Ava scrolled, pausing at a set of colorful pull-up diapers. She glanced up with a conspiratorial grin. “I’m working on potty training. Some days she nails it, other days… well, you’ll still have to change diapers.”
Deke felt his face drain of color for a heartbeat. “Diapers?” he echoed, disbelief tugging at his tone.
“She’s two, Deacon. She’s in pull-ups through the day and diapers at night, though she rarely stirs. The diapers at night are just a precaution.” Ava’s voice was gentle, amused, as she leaned over the laptop on the coffee table. Moonlight slanted through the blinds, casting stripes across her face while she clicked through rows of tiny training pants. Her dimples deepened with every image.
Deke sat back on the soft sofa, the upholstery springing beneath him. He chuckled. “Diapers. Damn,” he muttered, shaking his head. Then he grinned when she laughed.
“Want to pick things out now? If we check out now, everything arrives by Tuesday.” The sparkle in her eyes made his chest tighten.
“Yeah.” He settled in deeper, propping one ankle atop his knee. “Let’s do it.”
Ava opened a fresh tab. “She’ll need aconvertible crib, one that turns into a toddler bed, plus a dresser, a changing table with a cushioned pad, a sturdy highchair, some plush toys, dolls…” Her cursor hovered over each item; brows knitted in concentration, then she looked at him.
“Show me what to get. You can leave everything you have here for when you visit.”
The soft glow of the computer screen illuminated her face, highlighting her delicate features as she logged into her account. Deke observed her long, tan fingers gracefully dancing across the keyboard, each keystroke bringing slots of pastel-colored baby gear into view. The screen filled with a gentle array of blues, pinks, and yellows, each item inviting and full of promise. Every so often, she glanced up, her eyes meeting his, and with each gaze, his heart skipped a beat. The room seemed to hum with a quiet excitement, a shared moment suspended in time.
“You are so damn beautiful, Ava.”
She paused, her fingers poised above the keyboard, and a slow smile curved her lips, brightening her entire face. “Thank you. You’re still incredibly handsome. We made a beautiful daughter.”
He chuckled. “She’s not dating until she’s thirty.”
Ava laughed. “Tyler said the same thing. He’s got a five-year-old daughter of his own.”
Deke’s smile softened. “I like Tyler. He seems solid.”
“He is,” she agreed, scrolling through a gallery of painted wooden blocks. “Protective, but he loves his family fiercely.”
Deke frowned. “He probably won’t be thrilledabout me being Ellie’s father. He’ll think I walked away.”
Ava clicked on a colorful foam play mat and tilted the laptop toward him, revealing a growing total in the cart. “He won’t be angry once I explain. I’m surprised he didn’t figure it out. Ellie has your dark hair and her eyes are just like yours.”
“I wore sunglasses when he showed me where the cattle were stolen from.”
“Well, he’ll understand.” She tapped the keypad. “I promise.”
“I hope so. I’d hate to have to kick your brother’s ass.”
“Tyler’s a big man, too,” Ava teased, and Deke laughed.
“Yeah, he is. Let’s finish the list.”
Crib, dresser, changing table, highchair, cloth wipes, a tower of diapers, stackable rings, a mobile of painted butterflies, item after item cascaded into the digital basket until Ava paused. She scrolled back up, fingertips hovering. “That’s everything.”
Deke stood, slipped his wallet from his back pocket and handed her his credit card.
“This is over a thousand dollars, Deacon.” Concern softened the edges of her smile.
He shrugged. “It’s everything Ellie needs, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then order it.”
“Okay, give me your address, so it’s shipped to your place.”
After entering his address and his credit card, she pressed ‘Order’, leaned back with a gentle exhale. A quiet chime confirmed the purchase. “It’ll arrive Tuesday.”
