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I sit forward and rest my forearms on my thighs, staring at the floor. I know what this means, and to Leah, it must be devastating news. It’s one more delay towards her dream.
We sit in silence until Leah pushes herself forward and off the sofa. She pulls her t-shirt down over her thighs.
“I’ll get dressed and make us both that sandwich,” she says, the frustration of the morning clear in her voice.
Her phone rings, and she looks down, scowling at it. “What does he want?” she says, silencing it and throwing it onto the coffee table.
I look over and see Vince’s name pop up on the screen. Not someone I want appearing when I’m trying to conceive a child with his ex. Am I taking advantage of her?
If he hadn’t left, it would be him trying to make a child with Leah. Is this what fate is trying to tell us? That this is wrong.
Leah runs upstairs to get changed, returning in record time. Her suit is back in place, and her hair is in its severe updo. She heads to the kitchen area and pulls out a selection of food, busying herself.
I get up and make my way to the window, staring out over the city. From the short time we’ve lived together, I know this is what Leah needs. She needs to do something menial but with a positive outcome. So, I stay out of the way.
I gaze down at the waterways and streets below. The hustle of the week is the same yet different to that of the weekend. A tourist boat floats up The Thames, and mothers and fathers with their children point out the sights. Will that be Leah and me? Probably not. We aren’t a couple, and we’re creating a child to fill a gap in both our lives. Is that wrong? Loving our child will be our priority as parents even if we don’t love each other, surely that is the most important thing.
“They’re ready,” Leah says.
I turn to see her hold out a plate containing the largest sandwich I’ve ever seen. Leah averts her gaze, so I take the sandwich, and move to my office.
This is one problem I can’t fix. I can’t magic an insemination kit. It means we’ll have to wait another month. Why does that bother me so much?
CHAPTER 26
LEAH
Gabriel and I return to the office in silence. I know I wanted to do this the less stressful way, but this isn’t stress free, and now I must wait another month before we try again.
We pull into the car park, and I go to release the door.
“Leah, wait.” My finger pauses on the button. “Are you okay?”
The concern in Gabriel’s voice almost takes my breath away.
“Frustrated more than anything.” I sigh. “Who would have thought a syringe...”
Luckily, none of Gabriel’s sperm had landed on my suit. I had the foresight to change. A clothing change over a lunch meeting might have been hard to explain, and if we do get pregnant, I don’t want our colleagues to think we were sneaking off to have sex at lunchtime. It’s going to be strange enough letting them know I have Gabriel’s child growing inside me.
“Maybe I should have let you organise for a professional to assist,” I say.
“I still can. I can make some calls.”
I swivel to face Gabriel. “But what about the press? About people finding out?”
Gabriel shrugs, and it’s my turn to glare at him.
“You can’t be serious. We’ve barely begun our fake relationship. Don’t you think your family and our colleagues would find it strange we’re already at a fertility clinic?” I shudder. “Talk about gossip. Then there’s the pressure. We’d be better off having sex than risk other people sticking their noses in.”
It’s only when I notice Gabriel’s wide eyes that it registers what I said.
I drop my gaze. “Sorry,” I say, my cheeks heating.
Gabriel’s finger lifts my chin, forcing me to look at him.
“It’s an option,” he says.
“So is a turkey baster, but it doesn’t mean it’s the right one.”
