“Thank yo--” I stopped walking and looked down. I was still naked.
I reached for the throw and Gerald snatched it from its spot on the couch before I could.
“Don’t you dare cover your body,” Gerald frowned.
“Bu--”
He shook his head, stood up, and walked over to me.
“When we’re together, we’re going to work on your confidence, Kaylee.” He wrapped his arms around my waist.
“When we’re…” I didn’t want to read too much into his words, but it was hard not to.
“Mmhmm,” he grinned. “I have a proposal.”
“What kind of proposal?” I asked with my eyebrow raised.
“One, you don’t go back to your hometown. At least not yet,” he stated.
“But I have--” He shook his head and I stopped talking.
“You want to go to school, right?” I nodded at his words. “And, you don’t want to do the surrogacy thing because you’ll grow attached to the baby while pregnant, right?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“What if you could get the money for college and co-parent the baby?”
His words made my heart skip a few beats. The breath in my lungs seemed to be stuck.
“Kaylee?” Gerald asked. The look of concern was etched on his face.
I let out the breath that I had been holding.
“Would you be up to that?” He looked me in the eyes. It felt like he was staring through my soul.
I hadn’t considered having a baby at a young age. Yes, I had thought about the surrogacy thing but I knew the baby wouldn’t be mine. This proposal was different. This meant I’d attend school while pregnant, and then raise the baby while attending school. Plus, I didn’t know Gerald. He was still a stranger. All of this was a lot to take in.
“Wasn’t expecting that proposal were you?” he chuckled, but he sounded nervous. “It wasn’t my thoughts when we first met. I promise. It just kind of racked my mind as I thought about everything and then learned how sweet and genuine you are.”
“But you still don’t know much about me though,” I whispered.
“Well, I could easily have my team run a background search on you and you can run one on me. Or we could talk over dinner and spend time together getting to know each other,” he shrugged. “Up to you.”
“You wouldn’t want the baby… all the time?” My cheeks burned with embarrassment. I couldn’t believe we were having such a serious conversation after knowing each other for such a short amount of time.
“No,” he shook his head. “I couldn’t imagine taking a child away from its mother.”
“I understand,” I nodded slowly. “You wouldn’t want to see the child?”
“I definitely would want to be a part of the child’s life,” he smiled down at me.
“How would co-parenting work? I mean, you live…” I looked around the room, “...here. And I live…” I didn’t even bother finishing my sentence. It was embarrassing to admit where I lived. It was nothing in comparison to his place.
“Kaylee, you and the baby would be provided for. You wouldn’t have to live where you are living now,” he shook his head. “I’d provide everything.”
“Everything?” I asked squeakily. Gerald sighed and then chuckled.
“Everything, beautiful,” he kissed my forehead. “I would pay for your place, medical for you and the baby, a monthly allowance for you, and all of your school.”
