Boy, I wasn't catching a break this afternoon. From Jude to Anton, these guys were going to make me lose it. I inhaled and counted to five. It didn't matter what Anton thought, nor did it matter what anyone else thought. I wasn't going to let doubt back into my mind. I loved Jude. He loved me. He'd proven himself again and again, over the course of four years. I was through with doubt.
"We'll have to agree to disagree," I said, setting my fork down, because I was finished with lunch and this conversation. "We should probably get back."
"Lucy," he said, "I didn't mean to offend you. I speak my mind, when most of the time I shouldn't."
"Because you're India's brother, my boss, and a pretty cool guy, I think we should make a pact to not speak about my relationship again." I stared at him straight on. "Because I will not, for another second, let you try to put down what Jude and I have. You don't understand us. That's fine. You wouldn't be the first and you sure as hell won't be the last. But I can't be your friend if you keep saying these things."
"You can't hear anything you don't want to hear?"
"No, that's not it. With Jude and me, we've been through more in four years than most couples would go through in four lifetimes together. I get that the odds are not in our favor. I also don't care." Wow, I was on a roll. Time to get off my soapbox before I slipped off and broke my neck. "I'm sick of hearing people tell us how not right we are for each other. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean we're not true."
Anton lifted his hands in surrender. Good call. "Fair enough. I think I can manage that."
"We'll see," I said. I had my doubts about how Anton was going to "manage."
THIRTEEN
My apartment sounded like a herd of rhinos had been set loose on it.
The little man was doing his namesake proud, hollering and grunting like a caveman. I'd had a long day at work, my feet were killing me, and I was exhausted, but I couldn't get to my apartment fast enough.
It felt like forever since I'd had someone to look forward to seeing when I got home. So long since voices other than mine or the ones coming from the TV had filled my apartment.
Stopping in front of the door, I knocked. It felt a little strange knocking on my own front door, until I heard the clop, clop, clopping of little caveman feet thundering toward the door.
"Aunt Luce is here! Aunt Luce is here!" Although Luce sounded more like Woose.
The door opened so hard it bounced against the wall. "Aunt Luce!"
I propped a hand on my hip. "Have you seen a little boy, sir? His name's Jude, and he's about this tall." I held my hand out at his shoulder level. "His uncle Jude and I got him a present."
"Aunt Luce, it's me!"
"What? No way. You are way too big to be little Jude."
He rolled his eyes. Not even four years old and the kid could manage a solid eye roll. No doubt he'd perfected that move from his mama. However, he was the spitting image of Sawyer, his father. So much so that when his face lit up with his smile, I forgot where I was and who was standing in front of me. "Mom says I'm growing like a weed, and I'm not little Jude anymore. I'm LJ," he declared, standing a little taller.
"LJ, eh?" I said. "Says who?"
"Says Thomas," he said, pointing back into the apartment.
A loud crash, followed by Holly firing off a string of, "Fudge, fudge, fudgity, fudge." Sounded like I was needed.
"Is LJ too big to give those really good hugs of his?"
LJ gave this a moment's thought before shaking that mop of golden brown hair. "Nah."
I opened my arms and he dived right in. "Good. Because I've been dying for a good hug." Planting a kiss on his cheek, I headed inside. "Are you already demolition-derbying my apartment?" I shouted over at Holly, who was furiously picking up Jude's old football trophies that had toppled off their shelf.
"I've got a little boy who believes he's a T. rex half of the time," she replied, setting the last trophy back into place. "The question isn't if this place will be demolished; it's when." Holly crossed the room, looking more frazzled than I'd ever seen her. I suppose traveling across the country with a little one would do that to a girl. "Are you sure you don't want to rethink this, Lucy? It's not too late, you know. I haven't finished unpacking all our junk."
"If you even think about leaving, I will literally tie you up and hold you prisoner," I said, hugging LJ tighter.
Giving me a hug from the side, Holly mussed LJ's hair. "Well, it's your security deposit and sanity."