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All of which added up to Damian's mental and physical exhaustion. He hadn't been sleeping well at night. Nighttime was the worst because then not only was he concerned about his injured hand and the daily workout routines-which hadn't been as productive as he'd have liked-but thoughts of Micki surfaced and wouldn't leave him alone.

She haunted his nights in ways no woman ever had. With two major problems in his life, he found himself wanting to discuss his options with Micki. He wanted to hear her tell him that he would make a good father because when she said it, he believed. When he gave himself a pep talk, it was Micki's voice he heard, reassuring him and convincing him he could be a better man.

No woman had ever made him want to be a better man before.

'Are you all ready?' Dr. Kernan joined them, walking into his private office and interrupting Damian's thoughts.

Carole rose to her feet. In her high heels and skirt, she was the woman he remembered, dressed to impress. But he noticed that her suit jacket was buttoned over her skirt, leading him to believe she no longer had the flat abdomen he remembered.

At the thought, his stomach cramped badly.

'Frankly, Doctor, I think we wasted your time. I already know that Damian is the father and I'm so sorry time was taken away from your other patients to inform us of something we already knew.' She shot the other man a pleading glance.

For a brief second, Damian almost felt sorry for her but then he remembered the hell he'd been living with ever since her announcement and her deliberate omission of Carter's part in her life.

Rick placed an arm around her shoulder and, though she stiffened, she didn't pull away. 'Babe, you need to face the truth. It's a crapshoot.Fifty-fifty. Doc?' he asked, turning to the older man.

Dr. Kernan glanced at the folder in his hand. 'As I explained the day we did the test, I extracted the fetal cells from the mother's blood sample and compared blood types to both possible fathers.'

'As I said-' Carole began, but Carter cut her off.

'What do the results show?' he asked.

Damian held his breath.

The doctor met Damian's gaze, 'I can guarantee you one hundred percent, you are not nor can you possibly be the baby's father.'

Damian blinked, certain he'd heard incorrectly.

'That's not possible,' Carole said, her voice trembling with pure fear.

Her reaction assured Damian he hadn't misunderstood. 'Not mine?' he asked.

The doctor who'd delivered all of his sisters' children walked over and put a hand on Damian's shoulder. 'Not yours' he said, loud and clear.

Damian forced air into his lungs. It wasn't easy and he realized he was dizzy. He rubbed his forehead.

'What are you saying?' Carole asked.

Damian glanced at Carter whose face was flushed red. The other man hadn't asked if he was the father. Carole might claim that she'd only been with both men, but Damian couldn't help questioning that. Carter wanted this baby and a life with Carole, for better or for worse, Damian thought wryly. Would the rookie be disappointed in life yet again? At least he couldn't blame Damian this time.

He drew a deep breath and rose before the doctor could announce the next set of results. 'I think this is where I take my leave.' Damian turned to his teammate. 'Good luck,' he said and, avoiding Carole's gaze, he headed for the door.

He didn't want to be around to witness either Carter's triumph or his humiliation.

It wasn't his business. Not anymore.

Carole's hands shook as Damian walked out the door without sparing her a glance. He disappeared along with her hopes and dreams for a solid future for herself and her baby. It wasn’t that she couldn't support herself. She could. She always had. And it wasn't that she was in love with the man. If love were the sole criterion for security, she'd lasso Carter and marry him today.

The doctor stood before them, that damning folder in his hand.

'So it's a done deal?' Carter asked. 'It's mine?”

A wave of dizziness swept over her and she lowered herself into the nearest chair. The doctor came up behind her and eased her head down slowly until it rested between her legs.

'Easy' Dr. Kernan said. 'Just stay in this position for a bit.'

'Are you okay?' Rick leaned down beside her. 'I already told you we'll get through this together and that was before Damian was out of the picture. We're gonna be fine, babe ' he said in a reassuring voice.

A lump rose in her throat. Carter's words only made her feel that much worse. The poor man had too much faith in her, Carole thought. She didn't deserve for him to love her. She didn't deserve for him to care.

It didn't matter that she'd learned her lesson about chasing fantasy instead of reality. It didn't matter that she'd learned the hard, way she should have valued herself and her body enough to hold out for a man who truly cared instead of settling for scraps from the big stars.

She'd sacrificed her self-respect long ago. After watching Damian walk out of the room, she now promised herself to start fresh. She'd make a life for herself and her baby and it'd be a better one than her mother had been able to give her. There'd be no men wandering through at all hours and there'd be nourishing meals on the table. She'd see to it.

Though her heart pounded in her chest, she was starting to regain her composure. Carole slowly lifted her head. 'Let's do this,' she said, wanting the official announcement over with.

Dr. Kernan flipped his folder closed. 'Congratulations ' he said, his gaze meeting Carter's. 'You're the proud father-to-be.'

'Woo hoo!' Carter pumped his fist in the air and the doctor laughed. 'So is it a boy or girl?' Carter asked.

Dr. Kernan slapped Carter on the back. 'I know you're excited but why don't we ask the mother whether she wants to know the sex?”

Carole was still focusing on taking deep breaths and trying mentally to get herself and her life in order. She was going to be the mother of Carter's child, and she was going to be a mother who set a fine example for her…

'What is it?' she asked the doctor.

'You're having a girl. Congratulations.'

A broad grin spread across Carter's face as De. Kernan shook first his hand, then Carole's.

'You folks have been through a lot. I'd urge you to get some old-fashioned family counseling for the baby's sake if not your own. I can recommend some names if you'd like. Think about it and get back to me.' He placed his pen into the pocket of his white coat. 'In the meantime, good luck. I suggest you contact an OB of your choice and begin regular appointments if you haven't already,' he said, his gaze focused on hers.

'Thank you,' she murmured, embarrassed at how she'd been behaving, mortified at insisting Damian was the father when she knew he might not be.

The doctor nodded and walked toward the door. 'Feel free to use my office for a bit if you need to,' he said and strode out, leaving Carole and Carter alone.

'I always thought I'd have a boy,' Carter said, still in shock at all of Dr. Kernan's revelations. His kid. His baby girl.

'Are you disappointed?'

For the first time, Carter heard uncertainty in Carole's voice and fear underlying her words. 'Not disappointed. Surprised. Excited. Anxious, too,' he admitted.

'Yeah. Well I think we both are.' She paused and glanced down. 'It wasn't that I didn't want you to be the father.'

'Yeah it was.' But to his surprise, he wasn't bitter. 'In an odd way I get it. Fuller has money and prestige and with him you wouldn't have to worry about anything:'

She swallowed hard. 'I was stupid. Up until the last second, I was an idiot. First of all, you should know that my job is a good one with decent benefits. We'll be okay.'

'Babe, I have enough faith in myself for both of us. I'll go through arbitration and make good money. My stats this year have been phenomenal. My agent's sure things'll go well. By the time I'm up for free agency-'