Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
GENEVIEVE
The scent of freshly brewed coffee fills the air as I sit at a small corner table in Bean & Bloom, waiting for Claire. The local café is bustling this morning, the chatter of locals and the hum of the espresso machine blending into a comforting environment. I wrap my hands around my cup, letting the warmth seep into my fingers and hopefully settle my unease after Finn’s unexpected proposition.
I tossed and turned all night thinking about it. Sure, there was a part of me that had wanted him to offer to add his name to the list when he found it. But over the past few days, I convinced myself that asking someone to get me pregnant to save money was a ridiculous idea to begin with. Instead, I made a new list — one of anonymous donors from a sperm bank my doctor recommended.
Which is what I was doing last night when Finn showed up and asked me to add his name to my original list.
I shouldn’t even be considering it. I should just tell him I’ve changed my mind and am going to use an anonymous donor instead.
But there’s another part of me that thinks it wouldn’t hurt to try this way first, especially since Finn’s offering, eliminating the prospect of having to proposition someone to knock me up. Not to mention the amount of money I’d save.
The bell over the door jingles, and I glance up, hoping it’s Claire.
Instead, Finn’s mom, Danielle, steps inside, holding Finn’s nephew, Jeremiah, on her hip. My heart lifts at the sight of them.
Danielle has always been like a second mother to me, and little Jeremiah is about the cutest kid I’ve ever seen. Of course he is. He has those Lawrence genes —dazzling smile, full head of dark hair, and those signature dimples every single one of the Lawrence brothers has. For a split second, I imagine what Finn’s baby would look like. What our baby would look like.
I quickly push down the thought when Danielle spots me, her face lighting up with a smile as she makes her way toward me. “Genevieve, sweetheart. How are you?”
“I’m doing well.” I stand to give her a quick hug before turning my attention to Jeremiah. “And how’s this little guy?”
“Oh, you know. Keeping me on my toes,” Danielle replies with a laugh. “But I love every second of spending time with him, despite the circumstances.”
I nod, all too familiar with the reason Danielle now spends every second she’s not working at the local salon taking care of her grandkids.
Her oldest son, Hayden, lost his wife tragically in a car accident late last year. Instead of staying in Los Angeles, he decided to take a job at the local hospital to be closer to his family.
While Jeremiah has adjusted to the change fairly well, his older sister, Presley, hasn’t. She hasn’t spoken since her mother died. After all, Presley was in the car with her mother. Saw her draw her last breath.
Danielle sets Jeremiah down, and he toddles over to me, his arms outstretched.
I crouch to scoop him up, letting him babble in his toddler language while I make exaggerated nods and gasps as if I understand every word.
“Do you mind watching him for a minute so I can get a coffee?”
“Of course. I’ve got him.”
“Thanks.”
I give her a smile, then turn my attention back to Jeremiah, who seems enthralled by my necklace. He grabs it in his chubby hand and says, “Gigi, shiny.”
“Yes.” I chuckle. “Gigi likes shiny things.”
“Well, that was fast,” Claire’s voice cuts through.
I look up as she approaches the table.
“A week ago, we came up with a plan for you to have a baby, and now you have one.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m watching him so Danielle can grab a coffee.” I push one of the coffee cups across the table toward Claire as she sits.
“I can see it now,” she announces after taking a sip of her drink.
“See what?”
“You as a mom. I couldn’t before. Now I can.”
I smile at Jeremiah as he continues to examine my necklace with the scrutiny of an investigator. “I want a family. Why shouldn’t I have a baby just because I’m not married?”
“Damn straight. Fuck the patriarchy,” Claire retorts.
“Watch your language.” I shoot my younger sister a glare andcover little Jeremiah’s ears. “I’d rather not send him back to Danielle swearing like a trucker.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Danielle interjects, approaching the table, a coffee cup in hand. “He’s heard it all, thanks to his uncles.”
“Hi, Mrs. Lawrence,” Claire says, standing and giving her a hug.
“How are you doing, dear? I hear you’ve been working at Holley Ridge.”
“I am. You should see the place now. It’s stunning, but still has the same charm it did before all the renovations. This Christmas will definitely be one for the history books. Parker’s already planning it.”
“Of course she is,” Danielle says with a slight laugh.
The Holley Ridge Christmas festival is well-known all over the state for its holiday market and extravagant light display. Last year, the entire town worried it might be the last, since the property was on the brink of foreclosure and was being eyed by a real estate development firm as a prime location to build timeshares for all the wealthy snow birds who come this way to ski.
Thankfully, that same real estate developer fell in love with the property,and the owner of the quaint inn. He saved the place from foreclosure and spent the past several months helping to renovate it into the vision Parker had years ago when she inherited it from her parents. Now, it’s become a premier wedding destination in the state, especially with the proximity to both Tahoe and Reno. Claire’s been working as the inn’s director of marketing.
“Well, I promised this little guy a trip to the park before his morning nap.” Danielle reaches for Jeremiah.
I stand, allowing her to take him. The ease with which she manages to carry him and balance her coffee is remarkable. After raising five kids, it’s probably second nature.
“It was good seeing you, Danielle,” I tell her.
“You, too, dear. I’m sure we’ll be at the library next week for story time.”
“Looking forward to it.”
I give Jeremiah’s hand a squeeze goodbye, then return to my chair, watching them leave.
“So what’s going on?” Claire asks once we’re alone. “Your text this morning sounded pretty urgent. Did you make a decision about…you know?” She gives me a knowing look.
“More like a decision was made for me.”
She tilts her head, confusion knitting her brow. “I’m not sure I follow.”
I take a long sip of coffee, then draw in a deep breath. “Finn saw my list.”
“You mean the list?” She asks in a low voice.
I nod.
“What did you tell him?”
“The truth. I wasn’t going to hide this from him. I do plan on hopefully getting pregnant and having a baby. Pretty sure he’d figure it out when I started to show.”
“What did he say?”
I chew on my lower lip. “He poked fun at some of the names. In the end, he told me if this is what I want, he’ll support me every step of the way. But then…” I trail off.
“Yes?” Claire perks up.
“He stopped by last night.”
“And?”
“He told me I forgot a name.” I pause, then add, “His.”
Her eyes widen as my words ring out around us, seeming to drown out the whirring of the espresso machine and the clanging of forks against plates.
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” I sigh, shaking my head. “Over the past few days, I’ve been second guessing myself. Not the part about having a baby, but the part about how I go about getting pregnant. While it’s expensive, it’s probably less stressful to use an anonymous donor instead. But then Finn showed up offering to father my child, and now it’s all I can think about.”
“You could save tens of thousands of dollars this way,” Claire reminds me.
“I know,” I exhale. “It’s not like I’m raking it in as the head librarian in a small town. I’m comfortable, but I don’t have a pile of money stashed away. It’s possible I could spend my entire savings and still have no baby to show for it.”
“So you’re going to tell him yes?” she prods, her eyes gleaming with enthusiasm.
“I don’t know,” I say again. “If I want to go about this naturally, I need to choose someone I trust completely. And Finn’s the only man I do trust.”
Hell, he’s probably the only man I’ve ever trusted. A sad thought, considering I was married for six years. But I never felt the level of comfort with Ethan I always have with Finn.
“Then what’s the problem?” Claire presses.
“What if it ruins everything?”
“Set some ground rules. Keep things clear and simple. No lines crossed.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “Lines tend to blur pretty quickly when sex is involved.”
“Then make them un-blurrable,” Claire replies. “Tell him your expectations so there’s no confusion.”
In theory, it sounds good. I’m just not sure if I have the ability to flip the switch like that. To separate things.
With anyone else, it probably wouldn’t be a problem. But Finn’s…different. He’s always been different, even if I’ve never admitted it to anyone. It’s probably one of the reasons my marriage failed. That and the fact my husband fell in love with someone else. But there was never that spark between us. Sex with Ethan was like vanilla ice cream. Reliable, familiar, but never surprising.
I have a feeling it would be completely different with Finn. He’d be more like chocolate molten lava cake. Decadent and indulgent, with a fiery center that promises something unexpected and thrilling. Something you grow to crave long after that last bite.
“Earth to Gen,” Claire sings, pulling me out of my thoughts. Or, more appropriately, my fantasies.
“Sorry. I… It’s a lot to think about.” I take another sip of coffee.
“I bet it is a lot.” She gives me a conniving smile as she waggles her brows.
“I’m being serious here,” I whine. “There’s a lot more at stake with Finn than any of the other names on my list.”
“True, but I think this is the right move. You’re not interested in the hassle of dating or marriage, right?”
“After Ethan, that ship has most definitely sailed.”
“Then why not have a baby with your best friend?”
“I won’t be having a baby with him,” I correct quickly. “He’ll just be getting me pregnant. There’s a big difference.”
“All the more reason for you to set up some ground rules. That way, you both know your expectations, as well as any…limitations.”
I bring my cup to my lips and take another long sip, my mind spinning as I peer into the distance.
“Do you think I should tell him yes?” I ask, desperate for advice.
“I can’t make that decision for you, Gen. But I know how much you’ve always dreamed of having kids. Finn’s offering you a chance to have that without all the unnecessary complications that go along with marriage. If I were in your shoes, I’d take some time and really think about what your hard limits are, so to speak. If he’s in agreement, I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t accept his offer. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose.”
Except my best friend if this blows up in our faces , I think to myself.