Nine Month Contract, page 19
“That’s exactly how it feels.” I laugh and feel oddly comforted by hearing another woman relate to this experience. It’s not a support group, but it feels pretty good. “My vet friend says it’s normal to be on full feed after the first trimester, but admittedly, his pregnancy knowledge doesn’t extend much beyond farm animals.”
Cozy laughs, and I open my mouth to continue chatting with her, but Wyatt steps between us, causing our eyes to look up at him. “Let’s get you some food.”
I try to wave him off. “The full-feed thing was a joke, Wyatt...kind of.”
“Come on,” he commands and puts his hand on my lower back, swiftly ushering me away from everyone.
I offer a polite smile to Wyatt’s family, who are all staring at us in rapt fascination. Once we’re out of earshot, I shake his hand off my back. “I don’t need to be led to the trough like a farm animal,” I snipe, turning to shoot daggers at him. “I said the Avery comment was a joke.”
“I don’t like that guy.”
“You met him for two seconds.”
“Two seconds too long,” he murmurs, his eyes narrowing and fixating on me. “What did you tell him about me? He obviously knows about our situation.”
“Of course he knows. He’s my friend. Plus, I was getting sick at some of our house calls together.”
Wyatt’s nostrils flare. “Did you tell him you were sick before me?”
My head jerks back. “He’s my friend.”
“I know, but that’s my baby inside you, so I have a right to know before him.” He licks his lips and glowers at my lips. “Before anybody, for that matter.”
My eyes flash with barely concealed rage because it’s all making a lot more sense now. It’s not the mini horse bothering him or the pig or the rabbit. It’s Avery. And the fact that Avery has a penis.
Mountain Man is...jealous.
The thrill that shoots through me over that realization is almost as messed up as his behavior. It’s certainly as messed up as the warmth that spreads to the area between my legs over the thought of him claiming me in some strange way. I shouldn’t like these thoughts. I should hate that he’s trying to mark his territory because I have literally shot his sperm up into my vagina and am carrying his genetic child. What more does this crazy man need?
I close my eyes before I let myself finish those thoughts.
I lean up close to whisper my reply into his ear, “You better watch your tone with me, Wyatt, because last I checked, me telling you stuff wasn’t a part of our contract. It was a gift I gave you as a friend. This is my body, and no one will tell me who I can talk to about it. Got it?”
Wyatt’s expression morphs from anger to horror in the blink of an eye. He steps back as if mortified by what he’s just said. “Will you please just eat? I know you haven’t eaten in a while.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because you were in the barn with me earlier and didn’t touch the snacks.”
I frown at that comment. “Well, I wasn’t hungry, and they’re not my snacks, so why would I touch them?”
He looks at me like he knows I’m lying. Which is true. I wanted to grab one of those granola bars on the counter in the barn, but Wyatt was standing right there watching me, so I couldn’t.
Finally, I shove him out of my way and fix a plate because dammit, I am hungry. Wyatt watches, and I frown over at him. “Aren’t you going to eat?”
He shakes his head. “What do you want to drink? I’ll go get it.”
“I can get my own drink.”
He closes his eyes for a moment, clearly frustrated. The veins in his neck are bulging, and his hands flex at his sides like he doesn’t know what to do with himself.
“I’ll have a cranberry juice,” I say with a heavy sigh, taking pity on the poor guy. He’s being a dick, but I know he hates himself for it, and that sort of neurotic behavior makes me feel kind of bad for him in a strange, dysfunctional sort of way.
I find a high-top table by the pool away from the crowd and am just about to murder a bacon-wrapped shrimp when a tall blonde comes bounding over to me.
“How’s it going on Fletcher Mountain?” Everly asks, propping her elbow on the table and watching me with wide puppy dog eyes.
“Oh, it’s going,” I mumble around a bite and quickly dab at my lips with a napkin, careful not to wipe off all the lipstick I carefully put on tonight. “Although your uncle is definitely treading that fine line between sweet and psycho.”
“Oh no, what did he do?” Everly groans and turns her full attention to me.
“His mood swings are insane. We’re trying to be friends through this whole thing, and he’s not making it easy.”
Everly chews her lower lip nervously. “Well, in fairness, I don’t think my uncle is used to having female friends.”
“It shows,” I huff out indignantly.
“But he’s a great brother and an exceptional uncle, so just be patient with him. He’s really a sweetie pie when you get to know him. He loves to take care of people.”
I can’t help but soften as I watch him stand in line at the bar to get my drink for me. There is a sweetness to Wyatt buried under that gruff exterior of his, and I will do my best to find it before this baby is born.
I nudge Everly with my elbow. “You’re really cool for a kid, you know that?”
“Well, I am eighteen, so I’m technically an adult.” She beams proudly.
“When do you leave for Ireland?” I ask before biting into another succulent shrimp.
“End of August.” She inhales deeply and runs her fingers through her hair. “Just a couple more months. I’m so nervous and so jacked at the same time. I hope I’ll be able to come back when the baby is born, though! Can we maybe video chat occasionally so I can see your belly growing?”
My brows lift at that thought. “That’s weird, but sure. Why the hell not?” She smiles happily, and I add, “Oh, did you hear there’s a mini horse in the barn as well now?”
“What?” Everly practically screams, and all the guests around us turn to gawk.
I laugh and nod. “His name is Handsome. You should come up and see him before you leave. He’s a hoot.”
“Um...obviously!” Everly takes a deep breath to adjust to the news. “How did you get Uncle Wyatt to let that happen?”
I shrug and pop another shrimp into my mouth. “I just asked him.”
Everly’s brows raise at that. “I’ve asked him for more animals on that farm ever since I was little, and he wouldn’t even consider it! He always said Millie was a lone wolf like him.”
I giggle at that comparison. “It may have helped that I asked him after the animal was already on the property. That lessened the barrier of entry, I suppose.”
“Or maybe my uncle likes you,” she coos, her eyes twinkling.
I pause before taking a bite of the salad as his face at the Mercantile a couple of weeks ago replays in my head: “I might be focusing too much on getting into someone else’s bullpen.”
I shake off that lust-worthy thought. “Well, I like your uncle too, some of the time. That’s part of the whole friends thing.”
“But do you think he’s cute?” Everly eyes me curiously.
My brows shoot upward. “Yeah, he’s cute, but I don’t like him like that.”
“Why not?”
“Because he’s about to be a single dad, and kids aren’t my thing,” I say simply because it’s an easy truth to use as an excuse.
Everly looks taken aback. “Why don’t you like kids?”
“It’s not that I don’t like them. I just don’t want any of my own. Life can still be very fulfilling without children as well.”
I can’t help but notice the crestfallen look on Everly’s face. She looks like I just told her Santa Claus isn’t real, the poor thing. She needs to see more life experiences and broaden her horizons. Ireland will be good for her.
“But it’s not just the kid thing,” I add, feeling like I need to give her more of an explanation. “I have career aspirations, and it’s going to take the right kind of partner to be cool with my crazy ideas.”
“Everly,” Max calls from behind me, interrupting our conversation. “Grandma Eleanor has just arrived. She’s over by the ice cream truck and asking to see you.”
“Grandma E!” Everly exclaims and bounds off like the good kid she probably always was.
“That girl is something else.” I turn to Max as he sets his drink down on the table beside me and assesses the party for a moment.
“You’re telling me.” He huffs, and I can’t help but notice a shift in his demeanor. “We’re all really going to struggle when she leaves for college. She’s kind of our family cheerleader. She keeps the whole gang together.”
“Dad!” a young boy shouts from the other side of the pool, and Max’s head snaps over to look at him. He starts unbuttoning his dress shirt and bellows, “I’m going swimming!”
“No, you’re not,” Max yells back at him, standing at attention. “Ethan, we talked about this. Ethan!”
The dark-haired little boy has stripped out of his shirt and is about to jump in the water when his mom appears, fishhooking his arm and catching him midjump. Cozy holds her hand up to Max. “I got him!”
“Jesus Christ,” Max grumbles and loosens the tie around his neck as he points at the scene on the other side of the pool. “My youngest is the exact opposite of Everly. He’s going to be the death of me.”
I laugh as I watch Cozy struggle to get Ethan’s shirt back on him, all while they argue about his desire to swim.
“That’s what Wyatt has to look forward to,” Max states, pointing at his son with a laugh. “We all stupidly thought Everly was how most kids were. Easygoing, a good listener, and sweet down to her very core. Ethan was quite the wake-up call.”
I glance over to see the little boy walk away from his mother and stand in the grass, unbutton his pants, and start peeing. The guests nearby all begin laughing, and Cozy shakes her head and throws her hands up in the air.
Max pinches the bridge of his nose. “And I hate to say it, but Wyatt was just like him.”
“Liked to pee in the grass?”
“Yes,” Max laughs and shakes his head. “He always did exactly what he wanted, when he wanted, didn’t matter what anyone else said.”
“Why does that not surprise me?” I laugh knowingly. I’ve only known the guy for four months, but he didn’t take long to figure out.
Affection blooms on Max’s face. “It’s going to be really fun watching him become a dad.”
I watch Max for a moment, noting how serious he is. “Man, you guys are like the closest family I’ve ever met.”
“Are you not close with yours?” he asks, turning his focus back to me now that Cozy seems to have the wild child under control.
“Not even a little bit,” I answer with a shudder. “My sister lives really far away, and we talk maybe a couple of times a year. And my parents, well...they’re just not in the picture. And I don’t know any of my extended family. I never even had a graduation party. Honestly, I’m lucky I graduated from high school at all.”
“Interesting.” Max frowns at my confession. “Wyatt made it seem like you had big career aspirations. Something about opening your own rescue center?”
I can’t help but laugh. There must be a family newsletter. “That’s my hope after this baby is born. There are so many pet facilities in the Denver area, but the amount of wildlife and farm animals that get abandoned or slaughtered because people can’t take care of them is atrocious. I plan to use the money I make doing this to invest in a space suitable for a wildlife sanctuary. I don’t have much in terms of equity, so I need all the capital I can get.”
“Aren’t there grants available for that?”
“Yeah, there is some, but not enough to lease property with. And I’m getting ready to apply for a 501(c)(3) so I can operate as a charity, which will help make applying for those grants a possibility.”
“That’s great. I hope you’re considering contacting potential investors.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his business card. “My company takes applications from charities all the time. When you get a 501(c)(3), give me a call. We’d be willing to donate. You’re helping my brother out. It seems only natural for my company to help you out.”
“Seriously?” I exclaim. Dropping the shrimp from my hand, I look at his expensive-looking business card like he’s just handed me a million dollars. “Oh my God, that would be amazing!”
“It’s not a hard process to apply.” Max waves me off dismissively. “Just reach out as soon as you’re ready, and we’ll make it happen.”
He harrumphs when I shock him with an unexpected hug. My mind reels at this new possibility.
I feel like I’m in shock. In my life, it’s not easy to make contacts like Max Fletcher, an affluent man who seems to have it all. He’s someone I would never have even crossed paths with had I not met his daughter on the street. To know he’s willing to help me get my life goal started means my dream is now closer to becoming a reality.
Wyatt
“Wyatt, you have to chill out,” Luke drawls, grabbing my shoulder and turning me to face him. “You’re going to freak her the fuck out.”
“I’m not doing anything.” I shrug out of his grip and glance back to where Trista is talking with Everly at one of the tables by the pool. She looks so fucking good in that dress tonight. And that red lipstick she’s wearing. God, I am struggling to function normally.
Luke shoves his blond hair off his forehead and pins me with a serious look. “You’re being a moody, bossy asshole even more than usual. You said you guys agreed to be friends...so just be fucking nice.”
“I am being fucking nice,” I growl as we step up to the bar and I order her drink.
“What now?” Calder asks, joining in on our conversation. “You told me at work the other day that you actually liked that tongue-flopping horse.”
“It’s not the horse,” I grumble under my breath.
“Then what is it?” Luke’s eyes are trained on me, awaiting my answer.
I exhale heavily. “She is driving me crazy. She has this really maddening way of getting under my skin.” And ever since she told me she likes casual sex, all I can think about is having sex with her. It’s becoming a problem.
“So then have sex with her,” Calder drawls as he takes the words right out of my head. Goddammit, we’ve lived on that mountain together for too long now. Sex is our answer for everything. He accepts a beer from the female bartender and shoots her a wink.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” I mutter as the other bartender hands me Trista’s cranberry juice.
“Sex is Mother Nature’s cough medicine,” Calder says with a dopey smile. “You got a little tickle in the back of your throat? A good bang session will make that pain disappear, guaranteed.”
“We’re supposed to be friends.”
“Maybe it’s not a friend she needs. Maybe she needs a good dickin’ just as bad as you because, if I’m not mistaken, our Dark Night was the last time you got your dick wet.”
“Shut up,” I hiss under my breath. “Our Dark Night is not something we should discuss in public, especially at our niece’s graduation party.”
Calder and Luke both stare at each other with knowing looks. Yes, it’s been a while since I’ve been laid, but I’ve had bigger things on my mind this past year. Like becoming a father.
But I guess now that I’ve figured that out, maybe Calder is right, and I should get out there again, at least before the baby is born.
God, that still feels weird to say.
A heaviness presses down on me as I consider going to a bar and picking up some random girl. Or calling one of the numbers in my phone of women I’ve been with in the past who are good with casual. The problem is, I don’t want to fuck just anyone.
I want to fuck lucky number thirteen.
Calder leans in close and glances around to ensure no one is listening. “You heard her in the truck. That woman has fantasies you could offer to make realities, Papa Bear.”
“She’s my surrogate,” I grind out and cringe at the idea of blurring that line. “It’s like ten kinds of fucked up.”
“Not when you’re both consenting adults,” Calder volleys back with a shrug. “And if you don’t satisfy her needs, someone else will.”
Red floods my eyesight as I imagine the vet or some other random fuck she picks up at the Mercantile going up into her apartment and laying her out naked on that bed. The bed I bought for her. My hand tightens on the glass as I picture a stranger fucking Trista...fucking what’s mine.
Mine.
Except she isn’t mine. She’ll never be mine. We have a contract basically guaranteeing that once this baby is born, we never speak to each other again.
But the idea of another man’s dick pounding into her with my baby inside her? It’s a horror I didn’t realize would gut me so much.
I shift my jaw from side to side, hating myself for acting like I haven’t been considering fucking her since the first night we did the insemination song and dance. I didn’t want to jizz into a cup. I wanted to jizz into her. I wanted it so bad I was actually disappointed when I found out she was pregnant. It meant I couldn’t take her up on her offer of doing it the old-fashioned way, and that would have been so fucking worth it.
My eyes are hard when I glance over at my brothers and ask, “But what if—”
“She’s nothing like her,” Luke says with a serious expression. “And we’ve all changed since then.”
I nod slowly because he’s right. The three of us are closer than ever, and I trust them for the most part. But with Trista, I feel overly protective on some strange level. I’ve never met anyone like her before. She’s a total enigma.
