Page 5 of Nine Month Contract
“Did you ever consider offering to have Uncle Wyatt’s baby?” I ask, my thoughts spilling out before I could even stop them.
“Why do you ask?” Cozy asks, her jaw dropped.
I roll my eyes and elaborate. “Sorry, but I’ve been researching a lot, and family members make some of the best surrogates. I assume you’d need to do a donor egg, though, because I couldn’t see you giving up rights to your own genetically linked child. You still tear up whenever I leave the house, and I’m not even your kid.”
“You are too my freaking kid,” she snaps, looking angrier than I think I’ve ever seen her in my life.
My eyes widen in horror as I realize my mistake. “OMG, I’m sorry! I seriously didn’t mean it like that.” I leap up and run around the kitchen island to hug this wild, crazy, amazing stepmother of mine who came into my life unexpectedly and made our whole family fall in love with her. Even my moms love her.
I wrap my arms around her neck and pull her into my chest. “That was a slip of the tongue, and I didn’t mean it. I’m such a jerk.” Jesus, you’d think with three mothers, I’d be more sensitive than this.
Her body shakes with laughter against me. “I used to hug you into my bosom, and now it’s the other way around.” She chuckles, pulling away to look up at me. “Good grief, this growth spurt of yours is done, right?”
“I think so.” I shrug, pretty ambivalent about my height. I used to hate it, but my stepmom has taught me so much about loving the skin I’m in. She’s the most stunning curvy woman I’ve ever seen. “I’ve been six feet since freshman year, so I imagine I’m all set.”
“Thank God.” She hugs me again and rubs my back soothingly. She really gives the best hugs. “And I know what you meant, but the fact that I’m so attached to you is exactly why I know I could neverbe a surrogate for your uncle…donor egg or not. It’d be too hard for me to go through a birth and give away the baby.”
“What are we talking about?” My dad’s voice interrupts as he walks in through the attached garage door into the kitchen. He smiles broadly when he sees us wrapped up in a hug.
Cozy releases me and throws me to the wolves. “Everly just asked me to have your brother’s baby!”
“What?” my dad roars. “Everly, how many times are you trying to give me a heart attack this week?”
“It was just a theory I was exploring.” I laugh and return to the counter, where I left my spreadsheet. I minimize my master plan and pull up the sheet of all the viable candidates who have replied to the Craigslist ad so far.
To be honest, I’m impressed by the amount of interest that crazy ad is generating. My phone has been buzzing off the hook with photos and bizarre résumés. Which is cool because I’m pretty sure Uncle Calder was trying to sabotage me by putting the most ridiculous things in that ad, but it clearly backfired because this might actually work in my favor.
My dad leans in to embrace his wife. “This kid is going to be the death of me.”
She laughs and stands on her tiptoes to kiss him, instantly soothing his stress like always. Watching my dad and Cozy’s relationship grow throughout the years has been inspiring. Gross, obviously. But it’s couple goals, even if watching them make out makes me want to yak. It also shows me that I know what I’m talking about when it comes to true love.
If only I could apply it to myself.
When my dad is done rizzing my stepmother, he marches over to the kitchen counter and presses my laptop closed with that scowl he displays a lot these days.
“I’m working here,” I say, scowling right back at him.
“We need to talk rules,” he states ominously.
“Rules?” I pull my computer out from his splayed hand. “Dad, I’m eighteen. I’m old enough to handle this.”
“You’re still my kid,” he hisses, and I can see a bit of fear in his eyes that makes me tuck away the defiant-teenager vibe and put on the soothing-daughter hat.
“Okay…what kind of rules?” I ask, my tone softening.
He inhales deeply. “You conduct all your interviews at my office. I’ll clear the boardroom out for you this week so you can have plenty of space, but it will still be monitored.”
“Okay…”
“And we will run background checks on everyone you want to interview before you interview them.”
I nod thoughtfully. “That’s actually a great idea, Dad. Thanks!”
“And we’re getting you a new phone number once you’re done with this whole fiasco.”
“Why do I need a new phone number?”
“Because your number is on that Craigslist ad.”
