The CEO Above My Desk (Mckenzie Shinabery) novel Chapter 231

Chapter 231

Violet

About an hour into the flight, the men eventually migrated to Devin.

I think Rowan needed something to focus on besides staring at me every five seconds like I might spontaneously combust from pregnancy symptoms.

Not that I blamed him entirely. I did throw up during takeoff. Still embarrassing.

Rowan sat beside them now talking quietly about something involving lawyers, federal charges, and security teams.

Even on vacation they somehow managed to sound aggressively corporate.

Meanwhile Camille had fully stolen the blanket from her seat and wrapped herself up like a tiny emotional burrito while scrolling through baby names on her phone.

Again.

“You know,” she said thoughtfully while adjusting the blanket dramatically, “I really love older names.”

I looked over immediately. “Oh no.”

“What?”

“You’ve entered dangerous territory.”

Camille ignored me completely while scrolling farther. “I’m serious. Like little 1950s names.”

This was already concerning. “What kind of names?”

Her entire face lit up immediately. “Agatha,”

I stared at her. “No.”

“Gayle.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Marge.”

I physically recoiled. “Camille Ashcroft I swear to God if you name your child after Marge Simpson just because it sounds

C

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vintage, I will fight you personally.

Camille burst into laughter so loudly

a businessman across the aisle glanced over briefly,

“I’m serious!” I whisper–hissed dramatically. “That poor child is going to come out of the womb craving donuts and

emotional disappointment.”

That somehow made her laugh harder.

Hearing her laugh felt nice. Normal.

For the first time in weeks, we weren’t talking about corruption or murders or FBI agents or city politics.

Just… Baby names. Tiny human beings. The future.

Camille wiped at the corners of her eyes afterward while grinning over at me. “Okay fine. No Marge.”

“Thank you.”

“But Agatha is kinda cute.”

“It sounds like your baby already pays taxes.

That nearly took her out again.

Across the cabin, Theo looked over suspiciously while Devin visibly tried not to laugh because apparently fractured ribs and laughter did not mix well.

Camille finally settled down enough to look back toward me curiously. “So…” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Have you and Rowan actually talked baby names seriously yet?”

Immediately my chest softened a little.

Because we had.

In bed.

Half asleep.

Wrapped around each other.

Like it was already real.

“Yeah,” I admitted quietly.

OLG

G

!!!

O

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Chapter 231

Camille immediately gasped dramatically and scooted closer toward me in her seat. “Oh my God tell me.”

I smiled despite myself while absently tracing my thumb across the airplane blanket in my lap. “If it’s a boy…” I swallowed slightly. “Andrew Michael Ashcroft.”

Camille froze instantly. Then 1 physically watched realization hit her.

Her eyes widened slowly. “Oh my God.”

Yeah. Exactly.

“After Drew,” she whispered softly.

I nodded once.

And suddenly my throat felt tight again.

But this time… Not painfully Something softer.

Camille immediately grabbed my hand. “Oh Violet,” she whispered emotionally. That’s beautiful.”

God. Now I was going to cry on a plane too. Fantastic.

I laughed weakly while squeezing her hand back. “And if it’s a girl,” I continued softly, “Charlotte River Ashcroft.”

Camille immediately melted. “That is SO pretty.”

I smiled a little.

It fit somehow.

Soft but strong.

Something I could imagine Rowan saying proudly years from now.

Camille leaned farther back into her seat afterward while sighing dreamily. “You guys are so much better at names than

us.”

“I highly agree considering you almost named your child Marge.”

“That was one suggestion.”

“It was a criminal suggestion.”

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Chapter 231

Camille snorted softly before nudging my shoulder lightly. “Okay fine.” She grinned. “I’ll tell your my boy name

I looked over curiously.

Camille took a dramatic breath. “Leon Ray Ashcroft.”

I blinked once. Then again. “That’s actually really good.”

looked deeply offended immediately. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

on’t know,” I defended quickly while laughing. “I was expecting something insane.”

Rude.”

“It’s true.”

crossed her arms dramatically. “I have taste.”

“Debatable.”

Camille snorted softly before relaxing again. But then her expression shifted slightly afterward. More uncertain this time.

“I’m struggling with girl names though,” she admitted quietly. “Like really struggling.”

I tilted my head slightly. “What kind of vibe are you wanting?”

“I don’t know.” She groaned softly. “Something soft. Pretty. Maybe older but not ancient cemetery ghost older.”

“Good clarification.”

“I’m serious.”

I laughed quietly before thinking about it for a second.

“Rosalie Mae Ashcroft.”

Camille physically melted into her seat. “Oh my God,” she whispered dramatically. “That is so pretty.”

really was.

Soft.

Romantic.

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frowned slightly afterward. “It doesn’t fit with Leon though,” she admitted sadly. “The first letters have to

1 Minked once. “You’re really committing to this letter thing.”

“Ther’s going to suffer.”

“Correct,”

I laughed softly before trying again.

“Okay then…” I tilted my head while thinking. “Lenora Claire Ashcroft?”

Camille paused. Then slowly nodded. “Ooooooh.”

That was a good sign.

“I like Lenora,” she admitted thoughtfully. “It feels pretty.”

“But?”

She scrunched her nose slightly. “I don’t know.” She sighed dramatically. “I want something softer maybe? Like…” She waved one hand vaguely in the air. “Pretty pretty.”

“That explains absolutely nothing.”

“It makes sense in my head.”

Of course it did.

I thought quietly for another moment while staring out the airplane window.

Then suddenly, “Oh.”

Camille immediately sat up straighter. “What?”

Lucille Rose Ashcroft.”

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Silence. Complete silence.

Then Camille gasped so loudly half the cabin probably heard her. “Oh my GOD.”

And there it was. The latch. The immediate emotional attachment.

Her hands flew to her chest dramatically while she stared at me like I had personally delivered divine intervention.

“Lucille Rose,” she repeated softly. “Lucy for short…”

Oh yeah.

She was gone. Completely gone.

“I love that,” she whispered emotionally. “I actually love that.”

I started laughing immediately at how fast she spiraled. “You fell in love with that WAY too quickly.”

“No because listen,” she defended dramatically while grabbing my arm. “Lucille sounds elegant and old–money but Lucy sounds adorable and soft and Theo can still have his strong serious Leon name thing.”

She wasn’t wrong.

“Lucille Rose Ashcroft,” she repeated again, quieter this time like she was testing how it sounded aloud.

Then immediately, “Oh my God I have to tell Theo.”

Before I could stop her, Camille was already unbuckling her seatbelt and standing up excitedly in the middle of the plane.

I blinked in horror. “Camille.”

She ignored me completely while walking as fast and safely down the aisle toward the men.

“THEO.”

Half the cabin turned immediately.

Theo looked up from whatever conversation he was having with Rowan and Devin with visible concern. “What happened?”

Camille pointed dramatically at him. “I HAVE THE BABY NAME”

Theo immediately looked terrified.