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

movement of

front, studying maps and

endlessly fascinating for some weird boy

Cora

and spend our time chatting, watching movies, and

baby between us.

being a wonderful day in the little sun-soaked room

laughing and talking with my sister, reconnecting with her

from my life since that terrible

broke through my window.

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

sink to the horizon.

ask me what I’m talking about – she already

me honestly. “I think…well,

think we’re going to have to snatch at moments

because the next

going to have to fight to make that peace in

to try to

looking down at my napping baby, trailing a little finger down

we choose wrong? I mean – neither

mates. We picked this…should we

want a simpler life,” Cora laughs, and I look

smiling and shaking

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

single mom, to live

says, waving a hand at me

Ella, always. Yes, you were always going to be a mom,”

“but…you were never going

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

opens a door for you to help thousands when he is king,

was always

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

That this was perhaps always the

that I

her voice dropping

fated mate,” she

my eyes going wide. ”

“But… Ella,

“It feels really big. I don’t…know how to explain it except

that.”

bond snap into place?” I ask,

to me.

that day when we had

motel.”

what happened that day, and she blushes a little and

lean forward eagerly, wanting to know. “What

replies, giving a little

definitive. Not I choose you as my mate.

a little jealous. I have no hesitations about Sinclair

what’s between us is

But still –

ask him about

says, shrugging

“Why not?”

I don’t want him to

go ask -” I say simply, scooching forward

gasps, grabbing my