Accidental Surrogate

Accidental Surrogate Chapter 386-The Long…Long Road

Ella

It takes me just a little over an hour to realize that…I hate road trips.

“Oh my god,” I murmur to Cora as the vibrations of the gigantic RV continue to

shake through us, making poor Rafe grumble uncomfortably. “Is it night yet?

Can we stop?”

“You’re being a baby, Ella,” my sister replies, looking up at me with a smirk,

jumping her red king over three of Roger’s black checkers and capturing them.

“It’s fun!”

“You’re only having fun because you’re kicking Roger’s ass for the third time at

that game,” I murmur, sighing as I glance out the window.

“Seriously,” Roger sighs, leaning back against the white leather of the

kitchenette’s booth. “You should quit that, Cora. For Ella’s sake – she’s trying to

enjoy herself.” He runs a frustrated hand through his hair, staring at the board.

“Yes,” Cora replies, laughing. “For Ella’s sake, I’ll go easy on you.”

“I just thought it would be prettier,” I sigh, looking out the window at the endless

highway miles. “Like, purple mountains majesty. Fruited plains. Etcetera.”

Instead, it’s just hour after hour of looking at cars, and asphalt, and the sad little

pine scrub that borders the highways.

“Maybe when we get further out,” Cora offers, hopeful. “Nah,” Roger replies,

making his next move on the checker’s board. “After the forest it’s all corn for

days.”

I groan, leaning my head back. “I hate corn.”

“No, you don’t,” Cora chides, instantly making her next move on the board and

capturing two more of Roger’s pieces. He gasps in protest and then slumps

back again.

“How are you doing this,” he murmurs, studying the board. “Are you a witch?”

“Maybe,” she says with a shrug.” Guess we have to ask mom.”

I smile at her then, bouncing my fussy baby in my arms. And I inhale a deep

breath, silently ordering myself to cheer up because even if I decidedly do not

like riding in the RV, I’m still excited to take this trip for my sister, to get her the

answers she so desperately wants.

Eventually Cora and I retire with the baby to the bedroom where Sinclair

might not feel the movement of the RV as

studying maps and

mileage things. they find endlessly fascinating for some

and leave them to it. Cora and I

chatting, watching movies, and napping

baby between us.

being a wonderful day in the little sun-soaked room at the back of

with my sister, reconnecting with

my life since that terrible

broke through my window.

you think it’s all really over?” I ask her in a quiet moment as the

sink to the horizon.

to ask me what I’m talking

she sighs, telling me honestly. “I think…well, Ella, I

to have to snatch at

them because the next challenge

going to have to fight to make that

to try to steal

down at my napping baby, trailing a

” Did we

picked this…should

simpler life,” Cora laughs, and

and shaking her head

Cora, I was a nanny – I was

to live quietly

at me in dismissal. “That was just the

story, Ella, always. Yes, you were always

side, “but…you were never going to stop

it kind of makes sense that you ended up being such

door for you to help thousands when he is

that was always

considering what she’s saying. And I guess…well, I

the life I wanted, even

that I

dropping

isn’t my fated mate,”

going wide.

she says, frowning. “But… Ella, this thing between us,” she

her head. “It feels really big. I

that.”

bond snap into place?” I

she says, turning back to me. “But Roger said it first, when

that rainstorm – that day when

motel.”

knowing what happened that day, and she blushes

I lean forward eagerly, wanting to know. “What

Cora replies, giving a little shrug. “But the way he

Not I choose you as my mate.

impressed, a little jealous. I have no hesitations about Sinclair

mate, and I know that what’s between us

But still – it’s an experience I’ll never have. “Well,”

ask

says, shrugging

“Why not?”

I don’t want him to

-” I say simply, scooching forward on the bed,

gasps, grabbing