Chapter 6
CHELSEA
Chelsea had been expecting the kind of mid-range table-service restaurant she’d grown up going to on Sunday afternoons with her family, but that wasn’t where Miles took her at all.
Instead, the moment they arrived, they were led to a private room. It had a window overlooking a garden that she hadn’t been able to see from the street and a fireplace in the corner. She looked around in awe. “I didn’t know there were places like this in Austin.”
“Of course,” he said, as if she’d told him she didn’t know there were traffic lights in the city. “Why wouldn’t there be?”
“Well, I just… I’ve never been here before.”
“That makes sense. You need to be a member to get in,” he explained.
She was beginning to get the picture. Miles was wealthy — wealthy enough to think nothing of memberships to private dining establishments. “But I thought you said we were going to a sports bar.”
In response, he picked up a remote control and pressed a button. A panel in the wall drew back to reveal a TV. “We can get any channel, if you want to watch something,” he offered.
“No,” she said. “I’m fine.”
She wasn’t fine. This was a punch to the gut.
The kind of money this man must have would have solved all her problems, and it was frustrating to see that he didn’t need it like she did, that he could waste it on things like restaurants with disappearing TVs.
If she had the resources he so clearly did, her worries would be over.
But that isn’t his fault. There’s no point in being upset at him because he has something and I don’t. I’m sure he has problems of his own. What I should focus on today is that he was nice enough to bring me here to try to cheer me up. That was kind. Generous.
For the first time, she took in how well-dressed Miles was.
He wore jeans and a sweater, but she could tell by the cut and the fit that they were designer items, and that they had probably been tailored just for him.
His haircut was expensive too — at least she was pretty sure it was.
The dark, glossy waves matched something she’d seen on a magazine cover.
She felt suddenly insecure of her own hair, which she habitually cut at home in front of the mirror. It was definitely uneven in the back.
She mustered her confidence and walked over to the table and sat down. “It’s a cozy spot,” she said with a smile. “I could get used to this sort of thing.”
“It’s nice to get away from crowds,” he agreed. “My father doesn’t love it here, but it’s one of my favorite places in the city. And the food is great. Do you want to put in an order? I recommend the sirloin.”
She laughed. “It’s lunch,” she said. “Do they have a cheeseburger or something?”
“Sure,” he grinned. He put a hand on the table and a digital readout appeared.
Chelsea stared. “The table is a computer?”
“I guess they thought it was a better idea than having a tablet here for people to order from,” Miles said. “That would take more wear and tear. So, a cheeseburger for you? How do you want it done?”
“Um, medium?”
He tapped a few buttons. “And I’ll get us some of their craft beer,” he said. “If that’s all right with you?”
“Sounds good.”
A few more taps, and then the display faded. “All right,” he said. “Lunch is on the way.”
She shook her head, smiling, hardly able to believe that a smile had found her. “This place is wild,” she said. “Do you come here often?”
“Not that often, no. Only when I have someone I want to take to lunch,” he said. “What about you? What’s your favorite lunch spot?”
She felt her face grow hot. She was about to reveal how far below his level she was. But Chelsea wouldn’t pretend to be anything other than herself, and certainly not to impress this man. “Do you know Pedro’s Tacos?”
“I’ve walked by it,” he said. “That’s the open-air Mexican place by the park, right?”
She nodded. “Fresh baked tortillas. Best I’ve ever had anywhere.”
“I’ve never tried it,” he admitted.
“You should. I mean, you have to order at the window, not on a fancy electronic table.”
“I think I can handle it,” he said with a grin. “Maybe I’ll check it out sometime.”
A server came in with two beers on a tray and placed them on the table. He withdrew without a word, which Chelsea found mildly creepy. Miles seemed to take it in stride, though. He picked up his beer and took a long sip.
“So, why were you crying back there?” he asked. She was startled. She hadn’t expected such a personal question. But on the other hand… what was the harm in telling him? She was never going to see him again, after all, and it would probably feel good to let out some of what she was feeling.
“I got some bad news,” she said.
He frowned. “What kind of news? If you don’t mind my asking.”
“I don’t mind,” she said, and realized that it was the truth. “I was there to see about a procedure to get pregnant, but it’s just so far out of my price range that I don’t think I’m going to be able to do it.”
He was quiet for a moment. Chelsea wondered if she had taken things too far. Maybe she shouldn’t have disclosed all that to a complete stranger. In fact, she was suddenly sure of it. What had possessed her to think he would want to hear anything about her troubles conceiving, for God’s sake?
“I’m sorry to hear it,” he said at last, his voice full of sincerity. Maybe he wasn’t bothered after all. “Will your husband be very upset?”
“Oh — no, I’m not married,” she explained. “That’s why I was pursuing fertility treatment in the first place. I’m doing this on my own. Or at least I was hoping to.”
“Ah,” he said. “I was going to judge the guy for not coming to the clinic with you. I’m sure it’s much harder to go to these things alone.”
“That’s considerate of you,” she said with a small smile, and sipped her beer. “Oh, this is good.”
“It’s my favorite in Austin,” he agreed. “So, what’s plan B? Are you looking into adoption?”
“Well, maybe. I haven’t ruled it out. I really wanted to have a child of my own,” she said. “I guess that’s not the right way to phrase that. An adopted child would also be mine. But you know what I mean. I wanted…” She blushed. “I can’t believe I’m telling you this stuff.”
“Sometimes it’s easier to confide in a stranger,” he said.
She nodded. “I wanted to carry a child,” she confessed.
“That was part of the dream for me. So, I don’t know if adoption would be right for me or not.
And besides, it would probably be just as expensive, if not more so.
I sort of hoped this would be the more affordable option, but the price point is just crazy. ” Miles’s mouth twisted in sympathy.
“What were you doing there?” she asked suddenly. “You weren’t with anyone.”
“Same as you, actually,” he said. “Well — the opposite of you, I guess.” He chuckled. “I’m looking for a surrogate to help me have a child. My father really wants to see the family line continue, and he’s been unwell.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” Chelsea’s heart went out to him. She couldn’t imagine how much more difficult all this would be if she was dealing with pressure from her family at the same time, not to mention an ailing parent. At least her mother was healthy.
“Thank you.” He inclined his head, “It’s made it very important for me to focus on starting my family as soon as possible, which means I can’t wait around for a woman who wants to do that with me. To tell you the truth, I don’t know if I’ll get around to all that anyway.”
“All that?”
“Romance,” he explained. “I’m a very busy man, and dating is a task I don’t need to add to my plate. Especially if I’m going to become a father. It’s a lot to handle all at once.”
Well, that’s one way to look at romance!
Chelsea couldn’t imagine being that detached about it.
She, too, felt it was unlikely that her romantic life was ever going to sort itself out but, unlike him, she considered that a source of sadness.
She would have loved to meet the man of her dreams; she was simply beginning to doubt that he existed.
But it wasn’t exactly a shock to hear Miles speak this way.
The two of them were clearly as different as night and day.
He was frowning at her. “Say,” he said, “I wonder if you would be open to a business proposition?”
“A business proposition?” What were they talking about? When had the conversation turned? She put her beer down and focused on him. “I’m a schoolteacher. I’m not in business.”
“That’s not what I mean,” he said. “I think you and I might be able to help one another out.”
“How?”
“Well, you want to have a baby, right? But the expense is a problem?”
“That’s right.”
“And I want to have a baby, but for me the issue is the timing. Apparently, it’s going to take a long time to find a suitable surrogate and get through the red tape,” he sighed. “What I mean is… it sounds as if you and I are the solution to each other’s problems.”
She sat back in her chair. He couldn’t be suggesting what it sounded like he was suggesting. “You’re not saying you want me to carry your baby?”
“I’m saying it’s worth thinking about,” he said. “I have resources, Chelsea. I’m the CEO of Gold Standard.”
“You’re Miles Aspin?” Her head spun. She tried to bring to mind pictures she had seen of the famous entrepreneur. How had she not realized that it was him?
I suppose because you don’t expect to run into a famous tech mogul in a fertility clinic.
Miles nodded. “I am,” he said. “My father is Silas Aspin, and more than anything he wants me to provide an heir to Gold Standard before he dies. My child would be that. And if you agree to this, money won’t be an issue for you at all.
I’ll take care of everything, every step of the way.
I’ll see to it that you and the baby are set up for life. ”
She struggled to process what she was hearing. “But then… my baby would have to become the CEO of Gold Standard someday.”
“I would hope that they’d accept that role,” he agreed. “I wouldn’t be able to force them to. If they decided to step down from the company, they could.”
“But you wouldn’t like that.”
“I wouldn’t do anything about it,” he assured her. “Having an heir is my father’s dream, not mine. I’m just trying to make him happy before he dies.”
She nodded slowly. Though she could hardly believe it, she was considering his proposal. “I’d be able to be present in the child’s life?”
“You’d be a full-time parent,” he said. “I’d want to be involved too, but I don’t have any desire to take anything away from you, and all things considered, I’d prefer for my child to have a mother.”
She nodded slowly.
“There’s just one thing,” he said. “Since we’re doing this for my father… I would want him to meet you. I don’t want him to know I’ve opted for surrogacy. I want him to think I’m doing this the conventional way. So, I’d want us to tell him that you were…”
“Your wife?” Her eyes went wide.
He laughed. “I think girlfriend would be sufficient,” he said. “We don’t need to trick him into thinking we got married. Just that we have a personal relationship.”
“But I’d have to pose as your girlfriend for the next nine months,” she said. “At least that long.”
“We could work out the finer points later,” he said. “At some point… assuming his health improves, I mean… we could stage a breakup. But tell me, is this something you’re willing to consider? Or am I wasting my time?”
“You’re not wasting your time.” Chelsea could hardly believe what she was saying. How could she be seriously thinking about getting involved in such a bizarre arrangement?
But on the other hand… how could she refuse? It didn’t seem as though she would be able to have a child by any other means. And Miles was right. He had the resources to solve all her problems. She had even had that thought herself when they had first arrived here.
She took a deep breath. “All right,” she said, wondering whether she was going to regret this. Half-regretting it already. “You’re right. This is a good solution for both of us.”
“Are you saying you’ll do it?” His eyes opened wide.
She nodded, “I’m probably crazy, but… yes. I’ll do it.”