it seem as though flying to Jersey was as simple as driving to their supermarket.
“Let us the fuck in and we’ll tell you,” Ricky quipped. “My balls are blue… and not because of lack of sex.” I quickly moved aside so they could join me in the foyer, and Cooper pulled me into a crushing hug.
“Our discussion deserves to be in person,” he mumbled into my hair. When he pulled away, Ricky quickly replaced Cooper’s arms with his own.
“Give me your coats.”
I collected them before they filed past me into my condo. “Who did you think was knocking on your door?” At seeing my questioning expression, Cooper added, “We heard you admit someone was a pain in your—” A wave of his hand meant I was supposed to fill in the blank.
“Ass,” I completed. “Janie. She sent a ton of texts last night.”
Once drink offers were made, and we all settled in my living room, the same tension we’d experienced over the phone last night began to rise like a haze around us. They’d traveled all that way; therefore, I waited for them to say what they needed to.
Cooper looked at Ricky, who stared back at Cooper with a wry smirk while I calmly sipped my coffee.
“Okay… here’s the deal,” Cooper said. “We accept your offer.” The joy bursting within me was defused a bit by a large, raised hand. “But… we have very specific, very demanding rules.”
Shrugging from indifference had been an automatic reaction. “I expected that.”
“Okay, good. So this should be easy then,” Ricky retorted with a raised brow… and that was my indicator their demands were going to be a bit outrageous. “First, you will be moving to Florida as you stated, but your moving expenses, rent the entire time you are pregnant, plus for six months after, are on us.”
My mouth predictably flapped open. “But—”
“Uh-uh-uh… ,” Ricky interrupted with a pointed finger. “No arguing. Secondly, all and any living and medical expenses are also on us.”
Cooper chuckled at the deer-in-headlights thing I had going on. “Third,” he interjected, “You will accept help at our expense the entire time, which includes a weekly housekeeper, car service during your final months, and a nurse at your disposal while recuperating.”
Thinking they were done, as I opened my mouth to speak, Cooper mimicked Ricky by saying, “Uh-uh-uh. There’s more. Fourth, you will begin a foundation under RMR to help women in our area, as you did for Angels on Earth.” RMR Inc. was the corporation that ran Bella Viaggi, the luxury cruise line Ricky was part owner of along with Cooper’s sister, Rebecca, and her husband, Marco. They had gifted me with a two-week cruise last year, and it was the best experience I had ever had. “We’ve been wanting to start a nonprofit under our corporation for a while now, and you will be the one to get it up and running. Of course, it will be on your schedule, and all administrative requirements will be met on your suggestion. Basically, you’re ensuring your job security will be set and in place for you once you have the baby.”
“And last but not least,” Ricky said, taking over. “You will accept any counseling necessary to make going through a surrogacy easier on your emotional frame of mind.”
Holy hell. I was speechless.
My silence caused the pair to fold their arms in assumed victory, with matching grins. One or two of their conditions I expected, such as covering my medical expenses. Not having a job had been the only negative weighing on my mind. I had planned to take anything I could find until I could dedicate time to my profession. I’d made a name for myself in my line of work, and moving to Florida would put me back at the starting gate. No one could’ve blamed me for the one caveat I had after deciding to do this. But they effectively made my concern of picking up my career where I left off in a new state a nonissue.
Just as there was no use in them arguing with me last night when I offered to be their surrogate, I knew there was no use arguing now that they’d accepted under these specific conditions. So, surprising myself and them, I matched their smiles and said, “Deal.”
Chapter Three
Riana
March
After shaking on it, I added one condition of my own—to put the wheels in motion for our newfound arrangement without delay. I informed them I was ready, all my records were waiting to be