Page 151 of Heart Strings & Hotlines
“Time. Expansion. Bake.” He says it as though he’s reading a checklist, and I know him well enough to know that’s exactly what he’s doing. “That sounds fair. By my calculations, we can get pregnant in sixteen months. That gives us time to work the expansion, and it gives you time to grow the baby.”
“Baby-making isn’t an exact science.”
He shakes his head with his brows pinched. “Fucking flawed humans messing with my algorithms again.”
“Perfectly flawed, and admit it. You wouldn’t have us any other way.”
His frown slips from his face. “No, Charlotte. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Lottie.” Kara bangs on our bedroom door.
“I am never going to get used to that,” he grumbles.
“Well, sorry to burst your bubble, buddy, but babies are way more likely to interrupt sexy time than a thirteen-year-old.”
He stutter-steps over the threshold of the closet. “Maybe baby-making can commence in twenty-four months, then. I’m not nearly ready to cut any time with you short.”
I throw my head back and laugh.
This infuriatingly sexy man still believes he controls the universe.
And sometimes, I just might let him.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE
THANE
“Why are you running?”Charlotte asks, tugging on my hand so I’ll slow my stride.
I’m so antsy, I’m about to jump right out of my skin.
“We’re not due in court for another forty-five minutes, Thane. We have time.”
“Yeah, Brad. Chill, man.” Kara shakes her head in what she calls her “duh” expression.
It’s even more annoying today than the day she explained it to me.
I study Charlotte’s feet as we walk and attempt to keep to her pace, but I’m nervous. Scared even.
What if this all goes sideways?
We arrive at the courthouse on Center Street, and I focus on the breathing techniques my therapist taught me. Originally, I hated the guy, but he’s slowly beginning to grow on me. And he doesn’t kick Hercules out of the sessions, so that helps.
Slowly, we climb the steps until we reach the platform, where people scuttle about all around us.
Charlotte squeezes my hand with hers, then she must do the same to Kara’s with her other hand because Kara drops her gaze, and her dimples appear.
When Kara’s ready, she turns to me for her cue, which I give with the slightest nod of my head.
“Lottie.” Kara tugs on her arm, forcing my fiancée to turn toward her, and I release Charlotte’s hand. Tears form in the corner of my sister’s eyes, and I stare at the cement steps so I don’t fuck everything up. “I’ve never really had a mom, and I was sure I didn’t need one. I got myself ready for the sixth-grade dance all by myself. I’ve signed my own permission slips for health class.”
Jesus, kid. You’re killing me over here.
“I’ve made excuses for mother-daughter days at school and thrown away father-daughter dance invitations. I’d make Mother’s Day gifts and then give them to the school nurse.”
“Kara.” Charlotte isn’t facing me, but I somehow know she’s crying.
“But then…” Kara hiccups, and I bite back a curse. “Then you took me to get my nails done for the first day of school. You took me shopping to get an outfit for a birthday party I really wanted to go to. You showed up for a parent-teacher conference. No one has ever shown up at a parent-teacher conference for me, ever. But you did.”
