Page 62 of The Baby Contract With My Hot Billionaire Boss

“Did he change his mind?” Mom is bracing herself now and I know she’s thinking about all the times someone has changed their mind on her.

“No. He didn’t. He still wants you to have everything free and clear. But, there’s something else you should know before you go making any decisions about whether you can accept the offer or not.”

“And what’s that?” she asks and I can’t help but smile, even though I’m nervous about how she’s going to feel.

“I’ll need your help taking care of the baby.”

There’s complete and utter silence for a moment and then Leann practically screams and jumps up, running over to give me a big hug. Mom, on the other hand, looks stunned, staring at me with wide eyes, her mouth dropped open.

“Oh, my goodness!” But then there’s a bright smile and she is also rushing toward me to give me a big hug. “It would be an honor to help you with the baby! How could you think otherwise?” She’s scolding me but I can also tell she’s not that upset. Not really. Not now.

The idea of her grandbaby being so close is definitely changing her opinion on things.

“It will be just a few months,” I admit. The story comes out then. At least, the abridged version that Chris and I have decided to tell people. That it was kind of a whirlwind thing. That we just felt connected and that having a baby wasn’t exactly planned, but it’s something we’re very excited about.

And Mom and Leann both are plenty happy to be included.

“We’re hoping you’re going to help out with the baby. And that is how you’ll pay Chris back for the house.”

“I think I can handle being a nanny,” she replies with a smile and I shake my head, though I’m smiling as well.

“You won’t need to watch the baby all the time. But we would definitely appreciate help.”

“And you’ll have it,” Mom agrees.

“Plenty of it,” Leann adds and I can’t help but grin at both of them, pulling them in for another hug.

“I’ve been wanting to tell you everything. I just wasn’t entirely sure how.”

“This has been the best week ever,” Leann exclaims, squeezing both of us a little tighter.

I’m inclined to agree. Because now that they know everything, and so does Chris, and they’re moving in close, it really does feel like everything is working out for the best.

As we make our way back to the house it feels almost like old times. The three of us, laughing and joking. Talking about anything and everything. The way we always did.

“What are these?” I ask, pulling a set of pictures out of a box.

“Those are your baby pictures. Yours and Leann’s.” Mom reaches out to grab them like they’re made of glass. Or like they could crumble apart at any minute which maybe they could even despite their frames.

“And why do you have them out?”

“They belong in my room. That’s where they always go.”

As we continue unpacking boxes it becomes apparent that Mom doesn’t really like to get rid of anything. Especially nothing that Leann or I ever wore … or created … or touched. But she’s definitely not ashamed of that fact.

“Just you wait until your little one gets here. You’re going to be the same way,” she says and I laugh. I can already see myself lugging around a huge diaper bag full of everything. Or even funnier is the image of Chris carrying around the bag instead. But something in me says that he would. and it wouldn’t even faze him.

“So, do you think you two will be happy here?” I ask, glancing around the place once we’ve got everything set up.

“Absolutely,” Leanna insists. “It’s beautiful and it’s going to be absolutely perfect.”

“I think it is a lovely house,” Mom replies, giving me a smile of her own. “And it already feels something like home,” she replies, glancing around at everything in its place.

It was hard to imagine them living here. Not because I didn’t want them, but because we’d always lived in that same little house; to not be there anymore felt strange.

I could tell Mom felt it too from the way she looked all around and then looked at me. But she simply smiled and went back to fussing with a few small things. She wasn’t about to let on that she was sad in the least. Not when Leann looked like she was absolutely thrilled with the place.

“Come on, you’ve got all your stuff unpacked. Let’s go shopping and pick up a few other things.”

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