Dan said nothing.


    Those words stung more than he''d admit. Thanks to Yvonne-that damn woman— his own buddies were even avoiding him these days.


    Hell! Whoever ended up with her was doomed for life.


    "Cut it out. We''re getting lunch together, whether you like it or not," Dan snapped, his tone sharp.


    Anders Lowry just sighed inwardly, wishing he''d never made the call in the first


    ce.


    Elsewhere, Yvonne returned to the hotel with Xander, grumbling and cursing under her breath the whole way. She was practically seething, muttering about Dan as if she could bite right through him.


    Back in the suite, Xander handed her a ss of lemonade. "Calm down," he said gently. "You''re pregnant. Getting upset isn''t good for you or the baby."


    Everyone always said expectant mothers should stay cheerful so their children wouldn''t be born temperamental, but just thinking about being pregnant was enough to send Yvonne''s temper skyrocketing.


    "Get a doctor up here to check me," she snapped, barely containing her irritation. There was no way she was going back to a hospital, not if she could help it. Wasn''t there some quick way to confirm this?


    Xander nodded and told Shawn Schultz to find a doctor. As soon as Shawn picked up, he promised, "On it. I''ll get it done."


    Xander eyed him warily. "You''re not going to bring another lunatic, are you?"


    Shawn bristled at that, but afterst time, he knew he had iting. Still, he couldn''t resist muttering, “That was a fluke—the guy was just a really convincing fake.” Xander gave him a deadpan look. “Sure. A lunatic, and you thought he was normal." Shawn fell silent. If this went on, he really might lose it. That screw-up would haunt him for life. He almost hoped that phony patient would just vanish-serves him right.


    This time, Shawn made sure to y it safe he quickly got a legitimate doctor to the suite for an emergency visit. The test was straightforward a urine sample and a quick analysis.


    Result: two unmistakable lines.


    Yvonne stared at the result. "What''s this supposed to mean?"


    "It means you''re pregnant," the doctor confirmed. "If still


    a full examination, thet


    mend you go to a


    Yvonne practically radiated cold


    fury. She clenched her jaw and, eyes shut tight, forced herself to breathe The moment she opened her eyes again she shot up, vanished into the bedroom, and returned momentster with something gripped firmly in her hand.


    Xander watched, rm creeping into his eyes as Yvonne stormed silently toward the door, face set and determined.


    "Wait a second," he called.


    Just as Yvonne reached for the door, Xander strode over in three quick steps and mmed his palm t against it, pulling it closed.


    "Move," she growled, eyes zing.


    The poor doctor, witnessing the scene, looked so petrified they hardly dared to breathe.


    Xander gestured at the doctor, "Let them go, will you? You''re scaring the doctor half to death."


    Yvonne shot him a re. "Get out of my way. I''m going to wring that bastard''s neck!"


    She was truly fivid. The whole way back, she''d convinced herself it was just a stomach problem-anything but this. She could not ept that she, obal people was carrying Dan''s child. Now she was ready to storm out and deal with him herself.


    Xander swallowed hard, adrenaline kicking in. He reached out and grabbed the item from her hand.


    "Hey !"


    “Now''s not the time to go off the rails. Come on, take it easy,” he said gently.


    "Give it back!" she shot back, her voice trembling with emotion.


    But she couldn''t bring herself to listen-not now. And Xander''s calm, patient tone only made her feel more desperate.