Page 41 of The Vow

“Nope. For whatever reason, I don’t grow hair on my legs.”

“Wow. I wouldn’t advertise that. Other women would be jealous. I’ll see you later?”

Alex turned off the faucet and wiped her hands with a paper towel. Even inside, she sometimes wore a crocheted hat that made her look boho chic. “Where are you going?”

“The gym. I spoke to Cable while you were in the shower. There’s something he wants to talk to me about.”

“He couldn’t talk to you over the phone? He does know that’s why it was invented, right?”

Alex has been having frequent nightmares, causing her to lose sleep. I’ve noticed that anxiety often rears its ugly head, and to tame it, she’s been drinking practically every night. She admitted that she feels safer when we’re together, and while I didn’t want to leave her, I had to.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Sorry. I’m just tired.”

She walked over to the couch and sat down with her head in her hands, and I knew immediately that I never wanted to see her that way again. Whatever she needed, I would move mountains to provide.

“I’ve never asked you something, and it’s important.”

“What is it? You know you can ask me anything.” Sitting next to her, I rubbed her back.

“Do you want kids?”

She was reading my mind. I had been thinking about what she admitted to my mother and about how hard it must have been to lose her baby, but sometimes, we leave the important things unsaid because we don’t want the bubble to burst. “Alex, look at me. The short answer is no.”

Sitting up, she whipped her head towards me. “No?”

“My family might disown me, but no. I didn’t grow up with a father. I wouldn’t know how to be one. I always pictured myself in Cable’s shoes mentoring others, and to be honest, helping young boxers get ahead in their career would make me happy.”

“You’re... you’re not just saying that because of me?”

“I am saying that because of you.”

“I don’t understand,” she said, playing with her hair.

“What I’m trying to tell you, baby, is that you’re all that matters to me. I love us. If you did want kids, I would love them too, but you’re all that I need. All that I ever wanted. Does that make sense?”

“Yes, it does. Jesus, I never thought that walking into Nicky’s that day, that I’d find someone as incredible as you. Even if I did think you were a lunatic.”

“A what?”

“You know what I mean... Fairy Godfather. But I... I love us too.”

We kissed in that gentle, captivating way that fuses two souls into one. “What’s this, by way?” I asked, touching the scar on her forehead. “Another U.P.W.?”

“I don’t have that many funny stories. It happened during birth. Apparently, I almost didn’t make it into this world.”

“Thank God you did. I have to get some training in too, but I promise I’ll be home for dinner.”

“You better be. I’ll try to work on the book.”

“How’s that going?”

“Not bad. The job has its perks.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. I get to sleep with my boss. Speaking of which, who was she?”