Accidental Surrogate

Chapter 387

The trip improves by leaps and bounds the moment we stop at the campground for the night.

“Finally,” I sigh, taking a deep breath of the fresh air as I climb down the steps of the RV, my baby curled in my arm and looking around him with bright and interested eyes. “It’s good to be on steady ground again.”

“Remind me never to take you on a boat,” Sinclair murmurs, coming down the stairs behind me. “If you didn’t like this…you won’t respond well to that.”

“Yes sir,” I say passively, smiling down at the baby, who frees one of his arms and reaches out into the cool evening air, clasping his fingers at a firefly who passes close by. I don’t mention that I liked the sea voyage to the desert much more than I liked this, even though the accommodations weren’t as nice.

“What about this?” Sinclair murmurs as he steps down the final step and comes to stand behind me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I smile as I lean

back against his chest. “Is the forest an improvement?”

I look around our isolated campsite, lit with grey and blue tones in the dying light

of the day. I smile at what I see, appreciating the cool air and the blinking light of

the fireflies that float lazily through the space.

“Yes,” I say with a decisive nod. “This will do quite well.”

“Good,” Sinclair replies, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek before releasing

me and moving to a luggage compartment low on the RV, I watch as he opens it

and begins pulling out camping gear chairs, a cooler, some bags with extra

snacks and bug spray.

“Oh!” I say, surprised by it all as my mate begins to set it all up around a burnedout ring where a fire goes. “Oh, we’re very prepared.”

“Of course we are,” Roger says, climbing out of the RV with Cora behind him.

When he reaches the ground, Roger flicks the switch that prepares Henry’s little

elevator. “We’re always ready to go glamping in this family.”

I laugh at the term, settling into a chair that Sinclair waves me towards, smiling

down at the baby. “What do you think, Rafe?” I whisper to him. “Do you like

glamping?” He gives a happy little coo in response and I laugh, grinning up at

his father. “I think that’s a yes.”

“Kid has taste,” Sinclair says, winking at me as he continues his work. We’re all

settled around a fire much faster than I thought was possible and I smile as I

watch Sinclair and Roger set a little grill across it, apparently preparing to make

us our dinner as well.

“They only cook,” Henry whispers, leaning over to Cora and I and giving us a

smile, “when it’s outdoors. Otherwise, they’re not interested.”

“Not true!” Sinclair protests, his eyes still on the fire.

“Absolutely true!” Roger chimes in, making us laugh. “If I’m making food, it’s

grilled. Otherwise I’m getting takeout.”

“Guess your baby is gonna eat a lot of hotdogs,” I murmur to Cora.

looks over at me

“You know

we can make them hire us chefs,” I consider. She

idea,

the night the family gathered happily around

and everything, chatting lightly

future but not touching on any of the big, scary subjects

know that they’re there,

to leave them untouched

just about laughter, and fun, and

bite into a smore

a crisp just the way I like it. “Oh my god,” I

is so good,

laughs, you’re going

baby – ”

don’t care,” I murmur, shaking my head

“He won’t mind

as he comes and lifts Rafe from my arms. I let

my s’more anyway. Cora, Roger, and Henry

Rafe away from me, apologizing in a loud murmur

and inconsiderate his mother is. I wave a hand

his words, knowing

I finish my s’more and look around at

Sinclair and his grandchild

each other, not talking but clearly connected in this

Cora says, wrapping her arms around herself and

think I’d like sitting outside in the dark

as much as this.”

there?” Roger

Cora’s hair as he smiles

stars and then turning

Roger, beaming at him.

my face as I watch them.

other, I decide that

quiet as I can, I stand up from

bond with Sinclair. He looks up at me, curious and I

the RV and then towards Roger and Cora, who begin talking quietly.

my gaze and then nods his understanding. He walks to his

a hand on his back, leaning down

as we

the RV with

and the baby make our way

Roger alone by the fire to have a moment to

about,” I say to Sinclair as

pulling the door shut behind him, the

little kitchen nook, peering out

through the tinted window.

spy?” he says, coming to sit

give us our own moment, rolls his

some excuse

we both know he

I sigh, looking up at my mate and reaching for my

into my arms. “But you know I

he murmurs,

and I warmly against him, resting his chin on my

too can look out at Cora and Roger, “I never cared as much

love life

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