Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 408 -

*Olivia*

The next day was Saturday, so Dahlia joined Gio and me at breakfast. For a moment, the table was completely quiet, and I could see Dahlia deciding whether to say anything. "So...." she started.

I grabbed Gio's hand and squeezed it. All of my worries from yesterday rose up again, and I didn't want them to overtake me, but I didn't want to block my best friend out of my life either. "You can ask, Dolly," I said finally. "But I don't want to talk about it all day."

She nodded. "What happened? Bad news?"

I opened my mouth, but the words died in my throat. I looked at Gio helplessly.

"Neither of us can have children naturally," he said with a grimace. "Our options are surrogacy or adoption."

Dahlia absorbed the information slowly. "And I suppose asking what you're going to do falls under talking about it?"

I nodded vehemently.

She clapped her hands together. "Then it sounds like you're in need of a day of distraction. The brain-especially yours, Olive-works better when it can't focus on the problem it needs to solve."

Gio squeezed my hand. "That's probably a good idea. I have a busy day ahead of me, and I don't want you on your own."

I inhaled slowly. "Okay, but nothing crazier than a day trip."

Dahlia tapped a finger on her chin. "Siena? Parma? Milan?"

I sat up straighter in my chair. "I've always wanted to see Milan."

She grinned. "Of course you do, you big nerd. Lemme guess. You're gonna drag me to all the galleries and churches instead of the gorgeous luxury fashion houses, right?"

I put up my hands. "Hey, I want to see the luxury fashion, too."

We all laughed, and I felt a little of the tension go out of my shoulders. A day in Milan would take my mind off everything.

"Maybe we can take the train?" I offered. "Should be a short enough trip to get us there and back in a day."

Gio scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. You'll take the jet."

My hackles went up instantly. "Don't tell me what I'm going to do. It's my day out. The train is cheaper, and I might like to see the countryside."

Gio bristled for a moment, but I watched him take a deep breath and regain himself. "Yes, of course. I can't make this decision for you. But as I keep reminding you, you don't have to worry about money anymore, and the jet will give you more time in Milan."

I tried to steady my temper as well. "I don't like always taking the fanciest option just because it's available."

He drew my knuckles up to his lips. "Carina, Dmitri may be gone, but I will always have enemies. A train is just the sort of kill box that's perfect for assassins and kidnappers. Please, I beg of you, take the jet for my sake."

I glanced at Dahlia, who had started bouncing up and down in her seat at the mention of taking a private jet. I really thought I would've liked to see the Italian countryside through a train window, but I couldn't bear to disappoint the two most important people in my life.

"Alright," I relented.

Dahlia cheered. "We'll just finish eating, get dressed, and head out. Can you set up the private jet, Gio?"

He nodded, and Dahlia fell to the business of scarfing her breakfast. I finished mine a bit more slowly, so we had a moment alone after she left.

"Will you be alright all day without me?" I asked. It was silly, I knew, but I was feeling protective after his outburst yesterday.

He smiled. "I will be alright. Take this day. Clear your head. We'll attack the problem tomorrow."

I dropped a kiss on the top of his head and went to our room to dress.

When I came back down, I found Dahlia practically vibrating at the bottom of the stairs. She'd selected a fitted, charcoal gray sweater dress and chunky ankle boots that made her look stylish and mature. I'd waffled for a while, eventually settling on a cream colored sweater I'd bought at a local shop in Florence and a pair of skinny jeans, as well as my own favorite low-heeled boot. Comfortable and cool, I thought.

She grabbed my hand as I reached the bottom of the stairs. "Ready for the jet?"

I laughed. "I've taken the jet before, a few times."

She pouted. "Don't ruin my fun. I only get cousin perks, not wife perks."

"Alright, alright." I looped my arm through hers. "Let's go make the best of this day."

She skipped all the way to the plane and was disappointed to learn the flight would only be about half an hour. I couldn't hold in another giggle as we boarded, and she swatted me.

I was looking forward to a great day.

After our all-too-brief flight, we descended on Milan. Dahlia demanded we go to the Brera district, the heart of boutique shopping in the city, and I whole-heartedly agreed. The brightly colored building crowded in on all sides, and we had to leap out of the path of more than one Vespa scooter speeding past without looking. We shopped lazily and ate a slow lunch, grabbing snacks in nearly every other café we came across.

In one shop, Dahlia found a whole wall of hats and insisted we each get one.

"On one condition," I said. "You pick out mine and I pick out yours."

She smiled impishly and agreed.

I combed the wall for options, trying to guess if Dahlia would be nice or cruel. I checked my phone to see if I'd missed anything important and realized with a start that it was nearly 1:30 and I hadn't worried about our fertility issues in hours. I looked over at Dahlia to tell her this as she lifted a lime-green beret off the wall and grinned at me. I didn't want to break the spell, I decided.

And I was getting her the floppy fuchsia sunhat.

We put the hats on instantly and walked arm-in-arm down the road to il Duomo di Milano, the spiky cathedral I had declared I couldn't visit the city without seeing. We did a photoshoot out front in our gaudy hats, laughing so hard we barely got a decent picture, and then I coaxed her onto one of the tours.

Inside, the soaring columns and stunning rose window knocked me breathless. I explored the place in near silence, uttering little more than hushed whispers. Dahlia trailed after me, making inappropriate jokes to make me laugh. I smacked her, but I wouldn't have wanted her to stop for anything.

The only thing better than seeing a historical marvel like this was seeing it with my best friend.

After the cathedral, we shopped and ate until our wallets and bellies groaned and the sun set in the sky. I convinced Dahlia to take a brief spin through the Pinacoteca di Brera, a converted palazzo full of Italian art, and then we trooped back to the jet laden with our bags.

Dahlia collapsed into the leather seat with a groan. "They better make the flight longer this time. I'm not getting up for at least an hour."

I laughed. "I'll tell the pilot."

They'd refueled in our absence, and apparently that meant they refilled the champagne bucket as well. It brimmed over with ice and a beautiful bottle of Milanese champagne. I smiled. Gio must have told them to do that. "Would a drink help?" I asked, gesturing to the bottle.

Dahlia nodded, and I popped the cork and poured two flutes. I might as well drink. I would never have a baby to worry about hurting.

The thought made my mood plummet, and I downed my first flute in a few quick gulps.

"Whoa there," Dahlia said. "Are we partying?"

I shrugged and rolled the stem between my fingers before pouring another glass. "No reason not to."

She downed her flute and gestured for another. "Alright, I'll keep up. But it seemed like we were having a great day, and now you're upset all over again. Wanna talk about it?"

I filled her glass and stared at the bubbles in my own for a moment. A 'no' trembled on my lips. I didn't want to cry again, didn't want to dredge up the same humiliating insecurities. But, I realized, I wanted her opinion. She was my best friend. The only decision I'd ever made without talking to her was seeing Gio in the first place, and that was only because I thought she'd be mad.

"Yeah, I think I do," I admitted. Dahlia swiveled her seat to face me, but I didn't look at her. I couldn't just yet. "So, we're between adoption and surrogacy."

Dahlia hummed. "I mean, you know how I feel about surrogacy."

I groaned and dropped my head back against the seat. "Everybody else seems to think it would be so easy to just let somebody else have my baby, but my heart breaks every time I think about it. Even if we can set every boundary and lay out a perfect contract, I'll still have to watch somebody else live my dream."

Dahlia took a sip of her champagne. "Is being pregnant really your dream? Or is your dream having a baby with Gio, and you just sort of assumed being pregnant would be part of it?"

I sipped my champagne and considered. Being pregnant seemed so important, but what did I really want? Gio swore up and down that he wasn't bothered by somebody else carrying our baby, and a shiver ran down my spine as I remembered how clearly he proved that. I wanted to feel connected to the child, but they would share my genetics, and I would love them regardless. Perhaps I had gotten stuck on an assumption.

"I'm not sure. Part of me" I took a huge swallow of champagne, "part of me thinks I won't be a real mother if I don't carry the child."

"Oh, Olive." Dahlia put a hand on my arm, and I leaned into her touch. "I'm so sorry. That sounds awful."

I knocked back the rest of my champagne and laughed bitterly. "But it's not like I can change that part."

She swallowed the rest of hers in turn, and I topped us both off.

Dahlia rubbed my arm comfortingly. "Then you just have to decide whether it will be more painful to be part of the pregnancy process, even if you're not carrying the kid, or if you'd rather not know about it."

I pulled her into a hug. "When did you get so smart?"

She laughed. "Two glasses of champagne ago. In the spirit of not overthinking things, what do you say we put on some music and really party?"

I grinned at my best friend and turned up the dial on the stereo.

By the time the plane landed, Dahlia and I had finished more than half the bottle and were swaying to keep our feet as much as to keep the beat. The pilot taxied into Gio's private runway, and I spotted the same luxury silver sedan we'd taken to the doctor.

"Oh my god!" I screamed. "Gio is picking us up."

"Oh my god!" Dahlia echoed, and we collapsed into a fit of giggles.

The flight attendant came out to open the door for us, and I flagged her over.

"Hey," I hiccupped. "I'm so sorry, but we have a lot of bags. Can we get-" I looked at Dahlia, who shrugged, "help?"

The flight attendant looked like she was trying not to laugh but nodded and bustled off. In a few moments, Dahlia and I were wobbling down the stairs followed by a ton of baggage guys carrying a shopping bag or two. When we reached the bottom, I collapsed into Gio's arms.

"Hiiiii," I chirped.

Gio's eyes twinkled as he stared down at me. "Hi yourself. Have a good day?"

Dahlia collapsed into Gio's arms on top of me. "Yep!"

He laughed. "Alright, let's get you guys home and get some water in your systems."

He loaded us and the bags into the back of the car, where Dahlia and I demanded top-40s radio, and when he told us we couldn't have that in Italy, belted the lyrics to any pop song we could think of. Gio laughed the whole way home. When we reached the compound, Dahlia tottered inside with a "Toodles, lovebirds!" and Gio scooped me up in his arms. I pillowed my head against his chest and enjoyed the easy sway of his gait.

"I like seeing you smile, carina," he murmured.

"Well, I hic!-like smiling," I replied.

He made me drink a glass of water and then helped me strip down to my underwear. While he worked, I thought blearily about assumptions. I'd started this trip with a lot of them, and none had come true.

I collapsed into bed. Gio sat beside me.

"I wanna do surrogacy," I mumbled.

And I fell instantly asleep.