Page 153 of Renewal After Dark

“What’ll you tell him about his dad when he asks?”

“I haven’t really thought about that, but I suppose I’d tell him that his dad wasn’t available to us. I hope he doesn’t ask about that for a long time.”

“Maybe by the time he gets curious, he’ll have a dad who loves him and is there for him every day.”

“Wouldn’t that be something?”

“Sure would.”

“Is that what you want?”

“It’s funny… If you’d asked me a couple of months ago if I was jonesing for kids, I would’ve said not really. But now that I know him—and you—it doesn’t seem so out there anymore. I keep thinking about all the things I could teach him. Like how to ride the Harley and how I could give him his first tattoo.”

McKenzie gave him a withering look that made him laugh.

“What? I’d get him a helmet.”

“No Harley and no tattoos.”

“Looks like it’ll be me and you against Mommy, Jax.”

“I’ll put you both in time-out.”

“I love when you’re bossy with me, babe.”

“No tattoos, Duke. I mean it.”

“Not until he’s eighteen, of course.”

“Not even then!”

His bark of laughter startled Jax.

“Hush. The baby is trying to sleep.”

“Yes, ma’am.” His eyes sparkled with mischief. “I’ll hold off on the tattoos. For now, anyway.”

“I’d rather you teach him things like cross-stitching, cooking, gardening.”

“I’ll add them to the list.”

“And no Harley.”

“Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”

“Nonnegotiable. My son will not ride on motorcycles.”

“Said every mom everywhere. What else is a hard no?”

“Football.” She shuddered. “The head injuries are terrifying.”

“You can get head injuries playing any sport. Hell, you can get a head injury tripping down the stairs.”

“Don’t give me more things to worry about.” She adjusted her top and her sleeping son so she could carry him to bed. As she tucked him in, she thought about how she ought to bring the portable crib to Duke’s house since it seemed like they were spending more time there than at the apartment.

Everything was moving fast. Lightning speed, actually, but she couldn’t seem to bring herself to slow it down. She didn’t want to slow it down. She wanted to jump in with both feet to whatever this was and wallow in the nicest thing to ever happen to her. For a girl who’d been so badly burned in the past, alarm bells should’ve been sounding loudly. But there were no bells. Just lots of butterflies, excitement and anticipation.

She kissed Jax good night. “Mommy loves you to the moon and back.” After adjusting the bumper that Duke had made from a blanket to keep him on the bed, she tiptoed from the room.

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