“Well, yeah. Like you wanted each other so bad but there was a giant barbed-wire fence between you, and you couldn’t figure out how to scale it.”
“Wow. That obvious, huh?” At least on her part. She didn’t know about Zach. Surely he hadn’t been pining for her the way she had him.
“Yep.”
“So when you said Zach was hung up on someone the other day at the salon… you meant me?”
Chloe gave her a duh look. “Well of course you. Who else?”
Heat flooded her. “I don’t know. I just thought….”
“Honey, I didn’t want to say it to JoJo and Avery if you weren’t going to claim the man, but believe me, I’m pretty sure he’s yours.”
Kayla’s heart thumped. She certainly wished it was true even if she wasn’t entirely certain. I mean yes, he was marrying her to protect her and Ana. And when he touched her, she melted for him. But that didn’t mean he was hers.
Did it?
“You want coffee?” she asked, tamping down the chaotic thoughts before they drove her crazy. “I was just fixing Ana’s breakfast.”
“Sure thing, sugar. I had a cup with Ryan, but I could use another.”
They went into the kitchen and Chloe sat at the little table with Ana in her lap. Ana promptly reached for the placemat that was there, but Chloe headed her off by pushing it away. Kayla poured coffee and brought it to Chloe along with the cream and sugar.
Kayla went back to fixing the oatmeal packet she’d brought for Ana and took another bite of her bagel. Then she wiped her mouth and gulped the bite down. “I’m sorry. Did you want a bagel?”
“No thanks, honey. I ate with Ryan.”
Kayla tested the oatmeal. It was done, so she put it in a bowl and took it to the table. “I can take her.”
“I don’t mind feeding her. Unless you prefer to.”
Kayla smiled as she sat. She loved these friends of hers who adored Ana. She’d never had friends like Chloe and Avery before. And definitely none like JoJo. “No, that’s fine. You go ahead.”
Chloe dipped the spoon in the oatmeal while Kayla fastened Ana’s bib around her neck and sat down again. Chloe blew on the oatmeal to cool it, then started to make train noises. “Here comes the choo-choo, Ana-banana.”
Ana opened obediently.
“Do you want one?” Kayla asked.
Chloe looked up. “A baby?”
“Yes.”
“Someday. I’m not ready yet though. I want to spend time with Ryan first, make sure we’re really ready before we go there. We’ve only been together a little over two months, and we’re still planning a wedding.”
Kayla thought of Zach and all they’d been talking about. “Have you ever thought about just getting married at the courthouse and to heck with the big wedding?”
Chloe blinked. “Truthfully? Yes. But Ryan wants me to have the white dress and the special day. And I want it too, but sometimes I think it would be easier to just get married.”
“But then you run the risk of disappointing friends and family.”
“True. Though you can always have a reception later, right?”
Kayla nodded.
“Still, I’m Southern. I’ve always wanted the white wedding with all the traditions. And there’s no hurry, so that’s what we’re going to do.”
“No, there’s no hurry for any of it. Not even babies,” Kayla said. “But to tell you the truth, I don’t think you’re ever ready for a baby. Not until it happens, and then it’s sink or swim.”
“Probably true. I guess you can think yourself to death on babies.”
“You can.” Kayla sighed. “I didn’t plan to have Ana, but it happened. I’m not sorry, but I won’t say it’s been easy either.”
“You don’t have to explain. In fact, I should apologize.”
Kayla blinked. “What for?”
“For saying I wasn’t ready and needed to think. I mean it kind of implies that I think having a baby right away is somehow bad or something. Like I’m judging you for having this little one.”
“I didn’t take it that way at all. Honestly. It’s good to think about a baby. They aren’t dolls, and they have needs. I didn’t get the chance to think about it, but that’s my fault.”
“And the father’s,” Chloe added.
“Well, yes.” Kayla bit into the bagel. Chewed. Chloe continued to feed Ana, and Kayla made a decision. She couldn’t talk to Bailey about this, but maybe she could talk to Chloe. She knew Chloe had gone through something, but not exactly what. “He’s in prison. You probably know that.”
Chloe looked up. “I’d heard.”
“He’s a pimp and a dealer. Probably a murderer too.”
“Oh honey. I understand. I really do. My ex was… well, he was abusive, and though he skated the line of criminal activity, he crossed it in the end. He’s dead now, and I’m not sorry at all. I’m glad. May the good Lord forgive me,” she added.
“I wish James was dead,” Kayla said vehemently. “He tried to sell Ana to a black market adoption agency.”
Chloe’s mouth dropped open. “Oh my God! That’s evil!”
“Yes,” Kayla said bitterly. “It is. He never wanted her, but he saw an opportunity to make money off her. There are rich people who will pay a lot for a no questions asked adoption.”
“That’s just... I can’t imagine what kind of person would want to sell their own child. I’m so sorry.”
Kayla sucked in a breath to calm her roiling emotions. “Thank you. I’m sorry I hit you with that out of nowhere. I kinda thought you might know. The team knows a lot of it.”
“Ryan tells me a lot of things, but he’s also an honorable guy. He wouldn’t tell me things about you that he wasn’t allowed to talk about. I mean I knew Ana’s daddy was in prison, and I knew he was in a motorcycle gang. I didn’t know about the pimping or dealing—or that he tried to sell his own child. I just can’t imagine how difficult that must have been for you.”
“It was horrible. I ran away, then I dumped Ana on Bailey, telling her that Alexei was
