Lex (Miller Brothers Book 2) Page 14

  I nod because I’m too choked up to speak. She kisses my cheek and hugs me again before leading me over to the sofa. I sit as Gracie leaves Dray before returning to me. She sits on my knee as I lift Max onto the sofa. She chats away, filling me in on everything. Her little excited voice is the sweetest sound in the world. Dray sits on the chair opposite, his eyes alight, watching his daughter giggle as I tickle her. Luce walks through with a plateful of snacks and a coffee, placing them down on the table beside me. She kisses my hair before climbing onto Dray’s lap then curls up, watching their little daughter in contentment, the love of their lives, chattering animatedly. Losing them all was a nightmare I never want to have to live through again, and being back here is a dream come true.

  I smile in complete satisfaction.

  It’s perfect.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Lex.”

  My eyes flicker open.

  “Lex.”

  I scrunch them closed then widen to try and focus, finding Gracie standing by my bed.

  Is it five already?

  I feel like I literally just fell asleep.

  I look over at the digital clock, showing it’s only one in the morning. Gracie holds her arms up. I guess after the last few days with my absence, she’s more than eager to make sure I don’t disappear again. I pull back the covers and carefully lift her in. Her little body shuffles back so she’s nestled firmly against mine. I curve my arm protectively around her, placing the duvet over her, and close my eyes. There’s a soft bark which rouses me again.

  Oh, yeah. Max.

  I should have known Gracie’s little shadow wouldn’t be far away. My hand falls down and I blindly reach for him, soon feeling his soft fur against my hand. I lift and place him next to Gracie. He spins around several times before settling down beside her. Her little protector. I close my eyes and smile, welcoming my little night-time visitors. I soon fall into a contented sleep.

  I wake to a smirking Dray, propped against the door frame. I have Gracie plastered to one side of me and Max to the other.

  Dray pushes himself off and walks forward. “Business as usual?”

  “Yeah.” I smile, and I can see he knows I’m happy to be back in the old routine. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  Gracie starts to wriggle her body, slowly wakening. Dray looks on with pride, always more than eager to see his daughter each morning. It’s the kind of love they share which warms your heart.

  “Morning, angel. Daddy’s been waiting for you to get up.”

  “What time is it?” I ask, rubbing my eyes.

  “After seven.”

  My eyes widen in surprise. “Wow, we slept late.”

  “Well, you all had a big day yesterday. How about we all have a nice family breakfast before Luce gets up?” Dray suggests, and I nod in agreement.

  “Is she still bad with the morning sickness?”

  “Yeah, she can’t look at food first thing. We have to try and eat then get it out of her sight before she wakes up.”

  “Daddy,” Gracie says, smiling. She holds out her hands to him and he happily obliges, scooping her into his arms and placing lots of kisses all over her face as she giggles.

  “I’ve missed you, baby. Did you sleep well? Do you need a wee-wee?”

  “Wee-wee,” she nods.

  “Come on, Max, you need one, too. The back door is open, go wee-wee.”

  It’s almost like he nods in recognition as I lower him to the floor and he hurtles off down the stairs.

  “I swear that dog never ceases to amaze me.” Dray chuckles to himself, walking off with Gracie in his arms.

  I stretch and head to my own bathroom to shower and clean my teeth, excited at the prospect of a cooked breakfast. My appetite has been non-existent this week, my diet mainly consisting of alcohol. I stare at my face in the mirror, seeing it’s certainly taken its toll. I need to get back to a good routine. I make a plan to work out later and flood my body with all the vitamins and nutrients it’s in dire need of.

  But first – breakfast.

  Gracie is happily tucking into her porridge as I take my place beside her. Dray hands me a plate of sausage, bacon and eggs, which I devour. He tends to Gracie, who has porridge all over her face.

  “Let’s get you cleaned up, porridge chops.” He chuckles.

  “Powidge chops.” Gracie giggles, and we all laugh together.

  Dray lifts her and kisses her soft curls. “What are we doing today then, Gracie bear?”

  “Ducks.”

  “You want to see the ducks. We’ll have to wrap up then, it’s a little chilly. There’ll be no ice cream today.”

  “No locklat?” Her face drops, and Dray looks on in amusement.

  “We can have some when we get back. Mamma always has plenty Ben & Jerry’s in the fridge."

  “Abbie eats the stuff by the truckload, too,” I say, standing up and collecting all the plates to place by the dishwasher.

  “It must be in their DNA. Well, you certainly take after your mamma, little chocolate gobbler.” He kisses her softly on the cheek.

  “Locklat gobbler,” she repeats.

  “Oh, Gracie, it’s good to have you back, darling. I missed this little giggle of yours. I never thought I’d hear it again.” He cups her cheeks as she stares into his eyes.

  “I lub you, Daddy.”

  “And I love you, too. Still Daddy’s girl?”

  She nods and scrunches up her face. “And Joe.”

  Dray’s face breaks out into a wider smile. “Aww, yes, and the little baby will be Daddy’s boy.”

  “Joe,” Gracie concludes.

  Dray shoots me a look and I shake my head. “Still going strong with that one?”

  “Yep, she seems very determined about it, no matter how we try and make her forget.” He shrugs, sighing.

  At that moment, a slightly green-looking Luce walks through in her pyjamas.

  “Hey, firecracker, bad morning?” Dray asks, looking concerned.

  She nods. I don’t think I could handle the sickness part; it’s bound to be taking its toll.

  “Hi, Mamma,” Gracie says, waving.

  Her face immediately brightens. “Hey, sweetheart. Come and give me lots of cuddles to cheer me up.”

  “You sick, Mamma?”

  “Yeah, Mamma’s not feeling well.” She sits down and Gracie scurries over for cuddles. Dray walks over, setting down a cup of decaffeinated coffee. He bends down, kissing her hair.

  “Don’t go in today, baby. Take the day off. You are the boss, after all.”

  “Come feed ducks?” Gracie asks.

  “I wish, angel, but we’re short-staffed with holidays. I have to go in.” Luce lets out another sigh, sipping on her coffee. She grizzles a little at the taste. She’s used to the finest Italian coffee, and this one doesn’t cut the mustard; trust me, I’ve tasted it.

  “Come on, Gracie bear, let’s get you dressed and ready for those ducks.”

  “Yay, ducks!” She practically leaps into Dray’s arms and starts babbling away. She’s made up names for each one. It’s really too cute.

  We’re left alone then, just me and Luce. She reaches over and takes my hand.

  “Are you okay? I know this last week has been hard and we haven’t really had a chance to speak.”

  “I’m fine now. It’s really good to be home, but this last week has been tough. I’ve never had a good home life. Our parents weren’t ones to put their kids first. They’ve enjoyed life while letting us fend for ourselves. I had older brothers who looked out for me but when they left, it was hard being the youngest left behind. These last few months with you, Dray and Gracie have been the best ever. You taught me what a family is like, and to have it ripped from me was hard.” My eyes drop down to stare at the table. It’s been torture without them.

  Luce grabs my hand. “I can’t believe your own dad set you up that way. Just when I think he can’t sink any lower, he always seems to find a whole new level of despicable.”


  “That’s Dad, all right. I guess he assumes because I’m here I can take advantage of Dray, but I’m not like that. I work for the money I have. I didn’t want to go to Dray for him, knowing how much he loathes him. I just didn’t want to see him lose the house. I shouldn’t care if he ends up on the streets, but it’s still home to both my brothers. I owe them, too.”

  Luce squeezes my hand. “You have a good heart, Lex. I’ve known it from the start. And Dray… well, he loves his family so fiercely he gets a little irrational. He went about it all wrong, and I’m sorry.”

  I frown at her words. “I don’t blame Dray for how he reacted. I would do the same for you all, too. I love this family with all my heart.”

  “And we love you, too.” Both our eyes become glassy. “I didn’t recognise my own daughter this week. She’s always been this happy little soul who barely ever sheds a tear, yet the look on her face this week really broke my heart. I don’t want to see that look again, Lex. I want you to be a part of my children’s lives.”

  “I want that, too,” I whisper.

  “We’re going to need all the help we can get when this little one comes along.” Luce tenderly strokes her stomach, and I smile.

  “I’m here, and I’m ready for the challenge.”

  “Oh, having a newborn is definitely going to be challenging. You forget how tough it all is in the beginning, but I can’t wait to give Gracie a little brother.”

  “So, you think it’s a boy, too?” I chuckle.

  “Gracie has us all convinced. I think Dray would love a boy, since he loses his man card every day with Gracie. But to me, there’s nothing more amazing than watching a guy lose all his inhibitions to keep his little girl happy.” She smiles at the thought. It certainly is a sight to behold, watching Dray be drawn into playing with dolls.

  “Yeah, I never thought I’d ever play with dolls, but Gracie is pretty persuasive that way.”

  “Yeah, she has her mother’s charm.”

  “Ducks, Daddy.” Gracie’s voice carries down the stairs, and we both smile. She would spend every day seeing those ducks if she could.

  “Well, I guess I’d better make a move, too.” Luce sighs.

  “Are you sure you’re okay to work?”

  “Yeah, just sitting here for a while has helped it subside. Thank God it’s only the early mornings so I can tolerate the smell for the rest of the day. I love my food and I hate this part. Last time it was just the earlier months, and I’m hoping this will be the same.

  We both smile as Dray walks back through with Gracie in his arms, dressed in denim dungarees and a stripy black and white jumper. Her curls have been brushed and smoothed into place.

  “Mamma, we feed ducks,” she chirps brightly.

  “I know. Have fun, take some pictures.”

  “Okay. Lex come, too,” she insists, making me smile.

  “I think it’s safe to say you won’t be leaving her sight for a while.” Luce pats my face lightly and chuckles before walking off to get ready.

  I frown, having to disappoint her. “I can’t, angel. I need to try and find a job.”

  “Why? You already have a job,” Dray asks, confused.

  “Well, I didn’t like to assume it was still there. I thought you’d already hired someone else.”

  “No, and take this week off, too. I’m sure Gracie will want to spend every minute with you. You’ve worked hard these past few months, so you deserve some time off.”

  “Thanks.” It’s good to know that’s one thing less I have to worry about.

  “C’mon, Lex!” Gracie yells, adamant I’m definitely going with her.

  “Give me two minutes.” I head upstairs and quickly finish getting ready. I grab my coat then stare at myself in the mirror. I have a lot of making up to do with my girls. Gracie will be placated easily enough, but Abbie? I’ll need to go all out in making it up to her. We haven’t been together long, and I’ve already made a bad impression. I have to make this right to show her I’m the one.

  “Come on, Lex. Stop parping on in front of the mirror, we have ducks to feed!” Dray shouts up the stairs.

  I chuckle while making my way downstairs, ready to enjoy a day with the family.

  * * *

  “Bad boy, Dono!” Gracie yells, pointing her finger at an uninterested duck tucking into his food.

  Dray and I watch her from the bench, scampering along with her little bag of food. It’s her favourite thing to do, and most of the ducks are patient and easy-going. Except for Dono the greedy duck, who tests Gracie’s patience every time.

  “I love how she says ‘Dono’. It makes me laugh every time,” I remark.

  “She never fails to make me smile with her antics. She’s a miniature Luce, so spirited, so determined. I love that side of her. I want her to be able to stand up for herself in life.” Dray watches on in awe as she chatters away to the ducks.

  “Oh, she definitely will. She already puts us in our place,” I snort.

  “Good boy, Daffee.” She flings some more food onto the ground, which Daffy happily gobbles up. Dono is having none of it, though; he chases Daffy to snare the food for himself.

  “Daddee, Dono.” Her bottom lip sticks out as she witnesses this grave injustice, her little face making us chuckle. Dray soon comes to the rescue and chases Dono away, giving Daffy enough time to waddle over and eat the remains. It’s amazing I know all their names, but in a strange way they’ve become like friends. Well, apart from Dono, the dastardly duck.

  Dray makes his way back but stops to answer his phone. I’m too busy watching Gracie skipping around to notice the haunted look on his face as he ends the call.

  “Dray, are you—”

  “That was Luce. She’s bleeding…”

  I stand and walk over. All colour has drained from his face. “It could be anything. It doesn’t necessarily mean—”

  “But she’s less than twelve weeks. It’s still early days. Fuck.” He bows his head and closes his eyes before straightening up.

  “I have to take her to hospital. Can you look after Gracie?”

  Does he even have to ask?

  “Sure, anything. Can you let me know what’s happening?” I’ll be going out of my mind with worry till he does.

  “Yeah—oh, God, what if we’ve lost him? Luce, I’m scared how she’ll be. She’s been so down, trying for so long. With Gracie, it was so easy but now, after all this time…” He’s close to tears, and I feel my own starting.

  I grab his arm and squeeze. “Hey, you’ve got to have hope. Luce needs you to be there for her. It’s going to be a scary time, and she needs you to be positive.”

  “I know.” He swipes the tears from his eyes and bends down. “Gracie? Come over here, angel. Give Daddy a hug and a kiss, I’ve got to go.”

  She scurries over, eyes wide. “Stay, Daddee. Pay with me.”

  “I can’t, baby, I have to go. But Uncle Lex will play with you, so be a good girl and I’ll see you later.”

  “Okay.” She pouts a little.

  “Now, big hug before I go, because Daddy really needs one.”

  She flings her arms around him and buries her head in the crook of his neck as he holds her. My heart breaks for him right now. She pulls away and kisses him.

  “That was a good one. Now, go to Uncle Lex, good girl.”

  She reaches out and I willingly take her. We stand there waving as Dray heads off. He turns around one more time to wave, and my heart stutters at the look of sadness on his face. I pray God will be good; I don’t even want to think of what could be wrong. I have to keep my mind busy, and Gracie will help do just that.

  “Come on. Now that the ducks have been fed, I think we need some food, too,” I say, trying to coax her home.

  “Yes, peas.”

  “How about a picnic?” I suggest.

  Her face lights up in delight. “Picnic.”

  “Yes, but it’s too cold to have one outside. How about we have it in the lounge?”
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br />   “Dolls.”

  I smile and nod like a bobble-head. “Yes, the dolls can come, too.”

  “Ducks.”

  “No, the ducks have to stay here. Should we stop off and get some cakes?”

  “Pwincess cakes?” she gasps, and I chuckle.

  “Yes, we’ll get nice pink, sparkly cakes.”

  I can’t believe I’m saying this.

  “Lub you, Lex.” She hugs me tightly, and I’m choked up. It’s going to be hard to keep a smile on my face for the next few hours, but I’ll do it for Gracie.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  After the longest five hours of my life, I finally receive a text, telling me there’s still a heartbeat. I’m in the middle of bathing Gracie, who’s busy playing with her ducks. Normally, I won’t let myself become distracted, but I’ve been on tenterhooks all afternoon waiting for some news. I smile reading the words.

  “Lex, Dono.” She points at the rubber duck now out of her reach. I push him back over to her and she smiles.

  “Even plastic Dono is a bad boy.”

  She giggles and kisses his beak before placing him into the water. She’s such an affectionate child, even to the bad ducks.

  “Now, come on, it’s time to get out. Let’s get you all dry and warm and into your pyjamas. How about your new Minions ones Auntie Laurie got you?”

  “Minyins.”

  I laugh hard as I cuddle her in my arms, all wrapped up in a towel. She’s a little ray of sunshine.

  I’m just finishing brushing her wet curls when Dray calls out our names. Her eyes widen in excitement.

  “Daddee, Mamma!” She has the same reaction every time. I laugh as she does a little dance before I scoop her up to carry her down the stairs.

  I set her down and she runs over to Dray. He grabs her and kisses nearly every part of her, much to Gracie’s amusement. She giggles hard as he tickles her before pulling away.

  “Have you been a good girl for Uncle Lex?”

  She nods ever so seriously. “I miss you.”

  “Oh, darling, I’ve missed you, too.”

  Luce shuffles off her coat and I walk over and take it, guiding her to the couch. She looks tired. I’m sure the last few hours have taken their toll, waiting to hear.