The Harrington Series Book #4: Chasing Naila

Chapter 36: The Surrogate

 Dinner is set. All I am waiting for is Cole, Tony and Levi. I think both of them are trying to flake out on dinner. Cole was all for meeting Levi until he got cold feet and started to make up flaky reasons to get out of it. I want them to meet so that all this is out of the way. 

I hurried to the door as soon as the doorbell rang. I almost lost my voice when I saw her standing at the doorstep. Leen used to come over before I started spending most nights at Cole.

"Leen. What are you doing here? Cole isn't home. He will be back -"

"I'm looking for you. Can I call me in so that we can talk?"

What have I done now?

"Yes, I suppose." I let her in and moved aside. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"No. I'm good." She declined and sat down. The only time I see Leen is when she is running around the estate with Evie in a stroller. She has been aggressive about shading the baby weight. "I'm not sure where to start. But I want to apologize for being such a mean girl in school. Also when I found out what my father had done, I should have showed you more sympathy."

"You do realize I was the mean girl in school." I chuckled when I remembered how brutal we used to be with each other. We were both daddy's girls and we would compete over the pettiest thing. "I also owe you an apology for all the things I pulled. Like pouring the green paint on you."

She burst out laughing. "My mom had all the maids scrubbing me and that stuff didn't come off for days!" She exclaimed.

She is such a vibe with a lot of infectious energy.

"When Wayne found out, he dipped me in blue paint."

"For real?"

"Yes!" i exclaimed with laughter in my voice. "We both missed school for about a week. He made me go out in public like that!"

As much as I was daddy's girl, Wayne was all about hard lessons.

"Oh no! My parents didn't mind me staying in hiding. You know I look at the kids we have and I hope they get along. You should try."

"Try?" I asked.

"You now own a place that can make a difference for women like you. Why not try and have Cole's baby?"

That is the idea but sometimes I have my doubts. I don't want to tell anyone else that we want to try. The last thing we need is too much attention only for it fail.

"After trying for twelve years, I'm not sure if I can keep up with the disappointments."

"What about a surrogate?"

"I'm scared. What if she runs away with our baby?"

"You should not be scared. You have all the right friends. If someone takes your dream away, we will hunt them to the ends of the earth."

"Thank you for saying such kind words. But really, why are you here?"

"Will you be a bridesmaid at my wedding?" She threw it out there.

Leen's wedding has become the talk of the town. All the girls are bridesmaids. I was the only one who wasn't. "I'd love to! If you're being serious that is."

"I am being serious." She answered. "I think it's time we really put away our indifferences."

"I agree. For Cole's sake especially. I hate it when he is caught in between."

Cole never comments on anything negative I say about Leen. He extinguishes the conversation by talking about something else.

"That's right." She reached into the pocket of her slacks and gave her a card. "That is the shop where we will meet this weekend for fittings. I'll see you there."