ANNIE

“Mommy, Lucy is so cute,” Matty said.

He was in the backseat of the car, a shoeless Spiderman in his hand. We’d just come from having lunch at the Sip N’ Serv with Cam and Taylor Wilder, plus their new baby, Lucy. She’d been so good, resting on Cam’s shoulder, sound asleep the entire meal.

“I want one,” he added.

I frowned and turned to look at him. He was in his booster behind Cody’s seat. “One what?”

“Baby. I want a baby.”

Cody turned his head to look at me and I flicked my gaze to his.

Our eyes held and silently said, BABY?

We hadn’t talked about babies, but we hadn’t not talked about them either. Before Cody, I hadn’t considered any more children.

Now, though? The idea of making a baby with Cody, of having a slew of children felt right. Especially seeing Lucy. I’d forgotten Matty had ever been that small.

“We can’t just pick one up from the store,” I told him.

“They come from Mommy’s tummies!” He kicked his little feet.

“They do.”

“Pull a baby from your tummy!”

I couldn’t help but laugh and Cody took his eyes off the road long enough to grin.

“Would you want a little brother or little sister?” Cody asked, looking at Matty through the rearview mirror.

“Sister. Just like Lucy.”

Like any two-year-old, his mind switched to another topic, which had something to do with Spiderman because he had him raised in front of his face and was talking to him.

I faced forward and watched the miles go by on our way back to the house.

“I can put that baby in your tummy if you want,” Cody said.

My head whipped his way.

“You want one?”

“Of course. I want a Wilder sized family.”

I laughed. “I am not having nine babies.”

“We can start with one more and go from there,” he clarified.

I thought, but for too long. “Okay.”

I watched his fingers go white on the steering wheel as he sped up. “Okay. We’ll get on that right away.”

I laughed some more. “Slow your roll, mayor. We at least have to wait until nap time.”

He slowed, but his heated gaze he turned to me showed he was prepared and ready to start making that baby.

“Nap time. Then you’re mine.”

I nodded. “Nap time.”