“Could what, Ace?” I push.
“I was thinking maybe I could take him to one of your preseason camps in August or maybe a game. Has he ever seen you play, Jamie?” That beautiful flush creeps up her cheeks like she’s not sure whether she said the right thing, and I wonder what I’ve done to the people in my life to make them so unsure of themselves around me.
“You want to come to my games?” I ask, a vision of this woman in my jersey flashing in the forefront of my mind. And now that I’ve seen it, I’m going to make it my life’s mission to make that happen.
“Maybe one...” She nibbles her lip, and fucking hell, I want a taste. Finn has been off and at home for the past three days, making it nearly impossible to spend any time together. “Or two...”
“What’s it called when you score in football, beautiful?” I ask as I pull into the parking garage, a smile on my face that has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that we’re about to see our baby in a few minutes for the very first time.
She blinks up at me and looks away. “A goal?”
“Ashton . . .”
“Fine. What if I promise to pay attention? Then can I bring him to a game?”
I turn the car off and wrap a hand around her head. “A touchdown, baby. A touchdown or a field goal. They’re the two most common ways to score.”
She licks her pretty lips and brushes them against mine. “Then I want to bring Jonah to a game so we can watch you score a field goal, charmer.”
“Oh, Ace...” I get out of the car and open her door for her, extending my hand and holding in my laugh. “I’m not even on the field when we kick a field goal.”
Ashton
“Okay, Ashton, lie back and relax.” Dr. Hayes-Sinclair smiles at me and winks at Jamie. Not in a creepy way. In a friendly, we’ve vacationed together and you were at my wedding and kid’s christening kind of way. He sits next to me, my hand held tightly in his, and I’m not actually sure he’s breathing as she opens my gown and squirts cold jelly on my stomach. “Relax, Dad. Nothing to worry about.”
Dad . . .
Okay, maybe I’m the one not breathing now.
Dr. Hayes-Sinclair stands in front of us, biting back a smile. “Okay, you two, I’m going to need you to breathe.” She toes Jamie’s sneaker with her red-soled high heel. “Both of you.”
“Sorry, Kenz. It’s just...” Jamie stops and squeezes my hand. “It’s just nuts. You’re about to show us our baby.Our baby...for the first time.” He brushes the hair away from my face and kisses my forehead. “Our baby.”
And I finally let out the breath I’ve been holding.
“Our baby,” I whisper and look at the doctor. “We’re ready.”
She rubs the ultrasound wand through jelly and over my stomach slowly.
“Kenz . . .”
“Give me a second, Murph,” she shushes him as a fast-paced galloping sound echoes around the room.
“Kenzie,” he demands, and she shushes him again in a way only family can get away with.
“Jameson Murphy.” She smiles at me, then throws a fake glare at him. “Would you please stop talking and listen to your baby’s very strong heartbeat?”
I’m not sure who I fall more in love with in that very moment.
Kenzie, for the way she manages to shut Jamie up.
Jamie, for the way his beautiful shamrock green eyes fill with tears as he drops his forehead to mine.
Or our baby . . .
“Oh my goodness,” I whisper in wonderment.
“Do you want to know the sex?” Kenzie asks as she presses a few buttons on the ultrasound machine, and Jamie looks at me like a kid on Christmas morning who can’t wait to rip open his presents.
