SURROGATE : Conception (+18) BOOK 1 (COMPLETE)

| 24 | The Land of Their Making ||

"The Calla Lilies. Yeah, she loves those." Liam said to Morgan on the phone while massaging his neck. He turned in the office chair looking out the front window.

"What did you want the card to say?" Morgan drawled on the other end of the phone.

"Hmm," he thought, leaning back in the chair for a moment.

His neck was sore as hell having slept in the most awkward position in the theater chair the previous night. Penelope fell asleep on him, so sound, so peaceful. He should have woken her up at the very least when the movie ended, but he didn't have it in him to disturb her.

He pushed up from the chair rolling his shoulder around, then leaned on the window frame. He checked his watch. He wanted to take Penelope somewhere when she got home from whatever the hell she was doing. If she didn't get back soon, they'd be too late.

"Mr. Rogan?"

"Huh?" He blinked and looked at his phone forgetting what he was meant to be thinking about.

"The card?"

Silence as he tried to pick back up on the conversation. Nothing.

"The card for your mother."

Ah, yes, Mother's Day. "Uh, just uh, keep it simple. You know, like something I would say. Something about how much I appreciate her and love her."

"Right. Sure thing. Anything else, Mr. Rogan?" Morgan drawled.

The air got caught in his lungs when the garage door started to open and Penelope's SUV pulled up the driveway. "Uh, no. Thanks as always. Hey, when is administrative assistant day? There's a day for that, right?"

"Yes, sir. It was last month."

He winced. "Did I get you something?"

"You do every year. You're a very generous boss, sir."

He exhaled. "Good, what did I get you?"

"Tickets to a very nice gallery opening."

"Oh, good. Good." The more realistic scenario was that he told her to get something for herself.

He frowned at that.

He wasn't a very thoughtful person, was he? The back door opened and he heard Penelope struggling. "Thanks Morgan."

"My pleasure."

He hung up the phone and hurried out of his office to grab the grocery bags from Penelope.

"You could have called. I would have come to the car to get them."

She giggled a little bit. "What, and pull you out of some super important meeting to bring in groceries when I'm capable of doing it? That doesn't sound like something I would do at all."

True, but still. "Just saying." He said, putting the groceries on the counter. "The offer still stands if you care to use it in the future.

"Thanks." She put the final bag on the counter with a big exhale. "You know, for just saying." They held each other's gaze for an extended period of time before she smiled, more with her soul and eyes than with her lips. She brought her attention to the bags in front of her. "You said you needed me back around this time; am I late?"

"Right on time if we leave like five minutes ago."

She frowned. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

She raised a suspicious eyebrow putting several things in the refrigerator.

He laughed a little feeling the amusement down to his toes. "I don't want to ruin the surprise."