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She couldn’t stay holed up in the bathroom, there was work to be done and people counting on her.
    First, however, she had to get through breakfast and telling Dan they were pregnant. She’d needed a little time to recover from the shock of learning the news. Frankly, she was still reeling just a little but she had no right to keep this news from him any longer. He deserved to know he was going to be a father.
    That persistent ache deep beneath her sternum eased as anticipation fluttered in her belly. They were in this together. He’d told her in no uncertain terms that he loved her. Dan wanted to move to the next level in their relationship, as did she. She had no right to keep him in the dark… if she could just work up the courage to squeeze the words past the massive lump expanding in her throat. What she needed was a good dose of steaming hot coffee.
    Her steps slowed. Was it okay to drink coffee? Should she be on a special diet? Even she knew alcohol was off limits for the next seven or so months. What about avoiding things like touching up her roots and working out—wait, she avoided that last one already. What about prenatal vitamins? Shouldn’t she be taking those already? Heaven’s sake! She needed an assistant to figure this all out. More importantly, she needed a competent doctor… soon .
    The scent of bacon had her walking a little faster. When she’d first come back to Birmingham—had it only been six weeks ago—after more than two decades away, she’d accused Dan of buying this big old house in the elite Mountain Brook neighborhood just for show. She would’ve bet her measly savings he had never cooked in this gourmet kitchen. She paused in the doorway and watched as he deftly portioned scrambled eggs from a nonstick pan onto two plates. Had she been that wrong or had he suddenly decided he wanted to use all those high-end appliances for something other than proof of his income bracket?
    Maybe they’d both decided they wanted more now that they were together again. Until very recently, she had expected to spend the rest of her days in the Behavioral Analysis Unit at Quantico. The prospect of marriage—much less children—hadn’t been penciled into her ten-year plan. At forty-two, she’d pretty much decided she didn’t have time to be a mother. So much for ten-year plans .
    She watched as Dan pulled biscuits from the oven. A mental harrumph accompanied the conclusion that those two perfectly round, fluffy cakes of bread had either come from a twist open can or a freezer bag. No way had he made those from scratch. But judging by the tempting aroma, they were going to be delicious either way.
    “Smells wonderful,” she announced. She might just nab both those biscuits. After all, she was eating for two, right?
    Dan looked up as she crossed to the island. A smile lifted his lips. Her heart did a little dance that made her feel all giddy. The first time she’d seen that smile, back in high school, she’d reacted the same way. The man had the most amazing smile. When those blue eyes lit up, any woman in the vicinity still breathing swooned. This morning he wore a pale blue shirt and navy tie, both of which highlighted his eyes and made him look all the sexier even wielding a potholder and baking sheet.
    Would their child have his midnight black hair and beautiful blue eyes? Or the plain old blond hair and brown eyes she stared at in the mirror every morning? She hoped this baby had Dan’s patience and his innate ability to be charming and kind.
    He was going to be an amazing father.
    Her shoulders sagged. How in the world was she going to hold up her end? Being a mother was a big deal. A huge commitment. What if she was a terrible mother? She’d lost her mother when she was just ten. God knew her drunken aunt hadn’t provided any sort of role model. She’d moved away before Lily started her family. Her sister was a wonderful mother. Maybe she inherited some special nurturing gene that Jess