Chapter 28
Rhyland
I t’s wild that you can go years believing that you’re living your life to the fullest, only to realize the truth is far from it.
Since Payton and Gabby moved in, I took off the rose-colored glasses I’ve worn most of my life.
The ones that made me believe that what I was doing daily was living, but I was a fool because that wasn’t living; it was surviving.
Since opening my heart to Payton, the world has gone from black and white to the brightest technicolor.
I couldn’t imagine not coming home to find Gabby’s toys scattered all around the house, or Payton’s shoes on the stairs with her intention of carrying them upstairs, yet never doing so.
I wouldn’t want to come home to a silent house without Gabby’s babbling and giggles.
And even if I struggle to get the cabinets open quickly, or it takes an extra minute to plug something in because I need to peel the cover off the outlet, I love all of those silly contraptions we recently babyproofed the house with, because it means that Gabby is safe.
Now that I’ve gotten to experience all of that and see what exactly was missing in my life, how could I ever give any of that up? The answer is simple—I won’t. But the first thing we need to do is come clean to everyone about our relationship. I’m done hiding it.
What makes me any worse than Joel Taylor? He kept his secrets from Payton, and while I’m an open book to her, I’m keeping secrets from everyone else. It’s time the world knows she’s mine.
I reach the side of the bed where Payton slept last night, hoping to pull her closer to me, but I come up empty.
All plans of talking last night were shot to hell once I found her waiting for me in my bed in just my shirt.
Our mouths were quickly otherwise occupied for the rest of the evening before she fell asleep in my arms.
Pushing up to a seated position, I look around the room and see that I’m alone. Where did she go?
I twist to a seated position and grab my phone from the charger beside my bed. Making a rash decision, I open up the group chat I have with Ollie, Archer, and Logan.
Me: Hey, just letting you know that I’m not coming in today. Don’t worry, everything is fine. Logan can take over for me in the kitchen. Everything is in the walk in.
I send the text off and put the phone back on the nightstand with every intention of ignoring it today.
There’s no point in waiting for a reply because I made up my mind.
There’s nothing they can say to convince me not to spend the day with my girls.
If we are going to come clean to everyone and dive headfirst into possible chaos, I want one last day of peace with them—just us.
With that dealt with, I hop out of bed and throw on a T-shirt and go in search of the girls.
Popping my head into Payton’s room, I come up empty, so I head downstairs.
As I make my way down the stairs, I hear a familiar rattling coming from the living room.
I walk into the room and find Gabby bouncing in her jumper activity center.
She loves this thing. It has an assortment of different activities and things for her to play with.
The TV is on, and there is a blanket strewn across the couch, but where the hell is Payton?
“Good morning, Princess.” I crouch down and press a kiss to her forehead. “Do you know where Mama is?”
“Oh.” Payton gasps behind me. I twist around and see her walking into the room, both hands clutching her coffee mug. The hair bundled on top of her head and the slow shuffle of her feet give me an idea that maybe I was alone in bed for quite some time.
She lets out an enormous yawn as she takes a seat on the corner of the couch.
I join her on the couch and lift her legs into my lap, then stretch the blanket over both of us.
“Have you been up long?” I ask as my palms glide up and down her legs.
She takes a long sip of her coffee and just shrugs. “About three episodes’ worth,” she finally admits as she brings the mug to her lap.
“Why didn’t you wake me?”
Again, another shrug. “I wanted you to sleep. You don’t need to be dead on your feet today.”
“We’re a team, babe. Get my ass up if you need me. And what good are you if you’re dead on your feet?”
I reach out and grab her coffee, stealing a sip before placing the mug on the coffee table.
“You’re too good to me, Rhy.”
“Now, why don’t you go shower and leave me and Princess down here.
Go have some you time.” I hate that she forgets she doesn’t need to do this alone.
I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. Even though I may not be Gabby’s biological dad, that girl is mine in all other ways.
I want the late nights and early mornings.
I want the dirty diapers and the memories.
She opens her mouth, and I can already tell she will fight me on it, so I place my finger over her lips. “We’re a team, remember?”
Payton surprises the hell out of me when she responds by nipping my finger. I yank my finger back and arch a brow.
“Are you saying I smell?” she teases.
I lean in, running my nose up the curve of her neck. She shivers under my touch. “Only of roses.”
Payton giggles and pushes on my chest, putting space between us. “You’re such a liar.”
Payton stands, but I quickly grab her hand and pull her down into my lap. I cup her cheek and force her eyes on mine. “Not when it comes to you. I will never lie when it comes to you.”
I watch her throat bob as she swallows slowly. The air between us crackles as we stare at each other.
Closing the distance between us, I savor her lips. She tastes like coffee, but I don’t need the caffeine hit. Her kiss alone is waking up all parts of my body. All too soon, she pulls back.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
“There’s no need to thank me.” It’s about time she realizes how all in I am. We will talk about that when she gets out of the shower.
My eyes drop to her ass as she exits the room. As I listen to her footsteps up the stairs, I rise and head over to sit on the floor next to Gabby. She continues to bounce, her smile taking up her entire face.
Gabby and I are sitting on Payton’s bed, getting a fresh diaper as I explain my plan for the day to her.
“What do you think, Princess? Do you think Mommy would go for that plan?” I coo at her as I snap the buttons on her onesie back into place.
“Mommy would go for what plan?” Payton asks, finally emerging from the shower wrapped in a blue fluffy towel.
Fuck, what I wouldn’t give to be an inanimate object wrapped around her naked body.
Payton glances over her shoulder, smirking at me or more so my distraction from answering. She clears her throat, snapping me out of it. I narrow my eyes at her cheekiness as she slips on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.
“What were you two conspiring about in here while I was in the shower? Are you two ganging up on me?” She tosses the towel into the laundry basket and climbs onto the bed.
“You would never do that, though, would you?” Payton leans down and blows raspberries on Gabby’s belly, causing the most amazing sound to come from her.
This is the perfect life. I have absolutely everything I need right here.
I lift my eyes from Gabby to meet Payton’s gaze.
“How do you want to spend the day before you head in?”
“See, that’s the thing. I’m not going in.”
She tilts her head to the side, confused. “Well, I took the day off to spend it with my girls. I realized something yesterday.”
Payton adjusts herself and pulls Gabby into a seated position in her lap. “And what was that, Mr. Cole?”
“That this thing between us is real. And I don’t want to keep it hidden anymore. I want to tell everyone that you are mine. That there are no secret boyfriends or random hookups that everyone assumes is going on with us.”
“You realized all of that just yesterday? Man, no wonder you fell right to sleep last night when you got home.”
I mock her, earning a pillow to the face.
When I toss the pillow to the floor, I lock eyes with Payton and see the unshed tears glazing over her eyes.
“Come here, baby.” I open my arms, and she carefully scoots over with Gabby in her arms, settling the little wiggle worm between us.
“Do you really mean it?” she whispers against me.
“Absolutely. I’ve never meant anything more in my life.”
Pay snuggles into my chest, and I press a kiss to her forehead.
“You know things might explode when we tell everyone, right? I’m scared,” she admits honestly.
“I know. It’s why I took the day off. I want to give us one more day of peace before the shit might hit the fan. But I want to make one thing clear.” I tip her chin up to face me. “No matter what happens, I refuse to give you up.”
“Rhyland, I can’t ask that of you.”
I place my forefinger over her lips. “You’re not listening. I. Will. Not. Give. You. Up. That is how serious I am in this with you. Do you understand?”
“I refuse to give you up, too.” She smiles and brings her lips to meet mine, sealing our intentions with a kiss. I thread my fingers into her hair, holding her mouth to mine. But before I can take the kiss any further, a hand smacks my face.
I pull back and look down to find Gabby giving me a gummy smile. Grabbing her hand, I pretend to eat it. That only makes her giggle more.
“You, missy, just love to cockblock, don’t you?”
“Rhyland,” Payton shrieks.
“What?” I twist on my side and balance my head on my fist. “Where is the lie?” I joke.
Payton’s cheeks flush, and she shakes her head. I tap the end of her nose. “See, exactly. Remember your first night here?”
“How could I forget? I was so nervous about moving in here.”
I reach for her hand with my free hand and link her fingers.
“There was nothing to be nervous about.” I bring our joined hands to my lips and press a small kiss on her knuckles. “But do you remember the moment we shared where I almost kissed you and this little princess unleashed fury from her bottom?”
We share a laugh because that moment is definitely one that you can look back on now and laugh—back then, not so much.
“Oh my God.” Payton pulls her hand from mine to cover her face. “I had wondered if you were going to kiss me, and I was driving myself bonkers thinking that I just made it up in my head. I mean, you’re you, Rhyland Cole, and I’m me.”
“You’re you? You mean, you’re gorgeous, funny, creative, strong, independent, and a wonderful mom? Why wouldn’t I fall for you?”
She opens her mouth, but I shush her again. I know she would try to refute what I said, but I won’t let her.
“Now, how about I whip us up from breakfast and we just have a family day together here?”
“That sounds perfect.” Yeah, it does.