Siren backtracked. “Forget it. I know your life is here.”
Just like that, my mind was made up. “Darlin’, if I have any say in it, you’re my life now.” I glanced at the beautiful child in her arms. “You both are.” I took Siren’s hand. “I don’t have a problem with a fresh start.”
“But your business, your house.”
“We’ll buy another one.”
She frowned. “We?”
“Yeah.” I smiled. “As long as it’s oceanfront, you can pick the house.”
“Talon.” She glanced away for a second then looked back at me with determination. “I don’t have any money.”
I chuckled. “I’m buyin’.”
Her eyebrows drew together. “It’s true?”
“What’s true?”
“That you’re rich?”
I came in easy. “I bought you a Range Rover today. Its bein’ delivered tomorrow.” Shit. I hadn’t thought to ask. “Do you have a license?”
Her eyes went wide as fuck. “A Range Rover?” she squeaked. “I don’t, I don’t,” she stuttered. “I don’t need a Range Rover.”
“No, darlin’, you probably don’t but I wanted you to have one anyway. I want you safe when you’re drivin’ Maddie around.”
“But they’re too expensive.”
I went for full disclosure. “I came from nothin’. My mama had to rub pennies together to put food on the table some nights. When I married Leigh, I knew she’d had a privileged upbringin’ but I didn’t know how privileged. I didn’t ask and she never mentioned it. We lived comfortably on my salary. It wasn’t until she died that I found out how rich she’d been. She was an only child and her father had made millions. She left her entire estate to me. I went from having a checkin’ account and a small savin’s to needin’ a team to manage a portfolio but honestly? I’m a simple man. I like to surf and I like to be by the water. I bought the business and the house after she died and it didn’t even make a dent in what she’d left me.” I let out the air I’d been holding in my lungs and for the first time, I didn’t feel any of the guilt I usually fought when I thought about everything Leigh had left me. In fact, I didn’t feel guilty at all. I felt fucking grateful. And I realized something. If Leigh could see me now, she would be happy for me. “That’s the long and short of it.”
“I didn’t come to you because I thought you were rich.”
I smiled and stroked her cheek. “I know.” Jesus, I knew.
She stared at me like she was stunned.
“What’s goin’ on in that pretty head of yours?”
Her tongue darted out and she licked her bottom lip before pulling it between her teeth. “I was right. You are a lot to take in.”
I chuckled and dragged my thumb over that bottom lip I wanted to kiss so bad I could taste it. “Never claimed different. You got a place in mind you want to move to?”
She shook her head like she couldn’t believe we were having this conversation.
“There’s a small town a few hours’ south of here. It’s known for having pretty good surfin’.” It wasn’t California or Hawaii surfing but Florida had become home to me. The small beach town I was talking about was just enough off the beaten path, and it was halfway between Neil in Ocala and Blaze and Layna and André in Miami. I could let Kendall take over the shop. I could still make boards. The wheels were spinning and shit felt like it was coming together. “Whatdaya think? Wanna check it out?”
“You’re talking like we’re already married and we’re planning our future together.”
I fingered a soft strand of her hair while I studied her. “How come you and Carter never married?”
She dropped her gaze. “We didn’t fit…but he never asked.”
And she wouldn’t have pushed. That’s not who she was. I tipped her chin up so I could see her eyes. “Do you ever think about getttin’ married?”
“Yes,” she said quietly.
I couldn’t take another minute of not touching her like I wanted to. I stood and gently helped her to her feet so she didn’t wake Maddie. “C’mon.”
“Where are we going?”
I put my hand on the small of her back. “To bed.” I silently led her to the bedroom and to the crib I’d pushed against the wall. “Put her down.” I picked up one of the blankets we’d washed earlier today.
“She could wake up.”
“We’ll bring her to bed with us later. Lay her down, darlin’. I need to show you somethin’.”