Our mother was deaf, so both my sister and I learned sign language almost before we could speak. But what’s been incredible to watch is how quickly Rome has picked up ASL, determined to speak to his little sister in her own language. They’re inseparable, as if they’ve been siblings their whole lives.
I run a hand over my still-flat stomach. As much as I love their bond, I secretly hope my sister and Troy decide to have a baby so my little one has someone closer to her age.
And yes,her, because I’m fairly positive I’m going to have a girl. I may not have evidence to back up my claim since it’ll be weeks before I get that ultrasound, but call it mother’s intuition.
What surprised me was Patton’s genuine excitement about the possibility. In fact, he’d grinned as we lay tangled in my sheets this morning and I mentioned it, as if he was already preparing to be wrapped around her pinky finger.
I’d been nestled against him, my bare back to his chest, as we both tried to catch our breaths. He’d tucked a sweaty strandof hair behind my ear before kissing the shell of it, sending a fresh wave of goosebumps tingling down my arms.
“You take my breath away, Little Borealis.”
“Careful there, Mr. Pierce,” I’d teased, brushing my lips against the back of his hand. “Keep saying things like that when I’m a sweaty mess and I might never shower again.”
“And you think I’d object to that?”
I shook my head. “You’re crazy.”
“Always, when it comes to you.”
I’d pressed my cheek against our intertwined fingers, feeling the metal from our matching bracelets against my skin. I still couldn’t believe that after all these years, neither of us thought to take it off. I guess we both knew, regardless if we’d ever be in each other’s lives again, our friendship wasn’t something we ever wanted to forget.
My heart swelled at having him back in my life—a man I’d never stopped thinking about, never stopped loving, even when I’d only recently started admitting it to myself.
But admitting it to him was different.
We’d thrown those words around when we were young and thought love was the only ingredient to conquering everything. But now I know better.
While love was an essential ingredient we had plenty of, reliability and follow-through were the two others I wanted to see more of. Because when I finally told him I loved him this time around, I wanted to make sure I’d never have to compete with Hollywood for his attention.
“What do you think we should name her?” I asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled around us.
I could feel his smile against my neck. “Her, huh? You seem sure about that.”
I turned in his arms, looking up at him. “You don’t want a girl?”
“Baby, I will take whatever you give me.” His hand lowered to my stomach. “But if she’s anything like you, then I hope she has your eyes and your stubborn streak.”
“That’s what you want our daughter to inherit from me? My stubbornness?”
“Yep. Otherwise, how else would I know the sheer joy of having two women in my life who always think they’re right?”
I poked him in his stomach for his sarcasm, pretending to be annoyed before he swallowed my giggles with his kiss.
The sliding door whooshes open, bringing in the scent of grilled meat and pulling me out of the reverie. I hadn’t realized I’d gotten lost in my thoughts while the kids dissolved into giggles, chasing Bob around the living room.
I turn to find my devastatingly handsome ex-husband filling up the doorway, holding a pair of tongs in his hand, his hair a little windswept and his eyes crinkling around the corners. His gaze sweeps from the kids and Bob, turning warm when it finds me.
I can’t even help the chuckle that escapes my lips as my eyes scroll down his form, magazine-cover worthy, if magazines featured Hollywood heartthrobs in frilly aprons that barely touched their muscular thighs.
The plaid apron has “My Aunt is a Baddie” written in glittery cursive. Pearl’s sheer pink fairy wings can be seen sprouting from his shoulders, while her sparkling plastic tiara sits atop his dark hair and one sparkling earring hangs off his left ear.
Honestly, this picture of Patton, domestic and so fucking adorable, on a magazine cover would send the world into a tizzy.
He looks absolutely ridiculous, and yet, I’ve never wanted him more. The way he patiently sat there while the kids poked and prodded him, getting him ready for our barbecue? God . . .
I know some of this is likely from the pregnancy hormones, but watching him get fake blush and eye shadow smeared on bymy niece literally made me want to take him to my bedroom and ask him to knock me up again.
It isn’t the first time the kids have hung out with Patton, having seen him practicing pitches with Troy at the old stadium nearby for Patton’s upcoming film. And though they’re still getting to know him, they definitely got comfortable with him today.
