Chapter 18
CHAPTER 18
LEAH
I meet the girls at our favourite coffee shop over lunch, having spent the entire night tossing and turning.
“So, how’s it going with your new roomie?” Stella asks, dropping herself into the chair opposite me.
I arrived early, unable to concentrate at my desk.
“Er... good,” I say, not quite able to meet her eyes.
“O.M.G.” she shrieks before tamping down her voice when people look over, instead switching to a loud stage whisper. “You’ve slept with him. I knew it. All that hotness. I just knew you were going to crack!”
I flinch, my eyes dart to the tables surrounding us. One of the older women gives me a scowl, and I give her an apologetic smile.
“Stella,” Nat hisses, taking a seat, having just arrived.
“Sorry,” Stella says. “But our best friend here has slept with her boss.”
“Stop,” I say, shooting Nat a look before she can start screaming too. “I have not slept with my boss... with Gabriel.”
Stella sinks back in her chair, disappointed. “Oh, you’re no fun. There I was, thinking you’d been spontaneous and spent the night having orgasms.”
I had, but not at Gabriel’s hand. My gift however had a full-blown workout.
The woman on the table next to us shoots us another glance before getting up and moving. Luckily, the cafe is still relatively empty.
“Fine, but you clearly haven’t slept, so it’s time to spill the beans,” Stella says.
“Here you go, ladies,” Daphne, our waitress, says, delivering the drinks and food I ordered.
“Leah?” Stella’s voice takes on a desperate tone.
I take a deep breath. “Last night, Gabriel offered to be my sperm donor.”
Stella showers the table with the mouthful of coffee she was swallowing. Nat smacks her on the back as she gasps for breath.
“What the?” she says finally, although her voice is gravelly.
“You heard me,” I say, not wanting to repeat it in case someone overhears.
Stella takes a long gulp of water from the glass Daphne appears with. “Thanks,” she says as Daphne leaves again.
“I think you need to start at the beginning,” Stella croaks.
I tell them about Gabriel finding my search, how he has been acting strangely, and then last night’s bombshell.
“What have you said to him?” Nat asks, her face giving nothing away.
“I told him I need to think about it,” I tell them honestly.
Stella sits back and stares at me, her forehead creasing.
“Responsibility or no responsibility?” she asks.
“Responsibility,” I reply.
Stella pinches her lips between her fingers. “As in co-parenting? ”
I nod, surprised she’s heard of it. “You’ll need a legal agreement,” Nat adds.
“Agreed and discussed. It was the first thing Gabriel said.”
“Other than offering to donate his sperm, you mean.” Stella smirks and I roll my eyes at her. “How is this going to work?”
I sigh. I can’t lie to my friends. “He suggests we allow everyone to think we’re in a relationship. Fewer questions or insinuations.”
“He’s gone up in my estimations already. Gorgeous looking and thoughtful. So why haven’t you bitten his hand off?” Stella asks, folding her arms over her chest and raising an eyebrow.
“He’s my boss. If it all goes wrong, I lose everything. My job and my home,” I say, running a hand over my face.
“What is likely to go wrong?” Stella asks before her eyes widen. “Are you going to sleep with him?” she asks in a proper whisper this time.
“No,” I say more loudly than expected, although Gabriel and I haven’t discussed the method officially. He saw me looking at sperm donor sites and offered to be my sperm donor.
“Pity,” Stella mumbles, making me laugh, and Nat pushes her sideways. “What?” She says, holding up her arms. “You have to admit, that guy is sex on legs and moody to boot. I bet he’s an animal in bed.”
I groan. The last thing I need is to think about Gabriel...in bed.
“That is not how this is going to work,” I say. “If it happens at all.”
It’s Nat who surprises me with her next statement. “Why not? You want a baby. He wants a baby. Surely, it’s got to be better for any child to know both its parents. And Gabriel has A-mazing genes. Just imagine the gorgeous babies you two will make together. The firm I’m working for has done a couple of legal agreements for co-parenting couples. If you want me to take a look, I’ll be happy to.”
We eat our food in silence, everyone caught up in their own thoughts.
“We’re here for you, whatever you decide,” Nat says once we’ve finished eating.
“Thank you. I love you guys,” I say, meaning every word.
“The feeling’s mutual,” Stella adds, gripping and squeezing my shoulder as we prepare to go our separate ways.
I head back to the office, my mind semi made up. There are a few important topics that we must address, including the method of conceiving this baby. Since Gabriel mentioned his desire to become a parent, the possibilities have already begun to take root.