Page 38 of The Wolf's Surrogate

“Do you remember them?”

“Sort of. I think they were just too poor to take care of me. I don’t blame them for it, you know? That’s why being a surrogate made sense. I can’t afford children, but I have a healthy body and I can give someone good children.”

Affectionate words lingered in my mouth, things I wanted to say so badly to praise her for having such a compassionate heart. She wanted to give to the world even though it had taken from her. Such a mindset was rare. Most people who werehurt did the same to others. That was just a hard fact in my experience.

But Anita had different ideas of how to engage with the world. I loved her perspective, and I loved how her forgiveness emanated through the room. I stepped toward her and took her hand, rubbing her knuckles with my thumb.

“I can probably find them if you want,” I offered. “Your parents. If you’re curious. If you ever want to meet them.”

She squinted up at me. “Just what kind of job do you have, Liam?”

“Private sector security.” It wasn’t a lie.

She just wasn’t ready for the whole truth. Not yet.

She pursed her lips suspiciously and then nodded slowly, almost like she was trying to believe me—but it wasn’t working. “Right. Got it.”

“I have to do some errands today at the greenhouse.”

“Can I come with you?”

My heart skipped a beat. “Actually, I think it’s best you just put your feet up and rest today. I know we won’t know if you’re pregnant for another couple of weeks, so I don’t want you to stress yourself.”

“Shoot, I still haven’t called Sterling.”

Heat flushed my chest, the angry kind. “Who’s Sterling?”

“He’s my assistant at the vet clinic. I have to call him and tell him I’m going to be late today.” She turned to head for the living room. “Can you spring me a ride into town?”

“Uh, about that.” I skipped around her, facing her while walking backward and maneuvering around the couch. “I can’t take you in until later—after dark.”

“After dark?”

I chuckled at her questioning glance. She was right to be suspicious, but I didn’t want to explain it. Again, I just needed time to sort out the minor details.

Like how to tell her that I could sprout a tail right out of my ass during a shift.

“That’s just when I’ll be available,” I lied. Though it technically wasn’t a lie either. I usually wasn’t done with the greenhouse for a while. “I’m just nervous that if you wander around, you’ll get hurt. I don’t want you to get lost or like…” I rustled my own hair. “Anyway, Phil isn’t in town anymore. He’s not a problem. But I’m nervous.”

“It’s adorable how concerned you are about me.”

I planted my hands on my hips, shrugged my shoulders a few times, and chuckled sheepishly as I stared at the ground. “You…are…the worst.”

“Oh my god, are you blushing?”

“You know what? For that? I’m leaving you here all day.”

Her expression drooped. “Liam, come on. I have nothing to do.”

“You can watch TV with Memphis.”

“Yeah, but I get bored easily.”

I sighed while heading to the stairs. “I’m sorry, Ani. I’ll be back in a couple of hours to check on you. Just stay here, okay? Promise?”

I paused at the base of the stairs while my hand was on the banister. It took a few minutes to get a good nod out of her, but she nodded to say she understood and went to the kitchen with her head hanging forward like she was heading off to the gallows. I felt for her. I really did.

But we just had to take things one step at a time.

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