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"Dr Chad Tiht if I sent him in?"

"Yes, please," Gloria said To her embarrassment tears filled her eyes and slid down her face She desperately wanted to wipe them away but was afraid it would only call attention to the emotion that racked her

"Co Chad "Pull up a chair and sit down We’re about to get started"

Chad arranged his chair so he’d have a full view of the screen The technician spread a cold gel on Gloria’s stomach and placed a wandlike device over the small round protrusion that was her baby

Gloria stared at the screen She didn’t dare look at Chad

"Did you want to know the sex?" the technician asked

"Sure," Gloria answered for them both, then turned to Chad

"That would be fine," he said

"Okay, do you see him?"

"Him?" Chad asked

"Oh, it’s definitely a hiain, Gloria shifted her head--and saw his broad sirl would make me just as happy," he murmured

"Me, too," she whispered

The technician continued "We have ten fingers and ten toes"

"You’re sure that’s not another finger you’re seeing?" Chad teased

"Trust hed, and Gloria relaxed To her surprise, he reached for her hand in a si It helped ease the tension between them

The ultrasound only took a fewit for any abnormalities, but Chad--as a doctor himself--assured Gloria that all looked well

The technician cleaned the sticky substance off Gloria’s abdoht about naht if it was a boy, I’d choose Roy for the estion for a first naio"

"What?" Gloria asked She couldn’t have heard hi baseball fan"

"Couldn’t we just call hi"

"I arow up hating us for that What’s your dad’s name?" It suddenly occurred to her how little she knew of his life before Cedar Cove, his faranddad’s name was Simon," Chad said

"Simon Roy," she repeated "Well, let’s think about it"

"Okay, we’ll do that" They walked out of the office together "I can hardly believe we actually agree on soood reason to feel that way, and Gloria felt the need to show her appreciation for the fact that he’d co down at the pavement

"I aed "I traded days with a friend He owes me"

Neither spoke as he walked her to her car

"You read the books?" he finally asked, breaking the silence

"All three, cover to cover" She grinned "Including the na I learned fronancy books really useful, though"

"I often reco each other It seemed that neither was ready to leave

"I’m on desk duty now," Gloria told him

"I heard," he murmured "I bet you hate that"

She motioned with her hands, unsure what to say When she’d first been assigned to administrative work and the phones, she’d expected to be bored But that hadn’t turned out to be the case "It’s actually okay," she said "What about you? Do you like being an ER doctor?"

He made the same noncommittal hand motion she had "It’s not that different from what I did at the Cedar Cove clinic"

She pushed the button to unlock her door

"You’re feeling good?"

Gloria nodded "Too good I’ve gained five pounds"

"We both want a healthy baby, Gloria I don’t want you to worry about gaining weight"