Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 56885 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56885 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
“How is it testing with focus groups?” Xavier, a potential investor with a heavy LA accent, asks.
“Excellently,” I say, struggling to do it all like my woman can. I sound far more loving and human when I’m in her presence. Considering how cold I could be before, maybe that isn’t such a bad thing. “People love the pairing feature, which was spearheaded by my partner.”
Partner has a true do-it-all meaning for the mother of my child. She’s my wife, my parenting partner, and more recently, she’s taken on an active role in meetings and the business.
She kisses Joy’s head, then smiles at me.
“I’ve heard about this,” Xavier says. “In fact, Piper, I read your article recently. You talked about how the pairing feature helped you and Logan in the early stages of your relationship.”
“It helped her to save my ass, too,” I say with a gruff laugh.
Piper playfully pouts at me when I use the word ‘ass’ in front of our baby. I grin, quickly typing on my phone.
Logan: Relax, she won’t understand.
“I heard about that too,” Xavier says, chuckling.
Holding Joy to her chest with one arm, Piper quickly types out a message on her phone. I grin when I read her reply.
Piper: Whatever you say, but I’m blaming you when her first word is ‘ass.’
Piper passes Joy to me. I cradle my daughter to my chest, holding her gently and rocking her from side to side. She looks up at me with her cute, pink face, her blue eyes full of wonder and excitement for the future. Everyone says she has my eyes, but I see pure Piper when I look at her.
“The point is this, Xavier,” Piper says, leaning over the desk, looking even curvier with some pregnancy weight still on her perfect body, her fierceness marked with maternal nature that makes her look even more impressive, even more ready to progress and flourish, “if you partner with us, you’ll do a rare thing, something people normally only get to dream about. You’ll make money and make people’s lives better.”
I whisper to Joy, “Isn’t Mommy the most kickass woman ever?”
Piper quickly types out another message.
Piper: I’m serious. I’m blaming you for any ‘ass’ fiascos.
After a pause, Xavier says, “I’m in.”
I walk around the desk, wrapping one arm around my wife with our baby still cradled close.
“This proves it,” I say softly. “Business. Marriage. Parenthood. We can do…”
“It…” She leans forward, kissing me.
“All,” I murmur between kisses.
EPILOGUE
PIPER
Eight Years Later
“Ithink you should make a coloring app for kids,” Joy says enthusiastically, with a big smile.
I write it on the whiteboard, smiling when Logan walks into the bedroom, cradling Carter, the newest addition to our family, to his chest.
“And, and, a comic book one,” Sebastian says, grinning with his cute, gapped smile. “That’s good, yeah, Daddy?”
“Did you see my coloring idea, Daddy?” Joy says.
I adore how the children look up to their father, the love on their faces, and the eagerness for approval. I adore even more how Logan is always there to give that approval.
“Both sound amazing,” he says, sitting on the floor next to them.
And I adore how the older children lean over to kiss their new brother on his little sleeping head.
“Do you have any ideas, Daddy?” Joy asks.
“Yay, Daddy ideas!” Seb says, clapping his hands together in excitement.
“Sure, how about a special app that lets Daddies spend all their time with their children, never go to work, get to finish all the ice cream, oh, and get all the time he wants with Mommy? Sound good?”
The kids giggle, their eyes alight with pure happiness.
“I’m not sure all that will fit on the whiteboard,” I say.
“That’s because Daddy’s idea is silly,” Seb teases, poking him playfully.
“Daddy likes being silly.”
We all laugh as Logan makes faces, sticking his tongue out, rolling his eyes, and looking like the biggest doofus in the world. I almost cry from the sheer happiness we have forged together.
After the idea session, Logan puts Carter down. We each give him a kiss, and then I prepare dinner.
“What are you thinking?” Logan asks me, leaning against the counter as Seb and Joy play in the yard.