Page 65 of Icing on Top

I pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Sleep tight, Tot.”

She mumbled something along the lines of “Night, Daddy”.

Zoe stepped forward and bent down, affectionately brushing Charlie’s hair away from her forehead. “Goodnight, Charlie girl,” she whispered.

Charlie let out a deep exhale. “Night, Mommy.”

My heart hurtled up into my throat before plummeting back down to the bottom of my stomach. Zoe’s fingers had frozen on Charlie’s cheek. Okay, so she definitely said what I thought she’d said.

She’s barely even awake, I reasoned with myself. She was most likely in some half-asleep state where reality and the dream world blurred. In her mind, it could have been Sadie telling her goodnight. She probably didn’t mean to call Zoe that.

Without looking at me, Zoe stood from Charlie’s bed and headed to the door. I followed after her. If we were going to talk about this—which we definitely needed to—Charlie’s bedroom was not the place for it. Even if the little tot was knocked out now.

“I’m sorry,” Zoe blurted.

My eyebrows pinched together. “Why are you sorry? You didn’t do anything.”

“I just don’t want to confuse her or anything.”

This wasn’t a hallway conversation either.

“Come here,” I encouraged her, taking her hand and gently guiding her to my bedroom further down the hall. I quietly closed the door behind me and then turned to face Zoe, not even giving her an opportunity to speak. “You are not confusing her. She’s just exhausted. I highly even doubt she knew what she was saying.”

Zoe nodded, but she still chewed on the inside of her lip as she sat down on the edge of the bed. I joined her and instinctively reached out for her hand once more.

“Zo, really. It’s okay,” I insisted. “Was it shocking? Hell yeah. That was the last thing I expected to come out of her mouth, but I genuinely think it was subconscious.”

I stroked my thumb soothingly across her knuckles, and she seemed to relax under my touch. When I’d decided to pursue a relationship with Zoe, I knew that someday this would happen. The bake sale incident had shown just how different Charlie felt not having a mom. It made sense that she’d latch onto anyone who took on a motherly role in her life. I just hadn’t expected the ‘mommy’ term to come up so soon. Even if it was a slip up.

“I don’t want anyone thinking I’m trying to replace Sadie,” Zoe confessed, “because I know I could never do that. For either of you.”

“And I’m not looking for someone to replace her,” I jumped in. “I love you for you.”

Zoe froze for the second time that night, and so did my heart. This was not how I planned on telling her how I felt. I had half a mind to feign exhaustion as well.

But then her lips curved up into a smile.

“You what?”

I could see the hint of mischief in her eyes. Only Zoe would find entertainment in my torture.

“I’m in love with you.” I tried to sound as confident as possible, even though I was holding my breath, hoping she felt the same way, too.

Her smile widened even further, and she leaned forward to press her lips to mine, her free hand cradling my cheek.

“I love you, too, Miah.”

If she hadn’t been holding me, I would have surely floated away.

“Really?” I breathed out.

I stole a few more kisses, quick pecks from one corner of her mouth to the other that made her laugh and her shoulders scrunch up.

“Really.” She pulled back just enough so that she could look me in the eyes. “I’m all in on you and Charlie. You two mean the world to me, and I don’t ever want to let you go.”

I shifted to wrap my arms around her waist and guide her closer.

“Charlie’d never allow it. And neither would I.”