Surrogate and Wife Read Online Free PDF Page A

apologizing and go back to the part where you said we need to talk.”
    He lowered himself into the club chair beside the sofa. Again he seemed entirely too close.
    â€œI…um…” The words caught in her throat, trapped there by a giggle rising to the surface. This was absurd, but so was the question she couldn’t see a way out of asking. So finally she just said, “Will you marry me?”
    Jake froze, his expression blank for the second time this evening. Then shock registered, and his voice rose sharply as he asked, “What?”
    â€œI need to get married.” Then she added in a rush, “And you did offer to help out with the pregnancy. You said you’d do anything you could.”
    â€œI meant I’d help with your laundry. I didn’t think you’d want to get married.”
    â€œYou said you would help.”
    â€œSure, but married? You want to get married?”
    â€œIt’d be a marriage in name only,” she reassured him. “Just until after the baby is born. Maybe not even that long.”
    â€œLet me see if I’ve got this right. Four days ago you didn’t even want me to do your grocery shopping, and now you want to get married?”
    â€œYes. Well, not exactly.” She frowned, trying to sort through the logic of her proposal. “See, here’s the thing. There’s a slight chance that if I have this baby out of wedlock, I’ll be fired.”
    She watched his expression carefully, looking for any hint of his emotions, but he remained stoic. After several seconds he asked, “How slight?”
    â€œSlight-ish.”
    â€œCan you give it to me in a percentage?”
    â€œMaybe forty…” She paused, then added honestly. “Ninety percent.”
    For another several seconds, he stared at her, then he sprang to his feet and marched to the kitchen. She heard him open and close the refrigerator door. A minute later he reappeared with a bottle of beer, half of which was already gone, as if he’d had to take several fortifying gulps before facing her again.
    He rested his shoulder against the doorway to the kitchen and leveled his gaze at her. “So there’s a ‘slight’ ninety percent chance you’ll get fired when you have this baby and you didn’t think to mention it until now?”
    â€œI didn’t think it wasn’t an issue before Beth and Stew got pregnant.” As briefly as she could, she explained about Hatcher’s bid for a seat on the Texas Supreme Court and his moral-values campaign. “So you see, being a surrogate mother for your sister who can’tget pregnant could be considered noble. Claiming to be a surrogate for your sister who’s already noticeably more pregnant than you is definitely suspicious.”
    He eyed her doubtfully. “You really think anyone will even notice that you and Beth are pregnant at the same time?”
    â€œYes, I do. Beth and Stew know a lot of people. Half the town shops in their health food store. Trust me, people are going to notice she’s pregnant.”
    â€œSo, you just have to explain the situation. Most people will believe you.”
    She sighed. “You’re right, of course. Most people will. But Hatcher doesn’t have to convince ‘most people’ in order to get me fired.”
    â€œDo you have some kind of morality clause or something in your contract?”
    â€œI’m an associate district judge,” she explained. “We’re appointed by the district judges. We don’t have contracts.”
    â€œThis Judge Hatcher can just fire you on a whim? His decision doesn’t have to be based on your performance? That’s bull.”
    â€œI couldn’t agree more.” Even under the circumstances, she couldn’t help being a little amused by his vehement reaction. “Of course, it’s not his decision alone. There are eight district judges total. They’d