I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, willing my shoulders to settle into place as I sent up another prayer.Please let this be it.
“Dex?”
I jumped out of my chair, pasting a bright smile on my face. “Freya. Hi. Um…take a seat. I’ll grab you something to drink. Do you want tea or coffee, a latte, cappuccino?”
Freya unbuttoned her coat and hung her purse on the back of the chair. Her long blond hair fell over her eyes like a curtain, momentarily blocking her features. She was an exceptionally beautiful woman. Tall and slender with high cheekbones, brilliant blue eyes, and a slight cleft in her chin. She was a twenty-nine-year-old artist who specialized in pottery, loved to draw, and claimed to be a decent pianist. She was also well traveled and had a degree in business from a small private college.
Although she was born in Rhode Island, she spoke with a hint of an accent. Apparently, her parents had moved from the States to Sweden when she was seven. Freya had grown up speaking two languages and had gone on to learn French and Spanish, too. I mean…wow. She couldn’t have been more perfect if she’d tried.
The fact that she lived close enough and yet far enough away that no one in Wood Hollow would cross paths with her regularly was just another bonus.
Stick with me. Those details mattered.
“No, thank you. I’m fine.” Freya bit her bottom lip and grinned, her eyes crinkling at the corners mischievously—as if she had a secret.
I swallowed hard. “Good. Did you, um…”
“I did,” she replied, leaning forward in her seat.
My heart zipped into overdrive. She was killing me. “And?”
“I’m pregnant.”
Holy shit.
I blinked as tears welled without my permission. I didn’t know what to say. I stared, afraid she’d laugh and tell me she was kidding.
But Freya was still smiling and talking now…something about taking three tests to be sure.
“So you’re three hundred percent sure?”
“I am.” She squealed in delight. “The clinic will call you, obviously, but I wanted you to hear it from me first. I know how much this means to you, and I’m determined to make this a great experience for you, me, and the baby, and—say something, Dex. You’re too quiet. This is—you’re happy, right?”
I choked on a sob, gathering my composure before I turned into a blubbering mess. I could save that for the drive home.
“Yes, yes, yes. I’m…” I sniffed loudly and reached for her hand on the table. “I’m overwhelmed. This is—thank you.”
Freya gently slipped out of my grasp and slid a napkin toward me. “We have a ways to go, still. Nine whole months, to be precise.”
I blew my nose and laughed. “I can’t wait.”
“So…how will this work? You live an hour away.”
“Closer to two hours away, but that’s okay. I’ll come to your doctor appointments, and I can be here whenever you need me. I want to give you space yet be totally available.” I shrugged and tried to think of what else I could offer. “As we get closer to the due date, I’ll get a hotel room in the city to be sure I’m nearby for you and…the baby.”
Freya smiled so wide, her face lit up like a firework display on the Fourth of July. “Gah! Can you believe this? I’m in shock. The good kind.”
“Me too. I…” I sipped my latte, still scrambling to arrange my thoughts. “When are you due?”
“December fourth, according to the online calculator. We’ll see what the doctor says.”
December. It was late March now. That was ages from now. Probably for the best. I had a lot to do. A lot to plan for. And the funny thing was that no one knew.
Well…Reg knew I’d looked into surrogacy. I’d had to tell someone, and I trusted Reg. He was a bisexual divorcee with kids. He had perspective and experience, and I knew I’d need a friend in my corner while I navigated impending fatherhood as a single dad. But he didn’t know about my meeting with Freya this morning.
Neither did Troy. My college buddy was going to be hurt that I hadn’t included him from the start, but I needed time to absorb what this meant…on my own. And without dealing with the buzz of the Wood Hollow rumor mill.
I loved Wood Hollow and knew it was a great place to raise children. However, in a small town, everyone had big opinions and I didn’t want to hear them. And no way was I telling my mother. Are you nuts? Not for a while at least. This was going to be a judgment-free pregnancy and birth.
