Page 41 of A Bossy Surprise

When I start to feel myself thicken in my pants, I join her just to give myself something else to think about.

“Hey Kayla. I’ve been thinking, can Brady spend the night with me sometime?”

She stops with her arms filled with stuffed toys, Tonka trucks, and plastic handcuffs. I can tell I’ve caught her off guard by how stiff she’s gotten.

She looks to the ceiling and bites her lip in thought. “I can’t think of a reason why not.”

I chuckle. “And I’m sure you’re racking your brain right now for one.”

She laughs. “I’m sure Brady would love it.”

“Cool.”

“But first I’ll have to see where you live to make sure he will be safe there.”

I smile. “Of course…”

We go back to tidying, and after another moment, I say, “Also, I’ve been thinking about custody.”

If I thought she had been rigid before, she’s practically turned to stone at my words.

“Excuse me?”

“Well, I am his father. I have rights. I think it would be wise to iron out the details of what that means legally now when we don’t have to. Instead of waiting for when there is an issue.”

“What kind of issue are you foreseeing?” she asks, her eyes narrowed.

I shrug. “I don’t know. What if you want to move to Paris and take Brady with you?”

“That’s ludicrous. Why would I want to move to Paris?”

“I’m just saying, if a situation like that arises, it would be good if we both knew where we stood legally.”

“I really don’t think that’s necessary.”

“Well, I think it is. There are some things that I would like to happen that I think should be hammered out in writing.”

Her brow tenses. “Like what?”

“Like, maybe Brady can take my last name?”

Kayla’s arms fall to her sides and the toys she was holding crash to the ground.

Noodle jolts awake from his peaceful slumber on the couch.

“Absolutely not,” Kayla says as she walks into the kitchen.

I follow. “I’m not saying he must take my last name. I’m just saying there should be a conversation about it.”

She spins around and faces me head on. “Why? There’s no need for it, plus it would just confuse him.”

“No it won’t. He’s a smart boy. I’m not going to lie and say that part of my motivations for wanting my son to have my last name aren’t selfish, but I also want that for him because my family name opens doors. It would be to his benefit to be a Grant in the long run.”

“Be that as it may, the answer is still no.”

I step up to her. “Why are you so against even discussing this?”

“Because…” she says with her chin in the air as she stares up at me.