The Langfield Brothers: Box Set

59. Gavin

FIFTY-NINE

GAVIN

Brooks: Good luck today

Aiden: Proud of you, brother. Vivi is lucky to have you and Millie as her parents.

After I type out a quick thanks, I slide my phone into my pocket, then focus my attention on my older brother.

“You ready?” he asks.

I blow out a breath and assess the door. It’s just a simple piece of solid wood. Nothing special. But the man on the other side holds my future in his hands. “What if he refuses to sign?”

Beckett frowns. “He doesn’t want a kid, Gav. And you heard the lawyer. You’ve established an emotional connection with Vivi. If push comes to shove, we have legitimate arguments.”

“But I stole a kid,” I whisper.

Beckett chuckles in response to that confession. Fucking chuckles .

I practically swallow my tongue. Now is not the time to laugh.

“It really does seem like something I’d do, not you.”

My lips tug up into a surprised smile. “True. Though there are fates worse than turning into my big brother.”

Beckett adjusts his tie and blinks a few times. “Duck. Why’d you have to go and make this emotional?”

With a hand on his shoulder, I look him dead in the eye. “In case I haven’t said it yet, thank you for helping me keep my daughter. For caring enough to do all this. We’re all lucky to have you.”

Beckett pulls me into his chest and hugs me tightly.

“Everything okay?”

We pull apart as Ford approaches. He’s wearing a navy-blue suit, and he’s got his hair slicked back like he’s ready for negotiations.

I straighten, still a bit nervous in his presence now that he knows the truth. “Yeah, we’re just heading in to meet with Sebastian. What are you doing here?”

Ford glances at Beckett and then zeroes in on me. He straightens and tugs at his jacket cuffs like he, too, is nervous. “I figure I’m going to be a grandfather. Have to make sure nothing goes sideways today.”

Another wave of emotion washes over me, but I swallow it back. “That means a lot to me.”

Fuck, it’s hard to keep the tears at bay. It’s one thing for Ford to accept my relationship with Millie, but it’s something entirely different for him to claim my daughter as his grandchild. It means Vivi gets a real family. And between Millie and me, my siblings and parents, Millie’s brothers, and all of our extended family, Vivi is going to have one big, beautiful, crazy family.

When Ford holds out his hand to me, I grasp it and pull him in for a hug.

He claps me on the back and says, “They’re both lucky to have you.”

The door to the conference room opens, and we all straighten. When Sebastian’s smug face comes into view, the tension of this moment settles over me like a heavy weight again.

Before my brother walks in, I grab his arm. “We give him whatever he wants,” I murmur. I’d trade every dollar in my bank account for my little girl.

Beckett hits me with a look that’s pure ruthless CEO. “I’ve got this.” He nods once, confirming that he understands there is no limit. Then he smiles deviously. “And if he becomes a problem, we can always call Jay.”

I cup a hand over my mouth to stifle a laugh. Our best friend Jay Hanson went up against the mob and won. I suppose my brother does understand the lengths I’ll go to for my little girl.