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“Nothing will take you away from me again,” Zach vows in his deep voice. “I’ll kill whoever tries.”
I try to smile and sniffle, but it’s all too much. I look at Jake and can’t believe how fortunate we are. I never imagined I’d be in this position almost two years ago at this time. Zach bulldozing his way back into my life will always be the best thing that could’ve happened to me.
“Knock, knock,” a whispered voice calls from the door. I turn my head and see my parents peeking through. “Is this okay?”
“Yes, come in,” I hand the baby over to Zach so that I could reposition myself on the hospital bed.
“Slayer,” Dad’s voice comes out a little louder than intended, and I chuckle when the baby is startled in Zach’s arms.
“Dad,” I open my arms for him to give me a hug. He looks so close to tears, I am pretty sure I am about to cry again, too.
“I can’t believe my baby just had a baby,” he whispers in my ear. “I am so proud of you. You’ll be such a great mom.”
That’s about all it takes for me to burst into tears. They’re happy tears, but tears nonetheless. My mom comes on the other side, and the three of us hug tightly with Zach looking on with an indulgent smile on his face as he’s holding Jake.
“Ugh, don’t do this to me,” I push them both off me and try to make light of the situation. I wave my fingers for them to step back. “Meet your grandson.”
Zach turns a little sideways so they can both see the baby’s face. “Allow me to introduce to you Jacob Adam Cavanaugh.”
“Jack,” Mom gasps and grabs my dad’s arm for support. One hand is covering her mouth, and she is crying her heart out.
“We’ll have a Jack and a Jake in the family. Not confusing at all,” Zach comments, making us laugh softly.
“Let me hold him,” Mom stretches her arms out, sighing with happiness when she is finally holding her newest grandson. “Hi, Jake,” she whispers to him. “I’m your grandma.” She starts doing the goofiest baby talk, and we all watch mesmerized.
Dad stands by her, running his fingers softly over the baby’s hair. Jake’s tiny hand comes up and grabs a hold of his finger, which looks so big in comparison.
“Wow, good grip there,” Dad gives me a playful wink. “I’ll finally get my army of warriors out of the grandkids. Who would’ve thunk it, Evie?”
“Brooke can be your assistant with that,” I tease him. I know Dad got a soft spot for my sister-in-law as soon as he met her. She loves to hunt and fish, and doing all things outdoorsy. I used to say that Brooke was like the son Dad never got since neither me nor Ridge followed into his footsteps.
“We brought you something.” I now notice the large envelope sticking out of Dad’s back pocket. “For the baby.” He sticks the envelope in my hands like he doesn’t want to talk about it. “It’s nothing,” he shrugs.
I look at Zach, but he seems to be just as confused as I am. Mom gives us both a happy, albeit teary, grin, then goes back to chatting with Jake.
I rip the seal on the envelope and pull out a bunch of papers. I start looking at them in confusion, but then my eyes go big when they catch one particular section.
“What is it?” Zach comes to sit back down next to me on the bed.
“Some sort of,” I flip a few more pages to be sure. “Trust papers?”
“Trust papers for what?”
“The baby? For a million dollars?” I am just staring at my parents like they’re aliens. I don’t understand what’s happening.
“Jack,” my husband stands up to square off with my dad, one on each side of the bed. My eyes are going back and forth between the two of them, like I am watching a tennis match. My mom is completely oblivious to everything other than the new baby in her arms.
“It’s for Jake,” Dad finally says, and I gasp. “And any other children you may have.”
“Jack, no disrespect to you, but I got plenty of money. I can take care of my wife and kids. They’re my family.”
“That’s your money, Zach. We’re just putting it to good use.”
I swallow hard, unsure of what to say. I can’t figure out if Zach is mad about any of this. I really don’t want a rift in the family again just when I thought I finally had my perfect life.
“How is it my money?”
“Well, it’s more Hunter’s money, now that I think of it,” Dad scratches at the side of his face, pretending to think on it.
