Pregnancy Proposals. Rebecca Winters

Doctor, your news has made me a very happy man.”

      “I’m glad to hear it.”

      Heat crept into Andrea’s face. She looked over at the doctor. “There’s something you need to know. You’ve misunderstood the situation. I’m a guest at the Château Du Lac. Monsieur Du Lac isn’t my husband.”

      He wrapped her arm to take her blood pressure. “What’s stopping you two from getting married?”

      “You don’t understand. The baby isn’t his.”

      The doctor did a double-take. “Then the birth father should be told.”

      “I can’t tell him.” Her voice trembled. “On the morning I must have conceived this baby, my husband left for work. By evening he’d died of a brain aneurysm. That was three months ago.”

      “Andrea …”

      The compassion in Lance’s tone caused her eyes to close.

      “I’m sorry for your loss,” the doctor said, “however he’s left you with a marvelous legacy.”

      Lance’s exact words.

      “I know, but I can hardly take it in.”

      “Miracles tend to affect a person that way. I’m pleased to announce you’re a healthy woman. If you’ll start the nausea medicine I’ve prescribed, you should be feeling much better before long. Take them three times a day before meals. Pick it up at the front desk.

      “I’ve also written an order for vitamins, which you need to start taking. I want to see you in a week to make certain all is going well. We’ll do another blood test in case you’re still a little low on iron.”

      “I’ll be returning to the United States in the next few days, so let me thank you now for all your help.”

      “In that case, be certain to get in touch with your doctor immediately.”

      “I will.”

      He paused at the door. “You can leave as soon as the nurse takes out your IV. Remember to stay hydrated, eat whatever appeals and get plenty of rest over the next couple of days.”

      “She’ll do it,” Lance proclaimed. Andrea tried to hide her smile. He couldn’t help who he was, but she didn’t mind.

      Once the doctor had left the room the nurse came in, preventing Andrea from talking to Lance until the other woman had removed the needle and had gone.

      Without being told anything, Lance opened the cupboard and pulled out the sack containing her clothes. He turned to her. “Do you need help getting dressed? I can ask her to come in again.”

      “No. I’m able to manage, but thank you anyway.”

      His gaze played over her with concern. “Then I’ll see you at the front desk.”

      After Lance closed the door, she removed the clinic gown and felt her stomach, which had filled out and was hard. Why hadn’t she realized a baby was growing inside her?

      When her jeans were too tight, she should have guessed at the reason, even if the specialist had told her getting pregnant would require a near miracle.

      Over the last few years Andrea had given up all hope of having a child from her own body. The news that she was pregnant was fantastic!

      At the moment she felt suspended between two worlds where nothing seemed real, yet the proof was there she was carrying Richard’s baby. To her consternation however it was Lance Malbois who’d first heard the news with her. If it weren’t for him, she could still be lying there in the forest too sick to move.

      How would she ever forget it was his eyes that had flickered at the incredible news, almost as if he’d been the one to father her baby and was pleased about it. Even the doctor had thought they were a couple.

      Andrea couldn’t understand Lance’s reaction. She meant nothing to him beyond being his father’s guest. Yet that was probably the reason why. He felt responsible for her. Under the circumstances she’d be wise to leave France as soon as she felt well enough for the flight home.

      Knowing she would be a mother in six short months changed the way she felt about returning to New Haven. Maybe she could work part-time for her old boss at the photography studio. If not, maybe the literature department at the university could use her services. The rest of the time she would start getting a nursery ready for her baby.

      So many things needed to be bought. A crib, a playpen, one of those adorable little swings, a stroller … All the items available for modern day mothers. Now she would be a mom, too!

      Whether it was a boy or girl didn’t matter. She loved her baby already. The knowledge she was carrying a life inside her filled that empty place in her heart.

      Though she would always be grateful for her aunt and uncle who’d raised her with their children after her parents died, she’d never really belonged to them. To think she would have a child of her own to love and cherish.

      After the baby came, she would make the small amount of insurance money left to her stretch so she could be a stay-at-home mom. Through her various university contacts, maybe she could arrange to do word processing at the condo to bring in some income.

      A fatal car accident had deprived her of her parents, and now a blood clot had taken the life of her baby’s father. Andrea was determined to be there for her child and not miss a minute of its upbringing if she could help it.

      If the nausea medicine worked the way it was supposed to, she’d be feeling well enough again in a few days to fly home and get busy. With a new sense of purpose in her life, she felt able to cope with her physical state.

      Once she’d finished dressing, she made a stop to the rest room, then hurried out to the reception area. Lance stood in the crowded waiting room near the door. His hard-boned face and physique drew the eye of every woman including the medical staff. In thigh molding jeans and a black pullover, he was the most spectacular looking male Andrea had ever seen.

      She could feel their envy as she approached him. “Do you have the prescriptions?”

      His concerned eyes intently took in her features with an intimacy that made her heart race. “Yes. Shall we go?” He opened the door for her and escorted her outside to his car.

      Without saying anything, he helped her in the passenger seat, then walked around to the driver’s side and took off for the pharmacy in the center of the village.

      “Stay where you are,” he ordered. “I’ll be right back.”

      Long before he’d gone into the military, Andrea was in no doubt Lance Malbois had been a man meant to be in charge. His service there had only refined those instincts, protective and otherwise. Right now she wasn’t complaining.

      He’d come across her in the forest and—in his unorthodox way—had seen to her needs faster than she’d been able to breathe. If she had to choose one person in this world to help her survive a difficult situation, she’d choose Lance, no questions asked.

      This Frenchman more than lived up to his legendary name, which had to be unique among men. In fact Andrea had a feeling the military couldn’t have been happy to learn he was retiring. Not so for the woman planning to marry him.

      Andrea could understand a stepdaughter who was no blood relation being infatuated by Geoff’s son. As Andrea was coming to find out, there was no man to compare to him.

      In a few minutes he’d rejoined her. “Here.” He undid the cap and handed her a pill. “You’re to take this now with water.” He produced a bottle of mineral water. “The vitamins you can start tonight so they won’t upset your stomach.”

      “Yes, Doctor,” she teased before swallowing the medicine. “That water tastes good. Thank you.” She put the pill vials in her purse.

      His darkly lashed eyes met her gaze. Their faces