Page 132 of Well Played

“Everything is going so perfectly. I sometimes worry it’s inevitable that something bad is going to happen. I think it might be my hormones. Every time you travel now, I’m anxious every second until you get home.”

I pulled back to examine her face. “How come you haven’t told me this before?”

“I guess I don’t want you to worry about me worrying.”

“You’re right. I don’t like to think that you’re nervous when I’m gone. But I guess it goes to show how much you love me.” I knelt down and kissed her stomach. “A part of my heart is in this body, you know.”

She ran her fingers through my hair. There was no better feeling than knowing I’d get to sleep next to her tonight. I lived for every moment spent with her at The Palm and longed for the day I could feel comfortable kissing my career goodbye in exchange for the freedom of being able to see my family whenever I damn well pleased. But I had a few more years left to bring home the bacon first.

I stood up. “You know what I think?”

“What?”

“I think some ice cream is in order to get you out of this anxious mood.”

She rubbed her belly. “I could go for that.”

Taking my hand, Presley followed me into the kitchen.

I called Alex down and served them both bowls of mint chip before scooping some out for myself. We ate together at the table while Alex told us about some of the things happening at school.

Then Fern waltzed into the kitchen.

“Want some ice cream, Fern?” I asked.

“No, thanks. Just lookin’ to make some tea. Got a bit of a sore throat.”

When she went over to the counter, she opened the cookie jar.

“Don’t open that!” Presley yelled.

“Why not?” she asked.

“That’s where we hid the piece of paper with the gender of our baby. We don’t want to look at it yet.”

Alex’s eyes widened. “What?”

Presley turned to him. “You’re not allowed to look in there either, Alex. Promise me.”

Rather than listen and immediately put it back, Fern peeked at the paper before folding it and returning it to the jar.Great.

“No worries.” She smiled. “Secret’s safe with me.”

There was no chance of this being secret for the next five months if Big Mouth knew. But more than that, wouldIbe able to resist trying to get it out of her? Not knowing what we were having was killing me. Becoming a father was the most exciting thing to happen to me, and I was consumed by curiosity. I would love my kid no matter what, but Ireallywanted to know. I supposed if Fernaccidentallylet it slip, so be it. But I would never go against Presley’s wishes to find out.

“The baby is going to be my crother or cister,” Alex said with a mouth full of ice cream.

Presley squinted. “Huh?”

“My cousinandmy brother or sister.Crother or cister.”

Damn. Thanks to his uncle boinking his mother, that was true.Poor kid.

“I get it now,” I said. “Crother or cister like cruncle—crappy uncle.” I chuckled.

Alex laughed. “Cruncle used to stand for crappy uncle. Now, it’s cuncle—cool uncle.”

“Nice! I’ve been upgraded. Thanks, buddy.”

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