SURROGATE : Conception (+18) BOOK 1 (COMPLETE)

| 44 | The Land of Productivity ||

 Penelope was not focused on her work. How could she be? There were so many things running a muck in her head. A toss up of feelings and emotions that ranged from sadness about her brother, elation that he wasn't bleeding to death in some cold dark room in prison, deep thoughts around her business and the strategic thinking that Lydia left her with a couple weeks ago.

Then there were the feelings around Liam Rogan which she couldn't quite place. In fact, she knew they didn't have a place, so she carried on life like they didn't exist, but when she was alone at night and there was nothing but endless silence in the massive house, all she had were her thoughts and feelings.

When she woke up that morning, the first morning since Liam took his flight out to Japan, she remembered that gratitude was the first thought. Despite the gap in time, she could remember with unmatched clarity how relieved, thankful, joyous, and a tumble of other feelings when she opened the envelope and saw that check.

It was a godsend, unmerited, unexpected, but very welcome favor. Beyond the obvious relief the financial boost offered, it also solidified something else in her heart. She closed her eyes allowing her work computer screen to disappear for a minute.

The night she spent with Liam in his office, she listened to that voice inside of herself. Soft, pure, unencumbered by the chaos that swirled all around. It was the eye in the tempest. Dark clouds, whipping wind, rain, hail, thunder, lightening. She could feel the anxiety, the fear rising in her gut just as it had that night. Fear like she never felt before when she saw that photo of her brother's peaceful sleeping face, unaware of the danger he was in.

She also remembered the calm and peace that settled over her when she submitted to that voice. She couldn't allow herself to cross that line. Whatever that line was, she wouldn't go there, because it didn't feel right. It didn't feel right and that was all the proof she needed. There she was seemingly caught in a hurricane without boarding up her windows, and then the sea of angry clouds parted. From the heavens an offering brought down by an angel--

"Penelope, do you have the notes from my meeting this morning?"

Penelope blinked out of her thoughts and returned to her current moment. "Uh, yes. I do." She reached into the plastic stacked dividers on her desk and pulled out the notes her boss was looking for.

"Perfect. Thank you. Oh, and can you schedule lunch with my daughter?"

"She called an hour ago and you two have lunch reservations at 12:30pm."

The woman presented a warm smile. "Very good. Thank you. You should take some time off. You've put in so many hours helping me prepare for the conference this week, I put three days in your account so take them as you need to."

"Oh wow, thank you!" The job was part time and she wasn't expecting paid time off. This week was getting better and better.

She paused her typing for a moment to wonder what the man was doing? Probably in some high stakes meeting dressed like a million dollar bachelor. She laughed at the thought because it was silly. Million dollars? Yes. Bachelor, not even close. He had a whole entire wife, and life that seemed completely removed from her.

She frowned. Weird, but true. She never met anyone in the Rogans' world besides the couple.

Her chest tightened at the thought. She was a secret.

"Hey, Penelope!"

"Roxy!"

Penelope sat up in her chair when her favorite coworker approached her.

"Wanna get lunch today?"

"Sure, it'll have to be a late lunch though. I have to get a few things on Denise's desk before she gets back from lunch with her daughter."