Page 37 of Man Seeking Woman

I should have fucking known.I knew his name sounded familiar and there was a certain level of recognition when I saw his face. But Kayla was right, I spent all my time trying to build my career, I didn't really pay attention to anything else going on around me.

My phone jingled, signaling a new email had come through. Picking it up, I opened the screen, and saw it was from August. "Here it is." Kayla got up from her seat, moving to sit right next to me, and looking over my shoulder as I opened the attachment. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm being nosy, what does it look like?"

The email was actually a lot more simple than I expected. August had three major ground rules if we moved forward; One: I would not have relations with any other men while we were trying to get pregnant. Two: We must appear as a happy couple, living together, and doing things that other couples would do. Three: Once pregnant, I had to stay healthy.

As part of the agreement, he would provide housing, food, and medical coverage for myself and the child. After the child was born, August would continue to provide for the child and pay me monthly until the baby turned eighteen.

He wasn't lying before, there weren't any underlying conditions or fancy twists; all he wanted from me was a healthy baby, nothing more.

"Well?" I asked, twisting to face Kayla. "What do you think I should do?"

"Honestly, and I'm probably going to sound crazy even saying it, but I really think you should do it."

"You're serious?"

"El, you have nothing to lose. If anything, you're only going to gain from this. Imagine, a cute little baby, security, nothing to hold you back anymore."

"Except a baby." Arching my brows, I thinned my lips. "Having a baby would become my top priority. I might have to put everything else on hold."

"Why?"Kayla's voice spiked as her mouth folded down. "Women have kids all the time and still succeed in life. Shit, they have entire families and get a damn degree. It won't be easy, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. Your life won't be over if you do this, your life would just be growing, and in the best way possible." Moving back to the other seat, she kept her eyes on mine. "Maybe this is what you need to actually reach the goals you've put on yourself, something to push you to work a little harder."

Wow, I think she might be right.

Having his baby could be a good thing. And I knew without a doubt, I would love that child regardless. This wasn't just bringing a baby into the world, this was breathing new life into our lives.

"Well, what are you going to do?"

Dangling the pad of my finger over the screen, the thought of having a child was scary as hell, but I couldn't deny the small flicker of excitement that lit in my chest.

Every little girl at one point or another thinks about becoming a mother. For some that thought helps them to know it's just not for them, for others it's more than a dream, it's a need.

For as long as I could remember I've always loved two things; music and children. I thought being a teacher was my calling. Maybe it was more than just teaching, maybe that need was becoming a mother to a child of my own.

Using my finger to sign on the line, I tapped the send button without another thought, and sent the papers back.

"Looks like I'm going to have a baby."