Dr. Tinder stepped back, shock etched on his youthful features. “Jesus, JJ. Are you okay?”
JJ really liked Dr. Justin Tinder. He was a handsome man with dark, wavy hair and glittering blue eyes that were nearly as bright as Baz’s. He was on the younger end of the spectrum, at least as far as practicing OB-gyn’s went. Forty-three, if she recalled correctly, and he’d been practicing on his own since his mid-thirties after he completed his residency at St. David’s. He was recently divorced from his college sweetheart, a man who decided he couldn’t handle the hours required by a medical professional. According to Dr. Tinder, the divorce was bitter, but they got through it with relative ease.
“Yes,” she told him confidently. “Physically, I’m fine. I wasn’t hurt.”
“She was tied to a chair for a few hours,” Baz added.
“It was a comfortable chair,” she tacked on.
“Have you felt any pain? Anything out of the ordinary?”
“No.”
His dark eyebrows rose slowly.
“I promise. I don’t have any aches or pains that weren’t there to begin with.” Because she knew Baz expected full disclosure, she added, “I’ve been havin’ nightmares and not sleepin’ all that well. I’ll feel better once you do your check and tell me the peanut’s okay.”
“Why don’t we listen to the heartbeat for peace of mind?” he suggested.
JJ nodded, then leaned back when Dr. Tinder adjusted the padded table, raising the head of the table so that it resembled a chair. He pulled the extension out so she could rest her legs out straight before picking up the fetal doppler. JJ lifted her shirt, exposing her belly as Baz came to stand beside her.
“I’m okay,” she whispered, wanting to reassure him. And she really was. At least during the daytime hours, provided he was near. And if he wasn’t, she seemed okay as long as Brantley or Reese were in the vicinity. Evan and Slade, too. Pretty much anyone she knew who was armed and capable of fending off an attacker.
Okay, so maybe she wasn’t as okay as she was pretending, but could anyone blame her?
Yeah, she had some anxiety at times—a couple of panic attacks she’d managed to keep secret—and the nightmares were reoccurring, but physically, she was fine. Now, it was a matter of confirming the peanut was good. Maybe then she would be able to relax more.
Dr. Tinder did his thing, squirting that cold jelly onto her belly before using the wand, pressing firmly, moving slowly. JJ listened intently, eager to hear that steadyworsh-thump-worsh-thumpthat had become the highlight of these visits.
Finally, it sounded, and JJ smiled, exhaling heavily.
Dr. Tinder moved the wand right past the firstworsh-thump-worsh-thump, moving some more until it was back.
Her smile consumed her face until her cheeks hurt. She exhaled with relief because hearing the peanut’s heartbeat only confirmed what she already knew. There was no problem.
At least, she thought there wasn’t.
Although she could’ve listened to the heartbeat all day, Dr. Tinder didn’t usually linger. He was a busy man and tended not to waste too much time. She appreciated that because it meant she didn’t have to wait long to see him when he had multiple patients.
Either he was slow today, or he was worried. Based on his frown and the fact he was continuing to move the wand around, she wasn’t sure which it was.
“Is there a problem?” Baz asked, obviously picking up on the doc’s hesitance.
Dr. Tinder removed the wand. “I think we should do a sonogram.”
“What? Why?” JJ exclaimed, suddenly scared.
Dr. Tinder gently touched her wrist. “No issues. I promise. I just want to confirm a couple of things.”
“Why a sonogram?” she asked. “I mean, I’m not opposed to one.” She would gladly look at images of the peanut. She couldn’t count how many times she’d looked at the sonogram pictures that were tacked to the board in her office.
“Give me just a second,” Dr. Tinder said before slipping out of the room.
JJ looked at Baz. “Was he actin’ weird, or is it just me?”
Baz didn’t respond; he simply continued to stare at the partially open door.
A moment later, Dr. Tinder returned, pushing the sonogram machine into the room.
