Page 77 of A Return For Ren

“So Dee came and stayed?”

“She stayed that night. I was in shock and had nothing here for Max. You know that. Colin and I went to go buy a crib and other things from a list that Dee made while the kids stayed back with her at the house. Colin had done it before; he knew what to look for.”

Which was something she knew she’d probably offer to do too.

“You guys have come a long way,” she said.

“We have. When we were out, Colin said that Dee texted and said she’d stay the night. That she was sure I was going to need it. Trust me, I did. I would have never asked though.”

“That is the best kind of help. The best kind of people. Those that know what you need and are there for you without you asking. That’s part of the reason I didn’t take any exception to what Dee had to say yesterday.”

“She means well.”

“Just like Zane,” she said. “And when you meet Lily and Poppy and everyone else, you’ll see that too.”

“Oh boy. Do I need to be prepared?”

Zara laughed and opened two of the packets to put in her coffee. She could forgo the sugar if she had that. She never put sugar in any way, but figured she’d need something to break up straight coffee.

“I don’t think so. Well, we are meeting with my parents beforehand. That you should be prepared for.”

He sighed and stood up to take Max out of her arms so she could drink her coffee and get a muffin out of the bag that he’d picked up yesterday. She was good at eating and preparing food one handed though.

“I know,” he said. “It will be fine. I can handle anything after the past six months that I’ve had.”

“I’m sure you can,” she said. “We haven’t had much time to really talk about the marina and how things are going there. When are you going to list it?”

“Your brother finished everything on Friday, I believe. My mother decided on the realtor she wants to go with and I think they will get pictures and try to have it listed next week. Maybe the first of the year. I doubt too many people are looking the week of Christmas and it might do better so that it stays at the top of the listings to wait until after the holidays.”

“Sounds like you’ve got a plan,” she said. “Are you itching to get back here?”

She was trying to not get worked up, but half of the time that Ren was going to be in Mystic was gone at this point.

“No,” he said. “I miss Colin and Dee, I won’t lie, but I see Colin daily. I talk to him too. He isn’t that far, as we came to see him this weekend.”

“But you don’t see Dee or the girls often,” she said.

“I never did before Max either. It’s only been in the past few months. I don’t want you to worry about me coming back here.”

She sat down and took a bite of the muffin. “I know you will at some point,” she said.

He sighed. “I can stay there longer.”

“But why would you?” she asked. “Why would you rent that house when you’ve got to pay for this one? It doesn’t make sense to me.”

“You’re there,” he said. “Money isn’t an issue.”

It was the right thing to say, but it wasn’t enough right now. And a month of time together wasn’t enough time for either of them to make any long-term decisions.

“Whether it is or not, it’s still not practical.”

“Do you want me to come back here?” he asked. “Is that what you’re saying?”

He was walking around the kitchen with Max in his arms trying to distract him with a toy so that he didn’t want to get on the ground and take off checking out every corner.

She knew that Ren had spent last week babyproofing the rental as best as he could. This house would need it too.

“No,” she said. “I’m only saying that I know you have to come back here. I believe you when you say there is a possibility of you moving, but it’s not like you are going to do it after a month. I’m not asking that either. You’ll have to come back here even if that is short term too. Neither of us can or should ask the other to make a decision like this after only being together for a few months by the time your rental is up.”