Accidental Surrogate

Home with Baby Ella

I hear Sinclair sigh heavily next to me, murmuring “Ella…”

But I ignore him, my eyes fasted on Hank, who blushes a deep red at the door and looks down at his shoes. I don’t say a word, though, or make this any easier on him. Instead, I wait patiently for an answer.

“Cora is,” he murmurs, awkward, “very special to me…

“I would imagine so,” I reply, my voice harder than I think I expected it to be. “She’s a very special person.”

Hank sighs and raises his eyes seriously to mine. I hold his gaze steadily.

“I’m very serious about Cora,” he says evenly. “I want to build a life with her. But we are moving…slowly. We both want to make sure that this is right.”

My heart warms when I hear him say that he wants to build a life with her, but still – what does that mean? I hold my baby closer to me and shift in my seat.

“And do you want to have childre-”

“Ella!” Sinclair bursts in, his voice angry, a hand on my arm.

“What!” I cry, turning to him with a frown. “It’s a legitimate question!”

“It’s none of your business!” He hisses back to me, his eyes wide and appalled.

–

my sister’s business is

My frown deepens as I open my mouth to object to my mate business, after all – but Hank clears his throat, bringing my attention back to him.

else,” he says, his eyes flicking between

my questioning is at an end. I

Sinclair know he’s free from my interrogation. “We’ll look forward to seeing you soon.” (1

room, my eyes on

slowly, admonishing. I look

she thinks he wants children they can’t have. If Hank also isn’t on the same page

up in surprise as he processes this information. “And what’s Cora’s page

still bristling that he didn’t let me get

space and considering it. “Actually, I don’t know…” He brings his eyes back

stupid enough to

leaning back on the

“Don’t worry, baby,” I whisper to him. “I’ll

doesn’t bother to counter me. He

the time we finally get home, all three of us exhausted by the activities of the day. But Cora finally gave us the go–ahead when Rafe’s final set of tests came back clean and we happily headed

cross the threshold into our home, I gasp a little when I see the variety of gift baskets and flowers waiting for us. “Oh,” I say, fascinated, moving forward to look

presents from friends and well–wishers. See?” He points to one filled with hand–drawn cards

it, my eyes suddenly filled with sharp tears. “Oh, I miss them…” I bite my lip against the sudden rush of feelings, overwhelmed by all the love in the room when I’ve been so distracted – I haven’t even kept up with

stairs. “We’re way too tired for this – if

bear!” I cry, looking over my shoulder at it as Sinclair guides me up the stairs, a steady hand on my back. “Rafe’s

the morning,” Sinclair says, steady, yawning. “Now?

myself to be shepherded upstairs. When we reach the door to

murmurs, taking my chin between his fingers, exhausted but wanting to be there for me. “What is it this

Dominic. Putting him to

as he confirms this. I know, he says, simply. And so I rest my body against him –

all a dream to me. And that every moment of it – even one as simple as this is