Life's Next Chapter Read Free Page A

console, he pulls out his measuring tape giving me a better look at his right arm. I discover why he wore a long sleeve shirt for our first meeting. Dressed in khaki shorts and short-sleeve navy blue V-neck reveals a sleeve tattoo. Hot Damn! I’m in trouble! “I won’t stay long,” he says, shutting his door.
    I force myself to turn and walk back to my truck. I can’t look at him anymore. I’m so happy when I realize I left the truck on with the air conditioner blasting because I need to cool off, pronto. When I open the driver’s door to hop in, I can feel him standing behind me and my senses kick in to over drive. I can smell him, and he smells ‘woodsy’. I feel the effect of him on my body, which makes the hairs on my neck stand straight up. I hear him breathing, and I can almost sense how he would taste. He holds the door open for me, like a gentleman should. I pull myself up and look at him. Locating the connection between my brain and my mouth, I utter the words, “Have a good day, Mr. Ashton.” He pulls the seatbelt out, handing me the buckle.
    “Drive safe. See you Tuesday, Kate. Oh, and it’s Luke. Calling me ‘Mr. Ashton’ makes me feel like my father,” he says, shutting the door. I push the button for the window to slide down. He’s still standing there with his hands on his very lean hips, his broad shoulders are squared and stiff, his sunglasses rest on top of his head, and he is giving me the smile that makes everything below my belly button tingle.
    “See you Tuesday, Luke,” I utter softly. With that, I hit the up button for my window, flip the air vents towards me, and drive like a bat out of hell to Beth’s house.
    Once I release the girls from their car seats, they take off for the backyard. I grab the dishes of food from the front seat and head into the house. Walking into the kitchen, I’m greeted by Beth, chopping vegetables. “I didn’t think you were going to show up—what’s wrong with you?” Beth looks at me as if something terrible has happened. Putting the knife down, she walks to me, pulling me in for a hug. I place my hands on her growing belly and talk to the baby.
    “How’s my baby Leonardo doing today? Auntie Katie loves you!” Beth smacks me in the forehead.
    “Will you stop calling him Leonardo? For God’s sake, just call the baby…baby. You know she could be a girl, and you calling her Leonardo and a ‘him’ is going to give her identity issues.” She turns around towards the counter in a huff.
    Grabbing a carrot, I lean against the counter. “Come on, it has to be a boy, we need the fourth ninja turtle. Then next Halloween, we’ll have the four of them dress up as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Just think how adorable that would be.” Crunching the carrot, I wink at her. She raises the knife to me.
    “I have an idea, how about you get your ass pregnant, you have the baby boy, and we’ll include him in the gang.” She gives me her crooked smirk.
    “You’re so funny. Not happening, I’m never having any more babies. The baby factory is closed. I can barely parent the two I have.” Nudging her in the shoulder. I say, “Maybe we can get Ella to have a baby Leonardo.”
    On cue, Ella walks into the kitchen. “What’s a baby Leonardo?” She looks at us as if we have two heads.
    “Remember when I had the ultrasound of the boys, Kate called them three of the ninja turtles? Well, she keeps calling this baby Leonardo. I told her to knock it off because it could be a girl. She wants a fourth ninja turtle, so I told her to have her own. She says she isn’t, but that you should have a baby Leonardo.” Beth quickly rambles in her lawyer tone.
    “I hope we are having a baby Leonardo.” Ella whispers to us, as she digs in the fridge for juice boxes.
    “Are you pregnant, Ella?” Beth asks her.
    “I wasn’t going to say anything until we saw the doctor, but yes, as of yesterday the home pregnancy test said I was.” Ella says quietly while making