Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
I shrug. “He has to start sometime.”
She shakes her head at me. AJ looks up at me happily. I take a seat on the floor and place the pads down beside me. AJ steps right between my legs to see what I’m up to.
“Okay, buddy. Put your fists up like this,” I tell him.
He mimics me and holds his hands up like I show him. I give him a smile and ruffle his hair before I pick up the pads. There are still a few months before his second birthday, but he’s already the size of a three-year-old.
I tap the pads together as I get them on. “Okay, now hit the pads,” I say.
He throws a wild punch at the pads. I chuckle. Not the greatest form, but I’ll get him there.
“Good job. Again.”
I let him throw a few more before I start to coach him into a stance and guide his punches. An hour in and I’m sitting with a proud smile on my face.
I look to Lex as she’s on her knees behind our son. I didn’t expect her to get down here and help him. I kind of thought she would fight me more.
I think AJ liked her sound effects more than anything. “Pow pow,” he says, trying a combo on his own.
Lex snickers. “You’re creating a monster. Just so you know.”
“Be warned. Once he’s two, we’re going for martial arts.”
She shrugs. “I was three. I have no problem with teaching our son self-defense skills.”
“I’m talking Golden Gloves and an octagon by thirteen, baby.”
She laughs. “Okay, now I think you’re pushing it.”
“Come on, I think you’ll make a great wrestling mom. We’ll be keeping the kid well rounded, martial arts, boxing, the wrestling team.”
“And soccer and basketball and football and baseball. I’ll be at everything he does, and if he decides to go on stage, I’ll be there for that too.
“I’m just not going to force him to do anything he doesn’t want to do. This is fun for him now. He’s getting to play with us both. It’s making him happy, but the moment it seems like we’re forcing him, I’m backing off.”
I look her in the eyes and nod my head. I remember her telling me how she always felt forced to fight for her cousins. She used to want to be the reserved one like Shawna, but she knew her father would be upset with her.
“As soon as anything isn’t what he wants, we’ll talk it out. I don’t believe in quitting. I’ve been disappointed after teammates went home crying and never returned, leaving us short a player for the game, but I’m open to him letting us know something isn’t for him.”
“That’s fair. I want him to always have a voice in his own life. He’s already so determined to do things his way. I want to guide that so he makes good decisions for himself.”
“Just so you know, our daughter isn’t dating until she’s twenty-one and no makeup until she moves out, which isn’t allowed until she’s also twenty-one.”
Lex side-glances me. “Oh my God, you’re serious,” she gasps and bursts into laughter. “Got it. This will be a boy family.”
I palm AJ’s face and give it a little gentle shake back and forth as he looks up into my palm. “Sleep,” I croon. “Daddy wants to make you a big brother. Sleep.”
“No, Daddy. No sleep,” he says into my hand.
Lex laughs so hard she falls over. My heart swells. It’s the little things like this that are making me fall in love with her all over again.
“Please, son. Don’t do me like this,” I plead.
“You’re nuts,” she says as she looks up at me with sparkling eyes.
“I’m trying to test that theory. I want to see if I can fill this place with nothing but testosterone.”
She sits up on her elbows. “Well,” she drags out. “AJ, come on, my prince. Bath time.”
“Yay,” the little stinker sings. “Daddy come shampoo.”
“I’ve got you. Maybe that will knock him out,” I tease.
“Oh my God, that scared me the other night.”
I know what she means. AJ slid right down into the water. He was already tuckered out. By the time I washed his hair, he had nodded right off while I massaged his scalp.
“I’ll keep a closer eye on him this time. I’m not looking for a repeat of that either. The leg spreaders I ordered come in today,” I say and wiggle my brows.
I get up and lift AJ into my arms and start for his bathroom. He rests his head on my shoulder and wraps his arms around my neck. I have a smile on my lips as I saunter away.
“You can’t say things like that and just walk away,” Lex calls after me.
I roar with laughter but don’t turn around. “Don’t worry about us. Go get ready for me.”