regarded him in bewilderment. “How is that
possible?”
“Sperm is usually protected from the immune system by a
mechanism called the blood-testis barrier,” Cole explained. “Sometimes an injury
breaks through this barrier. In that case, the immune system may form antibodies
to the sperm.”
“You said that was rare.”
“It’s found in less than one percent of infertile men,” Cole
agreed, “although the incidence is higher when they’ve had surgery on their
reproductive tract. I don’t see that in your case. But the wrestling might have
caused it.”
“This test—is it invasive?” The man swallowed. “Never mind.
I’ll do whatever it takes.”
His determination to become a father, even without a woman in
the picture yet, was striking. Although Cole tried to avoid becoming overly
invested in his patients, he hoped he could help.
“We need to test a sperm sample for antibodies,” he assured
him. “Nothing invasive.”
“Let’s do it.”
Cole summoned Lucky to arrange for the specimen. Then, in his
office, he made notes in the patient’s file. The problem was that even with a
diagnosis, treatment for male antibodies was controversial and uncertain. He
supposed they’d cross that bridge when and if they came to it....
A tap at the door announced an unexpected visitor. Ned Norwalk
popped in, his teeth gleaming white in his tanned face when he smiled. Although
they’d hung out together at the Sunbeam Saloon, this was the first time the
nurse had paid him a visit. “What’s up?” Cole asked.
Ned dropped into a chair. “Just making sure we’re on the same
page.”
“About what?”
“Stacy.”
Irritably, Cole recalled Ned’s comment at the nightclub: There’s one I wouldn’t mind getting to know
better.
“What about her?”
Ned spread his hands placatingly. “I’m looking for a place, so
we discussed her ad for a roommate. When she confided that she’s pregnant, I put
two and two together. She refused to say anything about the father, but I saw
you two leaving the club, and the timing is right.”
Cole pried apart his clenched teeth to ask, “And?”
“I wanted to let you know I’ll take good care of her.”
Considering Ned’s reputation for gossiping, Cole did not feel
reassured. “You will, eh?”
The nurse hurried on. “People will assume I’m the dad, which
lets you off the hook. With all this publicity, I figured you’d appreciate
that.”
A swell of anger nearly choked Cole. He did not want to be let off the hook, and he hated the idea
of another man living with Stacy. “You figured wrong.”
Ned regarded him uneasily. “You don’t like the idea?”
“Correct,” Cole muttered. Then he remembered the first lesson
he’d learned about Stacy: not to control her. He struggled to moderate his tone.
“I should discuss this with her. Any idea where she is?”
“I saw her on the elevator a few minutes ago. She got off on
the second floor. Something about an ultrasound.”
The exam wasn’t scheduled for another week and a half, but
there must have been a change in plans. Was she having problems? Cole sprang up
so fast he banged his thigh against the edge of the desk. “I’d better go.”
“Yeah. Glad we had this little talk,” Ned said as Cole hurried
past him. “Guess I’ll find another place to live.”
“Excellent plan,” he snapped.
He supposed he should have been more diplomatic, and more
careful about revealing his paternity. Sworn the man to secrecy, too. But right
now, Cole didn’t care.
He had to find Stacy.
Chapter Ten
As Stacy approached Nora Franco’s office, Una stepped
into the hall, the tag sticking out of her flowered maternity dress. She must
have already completed the ultrasound and dressed hurriedly afterward.
Stacy wished she had arrived earlier, but she’d been at home
when she received a text saying the eager mom-to-be had arranged to move up her
ultrasound by a few days. “How’d it go?”
“I’m having twins!”
possible?”
“Sperm is usually protected from the immune system by a
mechanism called the blood-testis barrier,” Cole explained. “Sometimes an injury
breaks through this barrier. In that case, the immune system may form antibodies
to the sperm.”
“You said that was rare.”
“It’s found in less than one percent of infertile men,” Cole
agreed, “although the incidence is higher when they’ve had surgery on their
reproductive tract. I don’t see that in your case. But the wrestling might have
caused it.”
“This test—is it invasive?” The man swallowed. “Never mind.
I’ll do whatever it takes.”
His determination to become a father, even without a woman in
the picture yet, was striking. Although Cole tried to avoid becoming overly
invested in his patients, he hoped he could help.
“We need to test a sperm sample for antibodies,” he assured
him. “Nothing invasive.”
“Let’s do it.”
Cole summoned Lucky to arrange for the specimen. Then, in his
office, he made notes in the patient’s file. The problem was that even with a
diagnosis, treatment for male antibodies was controversial and uncertain. He
supposed they’d cross that bridge when and if they came to it....
A tap at the door announced an unexpected visitor. Ned Norwalk
popped in, his teeth gleaming white in his tanned face when he smiled. Although
they’d hung out together at the Sunbeam Saloon, this was the first time the
nurse had paid him a visit. “What’s up?” Cole asked.
Ned dropped into a chair. “Just making sure we’re on the same
page.”
“About what?”
“Stacy.”
Irritably, Cole recalled Ned’s comment at the nightclub: There’s one I wouldn’t mind getting to know
better.
“What about her?”
Ned spread his hands placatingly. “I’m looking for a place, so
we discussed her ad for a roommate. When she confided that she’s pregnant, I put
two and two together. She refused to say anything about the father, but I saw
you two leaving the club, and the timing is right.”
Cole pried apart his clenched teeth to ask, “And?”
“I wanted to let you know I’ll take good care of her.”
Considering Ned’s reputation for gossiping, Cole did not feel
reassured. “You will, eh?”
The nurse hurried on. “People will assume I’m the dad, which
lets you off the hook. With all this publicity, I figured you’d appreciate
that.”
A swell of anger nearly choked Cole. He did not want to be let off the hook, and he hated the idea
of another man living with Stacy. “You figured wrong.”
Ned regarded him uneasily. “You don’t like the idea?”
“Correct,” Cole muttered. Then he remembered the first lesson
he’d learned about Stacy: not to control her. He struggled to moderate his tone.
“I should discuss this with her. Any idea where she is?”
“I saw her on the elevator a few minutes ago. She got off on
the second floor. Something about an ultrasound.”
The exam wasn’t scheduled for another week and a half, but
there must have been a change in plans. Was she having problems? Cole sprang up
so fast he banged his thigh against the edge of the desk. “I’d better go.”
“Yeah. Glad we had this little talk,” Ned said as Cole hurried
past him. “Guess I’ll find another place to live.”
“Excellent plan,” he snapped.
He supposed he should have been more diplomatic, and more
careful about revealing his paternity. Sworn the man to secrecy, too. But right
now, Cole didn’t care.
He had to find Stacy.
Chapter Ten
As Stacy approached Nora Franco’s office, Una stepped
into the hall, the tag sticking out of her flowered maternity dress. She must
have already completed the ultrasound and dressed hurriedly afterward.
Stacy wished she had arrived earlier, but she’d been at home
when she received a text saying the eager mom-to-be had arranged to move up her
ultrasound by a few days. “How’d it go?”
“I’m having twins!”
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