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

I might not feel the movement of the RV as much.

up front, studying maps and discussing ridiculous things like terrain

mileage things. they find endlessly

leave them to it. Cora and I curl up in the incredibly

our time chatting, watching

baby between us.

wonderful day in the little sun-soaked room at the

talking with my sister, reconnecting with her and

been missing from my life since that terrible

broke through my window.

her in

sink to the horizon.

to ask me what I’m talking about –

honestly. “I think…well, Ella, I

lives. I think we’re going to have to

them because the next challenge is

have to fight to make that peace in

to

down at my napping baby, trailing a little finger

dumb?” I ask quietly. ” Did we choose wrong? I mean –

picked this…should we have chosen

Cora laughs, and I look up at her

and shaking her head

up straight, ” Cora, I was a nanny – I was

mom, to live quietly alone with my

at me in dismissal. “That

were always going to be a mom,”

“but…you were never going

sense that you ended up

a door for you to help thousands when he

was always your

what she’s saying. And I

always the life I

sometimes that I wanted a

voice dropping lower. “I’m actually…I’m not

isn’t my fated mate,” she says,

I ask, my eyes going wide. ” But you’re a

frowning. “But… Ella, this thing

really big. I don’t…know

that.”

feel a mating bond snap

know,” she says, turning back to me. “But Roger

day when we had to stop at

motel.”

grin at her, knowing what happened that day, and she blushes a little and

eyes. But I lean forward eagerly,

I was his mate,” Cora replies, giving a little

you as

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

know that what’s between us

fated mate. But still – it’s an experience I’ll

ask

says, shrugging

“Why not?”

I don’t want him to tell me

simply, scooching forward on

gasps, grabbing