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He opened one of the rooms and set my suitcase in the corner. The bedroom had floral wallpaper and a four-post bed. The large window offered a view of the narrow road at the front of the house and farmland in the distance.
“This room has the nicest view and its own loo.” He walked to the other side of the space. “There’s a small wardrobe if you wish to hang up your things.”
He made it seem like his job was to give me a quick tour of this place, rather than get to know me. It was as if he’d forgottenwhyI was actually here. The man hadn’t made eye contact with me since we arrived, and I had to wonder if he was still upset about me hitting his car.
“I feel like we got off on the wrong foot, Sig,” I blurted.
“Why ever would you think that?” He raised a brow as he finally looked at me. Not even a hint of a smile, though.
“Okay. Well, hopefully you’ll lighten up as the week progresses.”
“Is your being here contingent on that? Because I’m not known for my bright and cheery demeanor. I’m more of a miserable fuck, in general.”
“I can see that. You’re not exactly giving a welcoming vibe. But I can’t figure out if it’s because I hit your car or something more.” When he continued to remain silent, I got straight to the point. “Are you not okay with the surrogacy thing?”
“If I weren’t okay with it, you wouldn’t be here,” he said, looking out the window.
“Then it’smeyou’re not happy with?”
“I don’t even know you.”
“Okay.” I rolled my eyes. “Good talk.” I looked down at my shoes.
“I’ll let you unwind.” He took a few steps back. “See you at dinner.”
“Yeah,” I murmured. “See you then.”
CHAPTER 4
Abby
Track 4: “Mean” by Taylor Swift
Feeling jittery, I sat down on the bed and bounced my legs. I found my phone and texted my dad to let him know I’d arrived safely. I didn’t have the energy to fill him in on anything more than that, so I opted not to call. I had very little nice to say so far, and I didn’t want to worry him. I could only hope this cold reception would change as the night progressed.
After a few minutes, I walked over to the window and looked out toward the beautiful green hills across the road. Then I spotted him. Sig was outside, right near the weathered sign with gold lettering that spelledThe Bainbridge. He paced a few times before planting himself on a stone ledge at the point where the driveway met the road. He dropped his head into his hands for a moment before looking up at the sky. His legs bounced, and he seemed anxious and upset.
Suddenly all I wanted to do was flee this place—get the hell out of here as fast as possible. This wasnotwhat I’d signed up for. It wasn’t that I’d expected a red carpet, but this felt like the rug had been pulled from under me.
Why did you ask me to come here?
Moving away from the window, I tried to forget what I’d just seen, instead forcing myself to take a much-needed hot shower in the adjacent bathroom before dinner.
After I emerged, I dressed in comfy clothes: leggings and a Rhode Island-themed T-shirt that saidFeed Me Hot Wieners and Tell Me I’m Pretty. I might’ve dressed nicer if I’d felt it would be appreciated, but screw it. If I had to endure his attitude, I at least wanted to be comfortable.
It was a few minutes before six, and I didn’t want to keep the sweet, old lady and her stew waiting. So, I put one foot in front of the other and willed myself to go downstairs, even if I would have preferred to bury myself under the covers.
The wooden stairs creaked as I descended before making my way into the kitchen. My stomach dipped when I found him there, pouring an amber-colored liquid into a glass.
When he turned to me, he lifted the bottle. “Care for something to drink?”
I wondered if this was some sort of trick, like maybe he wanted to see if I drank a lot, so he could use it against me in his “assessment.” No way was I falling for that.
“I’m trying to limit alcohol right now.” I held my head up high. “I’ll just help myself to some water.”
“The glasses are in that cupboard, dear.” Lavinia pointed to a cabinet as she stood at the stove, stirring the stew. “And there’s a jug of filtered water on the table.”
“Thank you, Lavinia.”
