Page 22 of Unexpectingly Happily Ever After

I exhale with a huff, and Lucy stirs. Her head is pillowed on my breasts, arms thrown out on either side of me.

″I can’t get up without waking her,” I whisper as Lucy’s breathing returns to sleep mode.

″I have to move Ben first. He’s down here.”

By craning my head around Lucy’s red curls, I see Ben’s head propped up against Lucy’s leg. “So cute.”

J.B. lifts him carefully into his arms. “I’ll be back for the next one.”

My arms instinctively encircle Lucy as I wait. My nights often end with the kids in front of the TV: a little downtime for all of us. It’s been a while since I’ve fallen asleep with them on the couch, though.

J.B. returns. “I put him in Sophie’s bed because she’s sleeping in his.” He lifts Lucy off me, who grabs at me as she’s airborne. “Daddy’s got you,” J.B. croons.

The girls share a room but more often than not, one of the girls will confiscate Ben’s room, making him sleep with his other sister. There’s never any fighting about it, and I think Ben likes the company.

I breathe deeply as her weight is lifted off me. There’s a wet spot on my chest from Lucy’s drool.

After turning off the TV and returning our empty popcorn bowl to the kitchen, I stop in the bathroom for a quick brush of my teeth before walking, zombie-like to our bedroom where J.B. is in the process of changing out of his work clothes.

My husband looks good in his slim-fitting pants that are just a little too tight around the bum, and a dark blue shirt and tie, but he looks even better when he’s out of them. He doesn’t work out as much as he used to, but weekly basketball games and bike riding with the kids, as well as being on his feet for long hours keeps him fit and trim and has delayed the inevitable middle-age paunch. I take a moment to appreciate the view.

Until he slips into a concert T-shirt long faded to gray and an old pair of boxer shorts with a rip along the seam.

Oh well.

″You looked cute on the couch like that,” J.B. says over his shoulder with an affectionate smile. “I hated to wake you.”

″I’m glad you did. That would have been a nasty way to wake up, with Lucy’s face right in mine.” I yawn without covering my mouth. “I need more sleep.”

″Case.”

His tone stops me as I’m about crawl into my side of the bed. “Do we have to do this now?”

″Do we have to what?” He sits down on the edge and I take the opportunity to slip underthe covers.

″Talk about the baby thing.” Because I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the possibility, and I’m not happy about it.

″How do you know that’s what I want to talk about?”

I only look at him.

″Maybe I wanted to talk about how I think you should go to Las Vegas.”

″You want me to go to Las Vegas?” I stare at him blankly until an image of Brit’s face pops into my mind. “Vegas. Brit. Party. Right.” My eyes close to half-mast as my head hits my memory foam cool comfort pillow. “Why would you want to talk about that? I’ve already told Brit I’m not going.”

″I think it would do you good to go with her. Besides, she’ll never forgive you if you miss it.”

″Sometimes I wonder if that’s a bad thing. No more Brit talking about herself.” I heave a sigh as I roll over to face J.B. Maybe I should try to keep my eyes open for this conversation, as short as it’s going to be.

″You’d have fun. And Morgan wants to go.”

That got my attention. “How do you know that?”

″She texted me tonight, wondering how she could convince you to go.”

″Morganwants to go to Las Vegas?” Fully awake now, I sit upright. “And leave Carson behind?”

″Being a mom is tough, especially if you’re doing it alone. Being a mom of three with a husband who’s never around is even harder. I think you both need a break.”

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