The doctor was already in the room chatting easily with Jake and Sophie’s heart skipped a beat as she watched him so easily charm the woman who had been her gynecologist since she was a teenager.

“Sophie!” Marnie moved to fold her into a warm hug. “Well, isn’t this a wonderful surprise?”

Sophie plastered a smile on her face. “Yes. Really wonderful.”

Her doctor patted the padded table. “Scoot on up here and we’ll do a quick exam to make sure everything is progressing well.” She referenced Sophie’s chart. “The HCG levels in your urine sample concur with twelve weeks.”

Relieved that the tests she’d taken at home hadn’t been wrong about the pregnancy, Sophie slid onto the table and put her feet in the stirrups, trying not to think about how strange all of this must look to Jake.

“Jake, why don’t you come stand over here. It will be easier for you to see the ultrasound monitor.”

He moved to her side and put his hand on her shoulder. He smiled down at her and Sophie was amazed to find herself more comforted by his presence than embarrassed. She’d been planning to come here alone. But she was—suddenly—incredibly glad she hadn’t had to.

Marnie reached for something big and thick and light blue. It already had a condom over it, and acute embarrassment swept over Sophie at the thought of Jake watching her doctor slide that into her.

“This shouldn’t hurt,” her doctor said, “although it may be a little cold at first.”

The lubricated ultrasound wand slid in easily and she could have sworn Jake’s eyes were twinkling at her predicament. The doctor typed in a password on the ultrasound machine and the monitor switched to a picture that looked like a night sky with faint clouds and stars.

“Now, let’s see where the little guy—or girl—is hiding.”

Sophie’s heartbeat ratcheted up, but before she could reach for Jake’s hand, he was sliding his over hers. They held onto each other tightly, neither of them breathing until Marnie smiled.

“Ah, there it is.” The doctor pointed to a faintly throbbing white light on the screen. “That’s the heartbeat.”

Sophie’s eyes filled with tears. There was a new heart beating inside of her, one that she and Jake had made together.

“Wow.” Jake’s hushed voice echoed her feelings exactly. “Amazing.”

Marnie smiled at him, then Sophie. “Always. The size of the fetus looks perfect for twelve weeks, too.”

Sophie assumed they’d be done now, but instead of pulling the wand from her body, her doctor said, “Twins usually skip a generation, but I’ll take a quick look to make sure there isn’t anyone else in here.”

“Twins?” Jake repeated.

“Anyone else?” Sophie could hear how strangled her voice was.

“While it’s not likely, it’s certainly not impossible that you’ve got—” The doctor gave a happy little shout. “Right here. There’s another heartbeat.”

Jake squeezed Sophie’s hand so hard, she almost yelped. But it was hard to register the pain when she was busy being totally shocked by what the doctor had just said. Marnie moved the wand around inside her some more. “Yes, looks like there are only two.”

Only two?

Oh God, when she’d been making those proclamations to Jake and her sister about doing it all herself, she’d been assuming she was only in for one baby. Not two!

Sophie shot a panicked glance up at Jake. His tanned skin was as pale as she’d ever seen it, even whiter than it had been right after she’d given him the news that she was pregnant.

Marnie slid the wand out, then handed her the picture that she’d printed. “For your scrapbook. Have you been taking prenatal vitamins?”

Sophie shook her head as she sat up, feeling lightheaded. She was so glad to have Jake standing strong behind her. “I wasn’t planning to get pregnant.”

Marnie’s expression didn’t betray any surprise or condemnation. “Okay, then. Here’s a prescription for the ones I like best for my patients.” She handed Sophie a bag from inside one of the cupboards. “Here are a few other things you might find helpful. Although I have to warn you, please don’t freak out when you read the What To Expect When You’re Expecting book. I’m giving it to you to use as a resource, not to feed any fears you might have about pregnancy.” She smiled at Sophie. “You’re a healthy young woman and if we look at your mother’s history, we can be pretty sure you’re going to have no problems at all.”

Sophie worked to find her breath as her doctor asked, “Now, do you two have any questions for me?”

God, yes. Sophie had zillions of questions she needed answers to. Most of which started with, How could this have happened to me when other people have one-night stands all the time? But for now, she just shook her head and said, “I’ll probably have some once I read through these.”

Books had always made her feel better. She’d always thought that knowledge could cure practically any ill. This time, however, she wasn’t at all sure books could work that kind of magic.

“What about you, Jake?”

“Does she need to be extra careful? You know, should she be careful not to over-exert?”

Marnie shook her head. “Sophie should be able to live pretty much as she is now. Good food, lots of rest, and exercise.”

“What about sex?”

His question shook Sophie from her panicked state. Now she was mortified, instead.

“I’m glad you asked that, Jake,” Marnie said. “It’s something that pretty much every newly pregnant couple wonders about. I promise you, intercourse isn’t going to hurt a thing. In fact, a lot of patients say it’s even better during pregnancy.” She smiled at both of them. “Feel free to email the office with any questions. And I’ll see you again in four weeks.”

The door closed behind the doctor, leaving Jake and Sophie alone.

She didn’t have the first clue about where to go from here. She’d thought she was past the point where the rug could be pulled out from under her. But hearing that she was pregnant with twins was a whole new level of rug-yanking.

She knew she should get off the table and put her clothes back on, but she wasn’t sure her legs would hold her up.

“Can you believe it?” Her question was more of a whisper than anything, as if she was afraid to say the word aloud. But she had to. “Twins.”