Roman-2(Lane Brothers, Book 5)(136)

“Imp, listen-”

“He’s sick and you don’t even call! Seriously Devon, you must be the most thick-headed asshole I’ve ever met.”

She’s in a full rage and lifting her hand to hit me again when I notice the carrier in her left hand. Coward that I am I dive for the thing and hold it against my chest, cooing at Immie and her round eyes.

“Tell mummy to stop hitting daddy Im.”

“Stop using my baby to save your ass, asshole.” She snarls, attempting to snatch the carrier back.

“Now, now imp, is that anyway to speak to me in the presence of our impressionable princess?”

I blow a kiss at the beauty and freeze when she winks up at me as if she understands a word I’ve said and finds me funny. Little genius. Must take after her mum.



“All she understands is boob and bath time, the little hellion. And stop changing the subject. Why didn’t you call me Devon? Day is mine too you know.” She says seriously and I see the worry she’s trying so valiantly to hide.

I don’t like that look on her which is why I’d waited for the results before calling her.

“Firstly, please don’t talk about your boobs when I don’t stand a chance of getting near those milky beauties; it’s cruel and unusual punishment to tease me when I’m holding the baby and we’re in a public place.”

I almost chuckle when her mouth opens and closes on a silent gasp before she blushes and clamps her lips shut.

“Second I was about to call you and ask you to come over so we can talk to Davy together. You’re his family too imp, I would never not include you in something like this.”

“Oh God. What did they say?” she asks, her hands shaking as I lead her to a chair in the waiting room and lower her to it before sitting beside her with Immie on the floor between us.

“He needs surgery to repair a valve in his heart. We caught it before it could do any damage but it needs fixing and he won’t be recovered enough to play for the scouts.”

“Oh God. He’s so talented at sports, I hope this won’t ruin everything.” She whispers, running a hand through her hair.

When she leans her head back and stares at the ceiling I take a minute to peruse her. She’s wearing two different sneakers-one black with pink stripes, the other black with blue running down the sides-her shirt is buttoned unevenly and her hair looks like it needs a good brush before being soaked in shampoo.

She’s bloody lovely and I want to grin at the thought of Devon Baxter, playboy and womanizer finding this dishevelled, somewhat sour smelling woman totally irresistible.

“You look lovely imp. Even though you’re wearing two different shoes, need to wash your hair and smell a bit like throw up. Now stop fussing and come on. The lads are dying to see you and stinker here and I need you to hold my hand while we tell Davy.”

I’m pushing my luck when I take her hand and pull her up and into my side and I know it. But as I lean down to pick up our girl imp looks at me and smiles, her hand squeezing mine and I feel that maybe there is still hope left for me after all.

***

Becky

It’s a week after Day got his chest split open and some quack had his grimy paws in my boy and I feel better than I have in a while. He’d come through the surgery with flying colours and joked that his chest scar would get him a lot of ass.

On the subject of his now aborted football career the kid had been prosaic saying that if he couldn’t play his beloved rugby, he was really okay without a sport that makes no sense.

Don’t yell at me, he said it.

So yeah, I’m really relieved that everything turned out okay and that after all the testing that the family had endured everyone had come through with clean bills of health, Immie included.

Now I’m puttering around Devon’s house making lunch for the three pigs while Day lies on the sofa ringing a little bell I regret giving him.

“Ring that thing again and you’ll need surgery to remove it from your ass!” I yell from the kitchen, giggling when the ringing stops and Devon walks in holding the bell aloft as he smiles from ear to ear.

“Who was it that gave him the bloody thing?”

“Oh shut up you ass. How was I supposed to know he’d be such a ninny about it all? I swear, he rang the bell and when I ran in he asked me to scratch his foot!”

That gets another chuckle and I go back to putting together roast beef sandwiches and a side of pickles when I feel arms surround me from behind, boxing me in and keeping me pinned against the counter.

“Hhmm, you smell so good imp.” He murmurs close to my ear and I shiver when his breath tickles me and his lips graze the sensitive skin of my throat.