Page 34 of Baby for My Best Friend's Brother

A dozen thoughts fly through my head at warp speed. Sophie is having a baby. With an anonymous donor. How do I feel about that?

How do I feel knowing the woman I love loves me? And right now, she’s planning on having a family on her own. Because she thinks I don’t love her.”

I fumble around my counter until I find my phone. “What’s her number?”

She gives it to me. I punch in the numbers. It rings and rings. But she doesn’t answer. I leave a message, and hang up.

By the time I’m off the phone, Winter is grabbing the keys to my plane. “I’ve already booked you a direct ticket from Fairbanks to Seattle. Are you ready to go get your girl?”

I swallow past a lump in my throat and give a shaky nod. “I’ve been ready for her my whole life.”

The receptionist barely gets out a “Sir, you can’t go back there!” before I’m halfway down the hallway of the Seattle fertility clinic. I know I’m probably violating every policy in the book, but I don’t care. I need to see Sophie.

I’ve left her dozens of messages.

I even called the damn clinic.

I’ve flown hours and paid a fortune in on an Express car service.

I’ve come way too damn far not to see my woman and be there for her as she takes one of the most important steps in her life.

A nurse steps into the hall, blocking my path. “Sir, patients are not allowed beyond this point without clearance.”

“I just need to talk to Sophie. Please.”

The nurse hesitates. “Are you the man who was trying to reach her earlier?”

I nod quickly. “Yes.”

She disappears into a side room, and my heart thunders in my ears. After what feels like forever, she returns with Sophie behind her. She’s in jeans and a sweatshirt, her hair up, face pale.

“Cliff?” she sighs. “You’re here.”

“Of course I’m here.” I cross to her in three long strides. “I didn’t get the letter. I didn’t know. But I know now. And I’m here.”

“I see that.” She blinks at me. “Why didn’t you call?”

“I didn’t find the letter until this morning,” I explain, out of breath. “I hopped on the first flight I could get.”

“You still could’ve called today.”

“I tried,” I say. “It kept ringing out.”

Her eyes widen. “I put my phone on silent earlier today. I just wanted to relax.”

“It’s fine,” I say. “Besides, I wanted to come tell you in person.”

She stares at me, her eyes going as misty as mine feel. “Tell me what?”

“I’m saying I love you.” I take a deep breath and a smile slowly spreads across my lips. “And I want to be part of this. Of all of it. If this… goes the way you hope it does, I want to be there for you. Both of you. If it doesn’t, I want to be there to try again. With you.”

“You do?”

“Of course, I do. Because this isn’t just a fling for me. You matter, Sophie. You—you and this baby, if you’ll have me—are all I want in this world.”

A tear slides down her cheek. “Do you mean that?”

“More than anything.”

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