I laugh because if sex with Becca was hot before, it’s on another level while she’s pregnant. She jumps on me every time I walk in the room, and I love every minute of it. “You lie,” I whisper, kissing her neck. “So if I bent you over right now,” I whisper in her ear, “raised your dress, and slipped into you”—I nip at her earlobe—“you would say no?”
“That’s not fair. I haven’t seen you in two days.” I was in New York and then Philly. Our team is at the top of the standings, and if all goes well, I will be bringing the Cup to Dallas. The one piece I’ve been after for the past three years. It’s so close I can taste it.
“See? Not so easy to say no, is it?” I say, and she shakes her head. Our son comes back into the room with his sippy under his arm.
He looks like a mix of both of us. “Dada.” He holds up his arms.
“Traitor,” my wife says to him, and he smiles and puts his head on my shoulder. “I named you.”
“Trust me, I would never try to take that away from you,” I say.
“It’s only fair. He was conceived in Phoenix,” she says, and I laugh.
“I’m pretty sure that baby was conceived in the pool,” I say, and she laughs. “We are not naming her Whirlpool.”
“If this baby comes out a boy, we need to have another kick-ass name,” she says.
“Well, you know I get to name the next one,” I say. “It’s in our agreement.”
“That can be tossed out,” she says. “I married you in a pantsuit.”
I laugh, and Phoenix copies me. “She’s funny, isn’t she.” I kiss her. “Go get washed up. I’ll put him to bed and join you. Be naked,” I say.
“Naked,” Phoenix says and starts to lift his shirt.
“Not you, buddy,” I say, walking out of our bedroom and to his nursery. I sit in the rocking chair as I read to him. He falls asleep in no time, and I put him down.
I look around at the nursery that my wife painted. She did everything. She is hands-on with our son, and to this day, we’ve had a babysitter maybe five times. But we both wanted it this way.
The phone beeps in my pocket, and I take it out and press the green button. “Hello,” I say.
“Nico.” I hear a man say my name. “It’s Cooper Grant.”
“Hey,” I say to him. “How are you?”
“I’m good. Just getting on the plane,” he says, and I smile.
“Well,” I say, “Cooper Grant, welcome to Dallas.”
“It’s going to be something crazy,” he says, little does he know. “I just hope that it’s not my only one regret!”
ONLY ONE REGRET COMING OCTOBER 2021
Cooper
My name came with big skates to fill.
At the top of my game, I had everything I wanted, or so I thought.
Being traded to Dallas was not what I was expecting but neither were the divorce papers I was served.
Now I’m a single dad in a city that isn’t my home.
Erika
Handed my biggest client when I was twenty-two made my dreams come true.
Over time, our work relationship changed, and we grew closer, leaning on each other for support.
He was my rock, my best friend.
Then one drunken night changed everything, and I saw what was in front of me all along.
I just hope that when the dust settles, we won’t regret it.