Larry Birkhead To Marry

Again, from David Perel's National Enquirer.

She's a beautiful, brainy blond who could become the new mom to Anna Nicole Smith's baby daughter Dannielynn.

Science teacher Dana Lynn Walker is the secret girlfriend of Larry Birkhead- and friends believe they are planning to marry, the ENQUIRER had learned exclusively.

The couple celebrated Father's Day together at Anna Nicole's former home in Los Angeles-(how creepy is that?) while Dana took her first gentle steps to getting to know 9-month-old Dannielynn.

"Dana and Larry are in love- and she would love to become mommy to Dannielynn and help raise her," a source told The ENQUIRER.

"It's the best thing that could happen to Dannielynn. Dana' s very down to earth and loves kids- and that's a big plus as far as Larry is concerned."

Dana, 35, teaches marine biology at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., and has a 13-year-old son from a previous marriage that ended in divorce in 1996.

Since a Bahamas court awarded custody of Dannielynn to Larry, he has been in regular contact with Dana by phone and text messages- and the slim athletic beauty has been giving the novice dad advice on baby-rearing.

But she hadn't met Anna Nicole's daughter until June 14, when she flew from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles. A chauffeured car whisked her to the Studio City home where Anna lived before she moved to the Bahamas- for a reunion with Larry and a getting-to-know you session with Dannielynn.

"Dana and the baby hit off right away," says friends.

Larry, 34, and 5-foot-5 Dana have known each other since they attended grade school together in Louisville, Ky. Over the years, they and their families remained friends.

But incredibly, it took the bizarre aftermath of Anna Nicole's death to turn friendship into romance.

"While Larry was battling in court in Fort Lauderdale over where Anna Nicole would be buried, he stayed with Dana's parents in Boca Raton," explained the source.

"He and Dana were together a lot, and she accompanied him to the courthouse a couple of times when he had meetings with Howard K. Stern and Anna Nicole's mother."

"They made excuses to be alone together, and it was soon obvious that they were no longer just friends. There was a spark between them that quickly grew into love."No one cheered louder than Dana when a Bahamas court ruled that Larry's DNA matched Dannielynn's- and he was the baby's father.

"The first phone call Larry made after the verdict was to Dana," said the source.

"She couldn't wait to meet Dannielynn- but she couldn't join them till school finished." "Larry wanted her to share his first Father's Day weekend with them, so the timing was perfect." Dannielynn could one day inherit a half-billion dollars from the disputed estate of Anna Nicole's late husband, billionaire J. Howard Marshall II.

"But Dana could care less whether that happens or not,"said the source. "She's not over-awed by money- her stepfather is a millionaire in his own right."

Friends say that when Dana and Larry do marry- and they haven't yet set a date- the biggest winner would be Dannielynn.

"Over the years when they were just friends, Larry watched Dana doing a wonderful job raising her own son- he's a great kid," said the source.

And he must be confident that she'd bring the same kid of dedication and caring to raising Dannielynn. "If anyone can make sure that that gorgeous little girl is grounded and grows up as normally as possible, it's Dana."