The Baby Interview

by Robbie Terman

  It didn't matter that she and Cole didn't—and never would—have a relationship.

  Lucy stood up, hands bracketing her hips. “You'd better leave now."

  Miriam didn't look the least bit perturbed. “Shall I fill out an order form on the way out?"

  The woman had nerve, Lucy had to give her that. “I'm sorry, but we won't be able to handle your business to your satisfaction. I think it would be best to continue using your other florist."

  Miriam's face didn't move, but there was definitely a flash of anger in her eyes. “This is your only chance to walk away with something,” Miriam warned. “Don't think for a minute we'll let you have anything else."

  Blood rushed to Lucy's face and tears filled her eyes. She knew her face had gone red, but this time from anger. “I don't want your money or Cole's."

  Miriam laughed without smiling. “That's what they all say. That's what Cole's ex-wife Pam said. She fooled him so well that even though we begged him to get a prenuptial agreement, he refused. And she walked away with millions of dollars and what was left of his heart. That will not happen again. I promise you, there will be a prenuptial agreement this time.” Her words were nearly an echo of her husband's previous speech.

  Lucy clenched her hands. Miriam Donovan would not get the satisfaction of seeing them shake. “I have no interest in that information. It has nothing to do with me. Now, please leave.” Please leave before I burst into tears.

  Miriam stood and put a hand on the doorknob. Then she turned back to Lucy. “The offer will remain on the table for twenty-four hours. If you change your mind, call me at this number.” She put a card on the desk and walked out with her nose so high Lucy thought Miriam might fall backward.

  Lucy grabbed the card and tore it into a dozen pieces, each rip releasing some of her fury. She threw it into the trash and fell into her chair. With the stack of bills in front of her, she dialed the phone number for the bank.

  * * * *

  Cole stared at the report in front of him and tried to make sense of it. There was nothing wrong with the property assessment, but his focus was nonexistent.

  He set the paper down and walked around his office, trying to get his head on straight. Nearly a week had passed since he'd seen or talked to Lucy, and she was invading his every thought. A hundred times he'd picked up the phone to call her before remembering his vow to give her space. Meanwhile, his concentration was on par with a coffee addict who needed a caffeine fix. All week he'd been zoning out during the day and leaving work early to run out his excess energy. At night he dreamed of Lucy and the nights they'd spent together. Sometimes, it was just the two of them, lounging in bed, beside each other, in each other. Sometimes they had a baby between them. Always, they were happy.

  This wasn't supposed to happen. The whole point of hiring a surrogate was to avoid this type of turmoil. He shouldn't be thinking of Lucy at all, except for her ability to bear his child. And it was more and more likely that wouldn't be happening. The chance she'd conceived from their one time together without a condom was slim, and he put the possibility of her agreeing to surrogacy somewhere around a snowball's chance in hell. Maybe it was time to start interviewing other women.

  His skin crawled at just the possibility.

  The intercom on his phone beeped. He walked to his desk and picked up the receiver. “Yes."

  "You have a visitor, Mr. Donovan,” Darcy said. She spit the word as if she had something foul in her mouth. The tone was unlike her usual cheery demeanor.

  "Who is it?"

  "Mrs. Donovan."

  Cole frowned. “My mother?” The last time she'd been in his office had been two years ago to redecorate.

  Darcy sighed heavily into the phone. “Not that Mrs. Donovan. Pam."

  Now Cole was the one with the foul taste in his mouth.

  He was tempted to call security and have Pam thrown out, but he didn't want a big scene. Before they'd divorced, they'd had a big blowout in his office that people all the way down in the mailroom talked about for months. He wouldn't be giving another show. “Send her in."

  A minute later, Pam burst in, filling the room with her white teeth and movie star smile. She held out her arms and walked to him. “Darling,” she sang and leaned in for a kiss. “Shame on you for not returning my calls."

  He stepped out of her path before her lips could connect to any part of his body. “What do you want, Pam?"

  Her smile turned to a pout. “Are we going to dispense with the pleasantries, then? No ‘nice to see you’ or ‘you look fabulous'?"

  He wouldn't say it, but she did look fabulous, as always. Her clothes were designer, all the way down to her socks and up to the headband pulling back her long, blonde hair. Her skin resembled that of a twenty-year old, rather than someone Pam's age. And she was still so petite, like a little doll.

  Pam barely reached five-foot-two in heels, and that was one of the things Cole had loved about her. She looked like she needed rescuing, and he had loved feeling like he was protecting her.

  Turns out, Pam knew exactly how to take care of herself.

  Cole sat behind his desk and pointed to a chair on the other side. “Again, what do you want?"

  Pam's smile returned. She leaned over the table, showing off her ample bosom, which he had paid for.

  "I want to have your baby."

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter Nine

  Was this a dream, or had polar bears just relocated to hell?

  Cole knew his eyes must have been bugging out of his head. He shook his head, expecting to hear bits of brain matter swish around. “What's your game, Pam?"

  Still grinning, Pam sat back and crossed one perfect leg over the other. “No game. You want a child. I want to give it to you."

  As sanity forced its way back into his brain, a thought occurred to him. “How the hell do you know I want a baby?"

  Pam laughed, a noise that now grated him. “Darling. Of course I know you want a child. Isn't that the reason you left me a poor, lonely divorcee?"

  "Hardly poor,” he retorted. “And we divorced because you're a lying, manipulative bitch. That doesn't answer my question. What do you know?"

  Her fake smile quickly turned into a smirk. “Let's just say you should be careful about how you find surrogate mothers. My attorney heard about it from one of the women you interviewed and, of course, let me know right away."

  He swore. “I should have her disbarred."

  "Disbarred? You should be thanking her. We're about to make all your dreams come true."

  Many years had passed since Pam had been privy to his dreams. A sickening thought occurred to him. “Who else knows about this?"

  Pam laughed as she stood. She walked around his desk and sat on the edge, giving him an up-close view of her tanned legs. “Not your mother. At least, she didn't hear it from me. Although"—she tapped a manicured fingernail against her cheek—"she would probably pay handsomely for the information."

  Finally, a motive Cole understood.

  "What happened, Pam? Did some gigolo who's even more conniving than you run off with your money? Did you spend it all?"

  Her eyes narrowed and one side of her lip curled. “I made a few bad investments."

  "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll land on your feet.” As Cole said this, he pushed her off the side of his desk. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do."

  "I'm serious about this, Cole. I'll have your baby."

  His head was starting to pound. Calling security might not be such a bad idea after all.

  "Why would I want you to have my baby?"

  "You did once."

  "That was a long time ago.” And he a different person. He'd been stupidly, blindly in love. A fool. “I don't need you for this. I've found someone else.” He wasn't about to admit Lucy hadn't agreed to surrogacy and could very well be pregnant with his child at that very moment.

  He saw a flash of panic in her eyes that she quickly covere
d up with a fake, sugary smile. She must be really broke if she'd come to this. Pam and babies went together like peanut butter and ketchup.

  "So, it's for sure? You've signed all the papers terminating the mother's rights?"

  "Well, no—"

  "Good.” Pam reached into her purse and pulled out a stack of legal-size paper. “Why don't you read this over and get back to me."

  He took the papers from her. “What's this?"

  "I had my lawyer draw them up. I agree to have your baby and give up all rights and you agree to give me a payment for my trouble. I think you'll find the amount is fair."

  He shoved the papers back at her. “No way."

  She refused to take the contract back, letting it fall on his desk. “Don't say no until you've read it. We can both get what we want, Cole. And before you refuse, just think about whether or not you really have any other options."

  * * * *

  Saturday morning, Cole broke down and called Lucy. He reasoned that it was prudent to check on the potential mother of his child; it had nothing to do with wanting to hear her voice. When she answered, he had blurted out an invitation to dinner. Even though he still wanted to give her the space she desired, he figured she needed to eat. So by inviting her to dinner, he was really just making sure she had a good meal. And if he had to sit with her through it, so be it.

  So now they were seated at a table with a spectacular view of the Detroit River on the twentieth floor of a downtown building, enjoying French cuisine. Or at least Cole was. Lucy was moving small bits of chicken and spinach crepes around her plate.

  When he'd called her that morning to invite her to dinner, Pam's offer was still playing in his head. The contract she had drawn up still in his desk drawer untouched. Her parting words wouldn't leave him. Did he really have other options? If Lucy wasn't pregnant, he would have to start interviewing women again. He hadn't been able to find the right person, other than Lucy, before, so what made him think his luck would change? Maybe Pam was the answer. He knew her medical history, and he'd never have to worry that she'd suddenly try to get involved in the child's life. Even with a contract, there was always a chance another woman would hire a lawyer to fight the validity. Perhaps something good could finally come out of his association with Pam. Unless Lucy suddenly changed her mind about having a child with him.

  But when he'd invited her to dinner, Lucy had hesitated before answering. Assuming she wasn't sure if she was ready to see him yet, he'd given her the lame you need to eat excuse. She seemed to buy it, or maybe she just wanted to see him, too, because she agreed. But now that they were seated in this romantic restaurant, he was starting to think there was something else entirely going on.

  In business, he had learned to attack problems head on. Since Lucy could be seen as a business associate—or potential business associate—he used the strategy he would have in the office—directness. “What's wrong?"

  She looked up from her plate, now a messy swirl of uneaten food, and frowned.

  A good businessman also knew when he picked the wrong strategy.

  Cole reached across the table, put a hand over hers and smiled. He made sure his dimple was as prominent as possible. Women loved the dimple. “Are you okay? You seem kind of quiet.” Another thought occurred to him. “Are you sick?"

  She shot him a look not too different from the looks he'd received at the Mexican restaurant on the way home from Ann Arbor. “I told you it was too soon to tell.” Her words were clipped, hard. “And I'm not sick. I'm just not hungry."

  "We can leave if you're ready."

  She looked tempted, but then she glanced at his half-eaten steak and attempted a semi-smile. “I'm fine. Finish your meal.” She picked up her fork and put a small bite of chicken in her mouth.

  Something was wrong. Cole was sure of it. Granted, he hadn't known Lucy long enough to know her moods. He just knew this quiet, sullen person wasn't her. The worst part was he didn't know how to fix whatever was wrong. And to his dismay, he wanted to fix it.

  "Have you talked to Ben recently?” It was quite possible she was still upset about her brother's accident. The thought of losing him had absolutely terrified her. Maybe she just couldn't get that worry out of her head.

  Lucy took a sip of water and nodded. “I spoke with him before you picked me up. He's feeling great, getting around well on crutches. He's bored out of his mind, though, so he's excited about going back to work on Monday. I'm going to Ann Arbor tomorrow to see him."

  Cole noticed she perked up noticeably talking about Ben. He wished his company inspired the same reaction. “I could come with you."

  Lucy shifted in her seat. “Thanks, but Sarah is going with me. We're going to make a day of it. Visit with Ben, do some shopping, have dinner.” She was looking at him, but her gaze didn't quite meet his.

  A wave of disappointment splashed over him, and he immediately reprimanded himself. If she wasn't interested in his company, then he had far better things to do. He wasn't even supposed to care about Lucy, about spending time with her. He should be relieved she didn't ask him to go with her.

  He waited for the relief to spread through him.

  But only disappointment remained.

  His stomach shrunk to the size of a pea and he pushed his plate away. He flagged down a passing waiter. “Check, please."

  Cole intended to take her home, drop her off at her door, and then go to a party his friend, Garrett, was throwing. His kind of people would be there. Trust fund babies whose only job was to have fun and spend their future generations’ inheritances. The kind of people who only cared about what their money could buy them. The kind of people he understood.

  But when they arrived at her door and he bent to kiss Lucy on the top of her head, she suddenly turned up and his lips hit her forehead. Because her skin felt so soft, he had to feel her lips. Her lips tasted like the buttery sauce from her crepes and, since he was still hungry because he'd never finished his meal, he stayed there for a while.

  While they tangled tongues, his hands moved without any conscious thought, tracing the underside of her breasts, and then cupping their weight.

  "Wait.” Lucy pushed at his chest, causing him to step back. Her face was flushed, her breathing heavy, as if she'd just run a 5K race. “This isn't a good idea."

  He didn't need her to tell him that. Okay, so he needed her to tell his penis that. Little Cole didn't seem to get the message his brain tried to send.

  His forehead fell against hers as he tried to calm down. “I was just going to walk you to the door."

  "But you couldn't resist me?” Her breath felt like a soft wind on his cheek.

  Little Cole definitely hadn't gotten the message, and he was letting Lucy know it against her stomach. He heard her sharp intake, and then felt her hand sweep against his groin.

  Half growling and half groaning, he crushed his lips against hers. Pushing open the front door, he lifted her up so her legs wrapped around his waist, and carried her over to the couch. Their lips never broke contact as he lowered her to the couch and covered her.

  Her hands plunged into his hair and gripped him to her. Frantic to consume her, he covered her smooth skin in kisses, moving from her cheeks over to her ears, and then nibbling at her tender collarbone. She cried out, gripping his head even tighter.

  His hand moved down her body to the hem of her dress. Reaching beneath the silky material, he began his ascent upward. She writhed beneath him, her hips thrusting in a back and forth rhythm, begging for release.

  With urgency guiding him, he fell to his knees and ripped off her black panties.

  Lucy's eyes were closed, her head rolled back against the cushion. “Cole, I—I—” Her eyes flew open. “I want to stop."

  A hair's breath away from her center, he stopped. “What's wrong? Did I do something you didn't like?"

  Considering he could see how wet she was from his position, he doubted it. But something had happened.

  She pushed down the he
m of her dress and rose from the couch, snatching up her panties. “I'm just not in the mood tonight. I—I have a headache."

  Her excuse was so lame, they both blanched. “You were in the mood a minute ago. I'm going to need hair plugs, you were gripping my head so tightly."

  Her face turned redder than normal. She walked to the door and opened it. “I'm sorry if I led you on. Goodnight."

  What the hell was going on? He ran a hand through his tormented hair. “Lucy, let's talk."

  "Goodnight.” Her voice was firm, filled with finality.

  "Fine.” He walked to the door. If this is what Lucy wanted, so be it. He was done trying to be a part of her life. If she was pregnant, they would figure out an arrangement. They didn't need to be friends to make it work. If she wasn't pregnant, maybe it was time to seriously consider Pam's offer. It was what he wanted, he reminded himself. A child, not a wife. “Goodbye, Lucy."

  * * * *

  After a sleepless night, Lucy drove to Ann Arbor alone on Sunday. The story about Sarah coming along had been a lie; Sarah volunteered at a seniors’ center on Sundays. But Cole had caught her off guard, and she hadn't wanted him to come. It would have brought back too many memories of the last night they'd spent together in Ann Arbor. After her behavior the previous evening, he probably would have preferred a vasectomy over going anywhere with her.

  She cringed just thinking about it. She had wanted Cole every bit as much as he had wanted her. It wasn't even his mother's threats that had made her stop, or the possibility she was pregnant. It was three tiny words. Three words that almost burst from within her before she could stop them.

  I love you.

  Had the words escaped her lips, she might have passed them off as a passionate outburst, since Cole's head had been between her thighs at the time.

  But she was afraid if she said them, she wouldn't take them back. The truth was she meant them. Somewhere in the middle of their crazy relationship, she had fallen in love with Cole.

  And he didn't feel the same. She had no illusions there. Cole had made it abundantly clear he was reserving his love for a child. He had no place in his heart for a woman, even if she was the one who bore him that child.