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“It’s… fun,” Alexis said. “We laugh a lot, and we have a lot in common. He’s a genuinely nice person.”
“It sounds like he likes you,” Naomi said. “Why not just let the rest of the week pass and see what happens?”
“The more we like each other, the more likely the process is to work,” Alexis said. “And I have feelings for the man. Even if I didn’t, I’m not so sure I could actually leave a baby behind. And knowing it’sours…”
Naomi nodded, her eyes sorrowful.
“I’m sorry,” Alexis said. “You’re trying to relax and prepare, and I’m freaking out.”
“This is what friendship is for,” Naomi said.
“Thank you,” Alexis told her.
“So, if you feel like you can’t do this, then I think it makes sense to let the staff know right away,” Naomi told her. “But after reading the contract, I’m not sure what will happen. He may try to fight you on it.”
“He would fight to get his money back,” Alexis agreed. “But they’d just replace me with someone else. He’d still get his baby.”
“Is that what you want?” Naomi asked gently.
Alexis imagined Tiago with another woman, laughing with her, his hand on her swollen belly, and she felt like her chest was on fire.
“I’m sorry,” Naomi said softly.
Alexis buried her face in her hands to hide her tears, feeling like she was caught between two impossibilities, but knowing what she would choose in the end.
She had to do what was right.
22
OBERON
Oberon cleared his caches as quickly as he could fill them, running scenario after scenario.
It was a brazen display of obvious frustration that could easily be mistaken for malfunctioning, which would surely lead to the biological staff taking him offline at what might be the most important learning opportunity of his matchmaking career.
But he had been so certain after his time with Tiago, and then the two of them, that everything was falling into place.
Beyond the shadow of a doubt, the two completed each other. Their differences balanced each other out, and their similarities drew them closer together.
But now Alexis was weeping again.
And she was planning to walk away, without even accomplishing the basic biological goal of the program, let alone falling madly in love.
It was unexpected, and totally unacceptable.
Had Oberon read so many romance novels for nothing?
Desperately, he scanned his favorites for ideas. There was no time for an elaborate plan or intricate reveal.
Tiago had to realize his true feelings and Alexis had to accept them within the hour.
Which brought him to a desperate move he had tried a version of only once before. It had backfired spectacularly then, but he’d made some modifications.
He scanned his stores again, looking for any other option that would solve both problems, and found nothing.
Tiago had lived his life fighting for what he loved. Fighting for Alexis would remove the blindfold from his eyes.
And Alexis needed to see someone willing to fight for her.
