‘She already knows,’ Cole echoes, still staring at our baby with a look of awe etched into every fine line on his handsome face.
Dr Kensington smiles. ‘Well… let’s take a look.’ She moves the wand, angles the screen.
The baby kicks inside of me then, nudging back against Dr Kensington’s probing touch.
She laughs. ‘Oh wow. She really is a fighter! Congratulations,’ she says warmly. ‘You’re having a little princess.’
Chapter Forty-One
ZARA
My mouth drops open.
Cole gasps, looking like he’s choking on air.
‘A… girl?’ I blink, staring at the screen as if I’ve misheard.
‘A girl,’ she confirms. ‘A very healthy little girl—strong like her mama.’ Dr Kensington beams at me.
Cole’s jaw actually drops.
‘Wow,’ I whisper, tears burning my eyes. ‘A little princess. How did I get it so wrong?’
Cole’s voice is barely audible. ‘We’re having a daughter.’ His hand comes up to cradle my face, thumb sweeping away a tear I didn’t even realise had fallen.
We both stare at the screen in sheer wonder.
A daughter.
The doctor prints the scan photo, then places it delicately in Cole’s free hand. He stares at it like it’s the first sunrise he’s ever seen.
‘I love her,’ he breathes.
And I believe him.
Because I have never loved anything or anyone as much, and I haven’t even met her yet.
Cole accepts the wipes Dr Kensington hands to him and cleans the gel from my stomach.
‘I’ll give you two a minute together,’ she says. ‘I’ll organise some tea and we can discuss your birth plan in the drawing room in a few minutes. It’s a bit less clinical than in here. You remember where it is, Zara? Last room on the right.’
‘I remember. Thank you,’ I can’t tear my eyes from Cole’s.
Her footsteps echo off the walls as she pads out of the room as I swallow thickly. My throat is clogged with emotion. Shock. Pure joy. But mostly, love. Love for the man beside me. Love for our little girl.
‘You don’t mind?’ I whisper. ‘That it’s a girl?’
‘Mind?’ He tosses the tissues to the side and places two hands on my bump. ‘I’m over the fucking moon—a mini version of the woman I’m obsessed with. I bet she’s going to be every bit as smart and sassy as you.’
My heart swells in my chest. Tears well in my eyes again. ‘Stop it, Cole, you’ll have me bawling again in a minute.’
He lowers his face to my swollen stomach. ‘Hi baby girl, it’s your daddy. We can’t wait to meet you. Daddy is going to spoil you rotten, sweetheart.’
Oh, he’s done it now.
Big fat tears spill over my cheeks.
I can’t believe I ever imagined doing this alone.
