Finding Perfect (Fool's Gold #3)(30)

“Mostly. There’s a lot of confusion and worry to go with it, as well. Why on earth did she pick me? There are a lot of other people here who have more ‘mom’ potential.”

Montana straightened and returned to her seat. “That’s not true. Of course you’re the one she wanted to have her babies.”

“You say that like this all makes sense.”

Montana looked confused. “How doesn’t it?”

“I don’t know anything about having a baby or raising one. Or possibly three. She didn’t talk to me ahead of time, warn me. I was supposed to get the cat. It turns out he never really liked me, so that’s probably for the best, but still…” Pia bit her lower lip. “Why did Crystal pick me?”

“Because she loved and trusted you. Because she knew you’d make the right decisions.”

“She can’t know that. I sure don’t know that. What if something bad happens? What if the embryos hate me as much as Jake did?”

“They’re not in a position to make a judgment call.”

“Okay, not now, but they will be. After they’re born.”

“Babies are hardwired to bond. That’s what they do. They’ll bond with you because you’re wonderful. But even if you weren’t, they’d still bond with you.”

“I’d feel better if they liked me for me and not just because of biology.”

“That’s going to happen, too,” Montana assured her. “You’ll be a great mom.”

“How do you know?” Pia asked, feeling both worried and desperate. “I don’t come from a happy gene pool. My boyfriends always leave. Even the cat didn’t want to live with me. What do I have to offer to a baby?”

“Your heart,” Montana said simply. “Pia, you’ll do everything in your power to take care of those kids. You’ll sacrifice and worry and be there when they need you. It’s who you are.”

“The whole single-mom thing scares me,” she admitted.

“You might be single, but you won’t be alone,” Montana reminded her. “This is Fool’s Gold. You’ll be taken care of by the town. You’ll have all the help and advice you need. Speaking of which, if I can do anything, please let me know.”

“I will.”

Pia knew that Montana was right about the town. If she needed help, she only had to ask. Then there was Raoul’s strange “pregnancy buddy” offer. She wasn’t sure exactly what he was putting on the table, but it was nice that he was willing to be there.

“I just wish Crystal had talked to me before she died. Explained what she wanted.”

“Would you have told her no?” Montana asked.

Pia considered the question. “I probably would have tried to talk her out of it, but in the end, if this was what she really wanted, I would have agreed. But at least I would have had the chance to find out why.”

“You really can’t figure that out? You’re genuinely confused as to why Crystal left you her embryos?”

“Yes. Aren’t you?”

Montana smiled at her. “No. Not in the least. I guess that’s what you’re going to have to come to terms with. And when you do, you’ll know why you were exactly the right person for her to pick.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

DR. CECILIA GALLOWAY WAS a tall, large-boned, no-nonsense kind of person who had gone to medical school back when women were expected to be homemakers or secretaries. She believed an informed patient was a happy patient, and that until a man experienced mood swings and menstrual cramps, he was in no position to say whether or not they were in a patient’s head.

A mother of one of Pia’s friends had gently suggested Pia consider visiting a gynecologist before starting college. Pia hadn’t imagined ever having sex, but she’d taken the advice and gone in for her first pelvic exam.

Dr. Galloway had made the experience more interesting than scary, explaining the details of Pia’s reproductive system in language the teen could understand. She’d also offered blunt advice about fumbling boys and their lack of expertise. She’d told Pia how to find her clitoris and G-spot and suggested she tell the boy in question to spend some quality time with both before having his way with her.

Now, a decade later, Pia sat in Dr. Galloway’s office. She had a meager list of questions, which had made her realize she didn’t know enough to know what to ask. Rather than hit the Internet and get a lot of half-truths, she’d come to the source of all knowledge.

At a few minutes after ten, Dr. Galloway walked into her office. She wore a white coat over casual knits. Her steel-gray hair was cut short. She didn’t bother with makeup, but her steady blue eyes were warm behind her sensible glasses.

“Pia,” the doctor said with a smile as she crossed the spacious room and settled next to Pia, rather than sitting across from her on the other side of the big wood desk. “I was a little surprised when I saw you were coming in today.”

When Pia had made the appointment, she’d said she needed to talk to the doctor before being examined and had explained why.

Now, Dr. Galloway put down the folder she held and studied her. “You’re young and healthy. Are you sure about this? It’s an extreme measure at this time in your life. Wouldn’t you rather wait and be in a relationship? Or even if you don’t want to be involved with the father, we can look at artificial insemination rather than IVF.”