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She put it in her bag and dropped it to give Burya one last snuggle, acting like she’d never see him again. As she walked briskly away, I could only stare at how her dress swished around her swaying hips. I dragged my gaze up from her backside but couldn’t pretend I didn’t notice the way the sunlight glinted off her shiny black hair, bringing out surprising, dark auburn highlights.
Burya whined at my feet, tugging on his leash to run after her. “You’ll see her tomorrow,” I grunted, looking down at the little traitor who was so willing to leave me in his rearview. Not that I really blamed him.
He gave me a look I was sure would have had Sunshine sneaking him more turkey, but I shook my head. “I need to learn how to dole out firm, fair discipline more than you need any more human food in your chunky gut.”
I finished my coffee, making mental checklists of what I’d need to prepare for the baby to get my mind off my housekeeper’s much too enticing ass.
Chapter 4 - Samantha
I hurried off to my first appointment at the surrogacy agency, already dangerously close to being late because I couldn’t tear myself away from the fun and easy conversation with Leo.
It was a surprisingly good time playing with his new puppy for an hour. It made me forget the constant worry that gnawed at my stomach and felt like an iron band around my chest. It was a nice coincidence that I had my appointment on the same day he needed to be in this area. It saved me a long bus ride that would have given me too much time to stew on whether or not I was making the right decision.
I should have been focused on making a good first impression, but as I rode up the elevator, I couldn’t stop thinking about my boss. He was sweet and caring, keeping me from toppling over when I stood up too fast after skipping breakfast. His green eyes searched my face with an intensity that nearly took my breath away, and his firm grip on my arm made me want to lean against him for an insane second.
I’d always thought he was good-looking, but standing so tall in his tailored gray suit made him almost impossibly gorgeous. I’d wanted to reach up and run my palm across the top of his bristle brush haircut. When he acted like I was doing him an immense favor instead of being paid outrageously well for something so easy as playing with an adorable puppy, it drove home how truly kind he was.
If things had been different, he would have definitely been the kind of guy I’d want to get to know better. I laughed out loud at that outrageous thought, glad I was alone in the elevator. As if there was any alternate universe where a wealthy, handsome, sweet business mogul like Leo Morozov would ever be interested in me outside of offering me a pity sandwich. Which I was hungry enough to accept.
Until the ball was rolling with this new venture, I was pinching our pennies tighter than ever. Annie had finished the last of the cereal that morning, and I didn’t want to waste even a dollar on a banana at a fruit stand. If I hadn’t had this appointment, I would have eaten something at my shift at the coffee shop since they were pretty generous in giving the day-old pastries to employees, but I’d rushed straight to Leo’s for the extra chore he offered me. Walking his dog might have made me a bit late for my first consultation, but the fifty bucks felt like winning the lottery.
When the elevator doors slid open, all images of Leo’s rakish grin flew from my mind. Was I really going to do this? Get pregnant and carry a baby for someone else? Nine long months and then a painful birth? I nearly pushed the down button, but thoughts of Gran’s medical bills kept me moving forward.
I had done some research into what her tests were for but didn’t come up with anything conclusive. Until I confronted her, I wouldn’t know how serious her illness was. I was still hoping it was nothing, no new bills would appear, and everything would be fine.
The waiting area was a blur as I sat on the edge of my seat. A hugely pregnant woman sitting in the corner offered me a brief smile when we made eye contact, then went back to reading her magazine. I was a nervous talker and would have plied her with a hundred questions if I hadn’t been called back for my turn.
The orientation was fast-moving but not difficult to understand. Everyone in the office was warm and friendly, treating me like a VIP at a fancy hotel. I completed all the paperwork and set up future physical and psychological evaluation appointments. By the end, any little doubts I had were gone.
I was going to make a difference in someone’s life in a profound way that I never thought possible. It was a heady feeling that had nothing to do with the money, although it was certainly going to make my current troubles go away.
There might even be enough left over that I could kick start a new life for myself that didn’t involve working three jobs from sunup to sundown. Business classes, or investing in a product to create and sell. My first ever job had been at an upscale gift shop. I loved every aspect of running the store, from helping customers find the perfect present to hovering around the meetings with new vendors eager to get their wares on the shelves.
As I headed down the elevator, my mood changed from when I went up. No more silly daydreams or distractions about my handsome boss, and no more fears for the future. For the first time since we had to pull Annie out of public school, I was thinking about building a better life, not just getting by. All because I was giving the gift of life to a family.
Well, not exactly a gift. As much as I loved making someone’s family complete, I was highly motivated by that paycheck. They’d assured me that everything would move quickly once I got medical clearance. I was as healthy as a horse which meant I’d be collecting that first payment very soon.
I meant to put the fifty bucks I got for watching Burya toward our overdue electric bill. Still, I was in such high spirits I stopped at our favorite takeout place on the way home. I couldn’t tell Gran and Annie why yet, but there was definitely a reason to celebrate.
Chapter 5 - Samantha
Two months later
I hustled past the front desk at the gynecologist’s office, waving at the nurse and receptionist as I flew toward the restroom. I barely had my head over the bowl before I puked up my breakfast. Dragging myself back out to the waiting area, Alex, the receptionist, beamed at me.
“Looks like we might not need to do a test on you,” she said.
I hoped it was true, but the way I’d been feeling the last couple of weeks told me there was no doubt. I was much more tired than usual, my breasts were tender, and I couldn’t hold anything down the last few days.
I smiled back and held up my crossed fingers as I flopped onto the comfortable chair to wait for my appointment. Everyone at the doctor’s office that the agency used was as friendly as if I were family, with the nurse soon calling me back and taking a small blood sample for the test.
She ushered me into an exam room knowingly, telling me the doctor would be right in with my results. Even she seemed sure it was positive. I lay down on the paper-covered table and closed my eyes, trying to make it all seem real. Was this really it?
Dr. Briggs tapped once on the door before stepping in, looking like she walked off a designer’s runway, tall and willowy in a sleek wrap dress under her white coat. Her bright red hair was pulled back into her usual high ponytail, and her face told me before the words came out.
“Congratulations,” she said, maybe by habit.
Since she worked closely with the surrogacy agency, it seemed like there should have been another way to give a positive result. Maybe “good work” or something. It did feel like I’d accomplished something, though, so I accepted her happy announcement with a smile of my own, even though I was stunned.
