THE BADASS BILLIONAIRE'S SURROGATE

CHAPTER 20

He didn't call all through the week. Neither did he call when she went to confirm the pregnancy. She had been elated when Doctor Tom confirmed her pregnancy. Excitedly, she called him to give him the good news. He didn't pick her call. Something about what her mother had said must have gotten to him. She felt sad. And to think she would be in Miami. She walked into Adriana's home a little sad.

"Hello." She greeted Noah, who had come to open the door. She forced a smile. "You're home today."

Noah hugged her warmly. "Yes. With the twins. Adriana dumped them with me. I've been ducking bullets all day. Hey, duck!" He shouted a little too late. Ethan fired a rubber bullet that stuck to her arm.

"You have to pretend you're in pain. You've just been shot on the hand." Evan laughed, then quickly held her hand and squeezed her face as the little shooter ran in.

"Gotcha!" Yelled the little boy excitedly. "Liz, it's Linne." He called to his sister, who came running out. It was a trick. He hides behind the door. As his twin came out, he shot her on the head. "And she dies." He jumped up excited.

"Oh." Elizabeth said, pretending to fall. Her brother took that as defeat and moved closer. She then shot him in the chest, "And we both die." She laughed, getting him.

Evangeline applauded them. "Well played, guys. Who taught you all these tricks." Both kids pointed at their father, and she laughed. Turning to Noah, she praised him, "You are good with them."

"I try to. They are the best thing that's happened to me in a while. I lost most of my family..." He stopped talking. Whatever he had been about to say, he let it go as he set out the table. "I was about serving lunch. You hungry?"

"Starving." She replied, rubbing her stomach, unconscious of the act. She had been so sad earlier she had skipped her meal.

Noah shook his head. Women and their acts. The baby was barely even planted, and Evan was acting all preggy already. "What's with the Tommy-rubbing?" He teased. Turning to the twins, he said, "Kids, go wash up and come for lunch."

"Okay, dad." they chorused and ran out. While they did, Evan helped set the table. "You made this?" Evan asked, tasting the food. Then taking another spoonful, she added. "It's so delicious."

"I got that delivered." Noah smiled sheepishly. "Only thing I did was mix it up with some whipped cream I learnt back in the days."

"Wow... it's tasty." She complimented him.

******

While her family was having lunch, Adriana walked happily into her mother's office to drop the file Noah had worked on all night. They had scheduled a meeting since Noah was home, and the twins would be in safe company. She walked in to find her mother in deep conversation with someone on the phone.

"I can't meet with him." Her mother eyed her suspiciously then moved farther away from her. Instinctively, she followed her.

"Look, I hate that you're bugging me all the time. I have nothing to say to your boss." She disconnected the call and turned to find her daughter right behind her.

"Let me guess. That was Jason on the phone." When she shrugged nonchalantly, Adriana's heart sank. "Why are you always sabotaging her happiness?" She shrieked. "That young woman has been through enough already. Thanks to you. Must you make this difficult for her too?"

"Sabotage? That's a strong word. And shouldn't you use that for Mr. Valdez? From where I'm standing, he did just that with my daughter's future."

"He hasn't been able to contact Evan ever since you talked him down at the hospital. He might have been feeling guilty apparently for not going through the right channel as you said." The smile on her mother's face made her step away from her mother, with a sad look plastered on. "It's been done already. You might as well accept it."

"I will not accept this." Mrs. Swiss replied stubbornly.

"What you don't know is how miserable it's making your child." Adriana said, dropping the file on her mother's table and walked out angrily. "To think I ditched lunch for this." She muttered and decided she'd rather be home than be here. Mother was being plain impossible. Evangeline wouldn't be happy with this.

"We were supposed to have a meeting." Mrs. Swiss called after her.

"The meeting can wait." She shot back.

Mrs. Swiss shrugged. Her daughter would come around. She may not understand now why she was doing this, but she had to. Someone had to.

She opened the file and sat straighter. Something didn't feel right. "Did Ad see this before bringing it to me?" She picked her phone to call her daughter. Adriana wasn't going to choose. Not after what just happened. She probably thinks it was because of their earlier banter she was calling