Page 125
I tap his nose. “Absolutely.” Smiling, I watch him. “So you don’t like kids?”
He closes his eyes with a groan and snuggles up to me. “I didn’t say that. But not right now. I need some peace and quiet.”
That wasn’t actually what I meant. “Sure. And in general?”
He opens one eyelid. “Are you asking me if we want kids?”
I raise my good hand defensively. “That’s one thing. But that means you have to want kids, too.”
“Do you want any?” he asks in return.
“Maybe. I don’t want kids just for the sake of having them. If I do, I’d want them with a partner.”
He nods. “To be honest, I’ve never really allowed myself to ask that question. It’s always been hockey and whether I’d ever come out. And as you said, only with a partner. I don’t know. Right now, I’m too overwhelmed to have a clear answer. Once I am secure enough in myself, yes. Right now, it’d be too much for me. Is that answer okay?”
I run my fingers through his hair with a firm grip. “Any answer is okay. I never really thought about it myself. Not until Grady told me Bailey was pregnant.”
Evan peers at me thoughtfully. “You’d be a great dad.”
“So would you,” I murmur. “But right now I need to figure out what I want to do with work. What’s next for me.”
“I think the most sensible thing is for you to move in here for now. Save on costs.” He grins widely at me.
“Hmm.” Butterflies flutter in my stomach. It’s way too early to move in. On the other hand, I’m here all the time, anyway. “Maybe.”
He nods contentedly.
“If I do go into business for myself, I’ll have a lot of expenses to cover.”
Evan stretches. “How lucky that you have a financially well-off partner who’d love nothing more than to become a business partner in your company.”
“We’ll talk about that again when we can think more clearly,” I reply. The last thing I should do is make myself completely dependent on Evan.
“And Grady isn’t an option?”
Thoughtfully, I run my fingers through his hair. “After Simon, I’m not sure if I want a boss again. It might sound strange, and Grady and Simon are so different. But everyone has their own ideas about what kind of clients they prefer and how they want to run things. I think that going forward, I need to decide those things for myself. I want to stand behind everything I put out there one thousand percent.”
Evan nods. “That suits you. And I know you can do it. Most of all, I wish that for you. You have such wonderful ideas and values, having to bend them for someone like Simon would be wrong.”
“Thanks. That means a lot to me.” I kiss him gently. “But let’s talk about something else now. Today we’re celebrating your victory.”
He opens his eyes wide. “Oh, really? Are we going to do that?”
I nod. “Yes. I’ll grant you any wish.”
“Just one?” He sizes me up.
“Does that beard have to come off?” I ask, running my fingers through it.
Evan shrugs. “Yeah. Does it bother you?”
“No, not at all. I’m just curious.”
He pushes himself up again and leans over me. “Alright. I’ll show you how a champion spends his day.”
“Oh. Are there specific rules for that?”
Shaking his head, he kisses the corner of my mouth and my cheek. “We’ll make them up as we go along.”
