangible rather than a fantasy. Forgetting she wasn’t alone in the house, she buried her face in her hands and screamed.
Footsteps raced up the stairs.
She rolled her eyes and groaned because she’d forgotten Chase was in the house. He had arrived late last night after she was asleep, and by the time she woke that morning, he was locked in his den making phone calls. Now he was running her way.
The door popped open, and Chase barreled into the room. “Did you fall? Where does it hurt?”
The dam burst, and fresh tears flowed down her cheeks. The look of helpless concern on his face made her cry harder. She tried to speak and choked on sobs. Once she started crying in earnest, she couldn’t stop.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Chase said as he hunched down beside her. His voice turned soothing. “Tell me what happened. Do you need a doctor?”
She held up the negative pregnancy test so he could connect the dots on his own. He dropped down next to her and pulled her into his arms. The compassionate move caused her tears to flow faster. It took her a while to speak past the raw emotion clogging her throat. Her hands gripped his back, and she held onto him as if he were a life preserver and she was drowning. That’s what it felt like even as her cheek rested against his warm chest.
She leaned away from him. “Since Phillip died, I’ve regretted not having a child with him, but I decided to focus on my career. The idea of marrying someone, anyone, was unthinkable. I had to get used to the idea of never having a child.”
“I get that.”
“But what if I can’t have children? What if I find out I can’t conceive? What if...”
He released her from the warm embrace and leaned back against the tub. “We’ve only been trying for roughly nine weeks. It takes some couples a long time, years even.”
“But we’re not a real couple, and we don’t have years.”
“Wow.” He had an odd look on his face that she couldn’t label. “You really want a baby, don’t you?”
“More than anything in this world.”
“Don’t worry. I promise you, guarantee you, in fact, that one year from now you will be holding a beautiful baby in your arms.”
The confident statement made her smile. She could picture a sweet little face, a mixture of her and him. She wiped the tears from her damp cheeks, feeling silly for having a meltdown. “It’s just that I thought I was pregnant already. I was so sure. I’ve been feeling kind of tired and sick to my stomach off and on.”
“Have you missed your period?”
“No, but that doesn’t mean anything. A friend of mine had hers until she was three months along.”
He plucked the plastic pregnancy test from her hand. “You do know these things aren’t always accurate, right? If your gut tells you you’re pregnant, go to a doctor and get a real test.”
“That’s a good idea.”
He jumped up. “Hold on for a second. I’ll be right back.”
She sat in the bathroom alone and contemplated her future. Her hand went to her stomach. She lightly pressed against her flat abdomen as if she’d be able to feel a baby if one was growing inside of her. What if he was wrong and she couldn’t conceive? The nagging doubt turned into a real fear. Hopefully, the doctor she chose could run some tests and put her mind at ease... or put an end to her dream forever.
Chase returned with two wine glasses filled with a ruby red beverage. He handed her one and retook his seat beside her. Raising his glass, he asked, “Do you want to make a toast or shall I?”
Taken aback by the situation, she laughed. “Wine? In the bathroom?”
“Fruit punch. I was about to pour us some wine, but then I realized you could be pregnant despite the test. So, cheers.”
“Cheers.”
They clinked their glasses before taking a sip, and Katie marveled at how different Chase was from what she’d imagined. Mr. Grayson, her rigid boss, wouldn’t dream of sitting on a bathroom floor while drinking fruit punch. It seemed every time she turned around, she discovered something new about him, something unexpected and wonderful.
“I would like to apologize for my family,” he said. “Maybe I should give you hazard pay.”
“They’re not that bad.”