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.

there’s nothing else,” he says, his eyes flicking between Sinclair and I now,

end. I sigh, nodding, as Sinclair

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

room, my

I look

not with Roger because she thinks he wants children they can’t have. If Hank also isn’t on the same page with her about kids, then what’s the point?”

“And what’s Cora’s page about kids?” he

Roger?” I ask, still bristling that he didn’t let me get information that I very much

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

back onto the pillows. “If they’re all too stupid enough to not talk to each

on the chair. “I guess I shouldn’t

straight,” I murmur in response, smiling down at my baby. Then, I kiss him on his little head. “Don’t worry, baby,” I whisper to him.

in his chair, but doesn’t bother to counter me. He knows it would be a

the day. But Cora finally gave us the go–ahead when

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 at them all. Then I look up at my mate. “Did you do all

of them. “ They look to be presents from

“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

Sinclair says quickly, taking me by the shoulders and moving the baby and I towards the stairs. “We’re way too tired for this – if you get into all these cards now, you’ll cry yourself to death

guides me up the stairs, a steady hand on my back.

will be there in the morning,” Sinclair says, steady, yawning. “Now? Bed.”

myself to be shepherded upstairs. When we reach the door to our bedroom, though, my eyes fill with tears again as I look up at

between his fingers, exhausted but wanting to be there for me. “What is it this time? What’s wrong?”

a little, looking between him and the baby. “Just…we’re bringing him home for the first time, Dominic. Putting him to sleep in his own little

he says, simply. And so I rest my body against him – against the warm, steady bulk of him, grateful – again – to have a mate who understands me so completely. Who

that every moment of it – even one as simple