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“I know that.” Zach’s words gritted from between his clenched teeth. “I can handle my own life. You’re just worried how my actions will affect your precious career.”
“Wrong. I’m reminding you because I’ve seen the two of you together. You’re behaving like a couple. A real one. Has that sunk in for you yet?”
He thought it had. Until Chase pointed out he’d noticed a difference. Zach dated casually, sure, but he felt like his brother was referring to a relationship in Zach’s past—way in his past. One in particular that hadn’t ended well.
“I’m handling it,” Zach repeated rather than broach the topic of Lonna.
“Let’s start over.” Chase blew out a heavy breath. “What I should’ve said, rather than dispense a big brother lecture, was that I’m excited for you. For our family. The first baby is a big deal.”
“You’re jealous you didn’t get there first.” Zach allowed a sideways smile when his brother chuckled.
“Yeah, you win.”
But Chase’s words settled in the center of Zach’s chest. A baby was a big deal. So was an engagement. And Penelope living in his house.
“I’m taking this seriously.” Zach felt the urge to clarify. After a pause, Chase spoke.
“How is she?”
“Healthy. Gorgeous. Stubborn.” Impossible, he mentally added. “Returned every bit of the baby clothes we purchased because they were too expensive.”
“You call that stubborn? I call it practical.”
“Stubborn,” Zach reiterated.
“Almost as stubborn as you.” Chase wasn’t wrong. “Way to pick ’em, brother. How about you?”
“How about me what?” He closed the spreadsheet and powered down the computer.
“How are you?”
“I’m good. I’m fine.”
Chase waited, not buying the blow-off.
Zach sat back down and rested his forehead on his hand. Then he confessed something to Chase he hadn’t told anyone. “I’m trying not to screw everything up for my child.”
“You’ll figure it out. You’re not a screw-up, Zach. You try everything once, and that’s not a bad thing. I’m the careful planner, and knowing what I know of Penelope, I’m guessing she’s a careful planner, too.”
“The carefulest.”
“You’ll find your way. You don’t know how to fail. You stay on the balls of your feet and roll with the punches better than anyone I’ve ever known.”
The vote of confidence from the man he admired most, second to Dad, meant the world to Zach. His throat thick with emotion, he couldn’t even manage a muttered “Thanks.” Zach wasn’t the get-choked-up kind, but damn.
“When do you find out if I’m having a niece or a nephew?”
He smiled at his brother’s use of the monikers again—if he wasn’t mistaken, Chase was looking forward to being an uncle.
“Next week.” Zach swept his eyes to his desk calendar to confirm.
“Tell me first this time.”
“We’ll see. Stefanie has already mentioned some gender reveal something-or-another.”
Chase’s reaction was a mumbled curse followed by, “Of course she did.”
Zach ended the call with his brother as a quick knock came from Sam who ushered in Mara, his bubbly and completely kick-ass CFO.
