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  “Oh, hello.” The doctor’s puzzled gaze moved to Holly.

  “It’s okay. You can talk in front of him.”

  The doctor hesitated.

  Holly sent the doctor a reassuring smile. “Finn’s the one who insisted on bringing me here, and I just want to show him that he was overreacting.”

  “If you’re sure.”

  She smiled and nodded.

  “Okay then. I have the results back. It’s what I initially suspected. You have morning sickness.”

  “Morning sickness? You mean I’m pregnant?” Holly vocalized Finn’s stunned thoughts.

  The doctor’s bushy brows drew together. “I thought you knew.”

  Holly turned to Finn, the color in her face leaching away, but no words crossed her lips. That was okay because for once, Finn couldn’t think of anything to say, at least nothing that would make much sense.

  A baby. We’re having a baby.

  Disbelief. Surprise. Excitement. Anger. It all balled together and washed over Finn.

  Holly stared at him as though expecting him to say something, anything. But he didn’t dare. Not yet. Not until he had his emotions under control. One wrong word and he wouldn’t be able to rebound from it. And to be honest, he was stuck on six little—life-changing—words.

  I’m going to be a father. I’m going to be a father.

  Holly turned her attention back to the doctor. “You’re sure? About the baby, that is.”

  The doctor’s gaze moved to Finn and then back to her. The question was in his eyes, but he didn’t vocalize it.

  “Yes, he’s the father.”

  Finn realized this was another of those moments where he should speak, but his mind drew a blank. It was though there was this pink-and-blue neon sign flashing in his mind that said baby.

  “I’m one hundred percent certain you’re pregnant.” The doctor’s forehead scrunched up. “I take it you have your doubts.”

  “Well, I, um—” she glanced at Finn before turning back to the doctor “—had my period since we were together. Granted it was light.”

  “Recently?”

  “The week before last.”

  “Was there any cramping associated with it?”

  She shook her head. “None that I recall.”

  “A little spotting is not uncommon. Have you had any spotting since then?”

  “No. I’m just really tired. Are...are you sure everything is okay with the baby?”

  “I’ll be honest, you’re still in your first trimester, which means the risk of miscarriage is higher. But I didn’t tell you that to worry you. I just want you to realize that taking care of yourself is of the utmost importance.”

  “The baby.” Her heart was racing so fast. “It’s okay, right?”

  “At this point, yes. I’ve arranged for a sonogram.” He moved to the counter to retrieve a stack of literature. “You might like to read over these. They’re about prenatal care and what to expect over the next several months. I’ll be back.”

  Finn paced. Neither spoke as they each tried to grasp the news. Seconds turned to minutes. At last, Finn sank into the chair, feeling emotionally wiped out. His gaze moved to Holly but she appeared engrossed in a baby magazine the doctor had given her.

  Where was the doctor? Had he forgotten them?

  As though Finn’s thoughts had summoned the man, the door swung open. A nurse walked in. Her eyes widened at the sight of Finn.

  The nurse handed Holly a pink gown. “The straps go in the front.” Then the nurse turned to him. “You might want to wait outside.”

  “I think you’re right.” That was it. Finn was out of there. He had no idea what was involved with a sonogram, but he’d give Holly her privacy.

  When he reached the waiting room, he was tempted to keep going. In here he felt as though he couldn’t quite catch his breath. Outside, in the fresh air, he would be able to breathe again. But he didn’t want to move that far from Holly. What if she needed him?

  And so he remained in the waiting room. He picked up a baby magazine, glanced at the cover and put it back down. He picked up another magazine, but it was for women. He put it down, too.

  The door he’d just exited opened. A different nurse poked her head out. “Mr. Lockwood.”

  He approached her, not having a clue what she wanted. “I’m Mr. Lockwood.”

  “If you would come with me, sir.” She led him back to Holly’s exam room.

  When he stood in the doorway, he found Holly lying on the exam table with a large sheet draped over her legs. He did not want to be here. He shouldn’t be here.

  Holly held her hand out to him. “Come see our baby.”

  He did want to see the baby. It would make it real for him. He moved to Holly’s side, all the while keeping his gaze straight ahead, focused on the monitor. He slipped his hand in hers, finding her fingers cold. He assumed it was nerves. He sandwiched her hand between both of his, hoping to warm her up a little.

  In no time at all, there was a fuzzy image on the monitor. Finn watched intently, trying to make out his child. And then it was there. It didn’t look much like a baby at this point, but the doctor pointed out the head and spine.

  “Wait a second, I need to check one more thing.”

  The doctor made an adjustment. Holly’s fingers tightened their hold on Finn. Her worried gaze met his. Was there something wrong with their child?

  Finn fervently hoped not. He just didn’t think he could go through all his parents had endured with his brother. It was an experience he’d never forget.

  “Okay.” The doctor’s voice rose. “Here we go. Just as I suspected.”

  Finn couldn’t be left in the dark. He had to know what they were facing. “What’s the matter?”

  The doctor smiled up at him. “Nothing at all. You are having twins.”

  “Twins!” Holly said it at the same time as Finn.

  “Yes, see here.” The doctor showed them both babies.

  It was the most amazing thing Finn had ever witnessed in his life. Twins. Who’d have thought? His vision started to blur, causing him to blink repeatedly. He was going to be a father—twice over.

  He glanced down at Holly. A tear streamed down her cheek. His gut clenched. Was that a sign of joy or unhappiness? It was hard for him to tell. And then she turned and smiled at him. He released the pent-up breath in his lungs.

  Holly squeezed his hand. “Did you see that? Those are our babies.”

  “I saw.”

  The doctor cleared his throat. “Well, you’ll want to see your OB/GYN as soon as possible. But in the meantime, you need some rest and lots of fluids.”

  “Rest?”

  “Yes and fluids. You have to be careful not to become dehydrated with the morning sickness.”

  “Okay. Whatever you say. I still can’t believe I missed all of the signs.”

  “You aren’t the first. Some women are in labor before they realize they are pregnant. These things happen.”

  Finn followed the doctor into the hallway while Holly got dressed. When they reentered the room, Holly looked different. Was it possible there was a bit of a glow about her? Or was he imagining things?

  The doctor went over some suggestions on how to minimize her morning sickness and gave her a bottle of prenatal vitamins to get her started. “If you have any problems while you’re in the islands, feel free to come back. I’m always here.”

  “I was planning to fly to New York today or tomorrow. Would that be all right?”

  “I’d like to see you rested and hydrated before you travel. Get your morning sickness under control first.”

  Finn could feel everyone’s attention turning his way, but he continued to study the random pattern of the floor tiles. He had nothing to contribu
te to this conversation, not at this point. This sudden turn of events was something he’d never envisioned.

  The door opened and closed.

  “Finn, are you okay?”

  He glanced up, finding that he was alone with Holly. “Okay? No.”

  Her lips formed an O. “Can I say or do anything?”

  He shook his head. He should be the one reassuring her, letting her know this was all going to be all right, but he couldn’t lie to her. He had no idea how any of this was going to be all right. He was the last person in the world who should be a father. In fact, up until this point, he’d intended to leave all of his estate to designated charities.

  But now, wow, everything had just changed. He raked his fingers through his hair. He had to rethink everything.

  Pull it together. She’s expecting me to say something.

  He lifted his head and met her worried gaze that shimmered with unshed tears. That was the last thing he’d expected. Holly was always so strong and sure of what she wanted. Her tears socked him in the gut, jarring him back to reality. She was just as scared as he was, if not more so.

  Oh, boy, were his children in big trouble here. Neither Holly nor himself was prepared to be a parent. They had so much to learn and so little time.

  Finn stood. “Let’s go back to the island.”

  Her worried gaze met his. “But what about New York?”

  “You heard the doctor. You need to rest first.” He held his hand out to her.

  She hesitated but then grasped his hand.

  He didn’t know what the future held, but for now they were in it together. For better. Or for worse.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  WHAT WERE THEY supposed to do now?

  A few days after returning from their trip to the big island, Holly was starting to feel better. The suggestions the doctor had given her for morning sickness were helping. And she’d been monitoring her fluid intake.

  She was still trying to come to terms with the fact that she was pregnant. There was no question in her mind about keeping the babies, but that was the only thing she knew for sure.

  Maria and Emilio had been called away from the island. This meant Holly and Finn had the entire island to themselves. In another time, that might have been exciting, even romantic, but right now, they had serious matters on their minds.

  She paced back and forth in the study. Where would she live? How would she manage a job, helping out her mother and being a mom all on her own? And where did this leave her and Finn?

  The questions continued to whirl around in her mind. She would figure it out—she had to—because she wasn’t going to fall back on Finn. She’d counted on two men in her life and they’d both failed her. She knew better this time around. She could only count on herself.

  Deciding she wasn’t going to get any more work done, she headed for the kitchen. She needed something to do with her hands and she had an urge for something sweet.

  As she searched the cabinets, looking for something to appease her craving, her thoughts turned to Finn. He’d barely spoken to her since they left the doctor’s office. The occasional nod or grunt was about as much as she got out of him. She couldn’t blame him. It was a lot to adjust to. Her mind was still spinning. Her hand ran over her abdomen.

  A baby. No, two babies. Inside her. Wow!

  “How are you feeling?” Finn asked.

  Four whole words strung together. She would take that as a positive sign. “Better.”

  “And the babies?”

  “Are perfectly fine.” She bent over to retrieve a cookie sheet from the cabinet.

  “I can get that for you.” Finn rushed around the counter with his hands outstretched.

  “I can manage.” She glared at him until he retreated to the other side of the counter.

  She placed the cookie sheet on the counter before turning on the oven. “Did you need something?”

  “You’re planning to bake? Now?”

  “Sure. Why not? I have a craving.”

  “Isn’t it a little early for those?”

  She sighed. Why did he have to pick now of all times to get chatty? She just wanted to eat some sugary goodness in peace. “Not that kind of craving.”

  “Then what kind?”

  What was up with him? He’d never been so curious about her dietary habits before. Or maybe he was just attempting to be friendly and she was being supersensitive. She choked down her agitation, planning to give him the benefit of the doubt.

  “These are cravings that I get when I’m stressed out.” She pulled open the door on the stainless-steel fridge and withdrew a roll of premade cookie dough. “Do you want some cookies?”

  “If you’re stressed about Project Santa—?”

  “It’s not that!”

  His eyes widened. “Oh. I see.”

  This was another opening for him to discuss the big pink or perhaps blue elephant in the room. And yet, he said nothing. Her gaze met his and he glanced away. Was this his way of telling her that he wasn’t interested in being a father?

  She placed the package of cookie dough on the counter before moving to the oven to adjust the temperature. Next, she needed a cutting board. There had to be one around here somewhere. The kitchen was equipped with absolutely everything. At last, she spotted a small pineapple-shaped board propped against the stone backsplash.

  With the cutting board and a knife in hand, she moved back to the counter. “I’ll have some reindeer cookies ready in no time. I thought about some hot chocolate with the little marshmallows, but it’s a little warm around here for that.”

  “Thanks. But I’ll pass on the cookies. I have some emails I need to get to. By the way, do you have a copy of the Cutter contract?”

  “I do. It’s in my room. Just let me finish putting these cookies on the tray.” She put a dozen on the tray and slipped it in the oven. “Okay. There.” She turned back to him. “Stay here and I’ll be right back.”

  She rushed to her spacious guest room that overlooked the ocean. It was a spectacular view. She was tempted to take a dip in the sea or at the very least walk along the beach, letting her feet get wet. Maybe she’d do it later, after she was done working for the day.

  Turning away from the window, her gaze strayed over the colorful packages she’d brought back from the big island. She’d splurged a bit, buying a little something for everyone, including her half-sisters, Suzie and Kristi.

  Holly worried her bottom lip. She always tried so hard to find something that would impress them and each year, she’d failed. Thankfully she’d bought the gifts before her doctor’s appointment because afterward she hadn’t been in a holly-jolly spirit. The bikinis, sunglasses, flip-flops and a cover-up with the name of the island were placed in yellow tissue-paper-lined shopping bags. The girls would be all set for summer. About the same time she was giving birth.

  With a sigh, Holly continued her hunt for the contract. On top of the dresser, she found the file folder. She pulled it out from beneath a stack of papers and an expandable folder when the back of her hand struck the lamp. Before she could stop it, the lamp toppled over.

  Holly gasped as it landed on the floor and shattered, sending shards of glass all over the room. As she knelt down to clean up the mess, she muttered to herself. It was then that she heard rapid footsteps in the hallway.

  “What happened?” Finn’s voice carried a note of concern. “Are you okay?”

  “I am. But the same can’t be said for the lamp.”

  “I’m not worried about it.” His concerned gaze met hers.

  “I’ll have this cleaned up in no time. Your contract is on the edge of the dresser.”

  When he stepped forward, she thought it was to retrieve the contract. However, the next thing she knew, he knelt down beside her. />
  “What are you doing?” she asked, not quite believing her eyes.

  “Helping you.”

  “I don’t need your help—”

  “Well, you better get used to it because I plan to help with these babies.”

  It wasn’t a question. It was an emphatic statement.

  Her stomach churned. She was losing her control—her independence. She was about to lose her sense of security because her life would no longer be her own—Finn and the babies would now be a part of it—forever.

  Holly sucked in a deep breath, hoping it’d slow the rapid pounding of her heart.

  “Did you cut yourself on the broken glass?” Finn glanced down at her hands.

  “I’m fine.” She got to her feet, needing some distance from him. And then she smelled something. She sniffed again. “Oh, no! The cookies.”

  She rushed to the kitchen and swung the oven door open. The Christmas cookies were all brown and burnt. With Finn hovering about, she’d forgotten to turn on the timer. She groaned aloud, not caring if he heard her or not.

  She turned to the garbage and dumped the cookies in it. Her gaze blurred. The memory of Finn’s words and the knowledge that life would never be the same made her feel off-kilter and scared. What were they supposed to do now?

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  HE HAD TO do something, but what?

  The next evening, Finn did his best to concentrate on the details of a potential acquisition for Lockwood. Try as he might, his thoughts kept straying back to Holly and the babies. This was the time when his family would be invaluable. A deep sadness came over him, realizing that his children would never know his parents or his brother, Derek. In that moment he knew that it would be his responsibility to tell his children about their past—about their grandparents and uncle. Finn didn’t take the notion lightly.

  He glanced across the study to where Holly was sitting on the couch, working on her laptop. She’d been feeling better, which was a relief. Whatever the doctor had told her to do was helping. Now they could focus on the future.

  His gaze moved to the windows behind her. The day was gray and glum just like his mood. He knew what needed to be done. They needed to get married.