Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 48017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 240(@200wpm)___ 192(@250wpm)___ 160(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 240(@200wpm)___ 192(@250wpm)___ 160(@300wpm)
There are brides in this world as tall and as broad as I am, and the only way we can get an initial fit is to use yours truly.
Brett’s come and gone, taking at least a half dozen photos with his phone before heading back to the office.
No doubt it’ll be in a company memo by lunchtime. But that’s okay.
Whatever keeps them happy, I don’t mind having a laugh at my own expense either.
Not these days.
“Oowww!” I growl, grinding my jaw and tensing up, getting the pin cushion treatment quite by accident.
“I did warn you,” Ashlee says sternly, all business when she’s working.
No funny business when the pins are out, that’s for sure.
“Okay, you can hop down now, but let me…” she says swiftly, gently easing the huge garment off me, beckoning me to lean down so she can peck me on the lips.
“Thank you, darling. I don’t know what I’d do without you. A seven foot mannequin simply doesn’t exist.”
I have the thought, so I voice it.
“Why not have some made? Sell ‘em.”
She almost scoffs at first, but chewing her lip she takes her pencil from behind her ear and makes a note to herself.
Her little legal pad is filled with notes, ideas, and sketches.
And all of them turned into successful projects, either recently or will be at some point in the future.
The construction business is half in her name, along with Brett’d of course, but there’s been a welcome addition to the board of directors.
Maybe the youngest board member ever.
Little James Everett Silver.
Our son.
I still give my two cents worth on big issues, but Brett runs the company now. It’s in Ashlee’s name in case, god forbid, anything took me from my family before my time.
They’re all provided for, and their kids and grandkids too.
The family and security I never knew will be their birthright.
That’s just how I’ve set things up. It makes me smile to myself before I close my eyes to sleep every night.
Knowing everything and everyone I love is set for life.
“It’s your turn too, by the way,” Ashlee mumbles, her mouth still full of pins as she painstakingly stitches a tiny section of the gown I just tore.
I almost ask her, ‘turn for what?’ but I know better.
As if on cue, and like he knows well in advance, little James starts to holler.
Waking up from his morning nap after an up and down night with one very stubborn and very overdue tooth cutting through.
I go to him quickly, but Ashlee pipes in again.
“Hold on, hold on,” she says, smiling. Taking the pins out of her mouth and dashing over to take my hand.
“It’s never just your turn, darling,” she reminds me.
“It’s our turn,” I tell her back, finishing her thought as we reach down for our boy and lift him from his crib.
We both hold him, hold each other too, and in seconds he stops crying and blinks up at us both, his smile wide, showing us both the empty space where I can make out the faintest little line of white finally starting to show.
“Not long now little man,” I encourage him. Giving Ashlee a relieved look. Knowing how many sleepless nights this little tooth has cost all three of us.
She gives a little laugh. Almost ironically.
“Ha!” she exclaims and raises an eyebrow.
Taking James from me, she lifts his rear to her nose and nods with satisfaction.
“Still clean,” she observes, but I’m looking at her sidelong now.
I know her little laugh wasn’t just about James’ tooth.
Humming a little tune to our baby boy, she rocks her hips in time with the tune, making a face and blowing imaginary bubbles to him as his tiny hands reach out to grab them.
She’s so great with him, no matter what mood he’s in she can have him quiet or giggling with joy in minutes, no matter what or where.
I try to let it go, but there’s just something in the way Ashlee’s behaving.
Something I haven’t seen since—
“Ash?” I ask her, sounding more serious than I want to.
“Hmmm?” she asks, deliberately avoiding my eyes, focusing everything she’s got on little James.
“Ashlee Silver. What was that ‘ha’ for?” I demand from her, smiling this time as I watch her mouth form a line instead of a bubble blowing ‘O’ shape.
“Is daddy feeling cross because mommy has a secret?” she asks James in her best baby voice.
She still won’t look at me, and by now I’m not just wondering.
I need to know.
Stuff like this drives me nuts.
I’m the one who doles out surprises around here, and I’m not very good when the tables are turned.
“Ashlee…” I say again, trying to sound serious, but she’s just too good at it.
She’s got me, whatever it is.
I’m done. I give in.
“Little James is gonna have a baby brother and a baby sister,” she coos, babbling it again to our baby boy.