Avery reached out and tweaked Ana’s nose. “We don’t want this precious little girl breathing those nasty fumes, do we? No we don’t,” she added in a baby voice.
Ana giggled. Kayla was so grateful to Avery for letting her bring Ana in whenever she needed to, but Avery was firm about making sure Ana wasn’t around when they were dealing with strong chemicals. Which Kayla very much appreciated.
“So Chloe,” JoJo said. “Tell me more about that yummy SEAL who came in with Ryan yesterday.”
Kayla’s skin prickled. Zach had been with Ryan yesterday. They hadn’t stayed. Zach had said hello to her, but that was it. There’d been no emotion in those green eyes as he’d looked past her after their brief exchange. It hurt, though it shouldn’t. They’d been friends who’d slipped. Nothing more.
Even if she wanted more. Even if that single night had been unforgettable in so many ways. She fantasized about life with a man like Zach—strong, honorable, protective. She still worried that James would come for her some day. With Zach in her corner, how could James succeed?
“Zach?” Chloe asked. “They used to be roomies until Ryan moved in with me. Zach still has the house across the street. I don’t know if he’s looking for another roommate or what.”
“Is he dating anyone?”
“I don’t think so. But why do you care? Didn’t you tell me you had a hot date this weekend?”
“Well, yeah—but you know me. More is always better.”
Kayla nibbled the inside of her lip while she fed Ana a bite of mashed potatoes. She liked JoJo a lot. But if the woman started going out with Zach, Kayla knew she wouldn’t take it very well at all. Not that he was hers or even very likely to be hers. But if he was going to date someone, she wanted it to be a person she didn’t know.
Chloe shrugged. She didn’t make eye contact with Kayla. Was it on purpose? Or was she imagining it?
“I don’t think he’s looking right now. I think he’s hung up on someone.”
Kayla’s stomach flipped. Who was Zach hung up on? Not her, because he’d been coolly distant since the night they’d shared. It was over two months ago now, so definitely not her. Which meant he’d met someone—or maybe he’d already been hung up on another woman when he’d slept with Kayla, which made the whole thing infinitely worse. No wonder he’d been distant.
Her heart pinched to think about it. He’d slept with her but he might have been thinking about someone else. Wanting someone else.
Stop. You don’t know that.
“Well she needs to step up then,” JoJo said. “Because it’s crazy to let a man like that go.”
“I got the impression it was complicated,” Chloe said.
JoJo snorted. “What’s so complicated? The man is a US Navy SEAL—the best of the best, hotter than hot, and if he’s half as good in the sack as he looks out of it, well, I am of the opinion this woman is a little nuts if she doesn’t jump on him.”
Kayla kept her head down as she fed Ana. She couldn’t look at JoJo while she talked about Zach like that, and she couldn’t let anyone see the anguish she felt inside. Zach was an amazing lover and a good guy. He’d be perfect to help raise Ana. But how could she ever expect him to do that? Ana wasn’t his responsibility.
“Not everything is as easy as riding a guy like he’s a bucking bronc, Jo,” Avery said, her voice low and a little pained.
“No, you’re right,” JoJo said. She reached out and squeezed Avery’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, hon. I know it hasn’t been all that long since you broke up with Jimmy. I should be more sensitive.”
Avery pasted on a smile. “I know you don’t mean any harm, Jo. I love you—and I love that you’re as crazy as you are. I get to live vicariously through your exploits.”
JoJo smiled. “They’re pretty good, right?”
Chloe snorted. “Epic.”
They all laughed. Kayla had been a bit amazed at how open JoJo was about her sex life, but she couldn’t help but listen to Jo’s stories anyway. Aside from that one night with Zach, Kayla hadn’t gotten any action in more than a year. Not that she had time for it with an eight-month old, but now that she’d been with Zach, she often thought about it late at night when Ana slept. About how amazing it had been. How wonderful to lie in his arms and feel safe for a while.
And now he was hung up on somebody. Her stomach fluttered and tumbled. Was that why he’d never mentioned it again? She hadn’t either and maybe she should have. Maybe it would have been less awkward if she had.
You have a baby, Kay-Kay. Most men aren’t comfortable with that.
Bailey had never said those words to her, but that’s how Kayla heard them. Bailey, always trying to shelter her and ease the blows that life dealt.
Kayla kissed Ana’s soft, dark hair. Any man who wasn’t comfortable dating a woman who had a baby wasn’t a man she needed in her life anyway.
They finished lunch and cleaned up, then prepared to open the salon again. At two on the dot, Bailey arrived to pick up Ana. Kayla smiled at the sight of her sister bounding up the steps to the salon. Bailey’s hair was long now, and she’d stopped dying it purple. These days it was blond. She looked so happy as she stepped inside. She glowed, and that was due to Alexei. Kayla loved that he made her sister happy, and she was envious too.
Bailey had never been so weak she took up with the first man to pay her any real attention, but Kayla had fallen for James Dunn’s solicitousness from the first. She’d been aching for someone to love her, and he’d exploited her weakness as soon as he found it.
“How’s my little Ana-banana-boo?” Bailey said, dropping to her knees in
