Surrogate and Wife by Emily McKay

forcing the black waves into some semblance of a style. Now, Kate smoothed the dress over her hips and eyed herself critically in the mirror. She was now fifteen weeks pregnant. The fabric clung a little snugly across her belly, but not noticeably so.
    Never in a million years would she have picked this dress for herself. It was too frilly. Too girly. Exactly the kind of thing she thought she looked ridiculous in.
    Kate looked longingly at her folded pants and shirt. Maybe she had resembled a waiter, but at least she’d looked like herself.
    Now she looked like freakin’ Snow White.
    As she and Beth walked across the park to the main courthouse, she half expected birds and little woodland creatures to scurry to her side, chirping music.
    Just outside the J.P.’s office, Kevin caught up with them.
    â€œI’m sorry I’m la—” He cut himself off as he looked at Kate. “Whoa.”
    She glared back. “You’re not late. And don’t you dare say anything about how I’m dressed.”
    He held up his hands. “I was going to say you look great.” He caught Beth’s eye as he leaned in to brush a kiss hello on Kate’s cheek. “This your idea?”
    Beth smiled. “Absolutely.”
    He smiled. “I heartily approve.”
    Kate narrowed her gaze. “You are worthless as a best friend. First you’re late and now this?”
    She reached for the handle of the door to the J.P.’s office, but Beth plastered herself against the solid wood.
    â€œHold on, you can’t go in there.”
    â€œWhat? Why not?”
    Beth clucked disapprovingly. “Because they might not be ready for you. You can’t go in until they are, otherwise the groom will see you before the wedding and that will be bad luck.” Beth cracked open the door and peeked inside. “Jake and Stew are already inside. I’ll just check on things.”
    Kate opened her mouth to protest, but snapped it closed when Kevin caught her eye.
    In front of him, she couldn’t point out that it hardly mattered if Jake saw her before he wedding, because this wasn’t a real wedding. So she kept her mouth shut, fumed silently and tried to ignore the satisfied smile Kevin was bestowing on her.
    After several moments, she gave in to her curiosity and demanded, “What?”
    â€œWhat?” he parroted.
    â€œYou’re looking entirely too smug. Why?”
    â€œI don’t know what you mean.” He smiled innocently.
    â€œI hope you don’t have anything silly planned because—”
    Before she could finish with her threat to make his life miserable, Beth opened the door to the J.P.’s office, revealing exactly why Kevin looked so smug.
    Kate had expected to see five people at most inside Judge Walthen’s chambers. Instead, dozens of people were crammed into the already small room. Judge Walthen stood behind his desk, which had been cleared to make room for several large vases of day lilies. Her favorite. To Walthen’s left, stood Jake—looking so breathtakingly handsome that he…well, he took her breath away.
    She hadn’t seen Jake in a suit since Beth and Stew’s wedding. The crisp white shirt showed off the tannedcolumn of his throat. And his broad shoulders did things for a suit jacket that should be illegal.
    But it was his expression that stopped her in her tracks. As he turned to face her, the cocky grin he usually wore faded, replaced by delight as he studied her.
    She couldn’t help feeling a bubble of feminine pleasure at the appreciative gleam in his eyes. For a second he looked almost like a man in love.
    Then he ruined the effect by flashing her a grin accompanied by a quick wink.
    And just like that, the bubble of pleasure she’d felt popped.
    To him this was all a joke. To her, it was little more than an obligation. A trial to be endured. Not a celebration.
    As for the friends who had shown up for the