The Langfield Brothers: Box Set

30. Gavin

THIRTY

GAVIN

What the fuck is Millie doing here, smiling at me like she didn’t break me months ago? And what the hell is she doing holding my child and cooing at her like she’s enamored and acting like she didn’t force me to walk away because she didn’t want a child with me?

And how the hell does she know Vivi’s not mine?

Shouldn’t she be angry? The Millie I know would be throwing a hissy fit, demanding to know who I slept with and when.

Jealous that I’d have the audacity to touch another woman.

I didn’t, of course, but she doesn’t know that.

No. She’s already figured out that I couldn’t possibly be Vivi’s dad. Fuck. I need to get her away from Vivi before she ruins everything.

“Don’t worry. Millie is great with kids.” Ford eyes me, his content expression falling a little. “You doing okay?”

I don’t even know how to answer that. Before I arrived, I’d have said sure. Obviously, that would have been a lie, since who the fuck is really okay on any given day while parenting a six-month-old? Especially since I became a dad overnight and have absolutely no idea what the fuck I’m doing.

But now? With Millie less than ten feet away, shocking the shit out of me with her reappearance and acting all…friendly? Yeah, I’m nowhere near okay.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and study the screen like I’ve just received a text. “Give me a sec. I need to check this.”

He nods, and then he’s heading out of the room, his focus fixed on his little girl and mine.

Me: I need one of you to call me with an emergency.

Aiden: Okay. What kind?

Me: I don’t care. Make something up!

Aiden: I need better acting directions than that. What is my motivation? Am I constipated? Did Jill and I have a fight? Does it have to do with the way my wrist has been hurting since the game the other night?

Brooks: Dude, is this two truths and a lie? If so, you def aren’t constipated.

Beckett: What did Jill do now?

Brooks: Seriously, dump her.

Aiden: It was actually three truths. I need Miralax. Beckett, can I come over? I need someone to talk me through this.

Beckett: Talk you through shitting?

Aiden: No, Jill.

Beckett: Ducking A. You do realize it’s Friday, right?

Brooks: Anal Friday.

Beckett: What the duck is wrong with you?

Me: Can someone freaking pay attention here? I need help!

Brooks: Want Sara to call? She can come up with a work emergency.

Heaving out a breath, I glance at Ford. He’s smiling so big now it leaves me feeling like complete shit. I’ve been avoiding my best friend for months because I fucked his daughter and then she broke my heart. I swore to myself that I’d spend time with him, make sure he understands he did nothing wrong.

Fuck.

Me: No. Just. Fuck. Forget it.

My phone buzzes with another text, but this time it’s from Beckett only in a separate thread.

Beckett: I can come to you with the twins. We can hang and watch a game or something. Livy will understand. I can’t imagine how hard it is doing this alone, and if I haven’t told you before, I’m proud of you.

Fuck. Who the hell is this man and what has he done with my grumpy, stoic big brother? Ignoring the tightness in my chest, I respond.

Me: Millie’s here.

Beckett: At your ducking apartment?

Me: No. Worse. At Ford’s. He invited me for the weekend. What the hell do I do?

Beckett: How is she acting?

Me: She asked if I stole Vivi.

Beckett: Who steals a child?

Sighing, I run a palm down my face. Me, apparently.

Me: Who the fuck knows? She’s…I don’t know…different.

Beckett: I can say Dad needs us.

Me: No. I can do this. It’s over. Vivi is all that matters, and Ford looks so fucking happy holding her with his daughter here. I’m the ass in this situation. I’ll just ignore her. We both know this has to have her skin itching with the need to run.

Beckett: Just text duck if you need me.

Me: Not quack?

My phone buzzes again, this time with a message in the other thread.

Aiden: So can I come over?

Brooks: Aiden, Sara said to come over to our place. Let Beckett and Liv have their date night.

Beckett: Thanks, Brooks. Tell Sara she can choose where we order breakfast from next week when we’re in the office.

Me: Sara is the best.

Brooks: Damn straight. Crazy girl says donuts from the place on Thayer Street, Beck. Aiden, don’t you dare take Miralax before you get here. Gav, you got this. Whatever this is.

Brooks: But is it safe to guess that “this” has something to do with Millie holding your daughter?

My stomach drops, along with my jaw, as I gape at my phone. How the hell?

Before I can make my thumbs work to ask how the fuck he knows that, an image appears in the thread. And now my heart is dropping too. The photo is of the woman who is currently the bane of my existence. And sure enough, in it, she’s holding my Vivi girl in her arms. Even as my jaw hardens in anger, I save it to my camera roll.

Brooks: Lake just posted this on Instagram. Sara is still squealing about it.

I can actually picture that happening, and I surprise even myself by laughing at the way the moment plays out in my head.

Millie peers over at me. Her curious expression has me clamping my mouth shut. She doesn’t get my smiles. Not anymore.

But dammit, the only woman I have time for is currently looking at Millie like she hung the moon.

Quack.

“What are you doing with Vivi when you travel?” Lake’s question is expected. Everyone, including sports commentators, is interested in how I’m handling being a new single dad as well as the coach of the Bolts.

The table in the kitchen is situated under a large window with a perfect view of their gorgeous backyard. I’m glad we’re not sitting in the formal dining room. Fancy chairs and babies don’t mix.

And bringing a highchair didn’t even cross my mind. Lake, of course, was prepared, though it’s awfully convenient that she just so happened to pick one up while she was out this morning.

She’s part of a growing club full of people who are prepared for me to screw up.

Yes, she’s pregnant, but she’s still got months before the baby comes, and it’s highly suspicious that she’d be out stocking up the day I arrive.

“I’ve been paying the woman who handles our charity work to help. She’s sweet, but it isn’t a long-term solution. I just—” My words dry up when I catch Millie watching me with what looks like pity in her eyes.

The last thing I want is to pour out all my issues in front of my ex.

My ex who’s got her hand on Vivi’s tray. Each time we set something on it, she picks it up with one chubby hand and tosses it over the side, and Millie’s apparently taken on the task of holding her hand to keep her from throwing food while we eat.

The way their hands twine together makes my heart clench, but I curse the stupid organ and push the feeling away. “It’ll take some time to find someone permanent.”

“I could help you.” The words are barely audible, and when I zero in on Millie again, her eyes are wide, like even she is surprised that the suggestion left her lips.

For the first time today, I turn my full focus on her. Now that she’s made an offer like that in front of her father, it’d be suspicious for me to avoid looking at her like I’ve done my best to so far. Her freckled cheeks heat under my gaze, but she holds her chin up, almost daring me to say no.

Fuck, she’s pretty.

Her curly auburn hair is down and hangs to her shoulders, framing a face so gorgeous it’s painful to look at after all the shit we’ve been through. She’s wearing a simple black sweater, but even from here, I can tell she’s not wearing a bra. It was a habit of hers I loved when we were dating. Now I have to actively remind myself to keep my eyes off her chest before my mouth starts to water.

With a heavy swallow, I shake my head. “That’s very kind, but no.”

“I’ve got nothing else going on right now,” she counters. “And it would give me a chance to spend more time with Daniel. I’ve barely seen him play this year.”

Ford clears his throat. “Don’t you have a job lined up?”

I expect Millie to wince and for pain to flash in those golden eyes. Instead, she merely smiles at her father. “That’s actually why I came home.” She takes a deep breath and turns to Lake. “I was hoping that you would be willing to look over some of the music I’ve written. Dad mentioned that I’d have a place at Hall Studios if that’s what I want, but to be honest, I don’t want to do it that way. I’d really like to work on my music and then present it to you, and maybe to others if you aren’t interested.”

Lake nods, her eyes alight. “Absolutely. Just let me know when you’re ready. I’d love to listen.”

I’ve been holding my breath so long stars dance in my vision, so I force myself to inhale. Despite everything, I want Millie to have this. And I can’t help the pride that swells in me as she asks for what she wants.

But then she turns those golden eyes on me again, and I swallow my tongue. “So since I have some time on my hands, and you need help, let me watch Vivi for you.”

I narrow my eyes, silently conveying to her that she’s playing a dangerous game. And in return, I swear hers say game on .

But what fucking game is she playing?

“Your apartment has three bedrooms, doesn’t it?” Ford says.

Millie’s lips quirk while I squirm. “One room is for Vivi, obviously, and the other is set up with bunk beds for Beck’s kids.”

“Oh, Daniel and I had bunk beds for years,” Millie chirps unhelpfully.

Ford’s chuckle is deep and full of fondness. “Yeah, they did. Even though they each had their own room. I forgot about that.” He shakes his head and picks up his wineglass. “This would be great for you, Gav. Millie’s excellent with kids, and it would give her plenty of time to work on her music. You’d have someone who could travel with the team until you find someone more permanent.”

My best friend smiles like moving his daughter into my home and encouraging her to travel the country with me is genius rather than what should be his literal nightmare. And likely would be if he had any clue what I did with her for months behind his back.

“As much as I appreciate it, I’m looking for someone with a bit more experience.”

Millie grins. “I double majored in college. Music and early childhood education, in case I decided to teach music, instead of writing it.”

“Though your father would love if you’d come work for Hall Studios,” Ford reminds her.

She glances at him, and I’m pleased to note that she doesn’t have the same disdain for the offer as I would have expected. “It’s important to me to do it this way, but I appreciate the offer immensely.”

“Just want you to know you always have a place with me. Whether it’s in this house or in my business. You’re a Hall, Millie. Remember that.”

I look to Vivi, wishing for the first time that she was a baby that cried. Then I’d at least have an excuse to disappear from this table. But after that first night, she’s barely fussed. So I’m stuck here trying like hell to figure out a way to get out of hiring Millie Hall as my daughter’s nanny and moving her into my home.

“So what do you say?” Ford looks at me again. God, I’ve never wanted to muzzle a guy so badly, and that’s saying a lot, considering Aiden Langfield is my brother.

Millie’s lips twist like she’s trying to school her expression, but there’s no hiding her glee.

Jaw locked tight, I nod once. “I guess we can give it a try.”

With a squeal, Millie lifts Vivi’s hand. “Hear that, bestie? We’re going to be roomies.”

My daughter’s gummy grin cracks the ice hardened around my heart. Every day, she busts through a little more. She’s changed my life in a hundred ways since that fateful night.

And with my ex-girlfriend back in the country and moving into my apartment, I have a feeling my life is about to be flipped upside down.

When it comes to Millie Hall, I should be used to it by now.