"What happened?"

"You did a nose dive into the gra.s.s," s.e.x Piston answered. "Are you okay?"

"I think so." Winter started to rise, but Killyama pushed her back down.

"Take a minute. Then I'll help you up."

Winter nodded. The small movement had a nauseous feeling attacking her stomach.

"I think I'm going to throw up," she moaned, trying to hold the bile back.

"T.A., go get her a gla.s.s of juice," Killyama ordered.

"I must have slept in the sun too long."

Winter took Killyama and s.e.x Piston's hands as they lifted her back onto the lounger. She accepted the juice T.A. handed her, taking small sips. After the third one, she felt her pitching stomach settle.

"Are you feeling better?" Aunt Shay asked anxiously.

"Yes." She finished the juice and was setting it down on the small table when Viper, Moon, and Train came running outside.

The three came to an immediate stop when they saw the three naked women standing next to her. Viper was the first one to come to his senses.

"What happened?" His eyes were filled with worry.

"I don't kn-"

"The b.i.t.c.h fainted," s.e.x Piston finished before she could.

"I was going to fix lunch, but I fell asleep in the sun before I could. When I woke up, I must have stood up too quickly and pa.s.sed out."

Train grabbed her wrist, taking her pulse. "Her pulse is fine," he said, letting her wrist go then looking in her eyes.

"When did you get back?" Winter asked, surprised to see him back so soon.

"This morning. I have the next four days off. Then I fly out again Sat.u.r.day."

"Oh, it's good you're back. Rider and Moon have missed you."

"No, they haven't." Train grinned, pulling a blood pressure cuff out of his satchel. "Rider is eating my share of the food, and Moon has confiscated my room."

"Then you need to hurry back so you can kick him out."

"I already have," he said, unwinding the blood pressure cuff from around her arm. He looked up at Viper. "Her blood pressure is normal. She seems okay, but she needs to go to her doctor tomorrow to make sure."

"I'm sitting right here," she said grumpily, feeling foolish with everyone staring at her.

"I know you are. I can see." Train put his blood pressure cuff back in his satchel. "You look good in that bikini," he teased.

Winter gave him a threatening glare, taking one of the towels to wrap around herself. T.A., Crazy b.i.t.c.h, and Killyama didn't make a move to mimic her actions, standing blithely naked as the day they were born while the men went back to staring at them.

"Don't you dare." Winter tugged Viper to sit down next to her on the lounger.

He grinned at her, kissing her pouting lips. When his mouth then dropped open, she was ready to pummel her husband, until his amazed words cooled her temper.

"Is that you, Aunt Shay?"

"Yes." Now it was Aunt Shay's turn to have eyes on her. "s.e.x Piston did my hair. Do you like it?"

"Aunt Shay, if I weren't already married to Winter, I would marry you."

Her laughter warmed Winter's heart.

Aunt Shay smiled sweetly at him before thanking s.e.x Piston as the three naked women went into the house to get dressed.

Winter started to stand up. "I'll go fix some lunch for everyone."

"Don't bother. We were going to the diner when Killyama called. While they get dressed, why don't you get changed and we all go?" Viper suggested. "It will do you and Aunt Shay good to get out of the house. Neither of you have been out since she got out of the hospital."

"Aunt Shay?" Winter asked.

"I would enjoy getting out," she admitted.

"Then I'll get changed."

It only took her minutes to change. She was still feeling nauseous. The way her mother had acted when she had found out she had cancer began to play in her mind. Some breast cancers ran in families. Winter went to regular doctor appointments and got routine screenings, but the fear that was always in the back of her mind had been growing with the way she'd been feeling lately.

All the joking around to Viper about death was coming back to haunt her, and she quickly made a doctor's appointment for first thing the next day.

Both she and Viper were extremely healthy, working out and watching their diets. She needed to find out what had been making her feel so ill. One of the benefits of being a Last Rider was knowing how to fight when the odds were against you.

12.

"Winter, the doctor will see you in his office when you get dressed." Evie gave her a rea.s.suring smile as she closed the door of the exam room.

Winter's hands fumbled as she put her dress back on. During her examination, the doctor had listed several things that could have led to her fainting. He had Evie test her blood and urine samples, telling her not to trouble herself until the tests came back.

She was eager to leave the sterile room, going to the office across the hall.

When Dr. Matthews saw her, he stood, motioning for her to take a seat. Apprehensively, she saw Evie come to stand in the doorway.

"I've made you an appointment for tomorrow."

"For a mammogram?" She was deathly afraid he was going to tell her that he had the same suspicions as her.

He shook his head, grinning. "With my grandson, Dr. Price. You're pregnant, Winter."

She didn't know how to react. She simply stared at him in shock.

"I can't be pregnant."

"No protection is infallible. Your blood work isn't back yet, but from the pregnancy test I took from your urine, you're pregnant. I made you an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. Is that good for you? Your blood work will be back in the morning. If it's positive, I'll have Evie call you and confirm your appointment with Dr. Price."

"I can't be pregnant. It must be a mistake." Winter burst into tears.

She was deliriously happy, but Viper was going to be so angry. She was terrified, afraid he was going to be furious and think she had gone behind his back to achieve the pregnancy she had prayed for.

Evie put a supportive arm around her. "I'm so happy for you."

"Winter, you becoming pregnant has never been an issue. It was if you could carry it safely. Lucky for you, my grandson is one of the top doctors in his field. He specializes in high-risk pregnancies."

"He told me he was an obstetrician, but I didn't realize he dealt with high-risk pregnancies."

Dr. Matthew patted her hand. "You'll receive excellent care, but Winter, I did warn both you and Viper how difficult a pregnancy could be to your health and the baby's. For now, we're not going to worry about that until Dr. Price has a chance to examine you. Today, just enjoy finding out the good news."

"Thank you, Dr. Matthews."

"I have another patient waiting. Evie will stay until you're ready to leave." The doctor left the two women alone, closing his office door.

She stood, still disbelieving she was really pregnant.

Evie hugged her. "Those better be happy tears. I know how much you've been wanting a baby." She and Penni had been the only ones Winter had told about her desire to have a child.

"They are. I'm just worried about how Viper's going to take the news."

Evie's face fell. "When are you going to tell him?"

"Cash dropped me off. I'll get him to drive me to the clubhouse and talk to him then."

Evie's frown deepened. "You can't tell him while he's working. Make him a nice dinner, and then tell him when your aunt goes to bed."

"You think he's going to be that upset?" Evie's advice was making her fears worse.

"No! I didn't mean that. I thought you wanted to tell him by yourself first so you can rea.s.sure him alone. Viper isn't going to blame you for getting pregnant. Accidents happen. Once, I was afraid I would get pregnant when a condom broke. King rea.s.sured me everything was fine. Viper will, too; you'll see."

"I hope you're right. I'll make him a steak and a chocolate pie."

"There you go. If I didn't think you should tell him alone, I would come over for dinner," she joked, giving her some Kleenex to wipe her face. "You ready?"

Winter nodded.

"Call Cash. Then go to the bathroom to wash your face. We don't want him calling Viper to tell him you've been crying."

"I will."

"Good. I'll call you in the morning when your results come in."

"Bye."

"Bye... and congratulations." Evie hugged her again before the women parted ways.

Winter texted Cash as she entered the restrooms. Splashing the cold water onto her cheeks, she stared into the mirror. The joy in their depths had Winter telling herself Viper would be as happy.

"What if he isn't?" Winter whispered to the empty bathroom.

She was so nervous about telling her husband that it took two tries to open the restroom door. Thank G.o.d Evie had convinced her to wait until dinner. She needed the time to prepare herself in case Viper blamed her for the unexpected pregnancy. She still couldn't believe it herself.

She'd had an implant put in four months ago, switching from the pill at the gynecologist's advice. She had warned her to take other precautions during the first two weeks, and they had. Regardless, worrying about it now wasn't going to change the fact she was now pregnant.

Cash pulled up in front of the doctor's office as she came out.

"Everything go okay?" Cash asked when she climbed inside.

"Yes." She kept a straight face as he drove her to her aunt's house.

"You look like you've been digging a ditch," Winter observed, changing the topic.

Cash grimaced at his dusty clothes. "Sorry. Rachel had me helping plant some of her seeds."

"I hope she didn't get them from her brothers," she wisecracked, as Cash parked his truck in her aunt's driveway.

"Her brothers are too stingy to share their seeds. They are as much in demand as their pot."

He walked her to the door. "If your aunt is doing better, Rachel and Holly will be over on Sat.u.r.day. They're going to bring Logan and Ema over to spend the afternoon, if that's okay with you?"

"Yes." Winter knew Aunt Shay would be excited about seeing Cash's baby.

"Make sure you lock the door," he ordered, waiting for her to go inside.

"I will," she said, telling him goodbye as she closed the door, locking it.

Winter checked on her aunt, who was taking a nap, before changing into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.

She wanted tonight to be one they would never forget. She made a salad, putting it in the fridge so all she would have to do is take it out. She texted Beth for her pie recipe, tempted to order one of Willa's cakes. When Beth emailed her the recipe, she was relieved by how simple it was. She spent the next hour making two pies: one for Viper and one for Aunt Shay.

As the clock ticked by, Winter became more anxious about his reaction. She was so overwrought she almost burned the pies, and she forgot to lay out the steaks.

She made Aunt Shay an early dinner then started her a movie in her room. Then Winter changed into a sundress with shades of soft greens and yellows. She slipped on a pair of cream sandals before going downstairs to bring her aunt a piece of pie and a gla.s.s of milk.

"I'm going to go start the grill. If you need anything, just call out. I'll leave the door open."