Page 146 of Until I Find You

“And that doesn’t exclude multiples.”

“Don’t you dare even put that thought into the universe.”

He laughs.

“If you want to volunteer to carry them, be my guest.”

Jack twirls a finger through my hair. “You liked it up until the end there.”

“Yes, well, your daughter thought it’d be funny to stay an extra ten days past her welcome, not to mention the wholecoming out of mething.” Other than being overdue, pregnancy with Alanna was textbook and giving birth to her was smooth and normal, which is to say I was in labor for about twenty hours. “You’re such a…I don’t even know what the word is.”

“I’m kidding, baby girl. I’m kidding.” He touches my chin, tipping my face up toward his. “You want more, though, right?”

“Of course, I do, but I’m in no rush,” I say, elongating the “no”.

“Me either, just…” He leans in, lips hovering closer to mine, “…thinking about all the fun we can have if we’re actually trying and not just tripping into it.”

Jack drops a soft kiss on my mouth, leaving my face hot and my heart pumping.

“Why do you do things like this when I’m holding the baby? Why do you–”

“I like to fluster you.”

“Yeah, we know that.” I huff.

Jack chuckles.

I watch Alanna for a few more moments. “I think a few more things have to happen before we even consider another baby.”

“Like getting the business profitable?”

I scoff. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Like opening the Keiki in the Village?”

“Getting married, Jack. No more babies before that.”

Jack’s mouth tips up in a smile. “Noted.”

Noted.

This from the man who offered me marriage when I was five months pregnant. Is it really so far from his mind?

I try to ignore the sting.

It’s hard when I really thought a proposal would be coming on this trip.

Maybe next time.

“Where are we going?”

Jack doesn’t answer.

We took a different turn than we were supposed to if we were headed to the hotel.

“Jack…”

“Scenic route.”

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