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 from her chair

mine. “You know I can’t cook

can make them hire us

pleased at the idea, and

long into the night the

and everything, chatting lightly

but not touching on any of

We all know that they’re there, after

leave them untouched

is just about laughter,

into

way I like it. “Oh my god,” I murmur, closing

I chew. “This is so good, I can

Sinclair laughs, you’re going to get

baby – ”

care,” I murmur, shaking my head and refusing

another bite. “He won’t mind

and lifts Rafe from my arms. I

be alone with my s’more anyway.

walks Rafe away from me, apologizing in a loud murmur

and inconsiderate his mother is. I wave a

his words, knowing that he’s

and look around at

Sinclair and his grandchild while Cora and Roger

each other, not talking but clearly connected

here,” Cora says, wrapping her arms around

I’d like sitting outside in the dark

as much as this.”

isn’t there?” Roger murmurs, raising

as

says, looking up at the stars

Roger, beaming at him.

from crossing my face as I

I decide that that’s my

quiet as I can, I stand up from my little camping chair and send

Sinclair. He looks up at me, curious and I nod my head

RV and then towards Roger and Cora,

nods his understanding. He

hand on his back, leaning

by one, as stealthily as we can – which is

into the RV with a noisy platform

us and the baby make our way back into the little mobile house,

Roger alone by the fire

think they’re talking about,” I

shut behind him,

in the little kitchen nook, peering out

through the tinted window.

says,

wanting to give us our own moment, rolls his way

excuse about

know he doesn’t

at my mate and reaching

arms. “But you know I always want to

you know,” he murmurs, slipping

I warmly against

look out at Cora and Roger, “I never

brother’s love life

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