With her roommates gone for the weekend to visit their boyfriends and leaving their cats in her care, Charlotte didn’t know what to do with herself. Addison was at the clinic with Mason all day, reviewing their options again, and things still hadn’t cooled off with Savannah.
Charlotte hated being on her own; she always had.
And now she hated it even more because she had no idea why she was walking around with this stirring in her stomach or why it made her sit up at night and pat the empty space next to her.
What’s the matter with you? Why are you so restless?
Even her usual morning walk hadn’t lifted her spirits. In the end, it was the thought of another morning spent at home, rifling through the channels, that had driven her out of the house. And once she’d spotted her mom’s car outside the bakery, she went inside without a second thought. Luckily, her mom seemed to be in a good mood and was more than willing to indulge her restlessness.
“So, you want to tell me what’s on your mind?” Emily stood and shoved her hair out of her face. “Don’t get me wrong. I love it when you stop by, and you’re always welcome to, but you only ever want to bake when you’ve got something on your mind.”
Charlotte dipped her finger into the batter and licked her finger. “That’s not true.”
Emily swatted her hand away. “You’re going to upset your stomach, and it is true. I did raise you, you know.”
Charlotte wiped her hands on the back of her apron. “I know.”
Emily added a few more ingredients and used a spatula to fold them in, making sure not to leave any streaks in the bowl. “Did you and Addison have a fight or something?”
Charlotte shook her head and leaned against the counter. “No, we’re fine. She and Mason are actually at the fertility clinic. Remember… she mentioned it at game night the other day?”
Emily’s face lit up. “Oh, right, yes. Poor dear. It’s so sad she can’t carry her own baby, but nowadays, there are so many options. I’m sure they can figure something out, and I think the idea of surrogacy is wonderful. Imagine being able to help a couple like that make their dreams come true.”
Charlotte pretended to examine her nails, her stomach twisting in on itself as her mind raced to make sense of Emily’s words. “I don’t know. It sounds messy.”
“I think as long as you’re all willing to work on it, that’s what matters,” Emily replied, pausing to swat her hair away. “Having a baby is a beautiful thing.”
Charlotte’s heart missed a beat. “Do you think I’d make a good mom?”
Emily glanced up sharply. “Oh, sweetheart, of course. I didn’t know it was on your mind.”
Charlotte pushed herself off the counter and clasped her hands behind her back, heart sputtering and then starting back up again. “All this baby talk got me thinking…that’s all.”
And she wasn’t sure she liked where her train of thought was going.
She didn’t even know how to be in a committed relationship.
So, why on earth was she thinking about carrying a baby for Addison and Mason, especially when she wasn’t even sure she wanted to be a mom herself?
Yup, it’s definitely time for you to join a gym or take up a new hobby. All this free time is getting to you, and it’s making you consider crazy things.
It was insane.
Wanting to help her friends didn’t make her qualified, not in the slightest, and the sooner she found a way to quell the restlessness that wouldn’t leave her alone, the better it was going to be for everyone involved.
With a slight shake of her head, Charlotte rejoined her mother at the counter, and the two of them worked in silence.
Her mom was about to say something else when the back door opened, and Savannah stumbled in, carrying a box, her sweater tied around her waist.
She glanced over at Charlotte and then back at her mom. “I don’t have any classes today, so I thought I’d come by and help.”
Emily patted down her apron. “Thank you, honey. Why don’t you take that box to the storage room? Char, you mind giving your sister a hand?”
Charlotte looked up from the bowl. “But what about the mixture?”
Emily waved her comment away. “I can take care of it until you get back. It’ll only be a few minutes anyway.”
Reluctantly, Charlotte handed her mother the whisk and stepped back. She wiped her hands on the back of her jeans andfollowed Savannah down the hallway. Outside the storage room, Charlotte leaned forward to twist the knob open, and the door creaked, letting out a damp and musty smell.
