Page 76 of Fielder's Choice

“Of course, sweet girl.” I grab my phone and pull up the camera, switching it to front-facing.

Sage looks at herself on the phone screen, a smile lighting up her face. “I pwetty!”

“You aresopretty, Sage!”

“Owive and Ann Ewwa pwetty, too.”

Ella and I collectively melt. “We’re not as pretty as you, Sage,” Ella states, bopping Sage’s nose, and she breaks into a fit of giggles before sliding off my lap and returning to her chair. Now, Ella stares right at me.

“What?” I ask.

“You’re incredible with her, you know.”

“I love kids,” I smile. “I always have.”

“Do you want kids of your own one day?”

I can’t control the pang in my chest. “I’d love to, but I can’t,” I say quietly. “I, uh… can’t have kids.”

Ella gasps. “Oh, I’m so sorry for asking, Liv! I had no idea.”

“No, it’s okay. You didn’t know. What about you, though?”

“I’m not answering that now!” she says emphatically. “I’d sound like a b-... witch.”

I chuckle. “It’s okay, really. Just because I can’t have my own doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear what you dream of.”

She smiles softly. “Then yes, I want kids. So does Josh.”

“When do you think you’ll have kids?”

Her smile is brighter now. “As soon as he’s ready. I’d have them now if he wanted to.”

“Oh my goodness!” I exclaim. “You’d probably be the cutest pregnant lady ever.”

Ella laughs heartily. “Thanks, Liv.” Her face turns more serious. “Did you tell Lane about… that?”

“Yeah,” I sigh. “We talked about it last night. He knows that I can’t.”

“And since he’s Lane and like the sweetest guy ever, he doesn’t care at all, does he?” she laughs.

“He doesn’t,” I smile. “He’s a pretty great… friend,” I say, remembering that Sage is sitting beside us.

“Daddy best!” Sage smiles.

“Your daddyisthe best, sweet girl! He’s so nice.” I pinch her cheek, and she giggles loudly.

“Ballerina,” I hear Lane gasp from the doorway, his voice nothing but dramatic. “Are you torturing my daughter?”

My hand to my heart, I scoff. “My word, I’d never do such a thing.”

Lane and I are both laughing as he and Josh come back into the room, carrying sandwiches for all of us.

The tender look in his eyes, when they catch mine, lets me know he saw at least some of that talk with Sage. And I hope he knows it was honest.

Lane is the best of the best, and I’m so fortunate that he’s focusing his attention on me.

I flop onto my bed, irritated and annoyed.

---