by Tasha Jones
“Yeah, I know that. Look, this isn’t your fault, I am just not sure what to do.” He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “That ranch is my whole life, everything, I won’t let it go.” He slammed his hand down hard on the table again.
“Parker, might I suggest finding a surrogate? They have women, who will carry a child for you for compensation. That would at least get you through half of the problem. Better yet, find a nice girl who you can live with and have a marriage of convenience, a business proposal.” He leaned forward in his overstuffed chair and handed him a piece of paper with an agency contact information.
Parker glared at him from across the desk.
“To be honest, I don’t think that’s what my father had in mind, but then who knows what he was thinking.” I’ll get the ball rolling ASAP. Thanks.”
He shook his hand and made his way out of the office.
He glanced down at the slip of paper in his hand. He would call first thing when he got home.
He stopped on the way to have a drink. He wasn’t a drinking man by any stretch of the imagination, but today had simply been too much. He knew he could get married, he’d had his share of women, most of which he had run away from after things started getting serious. He just knew none of them had been right for him, at least not for the rest of his life. He held up the paper in his hands again. This was the only way, but he wanted it to be someone different, someone definitely far from here. Maybe a city girl, that way she would be eager to get back home to her life and away from here. With a sigh, he scooped up his jacket and headed for home.
Chapter Five - Jasmine
She still couldn’t believe she was sitting here.
The room was cold and white and unfeeling. She really wasn’t sure she knew what to expect. She had never been in a place like this before. She had been through the ringer, pictures bloodwork, etc. Now she was waiting to see what they had to tell her. The doctor came in and slid the stool over towards her.
“Miss Turner, you are in perfect health, I’m happy to say. We have cross matched you with a number of potential families and have narrowed it down to three. The choice is up to you. Once you have decided which you would be more comfortable with, we can proceed from there. Here is the basic information on each. I'll let you take some time in the conference room and when you’ve made a choice you can let the nurse out front know. If you need more time that’s fine as well, just understand these opportunities change pretty regularly.”
She took the files he handed her and thanked him as she made her way into the lobby. It was overwhelming to think about. She was planning to carry a baby, for someone else. Could she do it? The real issue was could she do it and let go when the time came. She moved into the conference room and spread the files in front of her.
Wherever she did the surrogacy, she would have to live there. She wanted to be someplace nice, where she could start over. She had three more days until she had no place to go, having lost all of her money, and gotten into a huge fight with Marie over it. Someone had taken it, but no one would believe her. She took a deep breath and started with file one.
The first family was in Mexico, they were specifically looking for someone with her complexion and heritage. They wanted to have a child soon and wanted the surrogate to come to them and live. They would provide a room and board, and she was free to stay up to two weeks after the child was born. They did, however, want the surrogate to participate in experimental genetic coding so that they could have a girl. She frowned, and moved to the second family.
A single mother was looking for a woman who could carry a child for her using donated sperm. She was a business woman in New York, and waned to be a single mother. She was willing to offer a room, but only if the surrogate would be willing to clean and cook during the pregnancy. She stopped reading for a moment. A maid with a baby.
She giggled.
Lastly, file three.
The family wanted a surrogate with any background and ethnicity. Needed someone who could come to live with them ASAP. The timing was very important. The family was a young man, age 29, and on a large estate in Texas. She smiled. Texas was a nice town on the other side of New York. She had always wanted to visit there.
The proposal was offering a unique opportunity, one that would mean a marriage on paper with no intimacy. At the end of one year, after the child was born the surrogate would receive a large sum of money and the marriage absolved. $200,000 dollars would be given up front with an additional $6,000 for travel expenses and the surrogate would have to be willing to donate her eggs.
She sat back in her chair. That was certainly a lot of money, money she needed. Plus the ad mentioned she would have her own room. The only issue was the marriage part, but even that seemed like a temporary fix. It did say it would be on paper only. This was her best option, and one she would have to do soon.
***
The flight was delayed, again.
She had accepted the offer and done the paperwork for a man named Parker Jackson. She had been given the ticket and walked into the airport quickly. She was running late, of course. It wasn’t until she was at the airport that she took the time to look at her boarding pass. She sat down with a thump.
Texas. She was headed to Texas.
Not the city in New York, but the state. She had just assumed when she did her paperwork that it meant the city in New York. Now she had two suitcases full of everything she owned and was headed to a state she had never seen. The money had helped, she had sent some home to her father for her sister. She was a smart girl and they had been discussing sending her to private school. She had sent some money to make that more of a reality, and to help with bills that were sure to be piling up.
Finally, they called her flight and she took a deep breath before boarding. It may be a long time before she was in New York again and she would miss the city and all the hustle and bustle that made it so wonderful to her. She found her seat quickly and felt a nervous rush come over her. She had never flown before, had never been out of New York for that matter. This was a change that would be long lasting. She didn’t have the heart to tell her father the truth. Likely it would break his heart. She had told her she was traveling for work, and in some sense she wasn’t lying. She watched the city beneath her as her flight took off and she lightly touched the window. Nothing would be the same again, she thought. She had no idea just how much.
***
The heat was staggering and hit her with full force as she left the plane. How in the world would she manage to live like this for the next year? She made her way through the airport and searched for the sign that would take her to her new home. She finally saw a tall man holding a sign that simply said J. Turner. This was it, she told herself as she headed towards him. He was slightly surprised when she walked up to him, she could tell by the look on his face. She certainly wasn’t the typical cowgirl that was for sure. He took her bags and she followed him out to the car. She was more than a little nervous. She had to admit it to herself. She felt the leather of the seats under her. The car was beautiful. She had no idea what kind it was, her knowledge of cars was limited. All she knew was that the seats were cool and the car rode so smoothly she couldn’t even tell they were moving. She glanced out the window as they rolled along. The land was flat and sparse. There was an abundance of trees along the landscape and she could see for miles and miles. This was nothing like she was used to, that was for sure. She leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes for a second.
“Miss Turner, are you hungry? I was to make sure you had everything and anything you need.”
“No, I'm fine right now, thank you, what was your name again? I’m sorry I am horrible with names.”
“My name is James,m’am.”
“Please don’t call me, ma'am, it makes me feel old, and age is about all I have left to hold on to.”
She gave him a smile in the rearview mirror and he returned it.
“The ride is about an hour
or so Miss Jasmine. If you need anything please let me know.”
“Thank you James I will.” She leaned back and sighed smoothing her hair down as she did. She loved her hair and this heat would probably frizz it all back up again. With a sigh, she let her eyes close again.
***
She woke with a start as the car came to a stop. She must have fallen asleep. She looked up and noticed they were at a gate. James punched in a number and the gates opened wide. She noticed the large sign that said “Crooked Creek Ranch” as they passed through the wide opening.
The driveway was long and curvy, and she could barely make out the house in the background. Was all of this part of the property? As they came to the top of a slight hill the ranch was spread out at the base. It was a massive spread with a main center and the sides of the house spread out at an angle on each side almost like arms open wide and welcoming. There were cattle grazing in the west field and horses off to the right. She could see some small outer buildings spread out in the back. The driveway made a circle in the front of the house and the car pulled up to the front. She took a deep breath and started to open the door and James came to help her immediately.
She smiled up at him. It was obvious she wasn’t used to people holding doors for her and she wasn’t about to start now. She walked to the rear of the car to help him with her bags and was immediately stopped by him.
“Miss Turner, if you wouldn’t mind, Miss Becca is inside waiting for you. Ah, here she is now.”
Jasmine turned to see a bubbly, rounded, red-cheeked woman come rushing down the stairs towards her. The woman didn’t hesitate as she wrapped Jasmine in a massive hug. She wasn’t sure how long they stood like that and finally the woman leaned back and took her all in.
“Well, now let me look at you, you are a pretty one aren’t you?” She gave Jasmine a wink and linked her arm in hers. She had no choice but to follow along in awe as they entered the house.
To say it was beautiful would be an understatement. The walls were all wood and smelled of sunshine. The foyer emptied into a huge den which lead into an office. The kitchen was to the left and further down the hall was a bedroom where Becca slept. There was an entrance on both sides that branched off going down both arms of the house. Becca chatted happily about the wings of the ranch house and this and that. Finally, they went down the west wing and stopped at a door.
“This is you, sweetheart.” She pushed open the door and Jasmine took a step inside. It was twice as big as her apartment in New York and was complete with a canopied bed and bathroom off to one side. There were a vanity and chest of drawers and the linens and curtains were a pale pink color. On the bed was a box with a red ribbon and a smaller one on the dressing table.
“We hope you like it, dear, James and I weren’t sure what you liked and we just went for it. There aren’t many women that come by here not since the missus left us.” She paused and Jasmine took the pause to ask her a question.
“I noticed the black ribbons on the pillars out front, did something happen?” She noticed her bags against the wall, James must have brought them in as she toured the house with Miss Becca.
“Oh yes, dear Mr. Jackson passed away not three weeks ago now, Parker is still feeling the brunt of it, he seems to be throwing himself into working the ranch to heal his heart. I am hoping that changes now that you’re here.” She gave her a sad smile.
“Why would he want… well me here now then? I am not sure why it is a good time for it.”
“Oh my dear, you don’t know the details do you? Well, I suppose it’s best if I tell you, better me than you hear it from one of the yard hands. She pulled Jasmine over to a small sitting area and told her about the arrangement.
Jasmine sat there thinking as Miss. Becca stood to leave. She had a lot of information to take in that much was certain. She was a key part of making sure this ranch stayed in the family. She felt the pressure of that weighing on her shoulders. What had she gotten herself into?
“Dinner is at six, dear. Parker said he would be here in time for dinner. Why not take a nap and a shower and get yourself settled in? I know this is a new place for you, we will help you my dear.”
With a smile she left Jasmine alone for the first time since leaving home. She stood and walked over towards the large window in her room. It faced the large fields behind the house and she noticed the horses running. This was not her world, but it was now. She made her way over to the bed and picked up the note on top of it.
Welcome, we hope you like it!
She pulled off the top of the box and then the dress beneath it. It was a simple white dress off the shoulder and was covered in white lace. It was her size as well. She smiled at the thoughtful gesture and decided she would wear it for dinner. She found her comfy pajamas she had brought from home. They somehow gave a sense of peace as she slipped into them and laid gently on the massive bed. Maybe she would take a nap after all.
***
She glanced up and noticed the clock said 4:35.
She stretched and stood. It was time to get ready to meet Parker. Why she was so nervous she wasn’t sure. The entire point of this arrangement was that she didn’t have to worry about being impressive, she only had to be herself. She showered and took care with her makeup. Her caramel skin had a natural glow and she didn’t use much more than some gloss on her lips. Her hair was like silk and she slipped into the beautiful dress with ease. As she came back into the room, she picked up the other smaller package she had forgotten about. Inside was a note from Parker.
Welcome, please make yourself at home. I will be there for dinner and will speak with you then.
She squared her shoulders and smoothed down the front of her dress taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. She went into the hallway at exactly 5:45. It was better to be early than late, something her father had taught her a long time ago.
She walked into the formal dining room and she saw him for the first time. He was in a clean white shirt and he had blonde hair. He had stubble that covered his face and he was in a heated discussion with someone on his phone.
It gave her extra time to take in the scene before her and she didn’t mind it in the least. He must have been 6 feet tall. He was standing with his back to her now and she admired the lean muscled back that bulged with his movements. She let her gaze drift and she landed on his jeans that were made to fit him. They sculpted him and flexed with his every movement. She shook her head free of these thoughts. What was wrong with her anyway? She had never even looked at guys like him before, much less dated one; especially a cowboy.
She looked up to see Becca smiling at her from the doorway, and she blushed. She could only imagine how long she had stood there as Jasmine had done her examination of Parker Jackson.
Chapter Six - Parker
There was a level of respect when a woman has been cooking that his father had taught him very early on. When a woman says dinner is ready you drop whatever you’re doing and head inside to eat it. A happy cook is a good cook, that’s what he had always told him. He shoved his phone back in his pocket with a sigh and gave Becca a smile. He made his way over to her and picked her up in a hug before she swatted him away.
It took a moment before he thought to turn around, but when he did he was floored.
She was beautiful, there was no other way to put it. She stood there watching him, her hands clasped together in front of her. She was of average height and that was the only thing about her that was average. Her skin looked as if she was kissed by the sun for hours and had a healthy glow. She was curvy, in all the right places, but petite. He walked over to her and stuck out his hand.
“You must be Jasmine.”
He gave her a half smile and she returned it. There was something exotic about her that drew him in. Her eyes were like liquid honey and to say he was attracted to her was an understatement. His father was looking down on him right now and laughing, he could almost hear it.
“Send for a stranger to have
a baby with and you get a beautiful woman.”
With a sigh, he held the chair for her to get settled and made his way across the table from her. There was something about her smile that made him want to be closer to her. Her eyes were striking and deep down somewhere he knew he was in trouble. He had specifically gone in search of someone different, someone from far away from here, and it had backfired. She certainly didn’t look like she was from around here, yet at the same time she looked as though she was right where she belonged. She held herself with a humble sort of grace, her movements fluid and shy, yet when she passionately talked about her family her eyes came to life.
“So you have a sister? That must be fun.” He sipped at his glass watching her reaction.
“It can be, but she is 15, so she can be a bit of a handful. She recently discovered boys, so I’m doing my best to point her in the right direction.” She smiled at him.
“What about your mother and father?”
“My father does the best he can with her, like I said she can be a handful. My mother, she died when I was young. I miss her though. I was 12, just figuring out I was a girl.”
The tone was somber for a moment before he decided to change the subject.
“Have you ever been to Texas before?”
“No, not at all. To be honest when I was choosing a path to take I assumed it meant Texas, New York.” She gave him a half smile. “I felt ridiculous when they handed me the ticket for the flight here, I asked twenty questions. I looked like a complete fool.”
“I don’t think you could ever look like a fool Jasmine, and I just met you.” He gave her another half-smile.
Chapter Seven - Jasmine
He was gorgeous. There was something rugged about him that she appreciated. He obviously worked hard and loved the ranch. Being no stranger to hard work they had that in common. Dinner was a light hearted affair and they chatted happily about nothing serious. After the delicious meal was cleared away, he asked her to join him in the study to go over some paperwork.