Page 77 of Truth or More Truth
“And once Randall and Wendy move and then add another little person into the mix.”
I smile at the thought of my friends as soon-to-be parents. “They told you?”
“They did, and they said you knew, so I knew it was OK to mention it. I’m happy for them.”
“Me, too.”
I must sound a little wistful, because Bobby says, “I know we briefly discussed whether we each want future kids when we were in Arkansas, but can we do it again now that you know about Kelli? Does that change anything for you, if marriage could be in our future?”
“No. I’d still like a couple kids.” My mind flashes back to the image in my head when Diego mentioned me having Bobby’s babies, and I smile. “And based on my own experience as an only child, I’m thinking Kelli might not mind being a big sister.”
“She would love being a big sister more than anything other than maybe her mom being perfectly healthy and me being home every night. And I’m open to having more kids, though I’d prefer for it to happen in the next five years or so. I can’t imagine dealing with all the sleepless nights and diaper blowouts and chasing after a toddler and everything else that comes with parenting little people when I’m much older than that.”
“That makes sense.” I don’t mention it’s good to know he plans on being an involved parent if he has more kids. My dad wasn’t really part of my day-to-day life, which was common for men of his generation, but I’d like a more balanced parenting approach in my own marriage.
“Not that parenting is easy when you have a teenager,” he says with a chuckle. “In some ways it’s harder, but it’s not as physically taxing.”
thirty-two
. . .
I’m still amazed by how much I want to talk to Melissa. I’m not a big talker when I’m not working. And even for work, I only have the conversations I’m required to have. Diego is the only exception when it comes to people I interact with for work. And I guess indirectly Ash and Leslie as well, since they both also work for Diego in one way or another. But wanting to talk to a woman like this? A woman I’m interested in? It honestly hasn’t ever happened before. I do enjoy talking to Nanette, and I consider her one of my best friends, but I never had an overwhelming desire to constantly talk to her or be with her like I do with Melissa.
“So what’ve you been up to since you got back home from Arkansas?” I ask.
“You don’t want to hear about the trip home with Diego?” she teases. “Make sure he didn’t try to steal me away from you?”
“I have no doubt he’d have tried his best to flirt with you and maybe try to seduce you if the circumstances were different,” I admit, “but I already talked to him and he said he kept his hands to himself and was the perfect gentleman.”
“Well, I don’t know about perfect, but he was respectful for the most part.”
My eyebrows draw together. “But not for the whole part?” I practically growl. I might be needing to have a conversation with the man.
“Calm down, Bobby Joe. He just asked me some very personal questions when we played ‘Truth or Dare,’ but I shut him down.”
“How personal are we talking?” I demand, sitting up straight in my office chair.
“More personal than I wanted to get with him, but he did respect my choice to not respond.”
“Well, that’s good at least.” I’d still be having a chat with him about it, though.
“But enough about Diego. The trip was fine. Actually, it was fun, because how could it not be, considering the company? Since then I’ve mostly been working. I’ve seen Wendy and Randall a couple times, and tonight I went to my parents’ house for dinner. I go over there every Sunday evening. Once a month the Hamilton crew joins us, or we go over to Ruth’s. Well, I guess it’s not going to be just Ruth’s anymore, is it? That’s so weird they’ll all be practically living together. Good weird, mind you, but still weird.”
My chest tightens. “It’s also weird that my ex-wife lives in my backyard. Isthata good weird?” I’m honestly more worried about this being an issue for her than me having a teenager.
She hesitates the briefest of seconds, and my heart stops.
“Definitely good weird. It shows you’re a compassionate man, and it also tells me you want to be as close to your daughter as possible, even when she’s not living in your house.”
I blow out a long breath. “I appreciate you saying that.”
“I’m not just saying it. I mean it.”
“Thanks.”
“Anyway,” she says, “I’m not sure I’d want to be a newlywed and living with my in-laws, but to each their own, I guess.”
“It’s a giant house and large property, and I think it’ll work out OK for all of them.”
