Page 88 of Stone Vows

Maybe the kind of mother who wants her child to see what real men are. What real love is.

And maybe, just maybe, some risks are worth taking.

Chapter Forty

Caden and Kyle are setting up Ellie’s crib in Kyle’s spare room. The futon is still in there, but they had to move a desk and a chair into Kyle’s bedroom to make room. I’m busy feeding Ellie her dinner at the kitchen table where her highchair now sits at one end.

I look around the apartment that is now riddled with our stuff, and I smile. His place looks better with Ellie’s things scattered about. It was too clean. Too clinical. But maybe that comes from his being a doctor.

I don’t know how long we’ll be here. But what I do know is that baseball season is about to be in full swing and Kyle doesn’t want me staying with Caden when he’s on the road so much. Plus, there is the whole Grant wanting to break his arms and legs thing.

That gives me about six months to get Kyle to come around. Seven if the Nighthawks make it all the way to the World Series.

I turn back to Ellie. “More?” I sign.

She opens her mouth big in answer.

“What was that you just did?” Kyle asks me, coming into the kitchen. “It looked like you were clapping with your fingertips. Is that the sign for ‘eat’?”

“No, that’s the sign for ‘more.’ The sign for ‘eat’ is this—” I bring my thumb and fingers together and make it look like I’m bringing food to my lips.

He copies my movements, doing both the signs for ‘more’ and ‘eat.’

Ellie squeals.

“I think she likes that,” I say. “She doesn’t see many people signing. And especially not words she knows.”

He smiles down on her, her chin orange from drooling carrots. Then he brings his thumb to his chin, doing the sign for ‘mother.’

“Mommy,” he says, signing again and then touching my shoulder. He does it three more times since he has Ellie’s undivided attention.

This man.Does he work hard to be this charming, or does it come naturally?

“Thank you,” I say. “Nobody has ever done that for her before. I’m the only one who ever signs to her.”

He looks at me in disbelief. “Not anymore,” he says. “I know I work a lot, but on my days off, I’d love for you to teach me.”

“You want to learn ASL?” I ask, surprised.

“Of course. It won’t really be fair to Ellie if you have to tell her everything I say, now will it?”

“Uh, no, but—”

“Good. Then it’s settled. I have a thirty-six-hour shift and then I have a night off on Tuesday. We’ll start then.”

The doorbell rings and ends our conversation. I’m teeming with excitement. He wants to learn sign language. He thinks we’ll be here long enough for him to need to communicate with her.

Caden comes out of the spare room—my room—and heads to the refrigerator to get a few beers. “The crib’s all done. Want a beer, Lexi?”

I haven’t had a lick of alcohol since the moment I found out I was pregnant. I look at Ellie and then over at Kyle.

“One beer is fine,” he says. “Doctor’s orders. You need to relax.”

“Okay,” I say, holding out my hand to accept it.

Kyle places a giant bag of Sal’s take-out on the table in front of me.

“Oh, my God. You remembered?” I ask, smiling from ear to ear.

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