I sipped on a juice box while Slash and I waited for the doctor. I was on an exam table, and he was sitting in the chair against the wall.
He was flipping through a Women’s Health Magazine, head bent, seemingly lost in an article when he said, “You’re staring at me.”
“Yeah.”
“Why are you staring at me.”
“Because I think you’re pretty.”
He snorted and lifted his gaze. Amusement stamped his lips—lips that had been between my legs not even two hours before.
Slash couldn’t be called beautiful, and it had nothing to do with the blatant scar across his face. I barely noticed it anymore. No, he was too rugged, too masculine. A jaw too chiseled to be subtle. His face was weathered and grooved from years on the road.
I was too busy staring at him all moony-eyed to realize the door had opened and the doctor had strode in.
She smiled. “Exciting day, isn’t it? Your first ultrasound.”
“Very exciting,” I said.
“How are you feeling?” Dr. Beauchamp asked as she washed her hands in the sink.
“A little tired,” I said. “I still have morning sickness that sometimes oddly happens in the afternoon, but aside from that I feel good.”
“Wonderful.” Dr. Beauchamp dried her hands and then went to the ultrasound machine in the corner. She dragged it over next to the exam table and then grabbed a bottle of gel.
I laid back and lifted my shirt.
“It’ll be cold,” she said, just before squirting gel onto my belly.
“Ooh, you weren’t kidding.”
Slash got up from his chair and stood near my head.
Dr. Beauchamp took the ultrasound wand and placed it on my stomach. A few seconds later, I heard the whoosh whoosh sound of my baby’s heartbeat.
Tears blurred my vision, and I reached my hand up to Slash and he immediately grasped it.
Dr. Beauchamp pointed to the screen. “See that peanut-shaped image? That’s your baby.”
I looked from the screen to Slash whose face was completely blank. But I knew. I knew underneath the stoic facade he was shaken.
“I’ll leave you both for a few minutes.” Dr. Beauchamp got up from her stool and vacated the room.
“How?” I asked quietly.
“How what?”
“How can something so tiny also be the biggest change of our entire lives?” I asked in wonder.
Slash didn’t reply as he continued to stare at the monitor. With his free hand, he grazed a finger across the screen.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice tight.
I smiled at him through the tears. “Back at ya.”
We walked out of the clinic hand in hand, both of us lost in the majesty of the moment. The guards patrolling out front gave us chin nods as we left.
“It makes sense now,” I said.
“What?” Slash asked.
“The guards at the clinic that Linden opened. The cartel…”
“Yeah. Boxer’s also a bit protective of her.”
“That’s sweet,” I said.
“So, it’s sweet when he does it but not when I do it?”
“I didn’t say that.” I hit the clicker to unlock the car. “I’m not used to it. That’s all. I’m used to taking care of myself. It’s going to take me a little while to come around to the idea that I can rely on someone besides myself.”
He nodded. “What have you got planned for the rest of the day?”
“I have a meeting with Lily.”
Slash blinked. “Lily? Six-year-old Lily? That Lily?”
I grinned. “That would be the one. Didn’t you hear?”
“Hear what?”
“She’s having a ballet recital with a celebration party afterward and she wants me to cater it.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope.”
He shook his head. “She’s got everyone wrapped around her finger.”
“Little girls know how to do that,” I said, feeling my insides go all marshmallowy at the thought of maybe having one of my own.
He kissed me on lips, slipping his tongue into my mouth briefly before pulling back. “See you tonight.”
“What are we doing for dinner?” I asked as he climbed onto his bike.
“What have you been doing for dinner while I was away?”
“Roasted chicken with an orange and fennel salad and garlic mashed potatoes.”
He looked at me.
I looked at him.
“So, pizza?” he drawled.
“Pizza,” I agreed with a grin.
“Her Majesty will see you now,” Darcy said as she opened the front door of her house.
“Where is Her Highness?” I asked in amusement, stepping into the foyer.
“Upstairs in her room. She’s having tea.”
“By herself?” I asked.
“No. She invited her stuffed animals. And Boxer.”
“Boxer?”
Darcy nodded and grinned. “Go see. It’s priceless.”
I took to the stairs and heard jazz music coming from a bedroom. The door to Lily’s room was open and there was Boxer, sitting at a table designed for kids, pretending to drink tea with his pinky up.
Lily was wearing a pink boa and tiara and asked him, “More tea?”
Boxer held out his cup. “Please.”
“May I have a cup?” I asked with a smile.
“Brooklyn!” Lily yelled, jumping up from her chair and rushing to me, the blue tea kettle still in her hand. “Uncle Boxer is having tea with me and teaching me about jazz.”
I raised my brows. “A worthy lesson. Who are we listening to?”
“Cannonball Adderley,” Lily informed me. She took my hand and dragged me to the table.
“Sorry to interrupt,” I said to him.
“No worries. I need to get going anyway,” Boxer said. He looked at the little girl. “Same time next week, Lily Burger?”
She nodded. “You’re coming to my dance recital, aren’t you?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” He scooped her up into his arms, fake teapot and all, and kissed the top of her head. He set her down and went to the door. “Do I put my cupcake order in with you or with Lily?”
“She told you what I’m making?”
“Yep. I know you gotta make pink frosting, but can you make some dude cupcakes with blue and green or something?”
“I’ll see what I can do,” I said dryly.
“Don’t forget the sprinkles.” He winked.
“Sprinkles are manly?”
“Yup.” He popped the P.
“Bye, Uncle Boxer.”
“Bye, Lily Burger.” He sauntered out of Lily’s room, and I shook my head.
What was it about seeing these burly, rough-and-tumble men so gentle with their women and children? If I wasn’t already drowning in pregnancy hormones, this would’ve kick-started my ovaries.
“Sit,” Lily commanded.
“Yes, ma’am.”
I pretended to sip on tea and eat a fake scone while Lily told me everything she wanted for her cupcakes. “Chocolate and vanilla, definitely,” she said. “With pink and white frosting. And its Jane’s birthday. Can we do something extra special for her?”
“Definitely,” I said. “How about glitter in the frosting.”
Her eyes widened. “You can do glitter in frosting?”
I nodded.
“Wow. Can I be you when I grow up?”
God, this kid.
“Why would you want to be me, when you could be you?” I asked with a smile.
“Knock, knock,” Darcy said. “You ready for some real food, kid?”
Lily nodded.
“Lil, why don’t you run downstairs and get out the bread, peanut butter, and jelly.”
“Okay.” She set down her cup and ran out the door past her mother.
I set my teacup down and stood up out of the small chair.
“What did she rope you into?” Darcy asked.
“Nothing I can’t do,” I assured her. “And seriously, I’m happy to do it.”
“You and Slash are invited to the recital,” she said. “You know that, right?”
“I didn’t.”
My phone rang in my purse, and I dug through it. It was Diane from the bank.
“I have to take this,” I said to Darcy.
“Take your time, then come down for PB&J.”
Darcy left and I answered the phone. “Hello?”
“Hi, Brooklyn? Diane.”
“Hi, Diane.”
“Good news, we found the account where your loan payments were being diverted. We’ve gone ahead and applied the payments and adjusted the new balance on our end, and it’s already been reflected on your account.”
“Did you say the payments were diverted?” I repeated.
“Yes, into another account. We’re still not clear about how the funds got there, but it’s a bank matter and we will be investigating further.”
“Oh. Oh wow. Okay… Do I need to hire an attorney? I mean, that’s a pretty big deal…money just going somewhere it isn’t supposed to, isn’t it?”
There was a pause and then—“I don’t feel there’s a need for that. I’d greatly appreciate your discretion on the matter. We’ve been in business since nineteen thirty-four and we pride ourselves on our reputation. You can rest assured there is nothing wrong with your account, and all funds have found their way to the appropriate place.”
“I see,” I said. “So long as I don’t have any more issues, I won’t pursue this further.”
“Thank you.”
We hung up and I shoved my phone back in my purse. I was glad the issue was resolved, but there was still an air of mystery about it, and I didn’t like it.
I couldn’t outright prove Kurt Antol was involved, but I knew that he was. He wanted to buy my building, and I wouldn’t put it past him to use any means necessary to get what he wanted. Subterfuge, coercion, and outright manipulation. My instinct said to stay away from him, yet I still didn’t know how this was supposed to resolve.
Trying to figure out if Kurt was indeed responsible for all of this felt like a giant waiting game. I just hoped things didn’t come crashing down around me before I figured it out.