They were married. She was Mrs. Anderson. One week ago exactly, she’d walked into Chloe’s back yard and hadn’t known how to talk to him. It wasn’t until she’d screwed up her courage and went to see him later that night that things had changed.
From barely speaking to married. In one week. Had to be some kind of record, right?
“What about this one?” Zach asked, and Kayla dragged herself back to the present.
He was standing in front of a white convertible crib with a gentle scallop shape to the front and back, with evenly spaced wooden slats that weren’t too wide or too dangerous. Eventually, the sides of the crib would come off and it could be a perfect white bed for a little girl. Kayla could hang a net over it for a princess effect when Ana was older.
“It’s pretty.”
Zach looked at the price tag. “It’s not too bad. Do you want it?”
It was the prettiest one they’d seen yet. She’d seen similar on the web, though. “I think we could get it cheaper online.”
“Maybe. But you’d have to wait for it to be shipped. We could have this one at home today. I can put it together and Ana can sleep in it tonight.”
She loved the idea so much. But it felt wrong to let him buy everything. He must have sensed the direction of her thoughts because he frowned at her.
“Kayla, I want to do this. Let me get the baby furniture and you can create the room you want for Ana.”
“I really didn’t marry you so you’d pay for everything. I don’t want you to think I expect it.”
He came over and put his hands on her shoulders, rubbed up and down her arms. “Baby, I don’t think you expect anything of the sort. But we’re married now, and that means I get more money in my paycheck for you and Ana. The military knows it costs more for three people to live than one, so shouldn’t I spend that money on both of you instead of me?”
Her throat ached suddenly. “I guess so.”
“That’s right, beautiful. I should and I will. Besides, you can show your appreciation later.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Is there a particular way you want to be appreciated?”
He leaned closer, his lips brushing her ear. “Definitely. I prefer you to do it when you’re naked, and it needs to involve my dick deep inside you. Aside from that, I’m open.”
She blushed and laughed at the same time. “You’ve got sex on the brain, Zach.”
“Don’t you?”
A twinge of longing echoed through her. “Maybe.”
“Then let’s get this crib with the matching dresser and changing table. The sooner I get it put together, the sooner we can get naked.”
“Okay, but let’s skip the changing table. I don’t need it when the dresser has that three-sided top—and I’d rather find something more functional for storage anyway.”
“Whatever you say. You’re the boss when it comes to baby furniture.”
They bought the furniture, plus a sheet set, and loaded everything into the new SUV Zach had traded his car in for a couple of days ago. She hadn’t been with him when he did it, but he’d called her from the dealership and described the interior, asking her if it would work. She’d been on the verge of tears as she’d told him he didn’t have to do it. He’d said it was no big deal and asked again if the interior would work. It would and it did. Especially now as they loaded it up with baby furniture.
They stopped for something to eat on the way home. Kayla ordered a chicken sandwich while Zach ordered a burger, and they talked about Ana’s room and getting the rest of their things over to his house. He planned to apply for base housing on Monday since there’d been no time Friday with all the other paperwork. He said it would take a couple of months or more to get a house. She kind of hated to move now that they’d painted Ana’s room—plus having Chloe across the street was nice—but it was also the safest plan while the Kings of Doom were trying to start up again. She didn’t know if they’d ever go away, or if she’d ever really be free of them, but being somewhere they didn’t have access was a nice start.
It struck her that everything she’d ever wanted was within reach. But the part of her that was used to having the rug yanked from beneath her was still there, still waiting for the other shoe to drop. She loved Zach and there was no going back on that feeling. But he didn’t love her. What if he never did?
She told herself it was silly to worry about his feelings for her when they’d been married for all of twenty-four hours. Maybe, with enough time, it would be true.
“I see those storm clouds in your eyes,” Zach said softly.
Kayla blinked. How did he always know when she was letting fear and doubt creep into her thoughts?
“I’m fine,” she said, taking a quick sip of her water. “Really. It’s just a lot of changes in a short amount of time.”
“Changes you wanted,” he added.
“That’s true. I’m happy. I’m not used to being happy. I keep waiting for disaster to strike. It’s what always happens. My whole life, whenever we seemed to be settling in somewhere and life was going well, my mom or dad—or both—would fall off the wagon and disappear for a few days. Sometimes longer. And Bailey would be there to pick up the pieces for us. We ate a lot of mac and cheese, and she got us to school every morning. But then our parents would come back and we’d have to move because they couldn’t pay the rent or bill collectors were after them. Sometimes we stayed anyway,
