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Chapter Twelve
Alex
Having Lexi in my arms was incredible. Yeah, sex was usually good no matter who it was with, but when you were with someone that could reach your very soul with a touch, it put it on another level. As I lay there after, I thought back on my time with Annie. Sex had been great with her, but I don’t even think that she had ever made me feel as complete as Lexi did. That was saying a lot since I had been very much in love with Annie.
When Lexi said she wasn’t on birth control, a small piece of me began to panic, but then immediately, the fear subsided. I had thought about it earlier on my way home from dropping off Nica. For the first time in ten years, I was ready to move forward. I was prepared to love again and have that family that I had always dreamed of.
I was in a good place in my life. I had a great job and didn’t have to travel like I used to. Yeah, there were times that I would have to go away, but that would only be for a couple weeks, not months at a time. Weeks I could do, but I no longer wanted to immerse myself in my career to block out everything else my life was missing. I saw a future here with Lexi, and I was determined enough to want to fight for that future.
“Did you name our children yet? Or do I get a say in that?”
She laughed, and I felt the tension ease in her body as she lay back down against me. “No, I didn’t name the pretend children.”
“Okay, well, I appreciate you letting me have some say in that. Personally, I like Edmond and Elouise.” She jerked her head off my shoulder, her lips twisted, her eyes wide, and I barked out a laugh. “What, you don’t like those?”
“Um, no.” She shook her head, her dark hair slipping over her shoulder, and I twirled a lock around my finger.
“Hey, those are exquisite and classic names.”
“So are Thomas and Anne, but I don’t like either of those names.”
I snickered. “Okay, then what names do you like?”
She stared at me for a moment. “Why are we even talking about this? It’s not like we have a child on the way.”
“We might. In fact, this very minute, you could have an egg being fertilized and a life beginning. I think we should be prepared.”
She chuckled as she cuddled beside me again. “Fine, I doubt it, but fine.” She sighed as her hand slipped slowly over my chest in a slow circle. “I guess I like the name Kari for a girl and Sylvester for a boy.”
It was my turn to laugh. “Sylvester? Would we call him Vestor or Sy?”
“That’s funny,” she said seriously and then snickered. “Okay, so not Sylvester, but what about Jack?”
“Jack,” I said the name out loud and let it echo inside my head for a moment. “Not one that I would have chosen, but I think I like it, and I do like Kari. That’s a good one.”
“Okay, what names would you suggest, other than Edmund and Elouise?”
“I always liked the name Reba, but I think I might like your idea of Kari better. If Veronica had been a boy, we were going to name him after my father, Joseph.”
“Is Veronica a family name?”
“Yes, Veronica is named after her two grandmothers. Annie’s mother’s middle name is Veronica, and my mother’s middle name is Marie.”
“Veronica Marie, that’s very pretty, and a nice way to pay homage to your family.”
“Yes, very much so. Are you named after anyone?”
“Me? No. My parents are Donna and Brad, and they just picked my name out of a hat.”
“A hat?” I chuckled.
“Okay, a proverbial hat, not a real one. Or who knows, it could have been a hat with as flaky as my parents can sometimes be.”
“Ah, got it. Okay, so if we have a girl, it will definitely be Kari, but if we have a boy, it might be a toss-up between Jack or Joseph.”
“Joseph,” she said softly. “Joseph Bradley.”
I kissed the top of her head. “Joseph Bradley. I like that.” We grew quiet, and I wondered if she was kind of hoping that she was pregnant. I knew I was.
