“This way please, Mrs. Bennett.” The nurse in the starched uniform indicates for us to follow her through to one of the examination rooms. After she gives Garrett a snotty look, she says directly to me, “Doctor Ferguson will be with you in a few minutes. In the meanwhile can you please make yourself comfortable on the bed.” She smiles and leaves us alone.

Garrett loudly exhales and laughs. “What did I ever do to her?”

“I have a feeling it has something to do with Harry never once putting in an appearance here. She probably thinks you’re him.” Placing my purse down on one of the chairs and removing my jacket, I move in to Garrett’s side. “I’m sorry.”

He wraps his arms around me and kissing the top of my head, lifts me to sit on the side of the examination table. “It’s okay, Sirena.”

“No it isn’t. I don’t want anyone mistaking you for Harry. You are so much better than he ever was.” I kiss his chest.

“Please don’t worry about it. I’ll introduce myself when she appears and all will be well.” He kisses the top of my head. “I want you to be stress free so that you and our baby stay healthy.”

Lifting my head, he goes blurry as my eyes fill with tears of happiness. “I love the way you say our. Just hearing that word from you makes my heart beat faster and my love for you grow.”

“I love you too.” He grins. “Now, are you sure that you don’t want to find out the sex of the baby?” He sits before me with one arm around my back and the other on my belly as I caress with my fingers through his hair.

“You are just as impatient as my brother, Josh. Every time he calls me, he asks, girl or boy.” I chuckle. “I’m so tempted to say one of each.”

“Um,” he nuzzles into my stomach, “one of each huh?”

“Not that I’m aware of,” the doctor comments walking into the room.

Doctor Ferguson is of Scottish descent and with her wild orange hair and pale skin I can see her on the cover of a highland romance novel. She’s in her early thirties and happy to be single, or so she says. She’s always cheerful anyway.

“And you are?” she abruptly asks Garrett.

My eyes snap to his and with a smile he holds his hand out to my doctor. “I’m Sirena’s fiancée, Garrett Hudson.”

Her jaw drops before she quickly recovers and a huge grins spreads across her face. “Well now, I don’t need to ask how you are doing,” she says to me while shaking Garrett’s hand. “Let’s get you settled for me, Sirena.”

With the doctor on one side and Garrett on the other, I’m in a reclining position on the bed and after a wink, the doctor settles in front of the monitor.

My eyes find Garrett who seems just as amused as I am at the doctor’s reaction to us. He shakes his head and taking my hand, grins as he turns his attention to the doctor, who is currently revealing my huge belly to the room. She pushes my leggings really low and tucks some paper between my skin and clothing.

My hand clutches Garrett’s and when his eyes meet mine, I ask, “Do you want to know what we’re having?”

His smile softens and as I watch him, his eyes fill with tears and he swallows a few times before he answers, “I’m happy with whatever you want to do.”

“That doesn’t help,” I admit.

I’ve been so torn as to whether or not I want to know, but in the end I think I’d like to discover the baby’s sex once I’ve pushed him or her out.

“You’ve lasted this long Sirena,” the doctor says. “If that helps you make a decision.”

In the next second the baby’s heartbeat fills the room and Garrett stills, his eyes fixed on the monitor. While the doctor explains to Garrett what he’s seeing, I’m enthralled at the look on his face. He looks completely mesmerized at the little baby.

I brush his hair back from his forehead in a loving caress and when his eyes meet mine he kisses my hand and keeps it against his lips while he turns back to the monitor. This time I follow his gaze and watch as our baby sleeps, snug and happy, inside of me.

“A miracle,” I whisper.

“That it is.” Garrett stands, and leaning over me, kisses me so sweetly on the lips. “Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this.”

Laying a palm against his face, I add, “You’ve been a part of this since we met in that elevator.” I bring him closer and sweep a kiss over his lips.

Hearing a throat being cleared, he pulls back with a grin on his face for the doctor who looks close to tears.

“I’m thinking that you’ve gotten it right this time, Sirena,” she observes.

No words are needed as she cleans my belly and pulls my shirt down all the while Garrett holds my hand and wears a goofy grin on his handsome face.

“She has gotten it right this time. She’s mine and I’m going to treat her like a princess.”

A heavy sigh comes from the doctor. “Please tell me you have a single brother who is just like you . . .” she raises a brow and waits.

Giggling, I answer, “He has a married brother, I’m afraid.”

“Oh well.” She smiles bringing over the blood pressure cuff. “Let’s get this checked and see how we’re doing.”

She keeps me relaxed on the examination table while my eyes stay on Garrett. He looks overcome with emotion while he sits silently beside me with my hand in his. I know exactly how bewildered and joyful I’d felt the first time I saw my child on the screen, and it was the time that it became real to me. Even though I’d known that I was pregnant it was as though nothing had really sunk in until that day, and that the small miracle on the screen was really mine. It was the first day that it hit me hard that I was going to become a mother, and the fact that Harry wouldn’t be around. A harsh kick in the butt really, except I focused on my small miracle and refused to let anything overshadow my excitement.

“Hmm,” the doctor murmurs, not looking happy when my gaze swings back to her. “Your blood pressure is up . . . let’s do it again and no worrying this time.”

“Okay.” The grip on my hand slightly tightens before it slackens and Garrett is kissing my knuckles.

This time around I allow my thoughts to drift to the man who holds my heart, and if I’m honest the only man or even person to have that honor who isn’t family.

He’s a handsome man and every time he smiles in my direction my heart pounds with love and excitement. It didn’t take long, but I’ve finally come to the conclusion that he really does love me and that the baby is an added bonus.

The way he makes me feel when he touches me . . .

A throat being cleared snaps me out of my fantasy and with a slight blush, I meet the worry on the doctor’s face. My smile falls. “How high?”

“It isn’t dangerously high,” she admits, but I hear the silent yet at the same time. “I want you to rest up for the next couple of days. I mean do nothing Sirena.” She glances at my file. “I notice you’ve changed address, which happens to be close to me. So I’ll call by and see you Wednesday evening on my way home and check your blood pressure again. That gives you the rest of today and all of tomorrow to rest and we’ll take it from there.”

“What if it doesn’t go down?” Garrett asks.

“If it stays the same then we can monitor it while she stays at home. However,” she looks at me, “if your blood pressure starts going higher then I’ll have to admit you to the hospital.”

“We don’t have anything for the baby,” I comment and out of nowhere I start crying.

Struggling to sit up, Garrett helps me, and keeping me in his strong arms, rests his cheek on the top of my head while rubbing my back in soothing strokes. “It’s okay, honey. Everywhere has online stores these days, so we’ll go home, I’ll make us lunch, and then we’ll hunt through the Internet. Our baby’s room will be amazing. I promise.” He kisses me on my forehead. “I promise,” he whispers.

“Were you planning on going shopping from here?” my doctor asks.

I nod, and Garrett answers. “We were, but Sirena and our child’s health comes first.”

Silence follows and then she says, “If you promise not to over do it, and to find somewhere in the store to sit, then I’ll allow it—two hours maximum though. Like I said your blood pressure isn’t dangerously high, but I do want it monitored more closely. Hopefully it won’t go any higher, but I’m not taking any chances, okay?”

“I’ll make sure she rests.” Garrett squeezes my shoulder.

The doctor nods and with a smile heads out of the door, saying over her shoulder, “I’ll see you Wednesday evening, and if you’re worried about anything before then, please call me.” The door closes behind her.

“So,” Garrett starts, “what I’m thinking is that we’ll go to the jewelers first where you’ll be sitting down the whole time we’re there. Then afterwards, providing you feel well, we’ll go to the nursery store and have a look. We can take it slow, and then we’ll sit in the coffee shop and eat a light lunch, and then we’ll go spend some money.” He smiles and every thought scatters from my mind.

“You’re so handsome.” I lay my palm against his cheek.

He blinks and his smile widens. “Why, thank you, ma’am.” Chuckling, he helps me back to my feet. “And you’re one sexy mama.” His hand caresses over my hip. “Every time I see you my thoughts are constantly on other things.”

I chuckle and snuggle into his side. “Then, as I’m on bed rest for a few days, I think we should stay naked.”

“I think your doctor wants you resting, and not getting up to no good.”

“I think so too, but I can fantasize.”

“Sirena,” he warns. “You are going to be the death of me.” Settling his arm around my waist, Garrett ushers me through the doctor’s office and outside into the cool morning.

“I guess I should be grateful that it’s cooler today otherwise my blood pressure would have been higher.” I shrug. “It usually is when I’ve been rushing in the heat to get to the office. I’m not usually the best at time keeping.”

“I may have already picked up on that one.” He grins and steers me toward where we’d parked.

Whenever I’m here for an appointment, I can never find anywhere close by to park. Garrett drives me to this one and there is a space two minutes away.

Sitting back now, a sudden thought hits me. “What if my blood pressure doesn’t go down?” Tears form in my eyes that I try to hide. “I won’t be able to go to the opening of your new hotel.” I face him. “I have to be there Garrett. I need to be there.”

“Honey,” he leans forward and kisses my lips, “don’t worry about it yet, okay? Whatever happens though, we’re doing what your doctor says.” He starts the car and continues, “If you end up having to stay on bed rest, then there will always be the next time.”

“I’m so looking forward to the opening, Garrett. It’s your big night and I want, more than anything, to share it with you. It’s going to break my heart if I’m not there.”

Silence follows and when he pulls up outside of the jewelers and cuts the engine, he runs around to my side. Opening the door, he turns me to face him and wraps his arms around my waist while he kisses my belly. “I love you Sirena, and I love this unborn child. Of course I want you by my side to share in my success, but I don’t want that if it costs you and our child. You’ll both always come first no matter what, okay?”

“Okay, but,” I slip out of the car and into his arms, “I’m going to be there.” I grin and taking his hand, lead him toward the jewelers.

No way am I not being there for him on the opening night of his new hotel: The Hudson Nirvana.