Page 37 of Zac

“I mean I have a fort set up for him and everything.”

“I know.” And I did. It just feels weird asking him. “I didn’t want to encroach on plans you may have.”

“What plans?” He laughs.

“Hot date,” I say, waggling my brows. I was joking, kind of.

“When you coming over?”

I ignore his question, knowing that I’ll get a lecture when I tell him I work a double. He’s constantly hounding me to work less. “Do you want to go wake him up and tell him you brought treats?” I turn around and start digging through the bags. “He’s on my bed, but he really needs to get up. This will make him less cranky.”

I can sense Zac still standing behind me, but I don’t acknowledge it. I wasn’t in the mood for bickering. Honestly I have enough on my plate with Grant right now.

A few minutes later I hear Grayson giggling and look up as he and Zac enter the kitchen. Zac is holding him with one arm and using his other to tickle him. It’s a perfect scene, one I want to etch in my memory. Something I rarely see, but love how much he loves my son. It’s obvious Gray loves Zac too. He refers to him as his best buddy. I’m in awe of the connection they share.

“Grayson says that he’d rather stay at my place,” Zac says as he sits Gray down in his chair. “We were thinking he and I could have a movie day and then tonight the three of us could make dinner and crash in the fort.”

Here comes the fight I didn’t want to have. “I work a double,” I say as I place Grayson’s things on the table in front of him and try not to look up. But the longer I am met with silence the more curious I become and when I glance in his direction, it’s exactly what I expected. Nostrils flaring, his brows furrowed, and his lips pressed into a tight line. He’s annoyed.

“Do you think that’s necessary?”

“If Gray and I want to have a roof over our head and food in our bellies then yes, I do.”

“I told you I would help you with that.” He braces himself on the table, gripping the edges.

“And I told you that I don’t need your help. This baby,” I point to my stomach, “fine. But this,” I wave my hand around the rest of the area, “it’s on me.”

“Why are you so damn stubborn?”

“Why are you so damn annoying?” I ask in return.

“Accepting help is not admitting defeat,” he practically growls out the words to keep from raising his voice.

“And accepting the word no should not damage your ego.”

I walk away from him needing a minute to breathe but he follows me which doesn’t help. I walk into my room and when he steps in behind me and closes the door, I sigh.

“I don’t need a hero, Zac. I never asked you to swoop in and protect me or take care of me.” I spin around to face him.

“But what if I want to take care of the two of you?"

“Well, I don’t need you to. I’m fine, Zac.” I refuse to ever give my trust fully to another person again. I know how that game ends, and I’m the loser. Only this time I have Grayson to think of too, and a baby. "I’ve been taking care of myself for as long as I can remember, I may not be great at it, but I get by.”

This morning took a shift fast. Ever since Grant showed up at the cafe my mood has been spiraling.

“I don’t want you to ‘get by’.” He actually makes air quotes around the words. “I want you to soar.”

I can’t help it, without even a thought I roll my eyes.

“Marry me.”

I laugh at him, thinking he’s got to have gone crazy. He laughs. “You’re insane.”

“No, I’m serious.” He steps forward and uses his fingers to tip up my chin, ensuring I am looking at him and nothing else. “Marry me.”

I feel like I am trapped in some weird fucked up dream. How did we get to this moment? “I’m never doing that again,” I tell him. “It was the worst mistake of my life and one I never plan to repeat.”

“Repeating the same mistake would entail marrying a fucking prick, and I’m not one.” I arch a brow hoping to add a little humor to our current tense situation and it backfires. “I’m not the asshole you wasted your first time on, so marrying me won’t be a mistake.”

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