chapter twelve

The first time I really saw it was when I was in the kitchen, trying to get a cup of coffee, still barely awake after a late night of traveling back from my latest match. I heard her talking on the phone in the living room, her voice steady and confident.

It was Kayla. She was balancing this conference call with her work team, something to do with her job in public relations—she'd told me about it a million times, but I still didn't fully understand all the details. All I knew was that she had some seriously high-powered meetings and a demanding schedule. She was good at it. Real good.

But what caught me off guard was what I saw when I peeked around the corner. There she was, holding India in her arms like she'd been doing it her whole life, listening intently, nodding as she spoke into the phone, yet still effortlessly soothing the baby who had woken up crying a few minutes earlier.

Kayla didn't flinch. She didn't even look distracted. The way she adjusted India in her arms, her soothing murmurs, and the soft bounce she did as she stood by the window, her focus split but still so intense... I felt my chest tighten in the best way. It was impressive.

This wasn't something I expected. In fact, I wasn't sure what I expected when I asked her to come stay with me for a couple of weeks in Houston to help with India while I was on the road for matches and media appearances.

I thought maybe she'd be uncomfortable. I thought she might be overwhelmed. I didn't know how she'd adjust to the chaos of my life—especially since she wasn't exactly planning to be a mom anytime soon. But Kayla? She was already owning it. She was handling it like she was born to do this.

I'd never seen her like this before, so calm, so steady. The Kayla I knew was strong, independent, and sharp, but seeing her with India—seeing how she made room for the baby in her life without even hesitating—it hit me in a way I wasn't prepared for.

It was like I was watching her step into a role I hadn't realized she was made for, and the way she did it made my heart swell. I was falling for her all over again.

I didn't want to admit it at first—didn't want to face how deep this thing was going. But damn, I couldn't help it. I was watching her and I was falling more in love with her every second.

She was taking care of India, multitasking like a pro, and still making it look effortless. The way she leaned over to make sure India was comfortable in her carrier while answering an email on her laptop, the soft look in her eyes when she glanced down at the baby, it was all too much.

I had to look away for a moment, trying to pull myself together. There was something about Kayla that had always drawn me in, something about her heart, her loyalty, the way she cared about the people she loved. But this—this was something else.

Watching her with India, it made me realize how much I had underestimated her before. She wasn't just someone I could rely on when times were good, or when things were easy. She was someone I could rely on when life got tough.

I didn't know how much longer I'd be standing in the kitchen, frozen, but when I saw her look up and catch my eye, I was already prepared to offer the usual cocky smile. But she just smiled back, this soft, warm smile that took my breath away.

"How's the coffee?" she asked, her voice smooth despite the fact she was juggling work, baby duty, and probably a hundred thoughts at once.

"Perfect," I said, feeling a little embarrassed by how long I'd been staring at her.

I turned to grab my mug and tried to act like I wasn't caught off guard by what I'd seen. But my heart was racing, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was in deeper than I thought.

The rest of the week was a blur, but in the best possible way. I was gone for most of the day, traveling for interviews, meetings, and matches, but every time I came back to the apartment, I was more amazed by Kayla. She didn't complain. She didn't ask for breaks. She was just... there. Every morning I'd come home to find her making breakfast, India in her arms, multitasking between emails and baby bottles.

It was like she'd found this rhythm, one that worked for her and for India. She'd take care of the little one, clean up around the apartment, and still have time for a conference call or to handle her own work. I'd watch her while I took a breather after a match, silently admiring how she did it all without breaking a sweat.

There was one evening, after I'd gotten back from a brutal match, when I walked into the living room to see Kayla sitting on the couch, her laptop open, a half-eaten salad on the coffee table, and India napping on her chest. The room was quiet except for the soft hum of the baby's breathing and the sound of Kayla's fingers clicking away on the keys.

I stood in the doorway for a moment, just watching her. She was so damn beautiful, and I couldn't stop thinking about how lucky I was. This woman was in this. She was fully in, with no hesitation, no second-guessing. And as much as I wanted to believe it was just because she was a good person, I knew there was something more—something deeper going on. She wasn't just helping because she felt obligated. She was helping because she wanted to, because she cared.

I leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching her.

"You know," I said, finally breaking the silence, "you're really something."

Kayla looked up, her eyes softening when she saw me. She didn't even smile at my compliment—she just nodded, almost like she'd expected me to say something like that. "Someone's gotta do it," she said lightly, giving me a teasing glance.

I walked over and sat down next to her on the couch, trying not to let how much I was feeling show. India was resting soundly, nestled in the crook of her arm, and Kayla was back to typing away at her laptop as if it was just another day in the office. I had to fight the overwhelming urge to just sit there and admire her in silence, but it was hard when I felt like I was losing control of my emotions.

"You really make it look easy," I said, staring down at India's tiny face, her fingers curled in a fist, soft and innocent.

Kayla chuckled softly, pausing for a moment. "It's not easy," she said, glancing at me with a knowing smile. "But you're not doing this alone, Zilla. You never will be. I'm here. I *want* to be here."

I didn't know what to say to that. In all honesty, I was trying to wrap my head around it. I wasn't used to people just showing up for me, not like this. Sure, I had my mom, I had my friends, but Kayla? She wasn't just showing up. She was fully invested in this little girl, in *me*, and in this crazy situation we were in.

I reached over and touched her hand lightly. "You're really amazing, you know that?"

She looked at me, eyes soft, and then glanced down at India again. "I'm just doing what anyone would do," she said quietly. "But don't get used to me being this good. You'll end up expecting it all the time."

I couldn't help the smile that tugged at my lips. "I already do."

Later that night, after we'd gotten India settled and put her to bed, I found myself sitting on the couch, just thinking. I didn't want to be cliché, but I couldn't ignore the way my heart was swelling every time I looked at Kayla.

It was like I was seeing her in a whole new light. She wasn't just the woman I'd been dating. She was the woman who was already becoming a part of this little girl's life. The woman who was already doing more for India than I could have ever asked for.

And I knew something else in that moment—I was falling in love with her, more than I ever had before.

Kayla caught me staring at her, and she raised an eyebrow. "What?" she asked, half-teasing, half-serious.

I shook my head, my heart beating in my chest. "I don't know how I got so lucky, Kayla."

She smiled, this beautiful, knowing smile that made my heart race even faster. "You didn't get lucky, Zilla," she said softly. "You just needed to find someone who would be there for you. For both of you."

I was starting to realize how right she was. Kayla wasn't just here for me in the easy moments. She was here in the hard moments too. She was already part of this family—whether I was ready for it or not. And I was so damn glad she was.