by Tia Siren
On the other hand, I had to admit that I was a perfect choice for this task if this was truly the way that Michael wanted to get his heir. I didn't believe in the idea of true love, or at least, I didn't think that I was ever going to meet a guy that I was so head over heels for that I couldn't picture my life without him. There wasn't a chance I was going to fall in love with someone like Michael. It might be cliché to think that all rich dudes were assholes, but given the way that Michael couldn't seem to think of any other way to get a kid, I had to assume that he fit the ticket.
I did think that he could provide for a kid, though. And if he wanted one so desperately that he was willing to pay $2.5 million to have a woman carry one for him, I had to assume that he would take care of the kid and love it in his own way. Whatever way that might be.
I was worried that after carrying the baby for nine months, though, I would be attached to it, rather than to him. And this contract that he had drawn up made it very clear that he didn't want me anywhere near the kid, for the rest of its life.
That was the hard part to swallow. I didn't know if I could sign away that future now, not knowing what I was agreeing to give up.
I sighed, rubbing my eyes. I didn't know what to choose, but Michael said he needed my answer tonight. When I'd asked what the hurry was, he'd been vague, unable to give me a real answer. But he'd insisted that he meet me at the bar that night to hear what I had decided. Otherwise, I had a feeling he was going to try to find someone else, making my decision for me.
I stared up at the chipped ceiling. Part of the reason why I couldn't just easily dismiss the idea was that I could use that money. Our rent was about to increase, and I was already barely making it every month. I wouldn't be able to support myself living here on my current salary.
With over two million dollars in the bank, I would be able to buy a place of my own. A better place than this, even. And I'd still have plenty of money in the bank. I'd want to keep working, of course, because I knew that money wouldn't last forever, but it would be plenty to cover the gap on months when I wasn't making quite as much. It would take off a lot of the stress I'd had for the past couple years. Give me a little free time to have some fun.
The truth of it was, I had never seen five figures in my bank account before. Now, we were talking about seven figures in there. It was mind-boggling.
Besides, one of my main arguments against having children was that I wouldn't be able to provide for them the kind of life that they deserved. But if Michael could casually pay me 2.5 million to carry this baby, I had to assume that it would grow up with everything that it could possibly want, from phones and gadgets to sports teams, and everything in between. The kid could have the childhood that I had never been able to have.
“Paige, do you want any coffee?” Erica called through the sheet divider.
“Yeah, I'm just getting up,” I told her, rolling out of bed and pulling on a pair of jeans and an old, worn flannel shirt.
“Uh oh,” Erica said when she saw me. “You only wear that flannel when you're desperate for something comfortable. Did something happen last night?”
I laughed. “Yes and no,” I told her. I thought back to the NDA that Michael had made me sign already. It had stipulated that I couldn't tell anyone about this, but surely, I could tell my best friend! Erica wasn't the type to blab, especially not to the media, and I didn't know how to make this decision without her advice, especially since my moving out would affect her.
“Talk to me,” Erica said.
I sighed and sat on the couch, and she came over to sit next to me, handing me a mug of coffee. “I signed a non-disclosure agreement,” I told her. “So when I say this can't go any further than us, I mean it. No kidding around.”
“Okay,” Erica said slowly. “What, did you see a murder committed?”
I laughed. “At The Shift?” I asked her. “Don't you think you would have heard about that by now, if so? Besides, our customers may be sleazy, but they're not murderers.”
“True,” Erica said, laughing. “But come on, tell me what's up.”
“One of our regulars came by a couple nights ago and started talking about how he was desperate to have a kid, but he didn't want to be in a relationship. I suggested surrogacy.”
“Right,” Erica said, her eyes narrowing. Suddenly, she gaped at me, clearly making the leap. “You agreed to be his baby-mama?” she asked, sounding shocked.
“I know you believe in the whole Hollywood picture of love,” I told her. “But you know I'm not like that. And he wants to pay me serious money to have his baby.”
Erica looked pointedly around the cramped apartment. “Well, that's good, because there's no way I'm dealing with your pregnant self in this tiny place,” she said.
I winced. “I'd have to move out,” I said slowly. “Would you be able to cover rent still?”
Erica smiled at me. “You know I make more than you,” she reminded me. “It would be kind of nice to have this place to myself. I'm sick of doing the walk of shame all the time; it would be nice to be able to have guys over.”
I laughed. “Sorry I've been harshing your game,” I told her.
Erica burst out laughing as well. “Who even says that anymore?” she asked, shaking her head.
I shook my head but didn't answer that one. “Do you think it's a crazy idea, though?” I asked. “Me having a baby for him?”
“I've heard crazier plans to get money,” Erica said, shrugging. “Surrogacy is normal, isn't it? Besides, it's not like you're going to sleep with the guy, right? You'll just go to the sperm bank, and they'll inject it into you. I'm sure it'll be very professional. Just like a normal doctor's visit.”
I felt myself start to blush. “He doesn't like that idea,” I admitted. “He says it's too clinical. And he wants to be there when the baby is conceived.”
Erica frowned. “Isn't that like prostitution, then?” she asked.
“That's exactly what I thought!” I exclaimed. “He's paying me to have sex, isn't he? I mean, he's paying for the baby, but the baby is the byproduct of sex.”
“The possible byproduct of sex,” Erica said. “I know you can take tests to see if you're ovulating, but there's no guarantee that you'll conceive on the first try.”
“I hadn't thought about that,” I sighed. Then, I grinned. “To be honest, I wouldn't mind, though. He is handsome.”
“Oh really?” Erica asked, waggling her eyebrows at me. “So what are you worried about then?”
“Getting too attached,” I said immediately. I frowned. “He stipulates in the contract that I couldn't see the child once I've given birth to it. He would have sole custody. I mean, there's nothing in there about a restraining order or anything like that, so maybe he wouldn't be totally strict about it. I just can't imagine bringing a life into this world and then not having any information about the kid as it grows up.”
“Maybe you need to come up with your own stipulations for the contract,” Erica suggested. “For example, you could tell him that he has to send you pictures of important life events. School photos, things like that. You'd probably feel better if you got to hear about all the awesome opportunities that the kid had, right?”
“Or maybe it would make me want a relationship with the kid even more,” I pointed out. I shook my head. “I don't know what to do.”
“Is it just the money?” Erica asked. “If you weren't worried about rent, if I could get you some more shifts at work to help you out, would you even be considering this?”
“How many extra shifts would I have to pick up to make $2.5 million?” I asked.
Erica's eyes grew wide. “Holy shit, is that how much he offered you?” she asked. “I would have a hard time turning that down.”
“I know,” I said miserably. “That's exactly what I'm having a problem with now. I can't say no to that, but at the same time, I'm not sure that morally it's the right decision. How could I ever tell my parents?”
“Ooh, that one w
ould be tough, wouldn't it?” Erica mused, thinking that over. She shook her head. “I don't know if I could do it,” she said. “But that's because I never wanted to have kids.”
“I almost think it would be easier if I didn't want to have kids,” I told her. “You wouldn't have to worry about getting too attached.”
“True,” Erica said. She shook her head. “That's a big choice you have to make. He's at least given you time to think it over, though.”
“Just until tonight,” I told her. “He's going to come by The Shift again, and he wants to hear a decision. Otherwise, I think he's going to find someone else to do it, and the decision will be made.”
“How does that make you feel?” Erica asked. “Like, if he found someone else, would you be upset?”
“I don't know,” I said, throwing my hands in the air. “I honestly don't know how I feel about any of this. I'll probably end up flipping a coin to make the decision.”
Erica snorted. “Imagine that conversation, one day: 'no, you weren't a mistake; I flipped a coin, and it was heads, so I had to have you.'”
I laughed. “Well, at least they wouldn't be a mistake,” I mused. “Anyway, I won't be the one having that conversation with them.”
Erica frowned. “How about this,” she suggested slowly, “you could stipulate that if you give birth and decide to keep the baby, he doesn't pay you. But then you get to make that choice, as soon as you know what you're giving up.”
“I don't think he'd be willing to accept that,” I said. “He wants this baby born post-haste; I don't think he's going to be willing to wait nine months to find out if it will be his new heir or not.”
Erica was quiet for a moment. “Well, I hate to say it, but in that case, I might not go through with it,” she said.
I wavered on my decision for the rest of the day, but when I got to the bar that evening, despite my nerves, I knew what I had chosen. Michael made a beeline for me the moment he entered The Shift, looking sexy in a suit and tie; he must have come from work.
“Have you made your decision?” he asked me.
“Provisionally,” I said, nodding my head. “I will carry the baby for you, but I have a couple changes I'd like to make to the contract. Or that I'd at least like to discuss.”
Michael stared at me for a long moment. “All right,” he finally said, nodding as well. “Are you free tomorrow? I'll schedule a meeting with my attorney, and you can meet me at my office.”
“All right,” I agreed.
We shook hands, and even that touch sent a zing through me, my body already anticipating what would come. I smiled at him until someone further down the bar called my name and I had to turn back to pouring drinks.
Chapter Seven
Michael
This time, I was the one waiting impatiently in the conference room for Lee. She raised an eyebrow at me as she came in. “If I didn't know better, I'd say you were excited about this meeting,” she said with a smile.
I rolled my eyes. “I just want to get the ball rolling on this,” I said. “As soon as the paperwork is all finished, we can start the actual action.”
“How did you choose this woman anyway?” Lee asked curiously.
“She's the one who came up with the idea of surrogacy,” I told her. “Anyway, she's attractive and intelligent. She seems like the perfect choice.” I frowned. “The only downside is that, like I said over the phone, she apparently has some changes that she'd like to make to the contract. I'm not sure how I feel about that.”
“We'll have to see what it is that she wants to change,” Lee said.
Paige walked into the room, looking more businesslike than she did at the bar. I appreciated the way her blazer emphasized her curves. Her slacks were tight-fitting and accentuated the length of her legs. I could feel my dick twitch with interest already, and I spared a thought to hope that we would be able to come to some sort of agreement that day, because I didn't want to walk out of here knowing that I couldn't sleep with her, and I doubted she would sleep with me if she thought it was an attempt to get her pregnant despite her not having signed the contract.
I shook my head to clear it and nodded at her as she sat down across from me. “Good afternoon,” I said.
“Hi,” Paige said, smiling at me. She sounded breathless, as though maybe she was as nervous and excited as I was. It made me smile to think about. “Is this your attorney?” she asked.
“My name is Lee Atwater,” Lee said smoothly. “Now, Mr. Adams said you had some changes that you wanted to make to the contract.”
“I do,” Paige agreed. She pulled her copy of the contract out of the folder that she'd been carrying, and I could see that she'd marked it up heavily. I raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you trained in law?” I asked her.
Paige laughed. “Oh, of course not,” she said. “But I've got a friend who gave me a little advice. Anyway, I figured as long as I had my thoughts out there, Lee could help with figuring out exactly what I can ask for.”
“All right,” I said.
“Now, the main concern I have is, are you sure this doesn't count as prostitution?”
“What we're planning to do is completely legal,” Michael said. “We've already considered that. But just to keep things from going to the media and causing an uproar, I had you sign the NDA.”
“Right,” Paige said. “Regarding the NDA, I hope you don't mind that I told my best friend all about this. I live with her so she would get suspicious if I didn't tell her where I suddenly got my money from. And she'd want to know who the dad was if she thought that there was a chance of there being an actual relationship between us. She's a romantic, deep down.”
“But you aren't?” I asked curiously.
Paige shook her head. “I'm a realist,” she said. “Sure, I think that two people can build a life together if that's what they want, but I don't believe in soulmates or anything like that. Relationships take work. And sometimes they don't work out. But most of all, I guess I just don't see myself ending up with anyone long-term. I'm just not interested in anyone in that way.”
“Good,” I said, feeling relieved. Just as I'd suspected. It sounded like she could be the perfect candidate for my surrogate. Except that there were these unknown changes that she wanted to make to the contract. Who knew what those could be.
“The first stipulation I have is that you pay me half the money when I conceive,” Paige said. “I'll need to take care of myself if I'm going to have a baby. You probably don't want me living with a roommate in a studio apartment, and you probably also don't want me working at the bar every night. I'm going to need to buy proper, nutritious food, pay for visits to the doctor, buy maternity clothes, and so on.”
“That's fair,” I said slowly.
“I'm also afraid that things might change and that I might grow too attached to the child in the end,” she continued, looking nervous. “If I give birth to the child and decide that I want to keep it, you can keep the rest of your money, but I get to keep the kid.”
I was silent, staring at her, my jaw tight. “That defeats the whole purpose of this arrangement,” I said. What kind of an idiot did she take me for? I stood up. “I'm afraid you're wasting my time,” I said, my voice betraying my irritation. “Have a good day; I'll find someone else.”
“Hang on, hear me out,” Paige said, holding up a hand. “I'm not finished.”
I stared at her for a long moment and then slowly sat back down. “Well?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.
Paige took a deep breath. “If I decide to keep the baby, we'll do it again. And that time, you'll get to keep the child. So it might take two years, but I still promise to give you a child of your own.”
I frowned, thinking that over. I didn't like that she thought she could make demands, but then again, I had wanted an intelligent woman, so I supposed this was what I got for that. I didn't like the idea of waiting for the second-born child, but then again, if I turned her down and had to go find a new woman to di
scuss this with, that would take time as well.
“All right,” I agreed even though I didn’t like the changes. Then, I paused. “What if after you have the first child, though, the doctor says that you're not fit to have another child?”
Paige frowned. “What if I carry the baby for eight or nine months and it's stillborn?” she challenged. “What if the baby has some cognitive disability and could never take over your business? You're asking me to deliver you a human life. There is always going to be the chance that you're not going to get a healthy baby.” She paused. “But then again, isn't that what business is all about? Risk and reward. I'm sure you've had investments flop before.”
I thought that over for a second. “You're right,” I sighed. “I want this to work.” I continued to think it over for a moment. “What are your other changes?” I asked.
“That's it,” Paige said, shrugging. “I need to be able to talk about this with my best friend, I need half the money up front, and I get to keep the first child if I find myself too attached to it.”
“That all seems fair,” I said slowly. I nodded at Lee. “How long do you think it will take to draw up the paperwork?”
“I can have it ready in fifteen minutes,” Lee said, already typing away on her laptop.
“Okay,” I said, getting to my feet. I offered Paige a hand up. “We'll be in my office. Paige, why don't we go get some coffee,” I suggested.
“So you own this whole place?” Paige asked curiously as I led her away from the conference room and back to my office.
“Yeah,” I said, glancing around and trying to see it through her eyes. It was impressive, I supposed. “My father gave me a loan to start an investment company. The first thing I did was invest here, and since then, it's made me my millions. But lately, I don't have much hand in the actual goings-on of this company; I prefer to take the money I've made and invest it elsewhere. Currently, I'm working with a couple companies that promote scientific advancements in the renewable energy field. It could be very lucrative in the coming years.”