She ran her hands up his arms, looped them around his neck. “I know you will. I’m sorry for the way this happened, but I’m not really sorry it happened. I hope that makes sense. I couldn’t find a better man to be a father to my child than you.”
Her words kind of shocked him. He hadn’t thought of himself as a father but of course that’s what he was going to be. All in, balls to bones.
“It means a lot that you trust me to take care of you and Ana.”
“I do, Zach.”
He sighed. “I hate to say this, but it’s getting late. I should take you home.”
She hugged him tight, surprising him. He hugged her back, loving the feel of her lithe body in his arms. Remembering what it’d been like to hold her when they were both naked, bodies moving together in sync as he drove deep inside her.
“I wish I didn’t have to go. I wish this room was done and Ana was already in it.”
He wanted that too. So much it surprised him. “Move in with me. Tomorrow. You and Ana and me. We’ll finish the room for her, but she can stay in the master with you until it’s done. We don’t have to wait until we have a ceremony to move you and Ana over here.”
She pushed back to look up at him. “Really? You would do that?”
“Yeah, really. Let me start keeping you and Ana safe now.”
Kayla’s forehead scrunched. Then she beamed at him, and he felt like someone had socked him in the gut. So beautiful.
His.
“Okay, we’ll do it.”
Chapter Twelve
Kayla couldn’t stop thinking about Zach and painting Ana’s room together last night. He’d taken her home around ten. Ana had been asleep in the in-law apartment and Bailey had been at the small table with her laptop, doing homework.
Kayla hadn’t said anything about moving in with Zach yet, but she would this afternoon when she went home. It wasn’t going to be easy, and yet she wasn’t going to have any trouble convincing Bailey she was head over heels in love with him.
Oh, she was still coming to terms with it. Still figuring out the depth and breadth of all she was feeling. But she didn’t doubt it was love. She loved him because he was good and honest and, most of all, he’d thought about Ana first. A pink room for her baby girl.
She’d dreamed of a pink room when she was little. And a princess bed. She’d wanted one of those most of all. She’d also wanted her own bookcase filled with precious books that she could read over and over. She’d loved the school library and she’d spent as much time as she could there. But she’d never had a book of her own until she was an adult and bought one for herself. It had felt like the greatest indulgence to spend money on a book.
She hadn’t read a book in ages now, and she missed it. Maybe it was time to start again.
“Hey, girl. Where are you off to in your head?”
Kayla jerked at the sound of Chloe’s voice. “Oh, hi, Chloe. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“You’ve been standing there with that towel in your hand for a full minute,” Chloe said. “Is everything okay?”
Kayla looked at the towel in her hand. She’d been folding towels fresh from the dryer. She hurriedly finished the one she was holding and put it on the stack.
“Everything’s fine. Sorry, I was just thinking about something.”
Chloe raised an eyebrow. “Zach?”
Kayla couldn’t help but nod. “Yes.”
Chloe grinned. “You have no idea how much I want this to work out. Zach is the second SEAL I ever met, and he’s always been terrific to me. Plus he compliments my cooking, so I’m predisposed to love him for that alone.”
“Zach is a great guy.” Kayla hesitated for a second, and then she decided she really needed someone to confide in. “Can I tell you something, Chloe? I haven’t even told Bailey yet, and I need to. But maybe if I practice on you…”
Chloe looked intrigued. And eager. “Of course you can, honey! Spill.”
Kayla took a deep breath. “Ana and I are moving in with Zach.”
Chloe’s jaw dropped. Then she closed the distance between them and wrapped Kayla in a big hug. “Oh that’s so exciting. I’m happy for you both.”
“I don’t think Zach has told anyone yet, so please don’t mention it to Ryan. I probably should have asked if that was a problem before I told you.”
“I won’t and it’s not a problem. I mean I really, really want to. But it’s not my secret to tell and it’s not the kind of secret that I shouldn’t keep from the man I love. It’s kinda like a surprise birthday party. When it’s time, he’ll know.”
“Thank you.” Relief flooded her, both at Chloe’s promise not to tell and at the fact she’d finally been able to share it with someone. Not that she’d told Chloe everything.
“Why haven’t you told your sister, honey? Are you worried she won’t approve?”
Kayla pursed her lips. “Bailey practically raised me and she’s very protective. She’ll probably think it’s too fast and I’ll get hurt. And maybe I will, but I’ve never felt this way for another man, not even Ana’s father. I want to be with Zach,” she finished in a rush.
Chloe’s smile was huge. “Oh, I’m so happy you two are in love. It’s amazing news. I mean it seems like it’s coming out of the blue, because you appeared to be avoiding each other ever since I’ve known you, but clearly there was a lot more going on beneath the surface than anybody knew.”
“There was,” Kayla said truthfully, though she didn’t correct Chloe about who was in love with whom. “We had some things to sort out. But last night he took me
