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.

eyes flicking between Sinclair and I now,

questioning is at an end.

he says with finality, letting Sinclair know he’s free from my interrogation. “We’ll

as Hank leaves the room, my

Sinclair says slowly, admonishing. I look into his eyes,

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

surprise as he processes this information. “And what’s Cora’s page about kids?”

let me get information that I

his eyes back to me, though. “Either way, that’s a conversation

settling back onto the pillows. “If they’re all too stupid enough to not talk to each other about it,

leaning back on the chair. “I guess I

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. “I’ll teach you

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

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

I say, fascinated, moving forward to look at them all. Then I look up at my mate. “Did you do

says, his eyebrows also raised in interest as he checks some tags on a few of them. “ They look to be presents from friends and well–wishers. See?” He points to one filled with hand–drawn cards set neatly

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

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

cry, looking over my shoulder at it as Sinclair guides me up the stairs, a steady hand on my back.

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

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

his fingers, exhausted but wanting to

first time, Dominic. Putting him to sleep in his own little bed. It’s just…” I shrug, not really knowing how to put all

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

that this is all a dream to me. And that every moment of