My Stepbrother's Secret Baby: A Billionaire Stepbrother Romance by Addison Albaugh Page A

wonder if I was going to miss him when I was gone.
     
    Or if he was going to miss me …
     
     
     

SEVEN
 
     
     
    TRENTON
     
     
     
    I came home Friday night to an empty, silent penthouse. First time in over a month. It was weird not having Brenna there, but who was I to keep her from her grandmother? We weren’t dating. She wasn’t obligated to spend her weekends with me. But she always did. I suppose I’d gotten used to it.
     
    Coming home every day, Brenna would ask me how my day went and we’d eat dinner together over candlelight overlooking the city. If we were dating, I guess that would’ve been romantic. But we weren’t dating. Not even close. She was the mother of my child and nothing more.
     
    I’d never admit to her, or anyone else, but there were times I let my mind wander a bit too much, imagining the three of us in the future. A family. It was weird to think about, but I secretly enjoyed it sometimes.
     
    I whipped out my phone to text her and make sure she landed in Chicago and then I stopped myself. She didn’t need to report to me. She was a big girl. I didn’t want to give her the wrong impression.
     
    Saturday morning I paid a visit to my lovely mother.
     
    “Trenton!” she beamed as I walked in to her apartment. “How are things?” We hadn’t seen each other since Christmas, nearly a month ago. Me being busy with work and she being busy with her philanthropic efforts, we always struggled to fit one another into our schedules, especially during the post-holiday season.
     
    “I’ve got news, Mother,” I said.
     
    “Okay,” she replied with a smile, leading me into the family room.
     
    “I’m having a baby,” I announced with a smile. I reached into my wallet and pulled out a sonogram, handing it to her.
     
    My mother’s blue eyes lit up like a Christmas tree as she stared at the picture, taking it from my hands.
     
    “Really?” she asked. “Is this true, Trenton?”
     
    “Yes, Mother,” I said, happy to make her proud. “I have to say you were right. I already love the little bugger.”
     
    “So you found yourself a nice woman?” she asked. “Or did you, um, go the other route we discussed?”
     
    “I’ve got it all worked out,” I assured her. “Trust me.”
     
    “What’s her name?” my mother asked. “The surrogate.”
     
    “Brenna,” I replied. “She’s a college student at Columbia, studying accounting.”
     
    “Nice,” she replied. “Can I meet her?”
     
    I chuckled. “We’re not dating. We’re just … business partners.”
     
    My mother studied my face. She knew me better than anyone. “Your face lights up when you talk about her, Trenton.”
     
    “Oh, Mother,” I said, swatting her implications away. “You’re just imagining things. She’s a nice girl. We’ve actually become good friends. That’s about it.”
     
    “Sure,” she said, not believing me.
     
    “Are you staying for breakfast?” she changed the subject. “Rosalie is making eggs benedict!”
     
    “Sure, Mother,” I replied. Giving her my Saturday morning was the least I could do for the woman who’d given me life.
     
    ***
     
    The weekend came and went, my apartment still and quiet. I’d realized I’d come to enjoy Brenna’s presence. Her conversation. Her company. She was a sweet girl and I was glad to host her while she did this favor for me.
     
    Come Wednesday, I picked up the phone without thinking when I realized I sort of missed her voice. She was set to come home on Friday, and it couldn’t come soon enough. I missed our dinners. I missed our banter. I missed having a beautiful, radiant woman around. She simply glowed from within.
     
    “Just checking on you and Baby Ellsworth,” I said as soon as she answered.
     
    “We’re doing good, Trenton,” she said. “My pants are getting tight. I don’t know if it’s all this Chicago pizza I’ve been eating or if the baby’s just growing. Or both. I’m going to need new clothes