"Meredith."
"Hey, workaholic," I say, moving toward him.
Cole's eyes narrow slightly, scanning me from head to toe. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong."
Dex snorts. "She's lying. I can tell."
Cole glares at his brother. "Don't you have work to do?"
"I'm the co-owner," Dex says with a shrug. "I delegate."
Despite my nerves, I laugh. This dynamic between them—Dex needling, Cole glowering—is as familiar and comforting as Dorothy's cookies.
"Seriously," Cole says, his focus entirely on me now, "what's up?"
"Maybe I just wanted to see my husband in the middle of a workday. Is that a crime?"
"It is when you've got that look," Dex interrupts. "The one that says you're keeping secrets."
"Dex!”
Dex holds up his hands in surrender but winks at me. "Fine, fine. I can take a hint." He backs away down the hall. "But this conversation isn't over, Meredith!"
Cole guides me into his office with a hand around my waist, closing the door firmly behind us. His office is exactly like him, functional without being spartan, everything in its place. The desk holds three framed photos: our wedding day, a candid shot of me laughing at something off-camera, and one of Robert and me from before he died.
"Now," Cole says, leaning against his desk and pulling me to stand between his legs, "tell me what's going on."
His hands settle on my hips, warm and secure. I place mine on his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat beneath my palm.
"Can't I just miss my husband?" I ask, tracing a finger along his collar.
"You can. And do. But that's not why you're here." His eyes search mine. "You've been crying."
"Happy tears."
"Still tears. Talk to me, Meredith."
I take a deep breath. "Can you come with me to the doctor?"
His body instantly goes rigid, hands tightening on me, eyes sharpening with alarm. "Why? What's the problem?"
"Nothing's wrong," I say, unable to keep the smile from spreading across my face. I reach into my purse and pull out the white stick, holding it up so he can see the two pink lines in the result window. "I just thought we should go together … for the first appointment."
Cole stares at the test, his expression frozen somewhere between confusion and dawning realization. His eyes flick from the test to my face, then back again.
"You're pregnant," he whispers.
I nod, tears welling up again. "Found out this morning. I couldn't wait until tonight to tell you."
For a moment, he's completely still. Then everything happens at once. He stands to his full height, lifts me effortlessly, his arms banding around me as if I might float away. His face presses into my neck, and I feel the tremor that runs through him. My strong, controlled husband, undone.
"A baby, Meredith. Our baby." He pulls back and brushes stray hair sticking to my forehead. Then a slow smile breaks across his face—the full, unguarded one so few people ever get to see. "You're going to be an incredible mother."
"You think so?" Despite everything, this new territory fills me with equal parts joy and terror.
"I know so. You're the strongest person I've ever met, Meredith. Our kid is lucky to have you."
