Chapter 16

"Rylin is yours, Zach." Did I just hear those words right? Zach is Rylin's father? I was shocked to hear the news. Zach got out of the chair he was in and kissed both of us.

Some time in the future, he's going to propose to me, and then we're going to get married. I let him hold our daughter. This time, Rylin cooed as Zach held her.

He was going to be an excellent father and dad to Rylin. I can't wait to get home and see what happens in our lives. Then she started getting fussy. She just ate, so she possibly diaper.

I was still tired from that, but thankful I don't have to carry her around any longer. I got out of bed and took Rylin over to the changing table. Zach stood behind me as I put a clean diaper on her.

When she was done, I picked her up and held her. She fell back asleep before I got back into bed. I let her sleep because she's going to need all she can get.

A knock at the door woke her up. I rocked her, and soon she was asleep once again. My parents, Maggie and Joseph, came in. They each wanted to hold her. Zach picked her up from my arms and took her over to see my parents.

Then took her over to see his parents. Finally brought her back to me. "So, how did the test go?" Dad asked. "I'm a member of the fathers' club," Zach said. Everyone in the room knew how much Zach wanted Rylin to be his.

"So when are you released?" Maggie asked. "They didn't say anything yet," I told them.

Zach's POV

After Rylin was born, I texted my brothers asking them if they could move Kat's and Rylin's things to my house. They agreed to it, and I told them where the spare key was hidden.

So now Kat will be living on the ranch with me. Rylin is going to have a fantastic childhood.

Kat's POV

We got released at eight at night after Rylin got a full check-up. She was healthier than any they've seen in a long time. Probably because I rarely ate junk food, and Zach fixed healthy meals.

Zach carried both her and the diaper bag to the truck. I sat in the back with her as Zach drove us home. I didn't look up until he stopped. This wasn't my house. "Kat, Rylin, welcome home," Zach said as we pulled up to his house.

I'm going to be living on the Triple R ranch. First part of the merge. I unbuckled our little girl and carried her inside.

Zach led me down the hall to a room. "This was supposed to be a library or whatever I wanted it to be." He said before opening the door.

The walls were hand-painted with horses and rolling plains. Clouds and birds accompanied the horses, either running or gazing. One stood there looking out into the room.

It was a palomino. I saw Jericho off running with several other horses. "All these horses are in the barn now. Including yours. He never wanted you to leave him with strange people, but at night we'd let him out to wander the yard. Several times, he stayed right in front of my house.

"He's more of a pasture cattle protection horse than a riding horse." I hugged Zach with Rylin. He placed his arms around both of us and kissed me on my lips.

"I know we can't go out to dinner tonight, but what if I cooked for my beautiful girlfriend and daughter?" Zach asked. Rylin yawned. "Don't you always?" I asked him. He kissed me again before going into the kitchen.

I went into the room and fed Rylin before putting her in the crib. She immediately went to sleep. I turned the monitor on and took one of the listening devices with me.

I turned it on and set it on the bar counter. "Is she asleep?" I nodded. "Who knows what's going to happen in our lives?" He said as he continued to cook.

His brothers said they'd be by tomorrow before leaving for the picnic. "I've already decided what I'm doing when she gets older." He said. "Let me guess. Stay at home, dad because you basically live at work?" I asked.

He smirked. "You know me so well." He said before kissing me. Rylin began crying. "I've got her." He said before going into her room.

She's going to grow up with a supportive family. One thing I didn't mention that I saw was a foal running almost to the window.

I went to her room and stood in the door way. Zach had just changed her diaper and was rocking her. I looked out the window and saw the foal that was on the wall. It was standing next to its mother as she grazed.

The door creaked as I leaned further on it. Zach looked up, he smiled warmly as he rocked our daughter. When she was completely asleep he set her back in her crib and led me back to the kitchen.

He kissed me as he pulled me close to his body. I smiled as he trailed kisses from my neck to my lips. He spun me around and wrapped his arms around my waist. He broke away and leaned his forehead against mine.

"I think something is burning." I said. He quickly pulled away and ran into the kitchen. He turned the burner off and set the pan on a cool burner.

"I got distracted." I giggled and went over to him. "Then I guess we'll just have burnt food tonight." I said as I put my arms around his neck. "I guess we have to." He smirked.