Deven checked her cell phone as she hurried into one of the empty sonogram rooms. She had a little time before someone would need it and she wanted to get a few ultrasound pictures for her big announcement that weekend. Plus, Kennedy would need a few more pictures for the scrapbook she was making. Deven knew she would have to eventually make an appointment with a regular OBGYN instead of sneaking these little ultrasound checks between patients.

A few buttons and the machine whirred and hummed to life. Deven lifted her shirt to smear the cool gel on her belly. She replaced her fingers with the transducer. As expected, the baby’s image materialized on the monitor, the distorted pockets of grey and black shifting as she moved the wand across her abdomen. The baby’s heartbeat filled the room, like galloping in water. Deven frowned at the sound. It was fainter and slower than usual. The image on the screen didn’t look to be moving as much either. She took a step closer to press more buttons on the computer. Maybe if she saw some of the measurements, she could—

A brisk knock on the door had Deven snatching the wand from her skin and letting her shirt fall into place. The remnants of the gel left her wet and chilled, her scrubs clinging to her as she quickly shut off the machine. “One second,” she called. She would have to worry about the baby later when she had more time. Between her incessant bathroom trips and now this, it was a wonder someone hadn’t been lapping the halls to look for her sooner. Leslie could only stall for so long.

Deven was surprised to see Paul Bryant waiting outside of the door. He looked equally surprised, but pleasantly so, dimples pleating both cheeks with that gorgeous smile of his. It was infectious and she couldn’t help but blush.

Paul Bryant was most certainly an attractive package. Not only was he probably the sexiest white man on the planet (especially when he left his facial hair unkempt), but he was a gym rat, evident by the lab coat that did little to hide his toned physique; one she’d had to pretend often not to notice. But aesthetics aside (as hard as that was), Paul was such a beautiful person. She’d seen that compassion firsthand when her father had his cancer diagnosis. He’d become more than just her father’s oncologist, but a very dear friend; sharing the journey, the empathy, and yes even the pain when Jamie had lost the battle.