Beau swallows harshly. “I feel like I’ve missed a lot. Just seeing the photos between when he was born and now. He’s a whole different child.”
My heart aches because I sometimes feel that way too, and I see Theo on a daily basis. Beau’s phone vibrates for the tenth time since we sat down, and he sighs, reaching over to turn it off completely.
It sours the mood a bit, but I’m determined not to let it spoil the day.
“How’d you meet Kendall?” I ask, trying to bury any jealousy I feel about them being together.
Beau frowns, picking through his food with his fork. “At a work conference. My firm was one of the panel organizers, and she was attending.”
“Oh. You work in the real estate field, too?”
He's quiet for a moment, then says, “More business operations. What about you?”
“Well, I got a communications degree, but journalism didn’t really pan out. So I got my pharmacy technician license, which allows me to work from home. Basically just typing out scripts and resolving insurance claims all day.”
An amused grin lifts on his mouth. “Data entry. That’d drive me insane.”
I shrug, smiling back. “It's not bad. Set hours, bills paid, overtime during the beginning of the year with all the plan changes.”
He nods. “But if you could, would you want to go into journalism again?”
I take a moment to think about it, shoving another bite of food in my mouth and chewing slowly. “No, I wouldn’t want to leave Theo. The type of journalism I wanted to do, it was a lot of traveling. But having a kid changed me, and I don’t mind my life.”
His eyebrows raise, and he looks at me, calculating. “You’d want to stay home, wouldn’t you? Have a husband take care of you?”
With a groan, I shake my head. “No, I mean yeah, who wouldn’t? But I wouldn’t want someone to have control over me like that. Not after I’ve done everything to provide for Theo and me. Handing it over just seems wrong.”
Beau shrugs. “What if you were your husband’s assistant, even if he didn’t need an assistant, but you got a paid salary from the company?” His eyes are intense as he stares at me.
I swallow down a rough bite. “Hypothetically?”
His lips quirk. “Yeah, hypothetically.”
“That sounds amazing, even easier for insurance purposes.”
He laughs. “Right, insurance purposes.”
We clean up the food and settle back in the living room so I can show him more of the photos and videos I have of our son. And when Theo eventually wakes up, I keep my phone on speaker so he can hear his voice.
Theo has a tiny speech delay, so the conversation isn’t long, but he answers questions here and there. Beau doesn’t seem to mind, soaking in every second of our son.
Once we’re done, my mom takes over, letting us know that they won’t be making it back up the mountain today, and I can feel the sexual charge in the air as Beau realizes we have another night together.
Turning off the large lights overhead, I smile when we’re bathed in the soft shine of the Christmas lights hanging on the tree. We’ve taken the day to ourselves, just to talk about life and what the future may hold. Beau hasn’t tried anything since this morning, probably worried he hurt me more than he did.
I’m a little sore, but I’m actually craving him more than anything. The last piece of heaven before reality crashes into us tomorrow. I snuggle into his chest, and his hand flexes where he’s holding onto my waist.
“I wish we could stay like this forever,” he whispers.
My heart pangs. “Same, we’re only missing Theo.”
Beau sighs, his hand slipping down to my belly. “And the baby I must have succeeded in planting by now.”
I shake my head. “Don’t wish that on us. Plan B is still effective within seventy-two hours.”
He scoffs. “I’ll actually be telling Santa that’s all I want.” Then he rolls me onto my back, kissing me deeply. “Maybe I should try a few more times for good measure.”
Giggles escape me as he kisses down my neck, his growing beard tickling me. He pulls the large t-shirt I’d been lounging in over my head, baring me to the room, and I shiver at the cold.
