Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder by Alice Knightsky
Chapter 78 Boy Or Girl?
“Where are we going?”
“Just a little place downtown. There aren’t a lot of places on the island, but there are a few. I think you’ll like this place. It’s one of my favorites.”
I smiled at him. I liked to see him get excited, and he had that little twinkle in his eye when he was talking. “Am I dressed appropriately?” I asked, worried more about my shoes than my dress, but I wasn’t used to wearing heels anyway.
“Are you kidding?” he asked, his eyes widening. “You’ll be the most beautiful woman there.”
I felt my face turning the same shade as my dress. “You’re so kind,” I told him. “Really, your mother must be quite a woman. She raised you so nicely.”
His eyes shifted, and a shadow passed over his face. He cleared his throat and looked out the window, and I thought I must’ve said something I shouldn’t have. “I’m sorry—” I began.
Just as soon as the shadow was there, it was gone, and he was back to his amiable self, a wide smile on his face. He didn’t say anything about his mother, though, only, “They have this great pasta dish at the restaurant. I think you’ll really love it. Of course, you can order anything you like. Alfonso, the chef, is a good friend of mine.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. I thought maybe I should apologize for upsetting him, but I also didn’t want to make him look like that ever again. “Great,” I clapped cheerfully. “I love pasta.”
“Did you really make this scarf in one day?” he asked, pulling part of it out of the bag that was sitting between us in the seat.
“I did,” I told him. “It wasn’t that difficult since it was just a straight stitch in one color.”
“That’s amazing,” he said, shaking his head. “I think if I tried to crochet something, I’d end up with my fingers all twisted up in the yarn, and I’d be trapped for the rest of my life.”
I giggled. He could be so silly.
A few minutes later, the car pulled over to the curb, and the driver opened the door. I got out first, and then Soren followed. He offered his arm, and we walked in together.
Every head turned in our direction, and Soren waved and smiled. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t help but smile. Everyone was being so friendly, but waving seemed a bit much since I didn’t know anyone.
“Mr. Soren!” a man in a tuxedo with a fancy mustache said from behind the maitre D stand. “Welcome! Your table is ready, sir.”
“Thank you,” Soren said, and we followed him down the aisle. I still felt like I was being stared at, but once we were seated, the table was so private, it was much better.
We had excellent service, and almost immediately, I had sparkling cider and water in front of me. I decided to try the pasta dish Soren suggested, and he ordered some sort of steak and red wine.
This was a fancy restaurant, and I couldn’t help but look around in awe. It was like something out of one of the books I had been reading.
“So…” he said, spreading his napkin in his lap, “how is the baby?”
I stared at him for a moment, not sure how to answer that question. “As far as I can tell, the baby is fine.”
“How’s the kicking been today?” he asked me, taking a drink of his wine.
“Well, the baby is so small, when those tiny feet kick me, it’s like a butterfly wing tickling my internal organs.”
He laughed, like I was kidding, but it was pretty accurate, from what I could tell. “You should be able to find out whether it’s a boy or a girl soon.”
I shook my head. “I think I’ve decided I don’t want to know.”
His eyes widened. “Really? Why is that?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I think I just… want the surprise. Like back before they had this sort of technology. I’d like to be surprised and hear Seraphine say, ‘It’s a boy!’ or ‘It’s a girl!’” I smiled, imagining what I just said, and took a drink of my water.
“And which do you hope it is? A boy or a girl?”
“I don’t know,” I said again. I used to think it must be a boy, and he would be a great Alpha just like his father. But now, I really didn’t know. I meant it. “I will be happy with either.” In my mind, I had visions of myself running through the garden with a beautiful little girl in a dress while I had also seen a sweet little boy with his father’s eyes standing on the beach.
I did wonder, if I had a boy, would he grow up to be like his father? I wasn’t sure that I wanted that for my son. Ethan needed to work on his emotions—to put it lightly.
Soren’s expression didn’t change for a second, and he seemed to be studying my face. “I think it would be incredible if you had a little girl who looked like you. But then, a little boy would be wonderful, too. I’d love to have a little boy to play ball with or teach to surf.”
“Do you surf?” This was the first time I’d heard him mention it. “That’s amazing!”
“Oh, yeah. Well… I mean… it’s been a while. I’ve been so busy. But I do know how to surf.” He emphasized the word “how.”
“Maybe when I’m done giving birth, you can teach me. I would love to learn.” I wanted to branch out and have more life experiences.
“Definitely!” Soren said. “I would love that! I bet you’d get it right off the bat!”
“Why do you say that?” I chuckled. I was glad I didn’t have any liquid in my mouth.
“Because… you’re so graceful. And you try so hard at everything you do.”
I couldn’t help but smile at him. He was so kind. Why couldn’t more people in the world be like Soren?
The waitress brought out dishes, and they smelled delicious. I tasted the pasta, and Soren was right. It was one of the best things I’d ever put in my mouth. I couldn’t help the sound that came out of my mouth—it was a moan of pleasure that border-line made me embarra*s*sed.
Soren laughed so hard, he almost fell out of his chair. “Well, I was going to ask if you liked it, but I guess I don’t need to.”
“Sorry,” I said, covering my face with my hand.
“No, don’t be sorry. No one else is paying attention to us. I just can’t wait until you try the chocolate mousse.” “If it’s going to make that sound come out of my mouth, we may need to get it to go,” I reasoned.
Again, he laughed and cut into his steak. He was quiet for a moment, as if he was trying to figure out whether he should say it or not.
“You’ve changed, Ro,” he paused, looking at me. “I liked you when we met initially, but now I like you more. Either way, you are still just you.”
He put down his silverware, and said it sincerely. “I know you don’t like to talk about your past, but I have to say, whoever it is that you’re running away from, I sure hope that person is miserable.”
I almost dropped my fork. I wasn’t expecting him to say that. I looked up at him through my eyelashes for a moment, trying to formulate a response.
Soren just kept talking. “They deserve it. To be sitting at home alone, drowning in their own tears, realizing that they had so much, and now they have nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
He seemed to have made his point, so I cleared my throat. “Thanks,” I said because it was the polite thing to say.
I knew why he had said it. He was trying to pay me a compliment, trying to say that I was so great that anyone who was used to having me around but suddenly didn’t have me in their life anymore would miss me.
But Soren was wrong. I was certain that Ethan was not drowning in his own tears. The newspaper I’d seen this morning had told me that. I wondered if he ever even thought about me anymore. If anything, he was probably still mourning the baby.
But not me.
I was certain he wasn’t thinking about me.
“I propose a toast,” Soren said, getting me out of my head and back to the present.
“Oh?” I asked. “To what?”
“Why, to you, of course!” he replied. Lifting his glass, he said, “To a beautiful, intelligent, loving mother-to-be who has recreated herself and refuses to give up, no matter what, so that her child will have the best life possible.”
“I’ll drink to that,” I said. “But, I also want to drink to you,” I added. “To a wonderful man who will do anything for his friends—even when he’s just met them—and helps them get on their feet. Who gives of himself and sprinkles kindness on everyone like confetti!” Soren’s left eye narrowed slightly, just a bit, for a split second, before the look was gone.
“I can drink to that.” His voice was gentle.
We clinked glasses and drank, and I knew it was going to be a good night.
Because Soren was a good man.