Emilio turned to leave, but stopped in the doorway. “I meant to ask the other day. This is probably none of my business… .”
“What?”
“Well, since Becca had cancer, and that can be genetic … I just wondered if that would put your child at risk. It runs in my family, too. On my father’s side.”
“I’ve spoken to a geneticist and the fact that cervical cancer doesn’t run in either of our families reduces the risk of predisposing the baby.”
Emilio grinned. “So you’ve done your research. That’s what I figured. Well, good luck.”
When he was gone Adam grabbed what he needed and headed down to the parking garage. Since Reece had gone to get Katy, he took the company limo to the doctor’s office. When he got inside, she was already there in the lobby waiting for him. And this time he had no trouble spotting her. She stood by the elevator bank, her face flush with excitement, dressed in her “girl” clothes again. This time it was a yellow sundress with a fitted bodice and A-line skirt, and instead of boots she’d worn strappy, flat-soled sandals.
Though he would never admit it to anyone, she looked sexy as hell. And if she were anyone but his sister-in-law, or his surrogate, he just might put an end to his three-year dating freeze and ask her out to dinner.
But no matter how attractive he found her, she was who she was, which kept her strictly off-limits. Not that she would agree to go out with him if he did ask. Knowing her, she would refuse on principle alone, just to irritate him.
“Early again, I see,” he said as he approached her.
“You can thank Reece for that. He was worried about traffic.”
He stabbed the button for the second floor. “Did you get settled in at the house?”
“I did, and Celia seems wonderful.”
“She is.”
“She really adores you, you know. You’re lucky to have someone like that in your life.”
She didn’t have to tell him that. After his mother died, and his father took a permanent emotional vacation, Celia was the only “parent” he’d had. She wasn’t just his housekeeper. She was family. He couldn’t imagine what his life would be like now if it hadn’t been for her.
“How can you look so calm?” she asked as the doors slid open and they stepped in. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so ner vous in my life.”
“I don’t do nervous.” Katy must have put on perfume, too, because she smelled really nice. Flowery and feminine, but not overpoweringly so. In fact, the scent was so faint, yet so intoxicating, he had the urge to lean in closer and breathe her in. Bury his nose in the silky curls tumbling like silk ribbons across her shoulders.
Silk ribbons? Jesus, he needed to get his head examined.
“How could you not be nervous?” she said, clearly unwilling to let the subject drop.
“Okay, I’m a little nervous. Happy?”
“Well, if you are, you sure don’t look it. I guess you’re just really good at hiding your feelings.”
“That comes as part of the outdoor plumbing package.” The doors slid open and they stepped out, but when he turned to Katy she had a funny look on her face. “What?”
“Did you just make a joke?”
“I guess so. Is that a problem?”
“The ability to joke suggests you have a sense of humor. Adam, I had no idea.”
He tried to looked indignant, but the corners of his mouth twitched upward.
She gasped. “Oh, my gosh! You just smiled! Do you know that since I met you at Western Oil that day I haven’t seen you smile a single time? I didn’t even realize you still knew how.”
In spite of himself, he smiled wider. “All right, you’ve made your point.”
She gave him a playful poke. “Better be careful, or God forbid, people might start to think you have feelings.”
What she didn’t realize was that he felt very deeply. Too much for his own good, in fact. And look where it had gotten him.
Which is why he expended so much effort to feel as little as possible now. Or at the very least, not let it show.
They walked down the hall to the fertility suite and were immediately shown into the doctor’s private office for a quick consultation, in case they had any last-minute questions—a courtesy Adam was sure he reserved for only his special patients. In other words, the ones with the thickest wallets. Dr. Meyer had a fund for lower-income couples with medical conditions preventing them from conceiving, and understanding their pain, not to mention the perks it would include, Adam had donated generously.
After a brief chat, they were taken to the room where Katy would change into her gown.
“I guess this is it,” Adam said. “I’ll see you afterward.”
“Afterward?” she asked, looking confused. “You’re not going to come in for the procedure. I thought you would want to be there.”
“I do. I just … I thought it would make you uncomfortable.”
“Call me old-fashioned, but I believe a father should at least be in the room when his child is conceived. Even if he’s not actually … you know … doing the work.”
Leave it to Katy to be absolutely blunt. “If you’re comfortable with it, then sure, count me in.”
“The doctor knows the situation. I’m sure he can be discreet. And if not …” she shrugged. “It’s not like you haven’t seen me naked. And you’ll be seeing it all again when the baby is born. Right?”
He had hoped she would allow him to be in the delivery room, but he figured he would wait until later in the pregnancy to ask. Now he didn’t have to worry.
He didn’t doubt that if he’d hired a surrogate, a stranger, she might not be as open to him being so involved in the entire process. And he appreciated it. More than Katy would ever know.
“Well, I better go change,” she said. “Don’t want to keep the embryos waiting.”
“Thank you, Katy.”
She smiled, then she did something totally unexpected. She rose up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
Her lips were soft and warm and just the slightest bit damp. And though it didn’t last long, just a second or two, something happened. Something passed between them, although he couldn’t say for sure what it was. If it was physical or emotional. But whatever it was, he felt it straight through to his bones. And clearly, so did she.
She stepped back, looking puzzled, lifting a hand up to touch her lips. And something must have been wrong with him because his first instinct was to take her in his arms and draw her against him, bury his face
