Page 126 of Textbook Defense

“Rowan!” she screamed when she rounded the corner and came into view. She didn’t hesitate but ran full tilt toward him. “Rowan!”

He crouched and caught her, pulling her close and burying his face into her tangled hair. “Hello, poppet.”

“Rowan, Rowan, Rowan,” she gasped and clutched him. “You’re here. You didn’t leave.”

“No, I didn’t. And I’m not ever going to.”

Kaira pulled back and looked him squarely in the eye. “Promise?”

“Promise,” he choked out, but then couldn’t force out anything else.

“Promise,” Jordy said, crouching next to them. “Rowan is staying here. He’s going to live with us. Be a family with us.”

Kaira pondered this. “Does that mean he’s going to be my papa for real?”

Rowan’s brain record scratched to a halt.

“For real?” Jordy asked curiously.

Kaira nodded. “People keep calling him my daddy, but I tell them he’s not my daddy, you are. Ms. Jansen asked if he was Papa then, but I said he’s just Rowan.” She sighed like adults were confusing.

“But you liked the idea of Rowan being Papa?” Jordy didn’t sound pressuring, only deeply curious about her own feelings. Rowan wished Jordy would give him a clue.

“Yeah, Then I’d have two parents like other kids, and Rowan is a good dad. He’s better at reading stories than you, Daddy.”

“Well,” Jordy said grinning, “if he’s better at story time….” He caught Rowan’s eye, radiating joy and satisfaction.

And maybe his own surging joy and adrenaline were to blame for what he said next. “You know, the Urdu word for daddy isbaba.”

“Baba,” Kaira said, testing it out.

Rowan wanted to melt into a puddle on the floor.

“I think it suits him, don’t you, Kaira?”

She nodded and planted a smacking kiss to his cheek. “You’re a perfect baba.”

“Guess it’s good I’m sticking around, then. And will have lots of free time for the next few weeks, because I don’t have a job or money or even enough clothes to last me beyond a week.”

“That’s okay.” Jordy shrugged and helped them both off the floor. Kaira refused to loosen her grip on Rowan’s neck, so he balanced her on his hip. “You can take your time finding a job, or just stay home all day and buy new clothes using my credit card. I’ve got money to share.”

“You better,” Rowan said, suddenly sounding way more serious than he intended. “Share, that is. I’m trusting you to keep me safe here.”

“Always,” Jordy vowed. “There’s nothing I want more than to keep you both happy and safe and loved.”

Rowan was not going to cry. Again. “Sap.”

Jordy kissed him softly, sweetly. “Proudly.”

For several long beats, they just stood in the hallway, basking in the love and satisfaction of finally officially being a family. Naturally Kaira broke the silence.

“Baba, can we make cookies?”

“Can we make cookies. Poppet, we can always make cookies.” Rowan set her down on the floor and happily let her drag him into the kitchen, laughing as she described the cookies she wanted to make. Something about chocolate unicorn sparkles?

There was so much that needed doing, planning. They would have to call Gem to get the packing and shipping sorted, and the house in Toronto needed selling, not to mention figuring out what Sandy’s new duties and schedule would look like—though Rowan could already hear Jordy holding back toreassure her that her contract wasn’t being canceled or her salary changed, the same promise he’d made Rowan on the drive home—but for now, Rowan just wanted to be a family and have fun with his Kaira.

They’d pulled out all the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies and set them on the counter when Jordy joined them. He watched as they measured the flour, then suddenly said, “You know, there’s one easy way to keep you both safe and happy no matter what life brings at us, trades and all.”

“Oh?”

“We should get married.”

Rowan dropped the measuring cup full of flour onto the floor.

Then he kissed Jordy’s dumb beautiful face while Kaira collapsed into giggles.