Page 111 of From the Start

I brace. Here we go. The guilt trip is incoming.

“I slept pretty well myself,” Kai says. If he’s trying to derail Dad, reminding him we slept together in my childhood bedroom is not the way to go about it.

“Are you moving in?”

I choke on my coffee at Dad’s question. I cough and liquid flies from my mouth all over the counter. Kai rushes to me and slaps my back.

“I’m fine.” More shocked than a smuggler who catches his first glimpse of a mermaid, but fine nonetheless.

“Well,” Dad pushes once we’re seated at the table. “Are you moving in or what?”

“Dad.”

“We haven’t discussed it,” Kai says.

Dad nods. “Good. You should get married first anyway.”

“Married?” I set my cup of coffee on the table. At this rate, I’m going to have a coffee bath before I can drink it.

“You know what marriage is. And I expect Kai to ask for your hand in marriage.”

“I will, Henry.”

I glare at Kai.

“What? If he wants me to ask for your hand in marriage, I will.”

“We went from you moving in to us getting married faster than a mermaid can swim.” And mermaids can swim fast. There’s a reason they’re not allowed to compete in the Olympics after all.

He shrugs. “We love each other. Moving in, marriage, babies. It’s all going to happen.”

I gasp. “You did not say we love each other in front of my dad.”

Dad grunts. “If you don’t love him, he shouldn’t be spending the night.”

I bury my face in my hands. Can I start this morning over? No, not this morning. Last night. I should have kicked Kai out when I had the chance.

But no. He has to be all sexy and hard to resist. Stupid hormones.

Kai pulls my hands away from my face. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I’m not ashamed. I’m embarrassed. Two different emotions. You should know since you were beyond eager to show off your expanded vocabulary this morning.”

“Is vocabulary code for something?” Dad asks and Kai bursts into laughter. I elbow him.

“What? It was funny.”

“Are you two ganging up on me now?”

“You better get used to it if I’m moving in here.”

“No one asked you to move in.”

He points at Dad. “He kind of did.”

“What about your house?”

He shrugs. “I’ll sell it. Or maybe rent it out. The rental market on the island is good considering the amount of tourists who visit Smuggler’s Hideaway. I’ll contact my realtor. Jade lives next door, doesn’t she?”