The Langfield Brothers: Box Set

60. Millie

SIXTY

MILLIE

“All right Viv. Apparently Daddy has plans tonight, so you’re going to hang with Lennox and be a good girl, right?”

With a gummy smile, Vivi tugs on my sparkly earring.

“We’re going to have a great time,” Lennox says, holding out her arms. My traitor of a best friend sees the oversized pink Barbie and launches herself at her.

“Jeez, I’ll miss you too,” I grumble, fixing my earring.

Gavin chuckles from the door. “You’re worse than the baby.”

I turn around and stick out my tongue in rebuttal but almost stumble when I see how handsome he looks. He’s in a black suit, his thick arms crossed over his chest as he leans against the open doorway. His brown eyes shine with pure love. His hair’s a bit of a mess, though. I don’t mind. It makes him look a bit more real, a bit more mine. I take a deep breath, reminding myself that he is mine. All mine. Then I step closer to him and press a kiss to his jaw. “Hockey Daddy, you clean up nice.”

He rolls his eyes, and behind me, Lennox snickers.

“Told you the name would stick.”

Gavin wags a finger at her. “You’re a bad influence.”

She holds Vivi up so their cheeks are pressed together and pouts. “And yet I’m watching your daughter so you can go get freaky?—”

“Lennox!” I hiss.

She laughs as Gavin spins on his heel, ignoring her.

It’s been a month since my trip to the hospital. A month since our world flipped on its head and we thought we were losing the little girl who makes our life complete. But instead, thanks to Beckett, she’s ours for good.

Well, she will be once the paperwork is finalized. Then we’ll officially be Vivi’s mom and dad.

Only a few months ago, the idea of being a mom sent me running to the other side of the world. But now if anyone tried to tell me Vivi wasn’t mine, I’d run through fire to prove them wrong.

I wouldn’t change things, though. It was always meant to be this way. Vivi and I were meant for one another. My whole life, I never felt like I alone was enough. But then that little girl looked at me like I was her whole world. And I intend to spend the rest of my life making sure she knows she’s enough. Making sure she knows she’s loved.

And I know Gavin will too. I just hate leaving her tonight since I’ve been so busy the past two weeks in the recording studio with Lake. Still have no idea what I’ll do with the recordings, but there was something incredibly special about sitting in a booth and recording while Gavin and my father smiled on the other side of the glass.

It’s still not completely normal between them, but we’re getting there.

Kind of like Lake and me. I suppose we’re all a work in progress. But isn’t that what life is? A work in progress?

“Peaches.” Gavin says my nickname in a soft, flirty whisper, then presses a kiss to the spot below my ear he knows I love. He tugs on a curl when I don’t immediately respond. “You’re doing an awful lot of thinking in that pretty head of yours.”

I smile up at him, looping my arms around his neck. “Just thinking about how happy I am. But I’m ready.”

He presses his lips to mine, and for a moment, the world fades away.

Twenty minutes later, the car stops. Gavin has been awfully secretive about the plans he made for tonight, but when Jacob, his driver, opens the door and the entrance of the bar where we first met comes into view, I give my man a knowing look. “Bringing me back to your old playground?”

With a dark chuckle, Gavin holds out his hand and helps me out of the car. “Rented it out for the night again.”

Jacob shuts the door and rounds the car, leaving us alone again. I stare up at the restaurant as memory after memory flits through my mind, then shake my head. “I can’t believe you rented this place out again. What could you possibly have planned for tonight?”

His responding smirk is wicked. “Figured maybe I’d get down on my knees again for you.”

I roll my eyes and huff a laugh, but when he tugs on my hand and drops down onto a knee on the sidewalk, I suck in a breath.

“What are you doing?” I whisper-hiss, looking one way, then the other in confusion.

Gavin simply smiles up at me, his eyes never leaving mine. “I was upset that when I told you I loved you for the first time, it was on a whim. But for so long, I couldn’t put into words my feelings for you. These feelings were so much bigger than what any one person had ever spoken. Any word I’d ever read.

“Infatuation. Obsession. Love.” He shakes his head in dismissal of each one. As if they’re beneath him. Beneath us.

“ Infinitely and endlessly yours. Love wanes. Obsession tires. Infatuation can be toxic.” He bows his head for a moment, rubbing soothing circles over the back of my hand. “When I call you mine, that encompasses my feelings. We belong to one another. Your heart and mine. I am infinitely and endlessly yours, Millie. I know I asked at the hospital—on a whim, once again—but you deserve me on my knees, begging. Please be mine for eternity. Marry me. Be my wife.”

I’m nodding before he even finishes. Then I tug him until he’s on his feet and in my arms, crushing myself against his chest as I cry.

“Peaches, I need your words,” he whispers into my hair. Hands cupping my cheeks, he gently forces me to look at him.

“Yes, I’ll marry you,” I sob out, my vision blurred and my breaths stuttering.

He presses a kiss to my lips, then sticks a hand in his pocket. When he pulls it out, he’s holding a gold band adorned with a beautiful round diamond. “Give me that finger.”

Watery laughter bubbles out of me as I hold out my shaky hand, and he slides the diamond ring on. The smile that overtakes him is so wide it makes my heart ache.

God, have I ever been this happy?

“I have something else for you,” he adds with a squeeze, his own hand trembling along with mine.

I wipe under one eye, then the other. “Yeah?”

“The paperwork came through this afternoon. We’re Vivi’s parents. It’s official. You’re her mom.”

Screw trying to collect myself. My whole body ignites in delight, and tears flow down my cheeks. “Really?”

Gavin nods. There was a moment when we thought it would be a real battle—when Sebastian Lukov intimated that he may actually want to be Vivi’s father—but his true motive was money. When the Bolts agreed to pay him the full amount his contract had stipulated, even though he was fired mid-season, he signed the papers. Knowing he gladly traded his child for it makes me sick, but we’ll spend our lives ensuring that Vivi is loved and cared for. She never has to know that part of her story.

The only thing that little girl will know is that Gavin and I loved her so much we had to have her, and whether she’s my biological child or not, she’ll always be my little girl.

“Ready to go inside, Future Mrs. Langfield?” Gavin swipes the tears from my face.

Pressing my cheek against his palm, I laugh. “Oh, a new nickname? I like it.”

He kisses me again and then taps my ass, urging me toward the entrance. “So what are we actually doing—” As Gavin pulls the door open, my words are drowned out by a chorus of surprise s.

Teetering on my heels, I latch on to Gavin for support.

He circles his arms around me, swaying as he leans down and whispers in my ear, “We’re celebrating, Peaches. It’s Mom and Dad’s night out to celebrate.”

My dad approaches and shakes Gavin’s hand, then pulls me in for a hug, telling me how happy he is for me. Lake is next, with a hand on her belly, already listing wedding ideas.

My brothers appear after her, along with my mother, who seems to be on her best behavior. Paul brought his new boyfriend— not the manager Lake fired, but a new guy who seems to be a bit more down-to-earth and is even smiling and chatting with Lake.

The women at a table in the corner, Sara, Hannah, and Ava, have become close friends. The kind I always wished for. They’re always up for mimosa Sunday brunches and helping with Vivi when I need them.

Lennox and Vivi make an appearance via FaceTime, and for a moment, when my girl gives me a smile that shows off a couple new teeth, I consider leaving the party so I can snuggle with her.

Gavin’s brothers are congregated by the bar, all holding tumblers of whiskey. Beckett has one arm wrapped around his wife, who waves at me with a smile.

Gavin puts his hand on the small of my back, interrupting my perusal, and guides me toward the group. “I think my sister is here too.” I search the space, and sure enough, I spot Sienna standing between Brooks and Aiden, laughing as Aiden gestures wildly.

There’s a man I don’t recognize standing among them, but as soon as we approach, his eyes light up as he beams at Gavin. “This Princess Peaches?”

“Henry?” Gavin’s voice sounds surprised.

“Wait, how do you know one another?” Beckett asks.

Gavin eyes the white-haired man in a navy suit. “Met him in the park with Finn a few months ago. We became friends.”

The man laughs. “He thought I was homeless. Tried to slip me a couple hundreds so I’d have somewhere to sleep that night.”

Beckett laughs so loud heads turn around us. “You thought Henry Rose—venture capitalist and the owner of the bank where we do all of our business—was homeless? Oh, that’s too ducking good.”

Gavin groans. “Shit, really? Wait, why are you here?”

Beckett wears a smug grin. “He’s here as Aunt Zoe’s date. I introduced them.”

Liv nudges her husband and, under her breath, mutters, “Oh god, another matchmaking scheme.”

Henry doesn’t seem to hear, though, and with a big grin, he turns to Gavin. “Congratulations. I’m so happy for you.”

Gavin shakes his hand and then formally introduces us. After catching up for a few moments, Gavin leans against the bar to order drinks for us. “Peach margarita for my fiancée,” he says with a squeeze to my hip.

It’s impossible not to giggle. He’s going to be so obnoxious, and I love it.

“And I’ll take a whiskey.”

I poke him. “You don’t want to test out new drinks? Figure out what you really like?”

Gavin looks down at me, a smile in his eyes. “What I like is you, witchy woman. Now go get up on stage and sing me a song.”

I don’t hesitate to give Gavin exactly what he wants. I never will. Last time I was in this room, I had no idea who I was or where life would take me. Tonight, as I settle my fingers on the piano keys, I know exactly who I am.

A musician. A mother. And the love of Gavin Langfield’s life.

And there is no one I’d rather be.