“Good,” Ava said, relieved that was one area they didn’t need to debate.
“Now,” Luca said, his eyes glinting with mischief, “let’s discuss child-rearing.”
Ava laughed, rolling her eyes.“Oh, this is going to be good.”
Luca leaned back in his chair, his gaze shifting from her face to the floor as he considered the subject.“I’m going to be the tough one, the one who keeps them in line.We don’t need a bunch of little rebels running around.I’m the one who’ll say ‘no’ to them when they want to skip out on school or break the rules.”He offered a half grin.“You will be the soft one.”
Ava laughed.“Luca, you’re going to have to learn to be the soft one.Otherwise, you’ll terrorize our children.”
“I won’t.”
She lifted an eyebrow.“Children need love and understanding, Luca.You can’t just order them about like your staff.”
Luca’s eyes narrowed, the warmth in his gaze vanishing completely.His voice dropped to a more serious tone, sharp and unwavering.“My staff knows exactly where the line is, and I don’t hesitate to enforce it.I expect results.If they can’t meet my standards, there are consequences.”He grunted like the alpha male he was.“Our children will be just as disciplined.”
Ava paused, a bit taken aback by the cold intensity in his tone.It was clear he didn’t tolerate failure or excuses.
“So, you think that’ll work with our kids?”she asked.
Luca didn’t flinch.“With kids?Absolutely.They’ll respect me because I’ll demand the best from them, and they’ll know exactly what will happen if they don’t deliver.No compromises.”
Ava considered his words, trying to picture the future.“You’re serious about this,” she said softly.
Luca met her gaze.“I don’t do anything halfway.If they want my respect, they’ll have to earn it.”He nodded firmly, as if the conversation was final.
“Diapers!”Ava blurted, taking a step back as she changed the subject.
Thankfully, her exclamation was so unexpected that it stopped Luca in his tracks.He tilted his head, looking down at her with genuine curiosity.“What about diapers?”
“You have to change diapers,” she blurted, the words escaping before she could stop them.It reminded her of a ridiculous argument she’d had with a college acquaintance years ago.
Luca raised an eyebrow, his voice dipping into that sexy chuckle she couldn't ignore.“I do?And why is that?”
Ava lifted her chin, trying to keep some semblance of authority.“You think I’m being silly, but if I’m going to nurse a baby, you need skin in the game too.So, yeah, you get to change the diapers.”
Luca paused, an exaggerated frown forming on his lips.“Can’t I just hire a nanny to do that for us?”
“No,” Ava replied, her hand slicing through the air as if she were cutting through his nonsense.“Nursing is natural and healthy for the baby.But it’s sometimes painful and takes a great deal of time and effort,” she continued, unaware of how intensely her chin trembled with her convictions.“I don’t want to be the sole provider of care for our children.”
“Our children will never want for anything,” Luca said, looking at her with what she thought was reassurance.
“You’re thinking of financial needs, Luca,” she shot back, stepping forward as if trying to physically push her point across.“But babies, children—they need more than just someone to pay the bills.They need someone to hold them when they’re sad, someone to laugh with them, and cheer them on at choir performances.They need someone to be there for them when they’re upset, someone to come to when the world is too much.”
She swallowed past the rising lump in her throat.“If you aren’t willing to do that, if you’re not there, every single time, for your child, they won’t—” she paused, taking a deep breath, “They won’t trust you when something’s wrong.They won’t come to you when they’re hurting.They won’t trust you with the tough stuff.”
Her voice wavered a bit, but she pushed on.“Kids need so much more than just money.You have to promise that...that...that you’ll hug them, and talk to them, not just be controlling about what they eat.You’ll help them with their math homework, and not make them feel like idiots because they don’t understand algebra or ridicule them if they don’t memorize the chemistry chart fast enough.”
There was a long, poignant silence.Ava kept her gaze fixed on his hands, unwilling to look up.She was afraid of what she might see.But the silence stretched on, with no movement, no laughter, no teasing remark.Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Ava lifted her eyes to find Luca watching her with a different expression—understanding, compassion.
“I guarantee that I will hug our children until they get annoyed and push me away.I will be at every soccer game, every choir recital, every piano performance.”Sincerity rang through every word.
Ava nodded.“Okay,” she whispered back, then bit her lips to stop herself from saying more.Something humiliating like, “I could use a hug right now.”It was true, but she couldn’t ask him for that.She would look silly and needy.
“Anything else?”he asked.
“A puppy!”The words came out before she could think better of them.Ava froze, surprised by her own outburst.Where had that thought come from?She hadn't even realized she’d been thinking about it.
“A puppy,” Luca repeated curiously.“That can be arranged.Any specific kind of puppy?”He tilted his head, as though the request had been just as unexpected for him.
