Page 76 of Bastard
Home.
I was home.
It was never a place. And it didn’t matter who came or went. All that mattered was Jace. If we were happy and together, then we were home.
“Who do you think is running the house right now? Georgia or Nina?”
Jace laughed, settled me in closer. “It’s probably flowing back and forth depending on who has the upper hand at the moment.”
With such a huge part of my life focused on who my parents were, it was nice to only focus on being the parent. Nina was a challenge, but she was so much fun. Plus…she was the strangest combination of us. One minute I could hear myself and the next she was all Jace.
We spun—or rather Jace spun me. “I love you. I love Nina. I love our life, Sam.” He murmured against my ear. “Say you’re happy.”
“Oh, I’m incredibly happy.” I caught his gaze so he could see how much I meant it. “I’ve never asked for a perfect life and I don’t need one.”
He kissed me lightly on the lips, then rested his forehead against mine, tucking my hand against his chest and settling into a slow shuffle. “Good. Because I think I’m more than ready for some more chaos.”
What? I craned my neck to look up at him again.
He grinned from ear to ear. “I want another baby.”
I froze. “But…”
“I know we’ve never really talked about it, but I want to open the discussion now. I don’t expect you to have an answer.”
I remained dumbfounded. “But…we’re both only children.” Honestly? It never occurred to me that we might have another child.
Did I want another child?
I wasn’t so sure the world could handle another Nina.
“Just because we’re only kids doesn’t mean we have to only have one kid, too.” Suddenly I was falling as Jace dipped me low, ran his nose along mine and kissed me. “At least we can have fun pretending to try.”
We danced a little longer while I thought. And thought and thought and thought. “Why do you want another baby?”
Jace shrugged. “Why not? I’m ready for a dozen, if I’m really being honest. But that sounds like a lot. So maybe a handful? As many as we feel comfortable with?” The music ended but Jace held me to him. “Nina made me realize how fulfilling it can be to watch someone grow up without the shit. How they have personalities and ideas and talents that can flourish when no one is around to beat it out of them. I can’t wait to see who she becomes.”
“Even if she’s like Georgia?” I teased. Jace and Georgia had the sweetest friendship. He adored her.
“Especially if she’s like Georgia. But I suspect she’s more like you than you realize, Sam.”
I sniffled. Those were all very good reasons. “Well, I do really want to do the practicing part.” And…I suspected I probably wanted more kids too. After my brain caught up with my feelings.
Jace cupped my face in his hands in that way he tended to when his emotions were overflowing. “No rush, love. We’ve got the rest of our lives.”
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