“December? Can you wait until December to get married?” Ari asked, moving to sit on me. She raised her eyebrows and smiled at me as she started to impatiently circle her hips on top of me.

“Well, I see there’s one thing you can’t wait for.”

***

We spent the rest of the morning making love and just talking in that stall. For the first time in months, I actually felt like we were on the right road to happiness. Ari was smiling, laughing, and talking about our future together, and I had never in my life felt so fucking happy as I did with her in that barn. I was getting my girl back.

Before we started to make our way back out into the rain to head up to the house, I found another blanket and wrapped it around Ari. Ellie was sure to be heading over to get Ari soon.

Ari stopped and reached out for my arm. I turned and looked at her. Her eyes were holding back tears. Fuck me.

“Can I ask you something?” she asked.

“Of course you can, baby always.”

“Can we try for another baby? I mean, I haven’t been taking my pills, and we just...well, I mean what just happened was so wonderful.”

I placed my hand on the side of her face and smiled at her. She was breathtaking; the sight of her standing in the rain, asking me if we could try for another baby, had me just about falling on my knees.

“I want nothing more than to have children with you, Ari. I’m ready, baby, whenever you are.”

She gave me that smile, and my heart dropped to my stomach.

“Do you want a boy or a girl?” she asked me with a wink.

“I want a healthy baby, but I won’t argue if that healthy baby happens to be a boy,” I said with a small laugh.

“I don’t care if we have a boy or a girl. I’m thankful that I’m not a carrier of the Fragile X gene, but I’ll love whatever God decides to give us. Earlier, Jeff, when you were talking about the baby, you said she’ll always be with us. Do you think it was a girl?”

“I don’t know. The moment I found out you were carrying our baby, even just for those few seconds, I that I was so happy. Something told me it was a girl. It’s stupid, I know. I guess I’ve just always thought of the baby as a girl.”

Ari smiled slightly and reached up to kiss me. When she pulled away, her smile grew.

“The second I found out I was pregnant, I knew it was a girl. I felt it.”

“Well, here’s hoping we both feel the next one is a boy. I seriously want him to kick ass on the football field.”

Ari laughed as we started to make our way to the house. When she turned and stared at me with that look, I knew what she was about to do.

She winked at me and started to run toward the house.

“Last one there has to muck out the stalls tomorrow!”

I smiled and took off after her while she laughed the whole way back to the house.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

ARI

I’d never felt so alive as I did right at this moment. Jeff’s touch alone seemed to snap me out of the funk I had been in for the last few months. After we were back in the house, we got into the shower, and he made love to me again. This was probably one of the best mornings of my life.

***

Looking myself in the mirror, I put my hand on my stomach. I smiled at the thought of Jeff referring to the baby as a girl. Our little girl was in heaven, and she would always being looking over us. She was our very own special angel. I knew that with all my heart.

“I will never forget you, baby girl…ever.”

I heard Jeff walk into the house, arguing with Ellie. Those two…I swear. Rolling my eyes, I reached for my sweater since there was a cold front moving in. I knew my ass would be buying one if I didn’t bring one.

I walked into the kitchen, and Ellie and Jeff were in such a deep conversation that they didn’t even see me standing there.

“She’s in rehab and asking to see us both. What was I supposed to say, Jefferson? Grace and Jack were standing right there when I got the call.”

“You should have told them to tell our mother to go to hell.”

“Believe me, I wanted nothing more than to say that, but instead, I said that I would talk to you about it.”

“I don’t care that she’s in rehab, Ells, or that part of her recovery process is to say she is sorry to us. She can fuck off for all I care.”

I cleared my throat so that they both knew I was there.

When Ellie turned to face me, the smile that played across her face spoke volumes. Well, holy hell, I must have a just-got-laid look on my face. She glanced back at Jeff and smiled even bigger at him.

“Do you still want to do a girls’ day? I packed my gym stuff, so we could hit Lifetime Fitness; I just want one good workout in a real gym!” Ellie said.

“Fuck yeah, I still want a girls’ day! I have my stuff packed, and I’m ready to go.”

I looked over at Jeff and gave him a wink. I was so happy to see that smile on his face. I knew he’d been so unhappy the last few months, and it was now going to be my goal to make him happy every damn day.

***

It had been so long since I’d laughed as much as I did on the drive into Austin. God, this feels good.

Ellie picked Magnolia Café for lunch. She talked me into getting a chicken salad sandwich on some wheat-ass looking bread. Ugh, healthy shit.

The waitress brought out our food and put my sandwich down in front of me.

I looked up at Ellie.

“Really? All I wanted was some mac and cheese today, Ellie.”

“Stop bitching. We’re going to the gym, and if you really want to get married in December, it’s time to start eating healthy.”

“What the fuck is this green shit in here?”

Ellie raised her eyebrow. “It’s spinach.”

“I can’t eat this shit.” I picked it off the sandwich and set it to the side.

“After this, we’re going to get ice cream.” I said before I took a bite of my sandwich.

“No way. No, I’m putting my foot down.”

“Stop being such a bitch to me, Ells. If I want ice cream on my girls’ day, I’m getting ice cream, damn it.”

***

After lunch, we got back into the car. Ellie looked at me and smiled. She reached over to hit play on her car stereo, and Christina Aguilera’s “Vanity” started.

We both looked at each other, and at the same time, we said, “Hells yeah!”

The moment Ellie pulled into Baskin-Robins I wanted to reach over and kiss her ass! Oh god. I wanted ice cream so damn bad. I practically jumped out of the car and ran into the place.

“Shit, Ari, it’s just ice cream. You act like you’ve never had it before.”

“Listen, bitch, I haven’t felt this good in months. If you’re draggin’ my ass to the gym, I’m gonna at least have something to celebrate that shit.”

Ellie hung up from talking to Gunner and raised her eyebrows at me.

“Holy hell, Ari, that’s the biggest sundae I’ve ever seen. You’re going to get sick.”

I just grinned at her and took a giant bite. I looked up and watched a girl walk in. She was covered in tattoos. I looked back at Ellie with a smile.

“Oh no! There’s no fucking way, Ari, I’m going to let you…or me…get a tattoo! No. Way.”

“Come on, Ells! I’ve been through hell the last few months. You know I’ve always wanted one. Please!”

“I’m not getting one. I’d get a nose piercing before I got a tattoo.”

I jumped up and walked over to the trash can.

“Come on, let’s get a fast workout in, and then let’s get some ink and get pierced!”

Ellie just looked at me. “Have you lost your damn mind?”

“Come on, Ells. You have the perfect nose for it.” Reaching for her hand, I pulled her and lead her out of Baskin-Robbins. “Think about what you want for a tattoo while you’re working out. I already know what I want.”

***

The whole time I was on the elliptical, I kept thinking about my morning with Jeff. I closed my eyes and could almost feel his lips on mine.