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“You know who you’d like to be our donor, don’t you?”

“I’m open to possibilities,” Riley replied. “We have close friends who’ve offered to help us. We don’t have to accept any of their offers. We can choose an anonymous donor.”

“Is that what you want?”

“It isn’t aboutme,” Riley said. “It’s about whatwedecide is best for our family—for all of us. That means Owen and any children we add to the equation. And that’s why I’m uncomfortable with Dean’s offer. It isn’t about me. I know you. You worry that if we don’t start now, it will slip away—we’ll slip away.”

“That’s not true.”

“No?” Riley challenged Fallon.

“No,” Fallon said. “That might have been true in the past. I’m not worried that we’ll fall apart. That’s not why I wanted to build the new house, and it isn’t the reason I want to start working on expanding our family.”

“Go on.”

“Itisabout Owen and any child we add. I love Dean, but the six years between us sometimes felt like six decades. I wouldn’t want Owen to be more than six years older than his sibling—not if we can help it. He’ll be four in a few months. Dave and Becky are expecting their baby in the summer. Marge is due any minute. We both know Carol and Charlie are hoping they’ll benext. Beth has Hope. I love the idea that our kids can grow up together.”

“I understand,” Riley said. “And I agree.”

“You do?”

“Of course I do. I also know that can’t be a reason to rush. Just listen. If Carol had her way, she’d already be a mom. Sometimes, it takes time. And it may take us some time, no matter what we decide or when we start.”

“Then why do you want to wait?”

“I asked you to listen,” Riley said.

“I’m sorry.”

“This is one choice I don’t want to make under pressure—any pressure. I want this to be a happy time for us—something we both look forward to pursuing.”

“I hear you,” Fallon replied. “You told me when we first talked about this that it wasn’t too soon for you.”

“The idea of having a baby with you doesn’t feel too soon,” Riley said. “But we aren’t conceiving the old-fashioned way. There are lifelong implications to the choice we make abouthowto grow our family.”

“Understood.”

“But?” Riley asked.

“No buts. I don’t want to use an anonymous donor,” Fallon said. “No matter how much our children love us, I think our kids will have questions one day. I want to be able to tell them who helped bring them into our lives. But I also agree, I don’t want that person to play the role of a third parent. As much as I love Dale, I don’t think I’d feel right accepting his offer.”

“I can understand that.”

“And Pete? Well, I don’t know, Riley. Pete is great. I think it would be hard for him to watch a baby grow up knowing it was his. Do you know what I mean?”

“Yes. I do.”

Fallon took a deep breath. “Jacob told me that as much as he loves kids, he doesn’t see himself as a father.”

“But you think he’s likely to change his mind,” Riley guessed.

“Actually, I don’t.”

“But something holds you back where Jacob is concerned.”

“Riley, he’s Andi’s son. It’s a little weird for me. I’ve known Jacob since he was a baby. I taught him to ski and helped him with homework.”

“You think of him as a kid, not a man,” Riley said.