AJ laughed, filling the room with an easy comfort. He smiled at her. “I was going to tell you that I think you should move in with me.”
“What?” Kat couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“I have more space for the baby, and more importantly, I have twenty-four hour security. You’ve already seen what they can do.” AJ smiled at her, taking any hurt from his words. “I’d feel safer having you somewhere where medical professionals are a heartbeat away.”
“I don’t know what to say...”
“I haven’t finished my sales pitch,” AJ told her, coming to stand by the bed. “I also have a swimming pool, which I’m told you will want to use toward the end of your pregnancy. I also have a personal chef, so those pregnancy cravings won’t be a problem.”
“I don’t know, AJ...”
“But wait, there’s more!” AJ grinned at her and continued his sales pitch like a late night commercial. “If you say yes now, for the low low price of just $9.99 for nine installments, I will double your order.”
“How are you going to double a swimming pool and a personal chef?” Kat asked, crossing her arms.
“You have a good point,” he conceded. He leaned forward and kissed her lips. It was short, but tantalizing. “But I’m sure I can come up with something. I am a billionaire after all.”
If Kat wasn’t in a hospital bed, she would have locked the door and done more than just kiss him. But, the door had no lock, and nurses kept coming in and out to check on them. This wasn’t the time or the place, but the fact that she was thinking it could be meant the anti-nausea medication was helping.
“Hmm, I’m going to have to think about it,” Kat replied. “You know what they say, if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
“I’ve heard that too,” AJ agreed. “But then I met you.”
Kat grinned at him. “Maybe it’s just these medications, but you seem extra charming.”
AJ shrugged, but he grinned back at her. “Maybe I’m just that charming all the time.”
“Maybe you are,” Kat said. She frowned after a moment. “But what about the press? Won’t me moving in with you raise a lot of suspicion?”
AJ bit the inside of his cheek and flushed slightly. For the first time since she’d woken up, he looked nervous and slightly uncomfortable. As if he had a big secret that he needed to share with her, but wasn’t quite ready to.
“What’s wrong, AJ?” Kat asked. The joking mood disappeared and some of the panic from earlier returned. What else could possibly go wrong today?
“This isn’t quite how I planned it. I had flowers, and better clothing, and much better mood lighting in mind, but...” He looked around before focusing on her and smiling. “But, it feels right to do it now.”
Kat frowned, not understanding what he could mean. Do what now?
Slowly, AJ knelt next to the gurney, going to one knee and looking up at her with blue eyes full of love. He took a small, black velvet box from his pocket.
“I bought this before I knew about the baby,” he explained. “I saw it and just knew that it was meant for you. That we were meant for one another.”
The heart rate monitor started beeping faster. AJ opened the box, revealing a stunning ring. A beautiful sparkling diamond glittered in an antique setting. The stone was large, but not overly so. It was wearable and possibly the most beautiful thing Kat had ever seen.
“I love you, Kat Ryder. Will you marry me?”
Shock swept through her. Shock and joy.
“Yes!” Kat whispered, positive that she was the happiest woman in the entire world. “Yes! I love you, AJ!”
AJ rose to kiss her, his face bright and all the stress of the past few months wiped away. “I love you, Kat.”
32
About 7 months later....
“I hope you have your bags packed.” Dr. Misti-Cooper wheeled her chair away from Kat’s open legs. “Because your water has broken.”
“Hallelujah!” Kat announced while AJ paled. “That means we can just go over to the labor and delivery unit, right? No going home? No more waiting?”
“Yes to all of those,” Dr. Misti-Cooper said with a smile. “You’re going to have a baby.”
“Thank you, Doctor!” Tears of relief streamed down Kat’s face. The pregnancy had been rough. The morning sickness had lasted her entire pregnancy. Everyone kept telling her it would go away when she hit the second trimester, but it never did. The nausea and vomiting had lasted all the way up to the end.
But today was her last day of puking, because she was going to have this baby.