Page 18 of Nine Month Contract
Not to mention, he let me meet his pet goat.
“Hmm,” he hums, fingering the piece of straw in his hand, a thoughtful look clouding his eyes.
“Can I ask what the reasons were that you refused all the other surrogates?” I ask, watching his eyebrows pop in surprise at my question.
“All twelve?” he replies with a disappointed huff.
“Twelve?” My eyes widen. Maybe this isn’t a done deal after all.
After a long pause, he shrugs and says, “They all had the same answer of ‘I want to use my gift to help others,’ and while I think it’s really noble, I guess it just never landed right with me. Maybe I’m a cynic, but who really likes to help a stranger that much? Especially for something as big as having a baby for someone. It was a hard answer tobelieve. I just wanted someone different. Someone to be real with me, like you were at the bar. Hearts-and-flowers answers aren’t my thing. And considering this whole ordeal will involve a sizable exchange of money, I want to be certain I pick someone I can trust.”
I nod thoughtfully at his answer. This surrogacy decision he’s made is a big deal, and I think it’s a good sign he’s been so choosy. And I low-key respect the fact that he wants to become a single parent, even if it’s not something I ever want for myself. That takes some balls.
And sperm.
And an egg and uterus, which I am pretty certain I have ready and available.
“If it’s honesty you like, I should confess that I’m a little scared,” I offer, turning around and pressing my back to the fence to gaze out at the stunning mountain vista that this man built with his bare hands. “I’ve never been pregnant before, and I am fully aware there are no guarantees it’ll work and a lot of ways that things could go wrong. Also, I’m sure people will think I’m crazy for trying to make money this way.”
“Well, when you put it like that,” he says and shocks me when a warm smile spreads across his face. Damn, he doesn’t pass those out for free, and I’ll admit, having it directed toward me causes a rush of heat to surge through my belly.
I inhale a cleansing breath and turn to focus back on the view. “But life is nothing if not a game, and I’m almost thirty, so I need to start playing. Being frugal and safe all these years hasn’t got me very far. This feels like something that could help me get ahead, and I might actually be made for it.”
I can feel his eyes on me as my gaze moves up the hill to register his home again. He calls it a cabin, but it’s anything but. It’s an architectural dream with sharp angles and giant windows that showcase the views yet somehow fits perfectly among the pine forest. He put some serious time and money into this estate.
The two additional cabins farther up the hill are more modest log cabins but still really beautiful. Wyatt told me earlier that they belonged to his brothers. Three grown-ass men who are related to each other and choosing to live communally like this is so bizarre. Especially whenmy only sister couldn’t move farther away from me. Then again, my upbringing isn’t anything to write home about, so who am I to judge?
Is it crazy to move up onto a mountain with three men?
Definitely.
Do I have any other appealing options that allow for me and my potbellied pig?
Negative.
Did I double-check the locks on the barn apartment upstairs when he gave me a tour?
You bet your sweet ass I did.
And while this commune living might seem like a giant red flag…Wyatt Fletcher is a man full of beige flags…all the way down to the hunk of celery he had in his coat pocket for Millie. Like he knew he’d stop out here to see her before bed.
That one might even be a green flag.
I inhale the fresh mountain air and eye the mature trees everywhere. I could definitely get used to this view. Growing up in Denver, we never got out to the mountains. We never got out of anywhere. We lived in a tiny two-bedroom apartment, and I remember my friends in school talking about family vacations on actual airplanes, which seemed like such a fantasy to me.
Look at me now.
This is definitely a huge step up from my shitty apartment in a sketchy neighborhood. Those neighbors weren’t exactly making me feel safe either. How bad can these mountain men brothers be?
Truth be told, there’s something about this whole place that just feels like the life I was meant to have. The only bummer is that this is really just a nine-month contract. After that…I’m on my own again.
But if I can get my certifications done while I’m pregnant, then I’d be ready to move on. To start my life. To complete my dream of opening up my rescue facility, maybe on a property like this someday.
With renewed determination, I turn to face the grumpy mountain man and get right down to business. “As I mentioned, I’ve read a lot on the lesbian blogs.”
“Sorry?”
“The lesbian blogs…for how to get me knocked up without us actually having to roll in the hay. The lesbians know their shit.”
