Mended (Lucian & Lia #3)(42)
That does the trick; Lia forgets all about her fat baby rage and now resembles an eager puppy. “Can you really tell?” She looks at me with tears in her eyes. “We want to know, right, Luc?”
“We do,” I agree, feeling my throat tighten. This is really happening again and even though I’m not particularly religious, I thank God for giving me another chance to be a father.
Brittany taps a few times on her keyboard, enlarging an area on the screen, then says in a voice like a game show host, “Lia and Lucian, you’re having a girl.”
Lia is full on sobbing now, and I’m staring at the screen in some kind of trance. A girl? I mean, it’s not as if I didn’t know that it had to be one or the other, but I think in my mind, I’d assumed it was a boy. Suddenly, I can easily imagine a mini-version of Lia coming into this world, and I feel moisture gathering in my eyes as well. I rub Lia’s back gently as she leans her head against my shoulder. “Did you hear her, Luc?” she chokes out.
“I heard, baby, and I couldn’t be happier,” I say as I drop a kiss against her temple. “If I could wish for anything, it would be two of you. I never thought that was even possible until now.”
Lia’s tears, which had started to lessen, return with full force at my statement. It was completely true, but maybe I should have kept it to myself until Brittany found another box of tissues.
After what seems like hours, but is much less, we have our pictures and are back in the Range Rover. Lia falls limply against the seat and says, “Whew, that was intense.”
“No shit,” I deadpan, causing her to let loose with a fit of laughter. I think we both needed the comic relief.
“Are you disappointed it’s not a boy?” she asks as she looks down at her hands.
Taken aback by her question, I stare at her bent head for a moment before leaning across the console and putting one hand on the nape of her neck and the other on the swell of her stomach. “Not at all, baby. I was surprised because I don’t think I had let myself believe one way or the other. You and this baby are my miracles and the only thing I feel is utterly and completely blessed.”
“Luc?” she says lovingly.
“What, baby?” I answer, expecting at the least a declaration of her love.
“I’m so hungry. Could you stop at McDonald’s and buy a couple of cheeseburgers to tide me over until we meet Debra and Ray for dinner?”
I give a snort of surprise before patting her thigh. She’s eating for two now and our baby must have quite an appetite because a small meal before the main one has gotten to be the norm for her. “Of course, babe. Just hold tight. I also need to swing by Aidan’s to pick up the Kenson contracts. He was supposed to leave them out for me before leaving for the weekend.” When she gives me a worried look, I quickly add, “I’ll pick up your food first and you can eat it there, okay?”
Lia gives me a dazzling smile that lets me know I’m her hero or, in this case, her Ronald McDonald. “Thank you, honey.”
Thankfully, McDonald’s isn’t crowded and within twenty minutes, Lia is munching on a cheeseburger in Aidan’s kitchen while I flip through the signed contract. It’s taken months and a lot of negotiations, but Kenson will soon be a part of Quinn Software. Aidan worked his ass off on the deal and he’ll be well rewarded for it.
Lia gives a groan of bliss as she finishes her food and takes a sip of her drink. “Feeling better?” I smirk as she lets out a delicate burp.
Her cheeks bloom pink as she mumbles, “Excuse me. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
“It’s quite all right, sweetheart. Sam does it all the time.” She sticks her tongue out at me before picking up her trash and putting it away. I look at my watch. “We’d better get going before we’re late.” We’re just steps away from the front door when I hear keys turning in the lock. I’m momentarily surprised because I thought Aidan would be long gone by now since he’d taken today off. Maybe he’d forgotten something and had to come back.
I see his familiar face as the door opens. He steps to the side and ushers someone ahead of him. I brace myself for an awkward run-in with Monique or some other one-night stand. When the woman turns toward me, my world screeches abruptly to a halt. “Oh my God,” I hiss, feeling like I’m in the middle of a bad dream.
Aidan looks up at the sound of my voice, blanching when he sees me gaping at him. “Luc. What’re you doing here?” I am incapable of answering him as I continue to stare at the woman beside him. Her hair is pulled tightly away from her face in a ponytail. She’s pale and doesn’t appear to be wearing any makeup. She’s also thinner than usual—almost waif-like.
When Lia takes my hand, I give her a helpless look, not even knowing what to do or say at this point. I can tell she’s curious. She gives Aidan a warm smile saying, “Hi, Aidan. Lucian came by for some papers and we stayed long enough for me to have a snack. We were just on our way to meet some friends for dinner.”
Aidan’s voice is strained as he says, “Um…hi, Lia. Good to see you again.” This whole moment in time is so f*cking strange to me that I can hardly believe it’s happening. Aidan looks like he’s been hit by a bus, so I have to believe he’s feeling the same way. Lia keeps shooting quick glances my way as if trying to figure out what to do next—and Cassie, dammit to hell—she’s standing before me looking completely and utterly blank.