The Baby Contract

Lane’s brows rose in an expression that said, “we’ll see.”

We enjoyed the rest of our lunch, and I was glad the topic turned away from my job, Bran, babies, and love. I hated lying to my friends. Worse yet, I began to fear that I wouldn’t be able to pull off the charade in the long run. Somehow, I’d screw this up and I would lose them.

They were all I had, and the idea of not having their support and encouragement made me rethink my deal with Bran.

That evening, I met Bran at a condo in a private gated community near the beach Bran found that would work as my new home when I was pretending not to live with him. The unit was stunning. Just the type of place I’d want to live. But after lunch with Harper and Lane, I was doubting myself and this deal.

“You’re having second thoughts, aren’t you?” Bran asked as we stood on the balcony looking over the ocean.

“All this has been theory, ideas. Now it’s getting real. I had to lie to Harper today and I didn’t like it.”

“Then don’t lie.”

I gaped at him. “If she knew the truth, she’d hate me.”

His gaze narrowed. “She’d hate you for helping me? She hates me more than she likes your friendship?”

Put that way, it did seem harsh that she’d dump me for helping Bran. Still. “She’d see it as a betrayal.”

His jaw tightened as he looked over the water. “All I’ve done is love and care for her and she hates me.”

For so long, I’d been angry at him and the way he treated Harper. I realized that I’d only seen Harper’s side of things. Now I was seeing his side, and I felt bad for him.

“You hold on too tight, Bran. She feels smothered. She feels like you don’t think she can live her own life. She’s a grown woman.”

His hands gripped the railing. “She’s all I’ve got.”

“She’s all I’ve got too.” I hated that I let that slip.

Not that he hadn’t already figured it out, but I didn’t want to be vulnerable to him. I’d learned that Bran could be sweet, but he could also be mean, and I didn’t want to give him anything he could use against me.

His head turned to me. “What?”

I shook my head. “Nothing.” I went back into the condo, my conscience weighing heavy on me.

“Back to my question. Are you having second thoughts?”

“Yes.”

“You really think Harper would get mad at you for helping me, especially for twenty-five million dollars?”

Harper would think it was nuts. Then again, she had money. She didn’t know what it was like not being able to pay the electric bill.

“If she dumps you for doing something to improve your life, then what sort of friend is she?”

“It’s not the money, it’s—”

“Me. I get it.”

I hated the look of pain on his face.

He shook his head. “I should just say fuck it to the both of you.”

He started to walk away but something had me reaching out and taking his hand. “You have to stop holding onto her so tightly—”

“I can’t even see her. How can I be holding on too tight?”

“You have to trust her to live her life. Stop having her followed.”