Her Last Wish by Ema Volf Read Free Book Online Page B

you’ll have to tell me yourself.”
    “I definitely want you
to help me with this. It’s just … You know this could make things a bit
complicated for us, right?”
    “Not if we don’t let
it.”
     
     
    Chapter Eight
     
    Connor
     
    It was hard to hide my
surprise when the entire drive and visit with the lawyer flowed smoothly. I
think I somehow expected it to blow up in my face as everything else
regarding the surrogate search had up to her involvement. But, like everything
else with Charlie, it was shockingly easy. She seemed to make all the pieces
fit together perfectly.
    It felt oddly natural
having her around. After only a few days of actually paying attention to her
(and a few days of my attempt at acting like a perfectly sane human being), it
was certainly an impressive feat. I couldn’t stop smiling the whole drive back
to the school to take Charlie to her car. I was just so happy to have her
there.
    She didn’t change the
contract too much. She agreed to my terms and only added the stipulation that I
treat her as I’d treat any other student. I didn’t see how that would be a
problem. Academically, anyways. I supposed I’d always had a small fascination
with her that might keep me from treating her like a student outside of class.
I’d somehow let that fascination grow, and I feared it would get out of
control. I decided that in order to keep my agreement on the academic part, I
would have to grade papers without looking at names until afterward. If I knew
that it was hers from the beginning, I would hang on every word, as I did the
whole time I chatted with her in person.
    It’s funny how someone
like Charlie made me wonder if angels did actually exist. I had never put much
stock in it before. But she had come at a time when I needed someone like her
most. I also worried about the concept. If angels existed, it was likely that
Elizabeth had joined their ranks. If anyone deserved those wings, it would have
been Elizabeth. And if that were the case, she had been watching over me the
whole time. What would she have thought of my strange feelings for Charlie?
Would she have felt betrayed over the possibility that I could direct my
attention so easily to someone else?
    But what were my
feelings for Charlie, exactly? I still hadn’t decided. I didn’t think they had
reached a romantic level, but even I had to admit the jealousy I felt when I
saw her with that boyfriend of hers. I still even refused to acknowledge that
he had a name. I didn’t like him enough to use it, anyways. But why did I hate
him? He hadn’t given me a reason. He had that controlling asshole vibe, but
he’d never actually proven it in front of me. And honestly, I decided he better
not ever . I wasn’t sure what I’d do about it, but I had a feeling my
career would have been at stake with my probable reaction, perhaps even my
freedom. I already knew that I wouldn’t tolerate anyone treating Charlie badly
in my presence, regardless of their relationship to her. I told myself that I
felt that way because it was in my part of the contract to protect her and my
interests, but that was a lie. It had nothing to do with any potential children
that she would help Elizabeth and I carry. I wanted to protect her .
    Regardless, the papers
were signed, and the process would start the very next day. We had made an
appointment with the fertility specialist. It was decided that I would pick her
up from her apartment, and we would go together. I knew a lot of men wouldn’t
want to be there, but this was the last link to Elizabeth that I had. I wanted
to be there for everything . Fortunately, Charlie had no objections to
it. She seemed to fully understand, perhaps even more than I did.
    Even though everything appeared
to stay on the path I’d hoped it would, I had a hard time sleeping that night.
It seemed as if every fear that could possibly enter my thoughts on the subject
lingered in the back of my mind, distracting me from any hope of rest.