Beth sat on the church steps, cradling an empty travel mug as Bryce crossed the parking lot. He looked... put together, impossibly so. Designer jeans. A charcoal gray polo that hugged his chest and arms. Tousled hair, sun-kissed skin, and eyes that held too many unspoken thoughts.
“Strong and black, the way you like it,” he said, handing her a coffee. “Figured you’d need it.”
She set her empty mug aside and accepted his, taking a sip before blinking in surprise. “This is amazing. Did you make it?” She took another drink, savoring the smooth brew.
“I did.”
“Why don’t you make the coffee in the hospital lounge?” she asked, genuinely curious.
“Because if I did, I’d be stuck making it forever. Next time we’re on rotation together, stop by my office. I always have a fresh pot.”
She smiled, and he offered his hand to help her stand. “Ready?”
“Pastor’s not expecting us until eight.”
“Didn’t you say he could meet with us at seven-thirty?”
“I said he could meet with us—and asked if you could be here by then. Or at least, that’s what I meant.”
Bryce chuckled and sat down beside her.”
“Sorry. I wasn’t clear. I kinda tend to ramble when I’m nervous. Want your coffee back?”
“I’ve noticed.” Bryce didn’t reach for the coffee—just shook his head and smiled at her.
She wagged the mug playfully and grinned. “You might need it. It’s the strongest thing I’ve got.”
“Why would I need something strong to drink this morning?”
“Well... don’t you find this a little weird and stressful?”
He leaned back on his elbows and studied her in the morning light. “No, not really. I don’t find it stressful at all. In fact, I think it’s kind of cool that I woke up married to you.”
Not sure what to do with that, Beth shook her head and changed the subject. “I may have some good news.”
“Oh?”
“I took one of those new pregnancy tests that claim to detect pregnancy within 24 hours of conception. It was negative.” Her grin was wide, her relief obvious.
He frowned.
Beth’s smile faltered.
“You know it’s medically impossible to detect pregnancy that early, right?” Bryce said, his tone laced with skepticism. “At best, hCG shows up in blood six to eight days after conception. Urine tests usually take closer to two weeks.”
He paused, eyebrow raised. “hCG is the hormone those tests detect, by the way.”
Beth stood abruptly, her movements sharp with irritation. “Yes, Dr. Jensen, I know what hCG levels are. I knew it wasn’t entirely reliable, but… excuse me for hoping.”
Bryce reached for her hand, gently catching it before she could step away. He guided her back down beside him, his touch steady, his voice soft.
“Sorry to go all ‘Doctor Jensen’ on you. Which, by the way, you agreed to stop calling me,” he said with a soft smile. He rocked toward her, bumping her shoulder with his. “Listen, I know you’re hoping to wake up from this nightmare, and I get it—this isn’t how you pictured your life going. But I don’t want you clinging to false hope. I can draw blood next week, run the right tests.”
She nodded. “Yeah, okay. Although I’d rather wait and take another urine test. I don’t want my bloodwork showing up in hospital records and starting rumors before we even see the results.”
“Fair enough. Are your parents joining us this morning?”
“No. Mom invited us to lunch after, but I thought we should meet with the pastors alone.”
