With a small flourish, he whips out a white box tied with a blue satin bow and steps to the bed. Kenny’s eyebrows rise. “What is it?”
“Open it,” Patrick says, grinning and moving behind me, putting his hands on both my shoulders.
We watch as Kenny pulls out the delicate golden necklace with a beautiful, heart-shaped emerald pendant. Tears are back in both our eyes as I hand Peanut to her and then fasten the gift around her neck.
“I love it!” Tears spill down her cheeks.
“Must be all the pregnancy hormones.” Patrick rubs the back of his neck.
“You did good,” I laugh, wrapping my arms around his waist and leaning my head on his shoulder.
A nurse enters with a clipboard, and Kenny looks up to me. “Would you take him?”
I step forward and lift his little body into my arms again unable to keep from smiling. Patrick comes behind me and puts his arms over mine, resting his chin on my shoulder. I kiss his cheek, noticing his expression has c
hanged. He is not smiling.
“What’s wrong?” A tinge of worry tightens in my stomach.
He lets out a little sigh. “It’s nothing. I guess I just… I didn’t think I’d like him so much. Seeing him like this, in your arms. I don’t want him to go away.”
I couldn’t have asked for a better opening. “How would you feel about us keeping him?”
His eyes flash to mine. “What about Aunt Laura—”
“I can explain it more later, but Kenny asked and well… I sort of already said we would.”
That gorgeous smile breaks across Patrick’s face just before he kisses me, smothering my delighted laugh.
A throat clearing softly then growing louder breaks us up. “Excuse me, guys?” We both turn to see Kenny squinting at us. “I’m all for the love, but I need to ask you about this.”
“What is it?” Patrick asks as we approach the bed.
“How would you feel about naming him Patrick Lane Knight?”
Tears and laughter seem to be the order of the day as we all agree. It’s perfect.
* * *
By unanimous decision, Lane spends the first several months with Kenny. He’s nursing, and she’s so in love with him. Even if it’s only temporary, and Patrick and I are dying to spoil him rotten, none of us can separate him from his mamma so soon.
Melissa is ecstatic that we’re keeping him. “Dex and Lane,” she announces over the phone. “Sounds like double trouble.”
“I can’t wait for you to see him.” I’m standing in the spare bedroom of our condo Patrick and I have transformed into a baby haven, complete with stuffed footballs, baseballs, giraffes, and all sorts of baby-boy toys. “He’s got bright blue eyes like Kenny, but everything else is pure Patrick.”
“I’m sure he’s gorgeous.”
I kiss her through the phone, ending our call.
“He’ll probably end up being an artist,” Patrick says, wrapping his arms around my waist as we survey the sports-themed baby room.
Placing my arms over his, I turn to kiss his cheek. “That would be amazing. The only thing that could possibly make you sexier is if you started painting.”
He smiles, rotating my body to face him. “Didn’t you see all the painting I was doing in here?”
I can’t help laughing, but Patrick covers my mouth with his, which leads to an intense make-out session and us back in our bed, rolling around, kissing and making cuddly love, as I call it now. Ever since we’ve become parents, our love-making had turned into as much touching each other and kissing and wonderment as anything. As if we’re suddenly aware what we’re doing could result in something as amazing as baby Lane. It’s only temporary. I know we’ll be back to situations possibly requiring bubblegum before long, but it’s very sweet.
Lying contented in Patrick’s arms, I run my finger down the line of his chest, kissing his skin and breathing in his warm, soap-laced guy-smell. “Everything’s changed,” I say, as he kisses the top of my head.