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

the movement of

and discussing ridiculous things like

mileage things. they find endlessly fascinating

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

our time chatting, watching movies, and napping lightly

baby between us.

a wonderful day in the little sun-soaked

laughing and talking with my sister, reconnecting with her

been missing from my life

broke through my window.

really over?” I ask her in a quiet moment as the

sink to the horizon.

what I’m talking about – she

“I think…well,

we’re going to have to

the next challenge

to have to fight to make that peace in our lives,

to

down at my napping baby, trailing a little finger

quietly. ” Did we choose

mates. We picked this…should

simpler life,” Cora laughs, and I look up

and shaking her head

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

single mom, to live quietly alone with

says, waving a hand at me in dismissal. “That was just the start

story, Ella, always. Yes, you were always going to

to the side, “but…you were never

I think it kind of makes sense that you ended up being such a

to help thousands

was always

saying. And I guess…well, I guess

always the life

sometimes that I wanted

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

fated

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

Ella, this thing between us,” she

head. “It feels really big. I don’t…know how

that.”

you feel a mating bond snap into place?”

to me. “But Roger said

that day when we had to stop at

motel.”

that day, and she blushes a little

forward eagerly, wanting to know.

a little shrug. “But

choose you as my mate. Just…that I

a little jealous. I have no hesitations about Sinclair

that what’s between us is far beyond anything

his own fated mate. But still – it’s an experience I’ll never

ask him about

says,

“Why not?”

idea. I don’t

I say simply, scooching

gasps, grabbing