He could die at any time, and he refused to die without Kacey having his last name. He loved her and knew she loved him; he just had to make it official. When his phone went off in his pocket, he pulled it out to see that it was a text from Kacey.
Kacey: I like the name Mordecai.
He gagged before shaking his head.
Jordie: How about hell no.
Kacey: ☺ It’s cute.
Jordie: It’s demonic.
Kacey: lol.
Kacey: How about Kale?
Jordie: He isn’t lettuce, no.
Kacey: It could be a she, and if so, I’m thinking Kelsey or Kammie.
Jordie: It’s a boy and how about we stop with the K names?
Kacey: Then it’s Mordecai.
Jordie: No way. I love you though, and I’ll call you once we get back to the hotel.
Kacey: Love you and have fun!
He smiled as he tucked his phone back in his pocket as Karson looked over at him. “She thinks we are naming the baby Mordecai.”
Karson made a face. “Mena and Mordecai? Is she insane?”
“It’s a girl, guys,” Karl said then and grinned as they both looked over at him, shocked. “I just know it.”
“No, it’s a boy,” Jordie insisted, but Karl was shaking his head.
“Sorry, buddy. It’s a girl, better start picking girl names.”
Karson chuckled. “He was right about Mena.”
“I don’t care. I know what my woman is having,” Jordie said, feigning annoyance, which had everyone laughing.
“That woman is my daughter, and you are wrong, it’s a girl.”
Jordie scoffed. “Sorry, old man, it’s a boy.”
“I got a hundred bucks it’s a girl,” Karl said, holding out his hand.
Jordie didn’t even hesitate, taking his hand, and squeezing it. “It’s a boy.”
“You’ll see,” Karl said, chuckling as he leaned back in his chair just as dinner started. The Assassins’ father-son dinners were always full of laughs. Most of the dads had played in the league before and the old stories were comical and touching. These men were their future, and soon Jordie would be at his son’s father-son dinner telling him stories of his glory days.
When Karl excused himself, Jordie threw his napkin down and Karson scoffed. “You’re gonna ask him in the pisser?”
“Fuck off,” he said, rushing to catch Karl. When he reached for him right as he got to the bathroom, he said, “Hey, I wanted to talk to you.”
Karl eyed him speciously. “For what?”
“Just need to.”
He shook his head. “Fine, give me a second to drain my snake,” he said, turning to go back in, but then he paused, laughing as he turned. “What? Are you going to ask me to marry Kacey?”
Jordie could only blink at him as Karl’s laughter died down. He held his gaze and then crossed his arms as Jordie said, “Yeah, I had a speech and everything, actually.”
Holding his gaze, he nodded. “Fine. On with it.”
“You don’t want to piss first?”
“No,” he said sternly, sending chills down Jordie’s spine.
“Um, fine, well,” Jordie stumbled and then shook his head, deciding to go with his heart. “I love Kacey, you know this, and I want nothing more than to marry her and spend the rest of my life with her,” he said slowly, his heart pounding in his chest. “I’m not perfect, I have issues, and sometimes, that’s hard to deal with. But she makes me a better person. She loves my issues away and she cares. I can promise you, I’ll never hurt her. I’ll only love her and take care of her the way you’d want me to. The way she deserves.”
Karl held his gaze for a long time and then nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah, you don’t drive a Prius, so you’re already a better choice than that one idiot.”
Jordie laughed as Karl grinned. “What, you thought I was gonna say no?”
Jordie shrugged and he nodded, holding his gaze. “Yeah, I don’t deserve her!”
“Well, no shit, but you got her and she loves you. And I love you, son. You’re great for her and you’ve done really fucking good with your life. I think you two will be very happy for the rest of your life.”
With his throat thick with emotion, he slowly nodded. “You think?”
“I know,” he answered, reaching out to cup Jordie’s shoulder. “Don’t doubt yourself, Jordie. You have really done great things with your life and I, for one, am very proud of you and would be honored to have you as my son-in-law.”
Swallowing hard, he smiled, holding his hand out. “Thank you.”
Karl pushed it away and then pulled him in for a tight, backslapping hug. “I’m very proud of you, son.”