Free Gaining Gibbs (Marco's MMA Boys #4) by S. M. Donaldson Page A

good. Running to my room, I grab my calendar. I went out with Clay a little over five weeks ago.
    But then I was super stressed and sick over my state board. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve skipped a period because my body was so fucking stressed or even because of the pills I take. I’ve been cramping this week and my lower back has been killing me so that’s probably what it is. I’m probably about to start.
    Pushing that to the back of my mind, I find the earrings I was in search of. I hear my doorbell chime.
    Stepping to the door, I open it, smiling at Gavin. He grins. “Wow, you look gorgeous.”
    I smile. “Thanks.”
    Once we are at the gala, he introduces me to several of the other doctors in his practice and from the hospital.
    Dr. Coleman shakes my hand. “Are you managing to help keep that sister of yours straight?”
    I shake my head. “I’m not sure anyone can do that job.” I laugh. “But I know that Sly doesn’t let her out of his sight very much now.”
    He laughs. “Oh yes. He told me he’d be at every appointment from now on. She wouldn’t have the opportunity to try and not worry him. Which I got her butt good, too. I had told her how serious I was worried about her sugar because of your family history. So she got some good lectures.”
    I hug him. “Thank you for caring so much about her,” I say with tears in my eyes.
    He hugs me hard. “She’s a wonderful girl. I wanted this pregnancy to go smoothly for her after last time. I’ll be honest, I don’t think in my twenty years of delivering babies that I’ve ever been so scared for a baby and a patient as I was the night she was attacked. God had his hands on mine guiding me that night.”
    I nod, thinking about rushing here to be with her. Clay driving through the night even though he was exhausted from his fight.
    I go to take a sip from my champagne and the smell turns my stomach.
    I step to the bar. “I’ll have a water, please.”
    Gavin steps beside me. “Are you all right? You look a little flush.”
    “Yeah, I’ve just been really tired. You know, getting moved into my new place and the new jobs. It’s crazy, I go through days where I’m on a junk food binge, then days I feel like if I look at food, I’ll puke.”
    He studies me for a minute. “Jade, I’m going to ask you a question and I don’t want to be forward or insult you, but I feel like I need to ask.”
    I nod briefly as he pulls me to the side.
    “Is there any way that you might be pregnant?” He laughs. “I know this isn’t regular first date talk, but I was just wondering. The symptoms you’re talking about and I hate to say it this way, but um, I’ve noticed your breasts have um…” He makes the motion of them getting bigger.
    I don’t know where they come from but tears poor out of my eyes and the fears I’d pushed aside earlier bubble up.
    He hugs me and takes my hand. “Come on, we’ll go over to the doctor’s building to my office and do some bloodwork. Your hormones could be out of balance for many reasons, the stress could be a lot of it. Then we can talk in private.”
    I just nod and follow behind him. In my gut I know what the answer is. I’ve been there before.
    An hour and several Kleenex later, Gavin is still smiling at me. I was wrong and I’m happy, but worried at the same time. “Hey, you’re going to be okay. You’ve got a wonderful OBGYN right here.”
    I laugh and snort. “Well, call me crazy but my idea for you in between my legs wasn’t for an exam.” Then I start to get weepy again. “Plus, I mean how do you know I’m going to be okay? What if-?” I can’t even finish it.
    He pats my hand. “We will cross that bridge when we get there. So tell me about the miscarriage you mentioned,” he says, elbows resting on his desk. “Also, will you sign this so I can get those records from UAB?” He holds up a piece of paper to me.
    I nod. “Sure.” I reach over and sign the paper. “Thanks for taking all