“The Jetty is open for the season,” Cat said. “We’re just going to get dinner. We won’t be long.”
Dani stepped behind Cat while she gathered her coat and purse, attempting to herd her toward the door. “Take as long as you want. It’s under control.” She pointed to the living room where Dylan had Lucia pressed to his shoulder, bouncing his knees to the music playing from a pink and yellow bouncy-seat.
Dani shared a smile with Cat, knowing full well hers was sappy as hell. Dylan with a baby was up there with the most adorable things she’d ever encountered. It was possible, even if this entire soulmate search hadn’t happened, Dani might have fallen in love with Dylan anyway. The first time she’d seen him play peek-a-boo with Lucia, her heart would have been his.
She was glad they took the long road, though. It was rougher, more battle-tested. It meant when Dylan was less adorable, she didn’t feel the need to question things. She had her moments too. With personalities like theirs, sparks flew more often than not. It was just a matter of keeping the good ones flamed and stomping on the bad ones. They were doing okay at that.
Dylan looked up and made a face at the fact that Cat still hadn’t finished getting ready.
Dani laughed and mimed strangling Cat when her back was turned. They were doing more than okay.
“You’re sure you know how to warm the breast milk?” Cat asked, nearly catching her.
“I’m sure.”
“Catia,” Josh said quietly. He’d been standing at the door patiently, his coat on, his keys in his hand.
Cat took a deep breath. “Okay.” She turned to hug Dani, squeezing hard. “Thank you for doing this.”
“Are you kidding? We’re going to have so much fun.” She crossed the room and took Lucia from Dylan, nuzzling her warm baby-scented skin. “Aren’t we, Lulu?”
Josh kissed the top of Lucia’s head, then swept Cat out of the house like he was afraid she might turn into a pumpkin.
When the door closed, Dylan fell onto the couch with a tired sigh. “Ridiculous,” he said.
“I don’t know. They’re kind of cute.” Dani laid the baby on her lap, fussing with her pink onesie.
Dylan cupped her head in his big palm. “This one is kind of cute.”
“She’s the cutest. And I got to watch her before Emma or Sonya.”
Dylan laughed from his belly, and Lucia pulled a tiny baby half-smile at the sound. “You’re always running a race, Dani-pie. That’s why I love you.”
The declaration warmed her cheeks. It still surprised her how free Dylan was with his affection. It was like he’d been storing it up for so long that he couldn’t help but say things like that every chance he got. And he did—Friday nights when they’d turn off a movie early and fall into bed; Saturday nights when he was dressed in a shirt and tie and they were at some trendy new restaurant; Sunday mornings that turned into Sunday afternoons in bed. His bed, usually, which was new. With Cat and Josh, and now Lucia, right down the road, she didn’t spend much time at her condo. She’d always liked this little town they all called home. Maybe she’d call it home someday too. But there was plenty of time for that.
“I think I’m done running races, actually,” she said. She leaned into Dylan’s side and smiled down at Lucia. “At least about the important things.”
He smoothed his thumb over Lucia’s cheek. “Things have changed a lot, haven’t they?”
“I think so. But I think that’s the whole point. Maybe I missed that before.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Stasis is death, right? Life moves forward whether you’re ready for it or not.”
Dylan raised an eyebrow. “You thinking about doing this whole song and dance, Dani? The babies and the diapers and the family?”
Shit. She hadn’t meant to imply anything. Sure, she’d let herself think about it, what that would look like with Dylan. And she’d caught him more than once, watching Josh with Lulu. He did the same with Shawn and Mattie now too, his eyes intense like he was studying for an exam. She knew he was taking it all in, these examples of a world he thought he lived outside of. She knew because she was taking them in too. The two of them were finding their own way, but it never hurt to have an idea of the terrain.
The last thing she wanted to do was push, though. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she said.
Dylan’s lip twitched, his dimples sneaking out.
“Really, Dylan. I wasn’t trying to—”
He interrupted her with a kiss, laughing against her mouth. “All right, Dani-pie. Just say when.”