Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
ROSCO
I wake up to the smell of coffee and the sound of someone moving around my kitchen. For a split second, panic hits. Then memory floods back, and I smile into my pillow.
Gia. She's here. She's real. And she's making coffee in my kitchen like she belongs there.
The clock reads 6:47 AM, earlier than I usually get up on weekdays. But then again, I usually don't have a pregnant woman in my house who needs feeding and taking care of. The thought sends a wave of protectiveness through me so strong it's almost overwhelming.
My woman. My baby. Mine to protect.
The possessiveness should probably scare me. We've known each other for all of thirty-six hours, and most of that time she's been running from some psychotic ex who thinks he owns her. But nothing about this situation is normal, so why should my reaction be?
I pull on jeans and a flannel shirt, then pad barefoot to the kitchen. Gia stands at the stove, her dark hair pulled back in a messy bun, wearing one of my old t-shirts that hits her mid-thigh. The sight of her in my clothes, in my space, makes something primal and satisfied rumble in my chest.
She's humming under her breath while she tends to what smells like actual food, not the usual coffee and toast I call breakfast. The morning light streaming through the windows catches the curve of her belly, and I'm hit with the reality all over again.
"Morning, beautiful." My voice comes out rougher than intended, and she startles, turning with a smile that lights up her whole face.
"Morning. I hope you don't mind me taking over your kitchen. I found eggs and actual vegetables in your fridge, which is more than I expected from a bachelor."
"My cousin Jordyn stocks my fridge when she thinks I'm not eating enough. Which is always." I move closer, drawn by the domestic picture she makes. "You sleep okay?"
"Better than I have in months." She flips what looks like an omelet like a professional. "You?"
"Like the dead. Having you here..." I pause, searching for words that don't sound completely insane. "It feels right."
"I know what you mean." She plates the omelet and hands it to me, then starts working on another. "I woke up this morning and for the first time in forever, I wasn't afraid."
The simple admission hits me harder than any declaration of love could. She feels safe here. With me. That's worth more than anything else she could give me.
"Good." I take a bite of the omelet and nearly groan with pleasure. "Holy shit, this is incredible. Where did you learn to cook like this?"
"CrimTube university and desperation. Zack had very specific ideas about what constituted proper meals, so I got good at making restaurant-quality food on a grocery store budget."
The mention of her ex makes my jaw clench, but I force myself to stay calm. She's here now, safe, and that bastard is six hundred miles away.
"Well, his loss is definitely my gain." I gesture to the perfectly fluffy eggs loaded with vegetables and cheese. "This is better than anything I've had at Bean & Bloom."
"Bean & Bloom?"
I nod. "Local café. Run by a woman named Sage who makes incredible coffee and decent food, but nothing like this." I take another bite, savoring flavors I haven't tasted since my mom was alive. "You're going to fit right in around here."
"I hope you’re right," There's uncertainty in her voice.
"Gia." I set down my fork and turn to face her fully. "Look at me."
She meets my eyes, and I see the vulnerability there, the years of being made to feel like she was asking for too much just by existing.
"You belong here. With me. For as long as you want to stay."
"Even when things get complicated? Because they will get complicated, Rosco. Zack isn't going to just disappear."
"Let me worry about Zack." The possessive edge creeps back into my voice. "Your job is to take care of yourself and our baby. My job is to take care of you."
"I can take care of myself."
"I know you can. But you don't have to anymore." I reach out to cup her face, thumb stroking over her cheekbone. "When's the last time someone took care of you just because they wanted to?"
She's quiet for a long moment, leaning into my touch. "I don't remember."
"Then it's time you learned what that feels like."
I kiss her then, soft and sweet and full of promises I'm not sure I know how to keep. But I want to learn. I want to be the man who gives her everything she's been missing.
When we break apart, she's smiling again. "So what's the plan for today?"
"First, we eat. Then we drive into town and start setting things in motion to make this offical.
We can get a marriage license in town in a matter of minutes, then we can have have a courthouse wedding later this week, or whatever we need to do to make sure that asshole can't touch you or our baby. "
"Just like that?"
"Just like that." I pause, then add, "Unless you want something bigger? I know most women dream about their wedding day..."
"Most women don't end up six months pregnant and running from abusive exes." She shakes her head. "Simple is perfect. Simple is all I need."
But even as she says it, I can see something wistful in her expression. Like maybe she did dream about her wedding day once, before life got complicated.
"We could do something small but special," I suggest. "Nothing big, just... meaningful."
"Rosco, you don't have to?—"
"I want to." And I realize I mean it. "I want our wedding day to be something you remember fondly, not just a legal necessity."
Her eyes go soft, and I know I've said the right thing. "What did you have in mind?"
"Leave that to me. But first, coffee and breakfast. Our baby needs proper nutrition."
Our baby. The words feel more natural every time I say them. I can’t wait to be a father. This baby will have the best life. I'll love him, protect him, teach him to build things with his hands and treat people with respect.
And I'll make sure he never doubts for a second that he's wanted.
"Speaking of the baby," Gia says, settling into the chair across from me with her own plate. "We should probably talk about practical things. Like living arrangements, finances, what happens after he's born."
"What do you want to happen?"
"I want to stay here. With you. If you'll have us."
The simple honesty in her voice makes my chest tight. "Sweetheart, I'm not letting you go anywhere. This is your home now."
"Even if Zack makes trouble? Even if his lawyers come after you too?"
"Especially then." I lean forward, and take her hand in mine, once more ignoring the jolt of static energy running up my arm from the contact.. "I meant what I said yesterday. I'm not looking for temporary. I want it all with you. Marriage, family, growing old together on this mountain."
She stares at our joined hands for a long moment. "I'm not used to this. Being wanted. Being protected. It's going to take me some time to believe it's real."
"That's okay. We've got time." I lift her hand to my lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "I'm not going anywhere."
My phone buzzes with a text from Noah, and I check it quickly.
Jordyn:
Family dinner tomorrow. Bring your mysterious houseguest. I’m making enough food for an army.
"What is it?" Gia asks.
"My cousin wants us to come to dinner tomorrow. Ready to meet the family?"
"All of them?" There's panic in her voice. "Rosco, I'm not ready for that. What if they hate me? What if they think I'm just using you?"
"They're going to love you." I'm absolutely certain of this. "And if anyone has a problem with you being here, they'll answer to me."
"But what if?—"
"Hey." I squeeze her hand. "Trust me. The Kane family has a thing about taking in good people. You'll fit right in."
"But they won’t know if I’m good people after one dinner."
"One dinner will be plenty. You're the woman I'm going to marry. The mother of my child. My family." I pause, then add with a grin, "Though Jordyn is definitely going to interrogate you. Fair warning."
"Your cousin?"
"Yep, my uncle's daughter, but she's more like a little sister. Married to Silas, the lawyer I told you about. She's also a journalist, so she has this annoying habit of asking pointed questions."
"Great. So I get to explain to a journalist why I showed up on your doorstep six months pregnant and claiming you're the father."
"You don't have to explain anything to anyone. But if it helps, Jordyn showed up in town last year with questions, and found answers she never even dreamed of. She'll understand better than most."
Gia nods, but I can see the worry in her expression. She's scared of being judged, of not being accepted. I get it. After years of being made to feel like she wasn't good enough, the thought of facing my family probably feels overwhelming.
"What if we start smaller?" I suggest. "Just Silas and Jordyn first. Let you get used to the idea of people being on your side."
"You'd do that?"
"Sweetheart, I'd do anything to make you comfortable. This is about you feeling welcome, not about showing you off like a prize."
Though I do want to show her off. I want everyone to see what an incredible woman I've found, how lucky I am that she chose me.
"Okay," she says finally. "Silas and Jordyn first. Then we'll see about the rest."
"Perfect." I finish my omelet and reach for my coffee. "Now, let's talk about the fun stuff. What kind of wedding do you want?"
"I told you, simple is fine."
"Simple doesn't have to mean forgettable." I lean back in my chair, studying her face. "Come on, humor me. If you could have any kind of wedding, what would it look like?"
She's quiet for a moment, and I can see her wrestling with whether to share something vulnerable.
"I used to think about getting married on a mountaintop," she admits finally. "Somewhere with a view that goes on forever. In a simple dress, with a simple ceremony, but surrounded by people who actually cared about us being happy."
"That sounds perfect."
"Really?"