The hand on my hip moves to my belly. Pushing my shirt out of the way, he starts drawing lazy circles. My eyes start to droop from the sensation. I feel like I could take a five-hour nap.

“Have you thought about names at all?” Landon asks.

My eyes pop back open in surprise. We always fight when we talk about the baby, so I think of my response carefully.

“I figure you would want to name him after you. Isn’t there an Irish name that gets passed down in men?”

He grunts. “Yeah. Traditionally, the eldest son is named after the paternal grandfather. So Cahal [ka+ Hal] would be his name. In English, it’s Charles. Charles sounds too grandfatherly. I think we should keep the Irish name.”

I test the sound of the name, Cahal, and give a content smile. Landon presses a kiss to my temple. “And what if it’s a girl?” he asks.

“I had an appointment to find out the sex when you were gone,” I say guiltily.

Landon’s fingers stop their movement on my stomach. He gently rolls me, so I am facing him. “And?” he raises his eyebrow.

And I could not do it, because knowing will make it harder for me to say goodbye. I shrug. “I asked them to put the answer in a sealed envelope. I didn’t want to know,” I whisper.

Landon pushes up on his elbow, so he is a little higher than me. “Why did you put it in an envelope?”

“In case you wanted to know. I should have told you sooner. I am sorry I just. Couldn’t…” I trail off, not really knowing why I kept it from him.

“Why don’t you want to know?”

I shrug. “If it is one, it changes things, but if the other it does not. But it doesn’t make a difference either way. At least not to me. Not in my heart. It’s so confusing,” I mumble the last part.

Landon brushes a stray hair out of my face. “Forget the contract, forget our marriage. It does not exist. What do you want then?” His voice was soft and quiet.

“Either one. I’d love him or her either way,” I answer without hesitation.

Landon smiles. “I would too, but I want a girl. I want her to be small and petite, with long dark brown hair that curls in unruly masses. With chocolate brown eyes and fair skin. I want to name her Marie Eira Campbell.”

I gasp at his revelation. Then cry when my middle name, Marie, passes through his perfect lips.

“Why?” My voice is faint.

He gives me a teasing smile. “Why what?”

“Why do you want those things?”

Landon sits up and drags me up too. His eyes pierce mine as he speaks in earnest. “Because I want our daughter to be every bit as kind, beautiful, and strong as you. I want her to have your innocence and bravery. You have had an awful father, and a horrid husband. But even after all of that, you remain the most caring and loving person, and I am honored to call you my wife.”