It’s Always Us (Abandoned Brothers #3)

Chapter 47

LEX

I sit tipped back in Grandpa’s squeaky, worn-through office chair, which I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to get out of. A mass of pink and blue balloons surrounds me. So many they’d likely elevate a tank if tied together.

I slide my finger underneath another piece of tape to open one of the few remaining gifts. Krissy steps forward to snap another picture while all the guys sip beer from their lawn chairs and keep their ears tuned into the baseball game blaring on the old radio.

I peek over at Mark and Bree, who are in deep debate about which Taylor Swift song is the best. Mark, taking every opportunity to show her his deplorable vocal skills. They’re two peas in a pod, and over these past few weeks, I’ve only seen further proof of what an amazing father he’ll be.

He catches me staring and winks before that sexy smirk takes over his mouth like he just got away with something. But today, that sly smile doesn’t quite hold its normal level of self-assured cockiness.

After visiting Linda, he’s been in his head. His normal, playful self has been absent. Everything in me wants to get him out of here and haul him away from the pain that dwells in this place for him. I want my Mark back. The one who beams and lives high on life.

“What the ff . . . hell is that?” Carson says, his beer can halfway to his lips.

I hold up the box containing the wearable breast pump I picked out.

I watch Trig’s eyes go wide. “Do those attach— ”

“They’ll fit right inside her bra so she can pump while she works,” Krissy explains casually, and all the guys groan.

“You mean they’re like two little portable milking machines,” Wind asks, one side of his face scrunched. “Does that shit hurt?”

“I don’t know. We should hook you up and find out.” Slade sits slumped down in a chair, a beer bottle hanging between two fingers.

“You aren’t keeping that in the fridge here,” Wind throws out an arm, declaring it’s prohibited. “What if it gets mixed up with—”

“Stop.” Slade cuts him off with a growl, and I can only laugh.

“Damn, boys,” Grandpa gripes from a chair in the back where he’s been relaxing and surveying. “It’s no wonder your sorry asses don’t have a lady.”

Wind rests his head in his hand. “If you have any other grotesque gifts, can you just hold off and save those for home? I think I’ve heard enough about nipple cream, feminine products, and placentas to last me a lifetime.”

“Seriously, jackass. Did you need to use that word again?” Carson shivers.

Krissy lays her hand on Trig’s shoulder, and I promise I hear Slade snarl. “Did you know some women choose to save the placenta? They store it—”

“Oh, for ffff . . . shit’s sake,” Wind holds out his hand to stop Krissy. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Through their pansy complaints, I see Mark pull his phone from his pocket and step down the hallway that leads back to Grandpa’s office.

“Ok,” my mom says, taking the box from me. “Who’s ready for some cake?” Bree jumps up and joins her as I wonder where Mark went. “You want to help me cut it?” my mom asks her.

She nods, and Bob steps up to help move the cake to the workbench. I try to wiggle forward in my seat, and Carson gets up to offer me a hand. He yanks me to my Fred Flintstone feet, but his scowl is pointed at Trig and Krissy, who are busy flirting. Interesting.

I stand, letting my midsection adjust to gravity and space, which is followed by an immediate urge to pee. I waddle to the bathroom and then peek into Grandpa’s office to find Mark leaning against the edge of the desk, staring at his phone .

I move to stand between his legs, sliding my arms around his neck as he sets his phone aside.

“Everything ok?”

His hands glide over my large stomach and clasp behind my lower back.

“Rob wants to ring my neck?”

“Why is that?”

He presses his lips to my forehead and leaves them there. “Denver wants to meet?”

I pull away. “Really? They weren’t on your list.”

“Rob said they’re making some changes and have some extra money in their budget.”

“They have a pretty solid team. Don’t they?” I know they definitely made it to the playoffs last season.

His eyes drop to my belly, and he doesn’t answer right away. “Yeah.”

“When?”

“Next week.”

I move my hands to his shoulders. Linda’s court date is set for next week, and even though we hadn’t decided whether we were going, I suspect his lack of enthusiasm has to do with that.

“You’re going,” I say with conviction, and his eyes pop up to mine. “You’re not staying to hear the gavel drop on what we both know will be a sentence. You being here won’t make her sign the papers relinquishing her rights.”

“Lex . . . ” His tone is soft, but there’s a level of determination to it. “I’m not leaving.”

“It’s just a meeting. Go see what they have to say.”

His arms tug me closer, my stomach pressing into him. “Come with me, then.”

I let my head fall to the side. “I can’t travel. These babies need to stay in here as long as possible.” I grab the sides of his handsome face. “Call Rob back and tell him you’re in.”

“You’re being really bossy.” His lips curve upward slightly.

I release his face, and he pushes my hair over my shoulders. “Sometimes, I should get to be the bossy one.”

He leans in, his lips brushing against mine. “I think maybe you should be the bossy one all the time. It works for you. ”

His mouth moves over mine, soft and slow, before traveling to my jaw and downward. If he’s trying to make me forget, it’s working.

“Oh, sorry,” Bob says, peeking his head through the doorway, ready to escape before stopping. “Just checking to see if you two want cake. I’ll set some aside and leave you to it. Your time for that will be pret-ty limited very soon.” He grins and pulls the door closed.

I laugh, my head falling to Mark’s shoulder.

“I like him,” Mark says, finding my neck again. “The man clearly understands priorities.”

I relish the feel of his lips coasting down my neck to my collarbone for just a second before I pull away.

“Call Rob.” I kiss his lips and step away, opening the door, not letting him delay any longer or convince me to change my mind. Any more of what we were doing, he would.

“You’re a tease, Lex. You’ll pay for that later.”

I turn to grin at him. “I hope so.”

I hear his laugh as I waddle myself back out to the party so that he can make the call his mind, body, and spirit need him to make.