Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27565 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 138(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27565 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 138(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
“I know how far-fetched this sounds given that postpartum depression is almost uniformly confined to new mothers. In fact, ninety-nine percent of cases affect women, and the depression can even deepen into a psychosis because postpartum women are undergoing vast hormonal changes during this time. But postpartum depression can affect men too, and after Ellie was born, I fell into a deep funk. I managed to go into work each day, but I was only about seventy-five percent present, and saw a therapist twice a week for a year. It was that serious. So when I discovered I was going to have a third child, I went a little crazy. But this is the good part, Avalon. The work I’ve done on myself these past couple years has taken hold, and I feel much more secure and confident. I know I can handle a third child, and in fact, I very much want this baby. With you as the mommy. If you’ll have me, that is.”
The gorgeous blonde is still staring at me, the vee of her robe a bit distracting seeing that there’s a dark shadow between those big breasts. But I force myself to stare at Avalon’s delicate features because I want this woman. I crave her, and need her in my life, and because of my stupid knee-jerk reaction, I may have lost her before we’ve even begun.
Desperate, I try again.
“I’m a coward,” I say in a low tone. “I’ve faced a lot of adversity in my life, but nothing has thrown me like fatherhood. I realize it’s not very masculine to admit, nor does it make me feel great about myself. But I’ve been working on my issues, and I can say wholeheartedly that I want this child, Avalon. I want you. I love you, and I’d like us to be a family together.”
The gorgeous girl’s lips are pursed together, her expression still skeptical, and my heart drops because I know Avalon’s going to turn me away. The idea of the breeding project, not to mention the fact that I do own an estate where my daughters live with their mothers, is too much to overcome. Any kind of victory now is too much to hope for.
But then tears begin to leak from Avalon’s eyes and immediately, I’m alarmed.
“What did I say wrong?” I ask in a desperate tone. “I know everything’s been wrong this week, and I’m so sorry—”
But I never get a chance to finish because Avalon’s thrown herself into my arms, her face buried against my shoulder.
“I thought you were manipulating us,” she sobs into my shirt. “I thought I was caught in some kind of sick-o sci-fi movie where I was being used for my womb, and I didn’t want that!”
I run one big hand down the narrowness of her spine, marveling at its steep, feminine curvature.
“No, never,” I breathe, holding the curvy girl close. “I would never use you for your womb, and in fact, it’s the opposite. I was deathly afraid of having a third child because of my past problems. But now that he or she is here, I want them,” I clarify forcefully, pulling away to stare into Avalon’s eyes. “I want to have this baby, and for us to raise him together as loving parents. I want us to live together, and you won’t need a fifteen million dollar payout because I’ll always take care of you. I mean, you can have the payout if you want, or even more money,” I add hastily. “I wasn’t trying to keep that from you.”
Now, Avalon’s a mixture of laughing and crying, her cheeks wet with either sadness or joy.
“No, it’s not the money,” she says. “Well, it is, but it was the thought that you didn’t feel anything for me. That I was just a cog in some grand scheme, and once I was impregnated, you let your lawyer deal with the messy parts. But that’s the thing because children and relationships are by nature messy, and you can’t lawyer up just to escape it. It requires you, Liam. Your presence, your buy-in, and your time. There’s no other way.”
“Of course,” I say fervently. “I absolutely agree, which is why I was so terrified to have a third child. I spend a lot of time with my two daughters already, and juggling two CEO positions on top of that drove me crazy. Something has to change,” I say in a deep voice, before gazing into Avalon’s eyes. “But we’ll figure that out later. For now, please just say that you forgive me, and that you want to be together. Again, none of this should have happened because I want this baby with you. I want us to be a family, and if you’ll have me, I swear to make your life sweet, Avalon—”