She glances away from the screen. “Do twins run in either of your families?”
Tucker’s mouth works open and shut. “I’m a twin.” He points a thick thumb at his chest. Dr. Patel nods.
The information is coming too fast. I can't process any of it.
"Both look healthy," Dr. Patel continues, taking measurements, typing notes into her computer. "Heart rates are good. Size is appropriate for gestational age. I'll want to see you back in four weeks for another ultrasound, and we'll need to discuss the specifics of managing a twin pregnancy. Higher risk category, but everything is perfectly normal right now.”
She's still talking—about diet, supplements, warning signs to watch for—but I can't focus on any of it. Tucker is squeezing my hand so tightly I'm losing circulation, but I don't pull away.
Twins.
Twenty minutes later, we're standing in the parking lot. Dr. Patel printed out ultrasound photos—two tiny bean-shaped blobs that look nothing like babies but somehow are. Tucker is holding his copy like it might dissolve if he grips it too tightly.
"My mom is going to lose her mind." He laughs, but it sounds slightly hysterical. “Once I tell her.”
Tucker insists on driving me home and, given the news we just got, I’m not inclined to say no. “You said you told your dad,” I start to say, needing something banal to focus on while my brain stops freaking out. “Not the rest of your huge family?”
He sighs and clicks a key fob, unlocking the doors of his fancy car. “I wanted to check in with you before I told the entire crew.” He opens my door for me and gestures for me to get in. I stare up at him, surprised he’s managing to be thoughtful. “I haven’t told my own twin yet. And now I’m having twins. We are, I mean.”
Tucker closes my door and walks around to his side. I pop one of the candies from the tote into my mouth as he gets buckled.
"Sloane?" Tucker's voice is gentle. "Are you okay?"
"I don't know." It's the most honest answer I can give. "I thought one baby was overwhelming. Two seems..."
"Impossible?"
"Yes."
He turns to face me fully. “I know it’s scary. But I also know my family will help us. I gotta believe this will be okay.”
“How, though?” I gesture vaguely between us. "We're not even together. How are we supposed to raise two babies?"
"I don't know," Tucker admits. "We'll figure it out."
I want to believe him and ignore that smug grin on his handsome face. Want to trust that his certainty isn't just naivety, that he understands what he's signing up for.
But I've heard promises before. And they all sounded sincere until they weren't.
Tucker parks effortlessly in a tiny space outside my building. Despite my overwhelm, I appreciate how good he smells when he puts one arm behind my seat as he backs into the spot. And hesmiles at me as he turns back around. “Piece of cake.” And then his face falls. “Man, I guess this beauty will have to go. Can’t be hauling twins around in a two-seater.”
“Ha.” I push the button to open my butterfly door, imagining curly-haired babies spitting up on his leather interior. “I would think not.” I fiddle with the ultrasound photos, the tote bag, and my backpack. Soon I’ll be juggling a massive diaper bag, too. And a stroller.
These tiny people will depend on me for everything.
Tucker navigates around the car with his long strides and lifts the bags from my hands, frowning up at the stairs to my front door. “Your building isn’t so easy to access. How does Mel manage?”
I point to the side, where there’s an accessible entrance and a service elevator she has permission to use. “She gets by.” I purse my lips, knowing I need to be open with him, but wanting to protect my privacy all at once. “We’re moving. Well, she’s moving. Your uncle found her a cool place.”
“Sounds like him.” Tucker takes the steps two at a time, and frowns when he sees the door to the building isn’t locked.
“Well…” I gesture for him to hand me my bags. He hasn’t seen my apartment, and I don’t want him to, not while it’s in chaos and I’m reeling about today’s news.
Tucker nods, arranging the straps of the bags on my shoulders. “Text me when we can talk again?” I nod. “Hey.” His voice is so soft, his eyes so gentle, I want to cry. “Take care of our guys.”
I clutch at my stomach as he walks back to his car, wondering how I’ll manage not to lose myself when he keeps saying things like that.
CHAPTER 17
