Page 46 of Finding Alexei
“Yay!” Ella cheers.
I chuckle, and even Ryleigh lets out a small, sad laugh.
Pregnancy suits her. She’s still petite and beautiful as ever, but with full breasts and a round tummy that even strangers can’t seem to help but reach out and touch. Of course, she’s more emotional than she’s ever been, which I’m still learning how to navigate.
“You okay?” I press my hand to her knee once again and give it a squeeze.
She gives me a brave nod, swallowing the lump in her throat. “I guess I have to be.” Leaning around the passenger seat, she looks back at Ella, reaching out to smooth her hair where it’s been so neatly braided. “Why did you have to grow up so fast, love?”
Ella giggles. “Because, Mommy! I’m a big girl.”
“I know you are. I’m so proud of you. Go have an amazing first day of kindergarten. We’ll pick you up at the end of the day.”
“Daddy too?”
Ryleigh nods. “Daddy too.”
“Listen to your teacher, okay?” I say, giving Ella our secret double wink. She repeats it back to me, rapidly blinking both eyes.
“I will, Daddy!”
Hearing her sweet voice call me daddy never gets old. I chuckle as she unbuckles her own seat belt and climbs out of the car with her brightly colored unicorn lunch box.
She looks so small following the teacher up the sidewalk and into the building. Fucking hell. Tears fill my eyes as I watch her walk away and a lump the size of Illinois lodges in my throat.
“See. Told ya this sucks,” Ryleigh says, wiping away the fresh tears that are falling from her eyes when she notices my watery eyes.
“Fucking sucks. Big time,” I say, putting the car into drive and pulling away reluctantly. “What time is school over?”
“Two o’clock.”
This is going to be the longest six hours of my life.
• • •
“Have you guys decided on a name yet?” my agent, Slate, asks, grabbing a bottle of water from the ice bucket on the counter.
It’s several nights later, and Ryleigh and I are hosting a small dinner party at our new-ish apartment in an exclusive gated neighborhood downtown. We decided we needed a little more space before the baby came. My old bachelor pad was fine for Ryleigh, Ella, and me, but that had ran its course.
Two months ago, we moved into this place, which is a few miles closer to Ella’s new school. We have a beautiful terrace overlooking the city and four thousand square feet, which is plenty big enough for all the baby dolls and Legos that currently decorate our space.
Tonight, we’re hosting a small dinner party for our close friends. Slate is here with this wife, Keaton, and their six-month-old son, Beckham. So are Weston and Jane and their twins—aka their hellions, who totally fucking take after Weston. Which sucks. For Jane. They just turned three, and yeah, I’m surprised they haven’t started a fire or killed each other by now. After being around them, I wouldn’t wish twins on my worst enemy. Beau and Bennett are fair-haired like Jane but built like Weston—bulky and too tall for their age, and extremely physical.
The only people missing from the party are our good friends Cam and Natalie. They are in Hawaii for a destination wedding for their friends Jack and Meredith, but it’s probably just as well. They are our only friends without kids, and being around all this chaos might deter them from procreating. But ever since they got married last year, all they’ve talked about is babies, so I know it’s not far off for them.
Realizing that Slate is still waiting for my reply, I shake my head. “We’re still figuring that out. We have a list.”
Slate chuckles. “Oh, I remember the list.”
Keaton elbows him. “You loved my list.”
Slate gives her a crooked grin. “You mean your spreadsheet with the color-coded tabs.”
Keaton, his wife and more analytical half, chuckles. “Yes. That. It was genius.”
“That it was,” Slate says.
“Our list is a little less sophisticated. It’s on an old takeout napkin taped to the side of the fridge.”
Ryleigh’s eyes meet mine, and her hand rests on her stomach. “We’ll figure it out. We have time.”
Jane nods and leads Ryleigh into the living room toward the couch. “You have plenty of time. We didn’t name the twins until they were three days old.”
After I check on the meal, I join the gang in the living room and settle on the couch beside Ryleigh.
Ella, the only little girl amongst the little kids, clearly rules the roost. They’re playing babies. Beau and Bennett each hold a naked baby doll in their lap as Ella gives them instructions on how to diaper them. I grin as I watch. Beside me, Weston frowns.
“Might need to get them some baby dolls,” I say.
Weston shrugs. “Jane already has. Something about gender-neutral toys.”
