Page 35 of Trusting You
“You’re right, Locke, she’s a tough nut to crack,” Ben quips, which earns a warning glare from Locke.
But I’m still exhausted and now crashing from the severe adrenaline rush of showing my ass crack and not knowing where Lily was. Now that I’ve located her, safe in Locke’s arms, it’s okay to breathe.
“Can I get you a drink?” Locke asks me. “Or something to eat? You slept for a while.”
“Don’t let him cook for you,” Ben warns. “At least get the professional chef to scramble you up an omelet.”
“You can’t scramble an omelet,” Asher responds with a sneer. On him, it’s murderous. Ben brushes it aside like Asher’s a fly.
I glance between the two of them, unsure if Ben was actually calling this tattooed gargantuan a professional chef.
“I’m sorry for oversleeping,” I say to Locke while rubbing one eye. “I haven’t slept very well lately.”
“I’m glad you finally did.” Locke says it with a soft tone and a lingering study. I’m not sure what to make of him or the guys surrounding me, so I ignore all of them and lift Lily out of Locke’s arms.
Locke finally says, “Guys, this is Carter.”
“Sorry to intrude,” the one named Asher says from his perch. His height makes it difficult for him to fit on Locke’s tiny green couch. “We really wanted to meet Lily.”
“I’m glad you did,” I say automatically. I have no idea if I’m glad. I’m just being polite.
“They’re not a group that waits for invites,” Locke says wryly. “My sister’s gonna kill each of you for this.”
“Then don’t tell her,” Ben says, then holds out his arms. “Let me hold her.”
I stiffen. There’s nothing about these men I know, besides their names. For so long, it’s been Paige, Lily, and me against the world. No one else. Then I blink, and suddenly it’s four men and a baby.
“Locke…” I say under my breath. Unintentionally, I reach for his arm beside me. Press my palm against it. The action has Easton studying us with interest.
Locke looks to me, but it’s not unkind. “It’s okay,” he says. “Don’t let their rough and tumble ‘tudes scare you.”
I walk forward and gently pass Lily to Ben as if she’s a one-month-old and not eleven months, but I’m ready to scoop Lily and run at the first sign of a fumble.
But these men are athletes, and Ben hooks Lily with the ease of a football and sits back down on the couch, Asher’s elbow practically in his hip. But Asher bends forward, sticking his tongue out at Lily and bringing his fingers to her stomach before darting back, inducing a belly laugh from Lily, her lips thinned by a smile, gums out, tongue dancing with her giggles. She reaches for Asher’s hand but misses.
“Can’t believe she’s yours, man,” Ben says, and he’s staring at Lily with the same astonishment. He starts bouncing Lily on his knee, and when he realizes she likes the action, he smiles and goes faster.
“Neither can I,” Locke says, then spreads his hands. “But there you have it. I make great looking kids.”
The guys laugh but then are quickly drawn back to Lily. Even Easton leans in close, squeezing Lily’s bare foot.
I wonder if the spirit of Paige stands beside me, looking upon these four large bears and thinking what I’m thinking: all it takes is a baby to turn macho men into fluff balls.
Lily, unused to such undivided attention by so many people, thrives. I swear she flirts with each and every one of them.
“Uh-oh,” Asher says, his indigo eyes landing on Locke. “You may have a problem later in life, bud.”
“Nope. I’ll buy a handgun,” Locke responds, and laughably, he’s adopted my previous stony expression. His arms seem to itch to hold Lily again. “Or a shotgun. Outfit the place with booby traps.”
“Not to worry,” Asher says. “We’ll be your muscle. No guy’ll get near her.”
Guys, I want to say. She’s eleven months old. No need to worry about prom night yet. But I don’t know them enough to joke or how they’ll react. I haven’t been acting like myself since…well, since I said good-bye to Paige. And it isn’t until now I realize I’m tired of putting on a brave face.
I just want to go back to how I was. Happy, fulfilled, with my best friend beside me.
“Well, it’s been real.” Easton slaps his knees and stands. I guess he’s satisfied with a foot-squeeze and now wants to go find his drum set.
Can’t blame him. Some people are baby people, others aren’t. I was in the latter until Lily showed me otherwise.