Page 245 of Where We Stay

I laugh. Bless her.

“Not exactly, sunflower.” I smooth down her hair. “How would you feel about having a little brother or sister?”

She frowns, and for a second, I worry she might be upset.

“It would be nice to have someone to play with,” she eventually decides.

Dean smiles. “Well, that’s good news.”

“Why?”

“Because your dad and I are having a baby,” I tell her.

Aspen’s eyes widen. “Really?”

“Yep. Really,” Dean confirms.

She shoots to her knees on the couch, nearly spilling my hot chocolate. “This is amazing! Can we name it Shelly?”

Dean and I both burst out laughing because, honestly, that might be the most six-year-old response possible.

“I think we have some time to decide on a name,” I tell her.

“How long?”

“About eight months.”

Her excitement immediately disappears. “That’s forever.”

“It’ll go quicker than you think, baby girl,” Dean assures her.

Dean takes Aspen’s hands and waits until she looks at him. “You have to promise us something, though. G already knows, but we’re not ready for anyone else to find out yet. This is really important.”

“Okay, Daddy. I promise.”

“You cannot tell Nana.”

“Okay.”

“Or Rory.”

“Okay.”

“Or Logan, Knox or Mal.”

Aspen’s brows pull together. “That’s a lot of people I can’t tell.”

“It’s everyone, sunflower,” I explain. “You can’t tell anyone yet.”

“What about Annie? She’s really good at keeping secrets.”

“No,” Dean and I say at the same time.

Aspen sighs dramatically. “Fine. I won’t tell anyone.”

Dean catches my eye over the top of her head.

That secret doesn’t stand a fucking chance.