29. Jack

29

JACK

I help Camilla out of the car onto the sidewalk. It's already dark. A quiet street compared to the old one, not far from the shop, but far enough that a drive after the day we had seemed appropriate.

We stand in front of our four-floor Brooklyn brownstone that has been ours for only a week. We haven't spent a single night here, what with all the work leading up to Keiki's grand opening.

Now, though, after everything, it seems like the perfect moment.

"You know, I should have offered for Juana and her family to come stay with us," I say. "We have six bedrooms after all. Need to fill them somehow."

Camilla smiles, moonlight casting a pale glow over her face. "Give it some time. I think we'll figure out a way to fill them."

I pull the keys out of my pocket, shaking my head and ignoring the way my cock shuddered in my pants. "You're the only person who could make me want to get you pregnant when you're already pregnant."

"Have to make sure the job is done," she says with a little shrug.

I clap a hand down on her ass, not hard enough to hurt, but enough to make her squeal.

Laughing, I lead her up the few steps to the front door. "Come on, little hellion."

"Mm, I love when you say my name, Daddy."

I ignore some more so I can focus on getting the right key in the damn lock, but she's pushing my buttons, that's for sure. "Let's see which one…"

As I search through the key ring for the right key, Camilla places a hand on my lower back and rubs in soft circles. "You were working so hard out there on the floor today."

I slide a key into the lock and try to turn it. Nothing. "Yeah, well, it was a big day, don't you think?"

"You'll need your rest tonight, probably."

"I'm not tired." I'm not only wired from the coffee. I'm as high as a kite from the rush. The grand opening was a success, and I already know we're going to be featured in the New York Times tomorrow, let alone all the magazine writers that stopped by to get a look at the place. Not to mention Juana walking into Camilla's life. "You, on the other hand, need your rest."

"Daddy…" she warns.

I try another key.

Dammit .

"Pushing yourself isn't good for the baby, baby girl."

She snickers. "Do you need me to give it a try?"

I jerk the keys away when she reaches for them. "I got it ."

"Fine!"

"We'll put in a keypad," I grumble, causing her to laugh more.

Finally, I get the last key in, push the door open, and spread my arms out. "Voilà!"

Camilla takes a step forward, but I grab her arm. "Uh, uh, uh! Allow me."

Before she can protest, I sweep her up into my arms, bridal style.

"Jack! What are you doing?!"

"Carrying you over the threshold of course."

She laughs as I take her into the house. "That's for when you get married."

"I know, but we have a home together and that's kind of like getting married, don't you think?"

She pats me on the cheek. "Not even remotely close, but cute you think so."

With all the care I can muster, I put her down. "Well, what do you think?"

We stand in the entryway to our new home. Our new home . Quiet and…unsure.

What do you do when you go from just a few rooms to a whole house full of them?

Decorating has only just started, which means a lot of the furniture is missing or is packed away for the decorator to get to tomorrow. Still, it looks like a home.

Camilla takes a few steps forward and spreads out her arms. She tips her head back, letting her arms fall. "Wow."

"Yeah. Wow."

"I love it."

"That's good, otherwise we're out several million," I say as I slink up behind her and drape myself over her back, wrapping my arms around her chest, and burying my face in her hair.

I look forward to lots of moments like this. Me and my…well, wife sooner than later. That's on the to-do list. "We're going to make a life here," I say to her. "Me and you."

"Mmm…" She leans back against my chest.

I drift my hand down to her stomach. Maybe I can catch the baby off-guard and get that elusive kick I've been waiting for. "And you, of course."

She laughs, leaning her head against my arm. "They like when you talk."

My heart jumps. "Yeah?"

"Mhm. They're trying to get to you."

I stroke her belly. "Well, I'm right here waiting."

"I bet it will be right when I try and fall asleep tonight. They can always sense when I've laid down and want to keep me up."

"I look forward to it."

"Of course, you do, you just want to torture me even more."

"Please, you know that's the last thing I want to do to you, baby girl." I lean down and press a kiss to her neck, gliding my hands over the mound of her stomach and up to the small space now between her belly and growing breasts. "What can Daddy do for you? What do you need?"

She whimpers. "I'm so hungry, and I need a foot rub."

I chuckle. "Not what I thought you were going to say, but I'd be more than happy to oblige."

Not an hour later, we're in our half-furnished living room, Camilla now clad in only a robe and a pair of my boxers as she languishes in a mammoth cloud chair. As promised, she is eating a collection of foods. She couldn't make up her mind between Thai and burgers and fries, so obviously, I had to get her a little of everything.

I sit on the floor in front of her, massaging lotion into one of her calves as she uses chopsticks to dangle some pad thai into her mouth.

"Mmm…" she says, leaning back.

"Was that the food or me."

"Both," she says, without lifting her head.

I continue working on the taut muscle in her calf.

"You really don't have to do that, Daddy."

"Yes, I do."

"But you've had a long day, and my feet are gross."

"Well, first of all, we both had a long day, and second of all–" I take her foot in my hand and kiss the top of it. "Far from gross."

She jerks her foot away from me, howling in laughter. "Don't even start with foot stuff!"

We both laugh. Her foot dangles back into my lap, and I get back to work. "I don't know how you're even still awake after everything with Juana."

"Me either. My head is still spinning."

I keep working.

"You're right. We look exactly the same."

"Not exactly, but–"

"Pretty much," Camilla says, placing the pad thai to the side and going for a bag of fries. "I've never had that before. Someone who looked like me. Like that ."

I pump some more lotion on my hand and go to her other leg. "Must have been strange."

"Strange but comforting. The whole thing." She is thoughtful as she eats a fry. Her other hand slides over her belly, errant and thoughtless. "It was so intense, Daddy."

I flick my eyes up at her for a moment as I knead my knuckles into her calf. "How so?"

Camilla's leg jerks. "Oh, my god!"

"Sorry."

"No, keep doing that."

I dig in again, and she lets out the kind of sigh I've only ever heard in the bedroom. "Yeah, that's it, Daddy."

"You're so bad, you know that?"

Her eyes squint open. "You love it."

"I love…everything about you."

She blushes.

"Tell me what you meant. With Juana."

"Oh, well, it was…it was the way I feel about our baby. But reversed. You know how there's maternal instinct. It was the reverse of that. Like being her child, I have an instinct that she's where I came from." She cocks her head to the side. "It's weird, my mom is still my mom, but Juana is…" She trails off.

I cup my hands around her calves and place my chin on her knee. "You're so strong, Camilla."

"No, it's not–"

"You are." I press a kiss to each of her knees and return my eyes to hers. "You dealt with me when I was a total jerk…"

" Jack… "

"And you whipped me into shape and made me make you a partner."

She bounces her knee up, knocking me in the cheek. "I didn't make you , you–"

"And then–" I press my hands into the cushion and lift myself closer to her. "You tried so hard to resist me."

Camilla rolls her eyes. "Yes, wasn't very strong in that regard, was I?"

"And you've managed to open a full-fledged business–"

"With your help."

"And embrace accidentally getting pregnant."

"I don't like to think about it as an accident."

I ignore her. "And now when you're supposed to be able to take a step back with Keiki open and focus on slowing down…"

"I'm not going to slow down," she grumbles, tucking her hands onto her stomach.

I laugh, resting my hand on hers. "Baby girl, you're talking back, and I'm trying to give you a compliment."

Camilla lifts a fry in the air. "You like when I talk back."

I sigh, shaking my head as I lean down to press a kiss to her stomach. "I adore you. I love you. And you need to shut up for just thirty seconds to let me say what I need to say."

Camilla puts the fry in her mouth and raises her eyebrows. Talk .

"Everything today was supposed to be a deep breath. And Juana shows up, which I know couldn't have gone better, but it was unexpected. And yet here you are, bubbly and bright and glowing ."

She flutters her lashes, eats another fry.

I slide my hands under her, massaging her lower back. "You're strong, baby girl. You're so strong."

Camilla presses her lips together into a smile. "Thank you."

"I want to be as strong as you," I say. "Since my mom is in town, I think I'll try and have a talk with her about…everything."

Camilla ruffles my hair and cups my cheek. "I think that's a great idea."

"But now, I need you to relax and let go and let Daddy take care of you. Okay?"

"Okay, Daddy."

I give her a soft kiss. Her lips taste like the salty fries. I could devour her, make her my late-night snack.

Camilla sighs, a high-pitched, cute sound.

"You're tired, baby girl. Let me take you to bed."

"I don't want to go to sleep."

"You've been up for far too long, I am sorry, I know I'm not the bedtime type but–"

"No, I'm not ready to go to bed."

I rub my hands up and down her sides, her changing curves filling my hands.

"Daddy?"

I part the robe at her chest, drop a kiss to the crest of each swollen breast. "What is it, baby girl?"

"Would you please…do me? But in a way where I don't have to do anything?"

Our eyes meet, and we burst out laughing.

"I mean it!" she says through hiccups. "I'm so tired, but I'm so pent up, I need you to–"

"I'm laughing at do me ."

"I'm not allowed to swear! It's your rule!"

"Baby girl, you don't have to explain yourself." I pull her into my arms. "I'll take care of everything ."

I carry her upstairs to our bedroom. I told our decorators to make our bedroom the priority and they've done an amazing job of making it an oasis for us. Light streams in through the French doors that leads onto a deck that overlooks our enclosed backyard, a rarity for New York City.

I place her on the bed amongst the lush hotel-quality bedclothes and begin to undress her. First, I untie the robe and pull the fabric apart, revealing her naked torso. Her engorging breasts, her dark nipples, the swell of her middle all taunt me. My cock wants me to act fast, act now .

But Daddy has to take his time.

Then, I pull the boxers down, revealing the plush triangle of her pubic hair and her tan thighs. I part her legs and dip my tongue into her for a taste.

"Daddy…" she sighs.

There's no way for me to see her expression now with her growing body between us which is why I have to be more careful and methodical than ever. I pull her legs over my shoulders as I kneel at the end of the bed and lap her up until she's squirming on my face, searching for a release. I know her body so well at this point that it isn't hard to get her to come.

I open my mouth and entrap her clit between my lips, rolling it with my tongue until she cries out, her essence flooding my mouth.

I don't linger long. That was just the beginning.

I get to my feet and begin to undress, letting Camilla catch her breath on the bed.

She's panting, a hand covering her face, her stomach heaving. Dark curls spread around her face like a deep and dark abyss that will swallow her up.

"Was that too much, baby girl?" I ask as I slide my belt off.

She smacks her lips, trying to wet her mouth. "No, Daddy, I want more."

"You're such a greedy little girl. I don't know what I'm going to do with you."

Camilla laughs. It warms my chest and goes right to my cock simultaneously. It amazes me how the little things get me all hot and bothered with her. Her pretty laugh, the flick of her hair, the way her hand smooths out the fabric of her top over her stomach. I'm so obsessed with her pregnant form that I hope it won't be long before she wants to do all of this again. I shouldn't get ahead of myself. Fatherhood is going to be a total rollercoaster. But one I'm so excited to get a chance to ride.

I finish undressing and give my cock a tug for a modicum of release. It's angry and hard and needs more than my hand can offer.

Luckily, Camilla has caught her breath and has draped her legs over the side of the bed, leaving space for me to position myself between them.

Instead of stepping between her legs, I lay on the bed beside her. "Roll over for me, baby girl."

"Mm, you said I wouldn't have to do anything."

"If you weren't pregnant right now…" I growl.

She laughs again and obliges my command, turning onto her side so I'm spooning her.

I take my time getting into position, kissing her temple, her ear, her jaw and letting my hands roam across her curves. I grind my cock against her plump ass, a minor relief. What I need is to be squeezed deep inside her.

"You're beautiful," I say as I rise onto one elbow.

"Even though I'm big?"

I cup the lower part of her stomach. "Especially."

Camilla hums, tilting her chin up toward me. "I love you."

I kiss her and as our lips are entangled, I part her legs and slide myself into her delicate folds until I find my way inside.

Camilla's moan courses through me. I swear she gets more sensitive every time we have sex. "Deeper, please, deeper…"

I push myself inside, my jaw dropping as I husk out, "Your body belongs to Daddy, baby girl."

"Nngh, yes, my body belongs to Daddy."

I glide my hand down between her legs as I thrust into her and begin to play with her clit.

Camilla's body jolts, and she almost curses. Almost. She bites back on it, teeth gnashing into her lower lip.

" Good girl …"

"Touch my breasts, Daddy."

"That's–"

" Please touch my breasts, Daddy, please ."

I move my hand to her chest. "I love when you beg." I begin to caress her breasts, alternating which one gets attention.

Her nipples have grown more prominent, hardened in the cool night air.

I pinch them. Delicate at first.

"Yes, Daddy, yes, keep doing that…" Camilla's eyes roll back.

As I roll my hips into her, my balls growing tighter with every motion, desperate to release inside, I continue to massage her.

She whimpers and moans, burying her head into her arm.

My hips move faster and faster, though my muscles strain. It's primal, out of my control. "Fuck, baby girl, fuck, Daddy needs to come."

Camilla says nothing. She grabs my hand that is holding tight to her breast and moves it down to her stomach, sliding my palm over the mound. She presses my hand down under hers and lifts her chin so she can see me.

Our eyes lock and for the moment, I feel like we are the only people in the universe. She is mine, and I am hers. Together, we've created life for ourselves.

Her mouth drops open, and she comes, her body jolting and a scream tearing out of her. It is sudden and unexpected, so much so that when she clenches around me, my release is immediate.

I gasp, my moan stuttering from the back of my mouth, curse words tumbling out too.

"Yes, yes, yes," she cries out, almost like she's under a spell. "Don't look away, keep going."

I try to pump my hips as best I can, though she's milking me dry. I don't want to let her down, want as many of her gorgeous mewls as possible.

However, all good things must come to an end.

My body gives out, no strength left, muscles aching.

I drop my lips onto hers, kissing her hard, just as my body collapses. I drop my head into her curls and let exhaustion overtake me.

Camilla moves her hips back on me, trying to get every last ounce of pleasure as she continues her squeaking string of yeses until there is nothing left, and the room is bathed in dark and silence.

Our hands don't move from her middle. I'm half expecting the baby to wake up and finally let me feel.

No such luck.

She lets out a deep breath and a few minutes later, falls asleep in my arms.

I wake up before Camilla the next morning. After a good while watching her sleep, I force myself up to go make some coffee. The journey down to the kitchen is long, which sparks an idea of maybe making a coffee station in the hall upstairs. Another idea for another day.

When I return to our room, though, the sheets are mussed, and Camilla is nowhere to be seen.

"Cami?" I call out into the room.

No response.

I place the coffee on the bedside table, expecting her to come back to bed, and check the master bathroom. "Baby girl?"

Still nothing.

I exit our bedroom and go across the hall to the nursery. Of course, that's where she'd be.

She stands at the bay window, looking out as the sun streams in. A beautiful image of her hair sticking out every which way, her feet bare, wearing her robe. It's almost like I've fast-forwarded time about a year. I already have a vision of our baby propped on her hips, can hear her voice as she talks to them in a soft and sweet voice about a bird flying by the window. In need of sleep, but happy, nevertheless.

"I was looking for you."

She turns, and I am dropped back into the present moment. No baby, just her belly. But still beautiful Camilla. "You found me."

I glance around the nursery. A work in progress, not due to the decorators, but us. Everything needs to be perfect. There are paint swatches on the walls and various choices of furniture in boxes. The one thing set up is the crib against the wall.

"It's…real," she says and drifts over to the crib.

I go to join her. "Yep, getting real really fast."

Camilla looks down into the unmade crib and shakes her head.

"It's all going so fast." There's a hint of sadness in her voice.

I push some curls out of her face. "That's how the whole parenting thing tends to go. Soon, eighteen years from now–"

"Don't even start! You'll make me cry!"

I laugh and slide my hand around her waist.

"We just…didn't get much time alone together. I don't regret anything we've done, but sometimes I'm scared we jumped headfirst into something we didn't know enough about."

I gulp. "You're having doubts?"

"Not doubts. Just don't want you to forget about me when you have a real baby to deal with," she says with a half-hearted smile.

I pull her under my arm and drop a kiss to the crown of her head. "You're my baby girl, Camilla. That doesn't change just because we're–"

" Jack ."

The urgency in her voice makes me jump. "What is it? What's–"

She grabs my hand and places it on her stomach.

And I feel it. The nudge against my hand.

"You felt that, right?"

"I…think so." Another nudge.

It's real. Really real. Right there. I've known we have a baby coming, obviously, but now…

"Oh, my god," I murmur.

Camilla looks up at me with twinkling eyes. "That's the strongest it's ever been."

Our eyes meet.

I'm overjoyed and terrified.

She touches my cheek, reading me so well. "Talk to them. They like it when you talk."

"Okay, okay…" I drop down onto my knees in front of her and start. "Hey, baby. It's…it's Dad." Emotions thrum through me, hard and fast. "I can't wait to meet you."

Camilla adjusts my hand to a specific spot where I assume the movement feels strongest. "Keep going."

I muster up my courage. "I already love you so much. Both of us love you so much ." I kiss the soft skin of Camilla's stomach. "Neither of us are going anywhere. Ever."

Epilogue – Camilla

Nine months later…

I watch from afar as Jack and the farm manager, Ronnie, walk up the row of coffee plants. Their conversation is animated and full of smiles which is a relief. Ronnie, a young native Hawaiian, has been doing a bang-up job of keeping Keiki running smooth and steady while we are in New York running the roastery and the shop.

On my hip, my baby reaches out her tiny hand in the direction of Jack and Ronnie. "Ba…ba…"

I bounce her on my hip and give her a squeeze. "Dada. That's dada ."

She smiles up at me with her big brown eyes, then blows bubbles from her mouth.

"We're getting there…" I giggle.

It's my first visit back since we came to buy the place. Between opening the shop and then my pregnancy and subsequent baby, there hasn't been a time it has made sense for me to come down. Jack, on the other hand, has flown down once a month since Alanna was born to make sure everything is above board, especially since the Keiki brand is exploding at an exponential rate.

So, when Jack invited me to join him on his visit to Keiki this month, I thought it was time.

My heart swells with pride as I watch Jack. He's come a long way from being the quiet and reserved stockbroker I met over a year ago to the easeful businessman he is today. Not to mention, he's handsome as ever. Long and lanky, his dark hair now cropped at the sides and long on top.

When Jack spots us at the end of the aisle, he grins ear to ear.

"See? Dada!"

Alanna babbles unrelated sounds and throws up her arms, reaching for him as he comes closer. Such a dad's girl.

"There she is!" Jack announces as he swoops in to grab her. He lifts her into the air over him, then tucks her into his chest.

Alanna, or Lala as we call her affectionately, squeals with delight.

I laugh and say to Ronnie, "You'd think the two of them haven't seen each other in days."

"That's love," Ronnie says in return.

Jack comes over to me and slides his free arm over my shoulder. "Well, go on, Ronnie, tell her what you told me."

I raise an eyebrow. "Good news, I hope."

Ronnie nods. "We're ahead of schedule on the new plot of land which means we'll be able to start planting within the month and, if all goes to plan, we should have the new crops from those trees in three years!"

"Three years," I say and wince. "I always forget this is a long game."

Jack laughs. "Camilla's the do it and do it now type."

I smack him in the belly with the back of my hand. "You're the coffee expert. Not me."

"Trust me, if the profits for Keiki remain the way they've been, you'll be turning a profit within the next year without the new land," Ronnie says.

Pretty unheard of for a new business. I know we've lucked out. Although, that luck didn't come without a lot of hard work. "We're going to have to go over the numbers regarding expansion. If we can keep up or if we need to scale back."

Ronnie nods. "I've got that meeting on the books tomorrow."

"Oh, tomorrow? I thought–"

"It's getting late," Jack says without letting me finish my thought. He nods up at the sky. "Sunset is soon."

I decide not to push. He's not one to step on my toes or cut me off. I'll let it slide. Plus, I don't want to be a tyrannical boss who forces people to stay late just because I'm in town. I might have access to more money than I ever could have dreamed now, but I'm not letting that change me. I want Alanna to grow up humble and grateful too. People's time always matters more than money.

"Right. Tomorrow. Looking forward to it."

We say our goodbyes and walk back to the car to head back to the hotel for dinner with Mari and her family. We learned the hard way the first time her house wasn't big enough for the two of us, and with a baby in tow, definitely not big enough for three.

Alanna's coos of excitement get edgier as we get closer to the car. "She's hungry."

"How do you know that?"

"Mother's intuition," I say with a smirk. "Not to mention–" I point down at the front of my shirt at the wet spot.

Jack sighs. "You poor thing…"

I laugh. "I want to feed her before we go."

"Can't it wait until we get to the hotel?"

I furrow my brow at him. This is not like Jack. Jack is already super dad. Other than the trips to Hawaii, Alanna comes first always. It's not like him to ask for things to wait. "You want to make our daughter wait to eat? When she's hungry? That's a recipe for–"

"You're right, you're right, that's–" He shakes his head and waves his hands. "Forget I said anything, that was dumb."

Maybe his head isn't in the right spot from all the traveling we've been doing. Or maybe it's been a long day. Still, though. Another out of character thing for Jack in the span of, what, five minutes?

Weird.

When we get to the car, I sit in the passenger seat, legs dangling out the door. Alanna is more than ready to nurse so there's no fuss about it.

Jack stands in front of the open door as a layer of protection, leaning a hand on the roof of the car.

"She's getting so big," he mutters as he watches her.

"I know. It's kind of crazy."

Jack pinches her fat leg delicately enough so as not to distract her. "It's all going so fast."

"We knew it would," I say, looking up at him.

Jack smiles at me, a smile that still sends shivers down my spine. A look of love. And admiration. "You're killing it, Cami. The mom thing."

I smile. "So are you. With the dad thing, of course."

Jack leans in closer, watching how our daughter is latched onto me, her plump fist resting against me. "You know, a lot can happen in three years."

"Uh huh."

"Technically, we could have three more children in three years."

I gape at him. "You're not actually suggesting–"

"And that doesn't exclude multiples."

"Don't you dare even put that thought into the universe."

He laughs.

"If you want to volunteer to carry them, be my guest."

Jack twirls a finger through my hair. "You liked it up until the end there."

"Yes, well, your daughter thought it'd be funny to stay an extra ten days past her welcome, not to mention the whole coming out of me thing." Other than being overdue, pregnancy with Alanna was textbook and giving birth to her was smooth and normal, which is to say I was in labor for about twenty hours. "You're such a…I don't even know what the word is."

"I'm kidding, baby girl. I'm kidding." He touches my chin, tipping my face up toward his. "You want more, though, right?"

"Of course, I do, but I'm in no rush," I say, elongating the "no".

"Me either, just…" He leans in, lips hovering closer to mine, "…thinking about all the fun we can have if we're actually trying and not just tripping into it."

Jack drops a soft kiss on my mouth, leaving my face hot and my heart pumping.

"Why do you do things like this when I'm holding the baby? Why do you–"

"I like to fluster you."

"Yeah, we know that." I huff.

Jack chuckles.

I watch Alanna for a few more moments. "I think a few more things have to happen before we even consider another baby."

"Like getting the business profitable?"

I scoff. "That's not what I meant."

"Like opening the Keiki in the Village?"

"Getting married, Jack. No more babies before that."

Jack's mouth tips up in a smile. "Noted."

Noted.

This from the man who offered me marriage when I was five months pregnant. Is it really so far from his mind?

I try to ignore the sting.

It's hard when I really thought a proposal would be coming on this trip.

Maybe next time.

"Where are we going?"

Jack doesn't answer.

We took a different turn than we were supposed to if we were headed to the hotel.

"Jack…"

"Scenic route."

I shake my head. "We'll be late for dinner."

"I already texted my mom."

I tap the inside of the door, my nerves making me edgy. "She's going to need a diaper change soon."

"And I will be more than happy to take on that duty."

I smile. "My hero."

Jack throws me a look for a split second, a smile and…something in his eyes.

Okay, he is up to something. What it is, I don't know, but it's something.

We end up on an ocean front road lined with beautiful bungalows. Between them, I get glimpses of the clear expansive Pacific.

Jack slows the car down and pulls into the gravel driveway of one of them. I'm expecting him to throw the car in reverse and take us back the way we came so we can make it to dinner at a reasonable time. But he doesn't. He puts it in park and turns off the car.

"Did your mom move?" I ask.

"No."

I look out my window at the bungalow. It's painted green with white framed windows and a wraparound porch on the second level. Adorable and cozy looking. "So, what are we doing here?"

"It's for you."

I shoot him a look. "What?"

"I mean, for us, but…" Jack glances back at Alanna who is zonked out in her car seat. "I wanted us to have a home here. So, when we come to visit, it's not a vacation, but a place for us to be with our family."

Tears rush into my eyes. "You…you bought this house?"

"I had it built for you."

I suck in a breath. "What?"

"Do you like the green? It's…greener than I expected."

"What do you mean you had it built for me?"

Jack chuckles. "I think you understand what I mean."

I look out at the house again.

It doesn't look like a modern house and that's why I like it. It blends right into the Hawaiian scenery, framed by palm trees, cradled by the sunset swathed sky. "When did you…"

"About a year ago is when I bought the property," he says.

"That was…I mean, I was barely pregnant at that point," I say with a disbelieving laugh.

Jack looks away, cheeks reddening. "Yeah, I might have gotten ahead of myself."

"I love that you get ahead of yourself."

He smiles. "You want to go take a look at it?"

"O-okay."

"Hold out your hand."

I do so and in return, receive a shiny silver key. This feels like a dream.

I get out of the car, close to shaking. I didn't expect this whatsoever. Sure, thought it would make sense to get us a condo down here for business purposes, but a whole house? Built for me?

Jack gets Alanna out of her car seat and follows me up the front steps. I put the key in the lock and stop to catch my breath.

"Is everything all right?" he asks, touching my shoulder. "Are you upset?"

"No, no, I'm overwhelmed. I…" I stop. "I knew you'd always take care of me, but I'm waiting for you to forget, and you never ever have."

Jack steps in close to me. "Baby girl, you taught me about the man I am supposed to be by letting me love you and take care of you. I'm never going to forget."

I place my hand on Alanna's back, look into the sleeping face of our little girl, then the face of the man I love. "Thank you for making me the woman I am supposed to be too."

His face is tense, though he's still smiling. "Open the door before I start crying, huh?"

I turn the key in the lock and push the door open. Dark wooden floors, light green walls, plants everywhere.

"There are doors out to the beach from the kitchen." Jack nods toward a black door at the end of the foyer. "Through there."

I shake my head. "This is ridiculous."

I pad through the front hall to the kitchen door and open it.

Immediately, I'm face to face with my mother.

"Mom?"

She smiles, wearing her Hawaii best with flowers in her light blonde curls. "Hi, honey."

Once the shock wears off that my mom is here, I realize my dad is standing next to her. And Edwin and Sonia are here too. And Mari and Geoff and…

"Juana?"

Juana smiles at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Juana has become a part of my life and been a part of Alanna's from the beginning. Alanna has four grandmother figures, all with different names. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

To see her here now, though, is incomprehensible.

I open my mouth, but my eyes keep darting from person to person, unsure who to greet first. "What are you all doing here?"

No one speaks.

"What's…going on?"

Jack comes up behind me. "Come outside with me."

I lift my wide, confused eyes to him.

"Here, I'll take Lala," my mom steps up beside Jack and takes our child.

Jack takes me by the hand and leads me through a set of sliding glass doors onto a back deck with stairs on either side that leads down to the beach.

I'm at a loss. The world has never looked more beautiful than this moment right now. The beach extends so far until the blue ocean laps it up.

Jack tucks his arm around me as we stare out at the ocean, the sand, the sky.

Ours.

"I can picture so much out here on the beach," Jack says. "So much of our life together. Our family and friends. Our children."

I can picture it too. Alanna toddling in the sand once she is able to walk, my mom and dad burning to a crisp under the Hawaiian sun, all our friends surrounding a bonfire as the stars shine overhead.

"I never thought I'd have that," he goes on. His voice catches. "I could never picture it, it was…fuzzy. And then I met you, and you gave me so much. Not just our baby but you made me feel like I belonged. Like I was understood. That's why it was so easy to love you, Camilla."

Jack draws away and slides his hand into his pocket. Then, he lowers himself to his knee.

"Are you for real right now?" I notice all of our family has gathered on the deck too. "Oh, my god, this is real."

"I've wanted to do this a long time," he says. "I know you thought I forgot."

I laugh. A tear slides down my cheek.

"Things have worked out for us. Almost like a storybook. But I know even if things go haywire, I want you at the beginning and the end of the day and if I ever lost you, I would be losing not just half my heart, but all of it."

He pauses to take me in. "I don't want to belong to anyone else." Then, Jack opens the box to reveal a diamond ring flanked by two light green gemstones. "Will you marry me?"

"You didn't even have to ask," I say through my tears. "Of course, I'll marry you."

Jack slides the ring on my left hand. "God, I'm shaking, I'm afraid I'm going to drop it."

I laugh and pull him to his feet to engulf him in my arms. My lips find his in a deep kiss, as solidifying as any marriage certificate would be.

"I love you," I whisper.

"I love you more, and I'll fight."

Our family surrounds us with hugs, kisses, and congratulations.

I take Alanna from my mother. She's still milk drunk and sleepy but buries herself tight into my chest.

The love in my heart burns even brighter, knowing that the man who gave me the most important gift in my life is going to be my husband.

We all go inside the house Jack had built for me, a fact I still can't get over, and enjoy a long dinner.

The smile doesn't fade from my face for even a second.

Jack keeps my hand in his all night, and Alanna alternates between which of us she wants.

It all goes by in a blur, but once everyone has left for the night or disappeared into their guest room, Jack and I lie in bed together with Alanna between us as she sleeps. We watch our beautiful creation with rapt attention. We've had six months of her and can't seem to get enough.

"Your ring…" Jack says, taking my left hand in his. He points his thumb at the green stones. "This is Alanna's birthstone. And if there are more, we'll add to the ring."

"Oh, there will definitely be more," I say with a smile. All my unease from earlier has dissipated. I want our family to grow and grow and grow now. "We've just gotten started."

Jack pulls my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles, his eyes locked in mine.

I'll always be his baby girl.

"I love you, Daddy."

If you like Enemies to Lovers, Boss/Employee and Surprise Pregnancy tropes, you would love Baby For The Off Limits Boss Daddy !

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