Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 31869 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31869 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, we’ve gone a year without using protection, and I’ve yet to get pregnant,” she answered, and her bottom lip quivered a little. “I even took a test the day before we came to the lake house, and it was negative.”
The day before we came to the lake house? I replayed the past week’s events in my head, and I had a feeling I knew exactly when that test had occurred.
“Did you happen to take this when I was busy at BAD?”
She nodded, and one tear slipped down her cheek.
Fuck. I hated that my wife was sad, but I really hated that she had been dealing with this on her own.
“You should have told me.”
“You were so busy and so stressed, I didn’t want to burden you further.”
“Winnie,” I said and pulled her into my arms. “You are never burdening me. I want to be there for you, always. Even if it doesn’t seem like the most opportune time, I don’t care. I’m your husband. I love you. You’re my top priority.”
“I guess you could say that I’m just a bit sad, but also confused, you know?” she said and leaned back to meet my eyes. “I’m so happy in our marriage, in our life. But I’m also worried that having a child of your own is something that’s important to you. And I’m not sure if I can give that to you,” she explained further. “Some days, I love the idea of having a baby with you, but there’re also days where I just really love our life the way it is. So…I don’t know… I’m just scared I’ll disappoint you. I’m—”
“Baby, you could never disappoint me,” I said and placed both of my hands on either side of her face. “You have given me everything. Your heart. Your support. Your love. Because of you, because of Lexi, I have a family.”
“But don’t you want to have a kid of your own?”
I didn’t even have to think twice about her question.
“Winnie, I just want you.” I smiled and caressed her cheeks with my fingers. “I want our life together. I want to be your husband, and I want to be a father to Lexi. That’s really and truly all I want. I don’t need anything else.”
She let out a shaky breath. “And you’re not just saying that because you don’t want to hurt my feelings?”
“I would never lie to you, Win. And when I say I don’t need anything else and that I just want you, I mean every fucking word.”
Instantly, a song from a playlist on my phone popped into my mind, and I couldn’t stop myself from snagging my device from the nightstand and standing to my feet.
“What are you doing?” Winnie asked, and I grinned down at her as I tapped on the screen to find the song.
“Killing two birds with one stone.”
“Huh?”
I smirked and gently pulled her off the bed. “I’m showing you exactly how I feel about you, while also making sure we leave this crazy Fourth of July experience with at least one good memory that doesn’t involve fires or unexpected visitors.”
When the opening beats of the song started to echo from my phone’s speaker, I wrapped my arms around Winnie’s waist and pulled her close to my chest.
“Dance with me, baby.”
The beat was sweet and lively but perfect for slow dancing with my wife.
Winnie gripped my shoulders as I moved us gently around the room, and when I started to sing the lyrics of Steven Tyler’s “Red, White, & You” into her ear, she giggled.
But also, when she pulled away and stared deep into my eyes, I didn’t miss the sweet emotion that slipped down her cheeks.
“I love you,” she whispered toward me, and I pressed my lips to hers.
“I love you too, Winnie. You’re all I want and need. Never forget that.”
With this gorgeous, perfect, amazing woman in my arms, I had everything I’d ever need.
Everything I’d ever wanted and then some.
She was my life, and nothing would ever change that.
Because of her, I had a family.
Because of her, I had the best wife and the most awesome kid.
I was an incredibly blessed man who wanted for nothing.
And I never would, more kids or not.
Two days of chaos and fun later, I stepped out onto the deck and looked up to see the stars and moon illuminated within the pitch-black sky. It was well after midnight, and almost everyone else in the house was asleep.
Well, everyone but me and Jude, apparently.
“What are you doing up?” my brother asked, glancing over his shoulder from his spot in one of the Adirondack deck chairs around the fire pit.
“A text message woke me up,” I answered and walked over to sit down in the chair beside his.
“A text message? At one in the morning?” he questioned with a raise of his brow. “Is there something you need to tell me, sis?”