“Feel better?” he asked her. She didn’t answer. “I find it’s better to snap at the one who pissed you off, but I know that at times, like I’m sure it is for you now, it’s not really feasible. Also, I use a punching bag, also probably not an option for you at the moment. I could bring you Royce and hold him down for you. Then you could wail on him all you want…just so long as I get a hit or two in on my own, you understand.”
“And what about your mom? You going to hold her down for me as well? It could be a big day for the Hunters.”
“Nah. With her, you’re on your own. Don’t tell her I told you this, but she scares the shit out of me.”
Her laughter made him smile. “Thank you, Mr. Hunter, and if you’d like to start over, I think I can be nicer to you.”
“You’re very welcome, Kasey. And please call me Daniel.” He picked up the list again. “I have a list of obstetrician-gynecologists for you. None of them have my approval because I don’t usually deal with that sort of thing. But none of these have been under any investigation, nor have they been sued that I can find. Do you have a pen and paper?”
“Wait, I have a list of possibilities here. Read me your list and I’ll go from there.” He waited until she had her list. He knew she had one; his mother had told him she’d seen it too. He read off the names and she had all he had but one on her list as well. He had been impressed.
After she told him which two she was going to check into and gave him the one she’d see today, he told her he’d make the appointment but not pay the bill. She agreed to go in and have the test done as soon as she heard back from him.
“I’ll have to wait on my uncle to come and get me. I still can’t drive yet and he isn’t home until after one today. I suppose I could call a taxi, but they’re so expensive and I need to save my money.”
Daniel thought about suggesting he’d send a car, but knew that she’d refuse. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt to have Royce wait. Cooling his heels was just what Royce needed about now.
And now he had it confirmed. Kasey Marie York was going to have a baby. And next week, she’d have her due date and a full exam from a doctor of her choice.
Daniel realized that he couldn’t wait to find out, couldn’t wait to watch her grow large with his niece or nephew. And he couldn’t wait for Royce to figure out what a fucking idiot he was.
He buzzed the idiot’s office and smiled when he answered. “She’s pregnant. The doctor said she’s slightly underweight, but that was probably due to the extra stress. He said everything in her blood work came back just fine.”
“Who is her doctor and how can I reach him? When is she going to see him again? I will want to be there so I can make sure she follows his instructions to the letter.”
Daniel thought about taking a deep breath before he answered his brother. Or even stopping to count to ten. But he did neither. He just said what he wanted. “And you care why? I mean, you’re a bottom line sort of guy, right? I understand that. But so long as the end product is how you think it should be, shouldn’t that be enough for you?”
“What the hell is that suppose to mean?”
Daniel grinned again. Yeah, he needed a good fight and it looked like Royce was going to give him one. “The baby will be here and you, my dear, stupid brother, will be just as you are right now. Single, wealthy, and free to do whatever you want whenever you want. While Kasey can’t.”
“Why is everyone treating me like I’ve done something heinous to her? I made an error in judgment and now I’m going to be a father. It was just sex. I got caught up in the moment and forgot to use protection. How does that make me the bastard and her the injured party?”
Daniel burst out laughing without a bit of humor. “Wow, Royce, is that what you’re going to tell your child? ‘Sorry about your luck, kid, but I forgot to wrap my cock before I stuck it in your mother and you were the result of my lapse in judgment.’ I’m sure you’ll get father of the year.” He slammed down the phone and left his office. If he stayed for one minute longer, he might decide to go and find Royce and beat the living shit out of him. Once for him and then again for Kasey.
~~~
Kasey told her uncle that she was pregnant. He’d been so angry at first. Not at her, but that the “boy” he’d called him, wouldn’t marry her. She’d tried to explain that she wouldn’t marry him for all the money in the world and that seemed to make him madder.
“What would your mom say? She’d be mad and you know it. She wanted the best for you and you being a single mom wasn’t something she’d want for you.”