Fearless (25 page)

They had yet to define their relationship, and he had no idea whether she would even consider moving into his house, but he intended to ask her just as soon as Sierra’s condition was stable. He walked toward the pair of girls. Their heads were bowed and Lexi was reading the little girl a story from the stack on the end table. He sat down across from them and waited until Lexi closed the book before asking, “Hi there, who’s your friend?”

Lexi smiled and put her arm around the girl. “This is Maddie.” She drew back to look at the child. “Maddie, this is my friend, Josh.”

Josh leaned forward and offered his hand to Maddie. “Hi there. It’s nice to meet you.”

She bit her bottom lip and looked up at Lexi, who smiled and nodded at her. “Hi,” she said quietly.

He lifted the cover of the book in Lexi’s hand. “Wow, you like the Flintstones? I used to love them when I was a kid.”

She frowned, looking puzzled. “They must have been born a long time ago.”

He laughed and winked at Lexi. “You might be right about that, Maddie. So what brings you to the hospital, sweetheart?”

She grinned, revealing two missing teeth. “I’m gonna be a big sister.”

“No way! That’s awesome. I bet you’re gonna be a great big sister.”

“Mommy says I’ll be her little helper. I can help her give the baby baths and dress him and play with him and change his diaper...”

Josh chuckled. “Sounds like you’re gonna be pretty busy. Babies are a lot of work.”

She held up her doll. “I know, but I’ve been practicin’ on Freckles. Do you have any babies?”

The innocent question evoked a barrage of emotions. His babies were grown up, and if he chose to be with Lexi, he’d miss out on so many of the firsts he longed to experience again. He forced a smile. “No, my kids are teenagers.”

She looked at Lexi sideways. “Do you have any babies?”

Lexi shifted uncomfortably in her seat and stole a glance at Josh. “Uh, no.”

“How come?” she asked, holding her doll tight against her chest.

Lexi laughed. “I don’t know, sugar.”

“I think you’d make a great mommy. You’re really nice and pretty.”

Lexi’s eyes welled up with emotion, and she put her arm around the little girl and kissed the top of her head. “Thanks, sweetie.”

Josh cleared his throat. “For what it’s worth, I happen to agree with Maddie.”

Lexi frowned over the top of the little girl’s head. “Shouldn’t Marisa and Luc be here by now? And where are Trey and his parents?”

Josh held up his phone. “Luc just texted me; he and Marisa are on their way. As for Trey, I’m sure he’s still with Sierra.”

“Do you think I should call Elaine and Jared? I’m sure Trey would want his parents to be here.”

“Why don’t you hold off on that for a bit? Let’s wait until we see Trey or get an update on Sierra’s condition.”

Lexi leaned forward, propping her elbows on her knees. “God, I hope everything is going to be okay.”

Maddie reached up to pat her back. “Don’t worry, Lexi. My daddy says the doctors here are the best.”

Lexi turned toward the little girl and smiled. “You’re right. You know what would make me feel better?”

The little girl nodded. “What?”

“A hug.”

Maddie smiled and climbed into her lap. She set her doll down on the chair beside them and wrapped her arms around her neck. She laid her head on Lexi’s shoulder. “Is that better?”

Lexi cleared her throat and blinked. “Much better, thanks.” She stroked Maddie’s curls and kissed her cheek. “Your mommy’s really lucky to have you, do you know that?”

Maddie pulled back to look at her and grinned. “I know, she tells me that all the time.”

Lexi smiled. “I’m glad. Every child should know how much they mean to their parents.”

Maddie frowned. “You still look sad, Lexi. Do you need another hug?”

She shook her head. “I’ll be okay. I’m just gonna use the restroom. I’ll be right back, okay?”

Josh watched Lexi cross the room.

“Is it true you’re a policeman?” Maddie asked.

Josh tore his eyes away from the bathroom door and smiled at the little girl. “I used to be.”

“What was it like?” she asked, her eyes wide. “Did you ever get shot?”

Josh shook his head, wondering how much he should tell the little girl. “No, I guess I was lucky.”

“Did you ever have to shoot anybody?”

Josh crooked his finger as he patted the chair beside him. He waited for her to vacate her seat and claim the one beside him. He put his arm around the back of her chair and looked down into a pair of big, brown eyes. “You know what policemen and women do, right?”

She nodded emphatically. “They protect people.”

“That’s right, and sometimes they have to protect themselves against people who want to hurt them.”

“How come you’re not a policeman anymore?”

He ruffled her hair. “I loved it, but I was just ready for a change.”

“What do you now?”

“Instead of protecting the public, I protect just one person. He’s a famous singer.”

Her eyes went wide. “Really? What’s his name?”

“Have you ever heard of Trey Turner?”

She thought about it for a minute. “I think so.”

“That’s the man I work for now.”

“Cool.”

Josh saw Maddie’s father walk out of the room next to Sierra’s, a big smile splitting his face. He crossed the room just as Lexi was coming out of the restroom. He held his arms out and his little girl ran into them. “Guess what, pumpkin?” he said, hoisting her up into his arms. “You’re a big sister. You wanna see your baby brother?”

She squeezed her daddy tight around the neck. “Take me to him, Daddy.”

The man laughed and walked up to Josh. “I just wanted to thank you and Lexi for watching out for Maddie. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss that moment for anything.” He extended his hand. Josh grasped the man’s hand, feeling a touch of envy. “Congratulations. I hope baby and mama are doing well.”

“They are. If you’d like, you and Lexi can come in and take a peek before they take him down to the nursery.” 

Josh looked past the man to where Lexi stood just behind him.

“We’d love to,” she said quietly.

“Great, I’ll just make sure they’re ready for visitors and I’ll give you a shout, okay?”

“You got it,” Josh said. “Take your time.” 

Chapter Nineteen

“He’s so beautiful,” Lexi whispered, holding the tiny baby against her chest.

“Thank you,” his parents said, smiling at each other.

“We’re so blessed. It wasn’t easy for us to conceive this time, but we’re so glad we didn’t give up,” Rick said.

Lexi glanced up at Josh, who was standing behind her, admiring baby Liam over her shoulder. His eyes told the story. He wanted her to be holding his baby, their baby, in her arms. Lexi gently placed the baby in his father’s arms. “We have to go and check on my sister. It was a pleasure meeting you. And congratulations again. Liam really is beautiful.”

Maddie ran toward Lexi, hugging her around the waist. “When will I see you again, Lexi?”

Lexi stroked the little girl’s hair, feeling an attachment she couldn’t explain. A few short hours ago, she had never met this child, yet the thought of never seeing her again was heartbreaking.

“Your dad has my card. Why don’t you take some time to get to know your new baby brother, and then maybe we can arrange a visit?”

Maddie’s mother smiled. “We’d like that, Lexi. Thanks again for keeping an eye on Maddie for us.” 

“It was my pleasure.” She cupped Maddie’s chin in her hand. “I think Maddie may have helped me more than I helped her.”

“How so?” Rick asked.

“Let’s just say that spending time with your daughter helped me to see things more clearly.” She smiled and linked hands with Josh. “We’ll leave y’all alone. Good night.”

She led Josh out of the room and leaned her back against the closed door. “That was amazing, wasn’t it?”   

He reached down to stroke her cheek. “I think you’re pretty amazing.”

“Excuse me.” Doug cleared his throat. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Lexi gripped Josh’s forearm. “It’s okay. Do you have news about Sierra? Is she okay? How about the baby? She didn’t lose...”

Doug stepped forward to settle his hand on her shoulder. “Relax, Lexi. Your sister is fine and so is her baby. She has a condition called preeclampsia. It can be serious, and babies are often born prematurely, which reduces their chances of survival.”

Lexi clamped her hand over her mouth.
This couldn’t be happening to them, not again.

“Our goal is to help that baby stay safe inside mom’s tummy for as long as possible. Weeks, even days, matter at this point. Women with this condition rarely deliver full-term babies, but with strict bed rest, we hope we can extend the delivery date to at least thirty-two weeks.”

“Can I see her now, Doug?” Lexi asked.

He shook his head. “Just for a few minutes.” He inclined his head toward Trey, who was standing on the opposite side of the waiting room with Luc and Marisa. “We’re going to keep her overnight for observation. Her husband wants to hire a nurse and make some adjustments at home so she’ll be more comfortable.” He smiled. “It’s nice to see that your sister found a man who appreciates her.”

She stole a glance at her brother-in-law. Trey and Sierra were so lucky to have found their way back to each other. It made her wish for the kind of relationship they have. “Trey’s the best,” she said quietly. “They want this baby so much, Doug.”

He squeezed her hand. “We’re going to do everything in our power to make sure that your sister delivers a healthy baby, Lexi.”

She reached up to hug him. “Thanks for everything,” she whispered.

“It was my pleasure.” He held her tighter before letting her go. “Now go on in there and see your sister. She was asking for you.”

Lexi turned around to face Josh. “Do you want to come in with me?”

He smiled. “No, I think you ladies need some time alone. I’m gonna check on Trey. Give Sierra a kiss for me, okay?”

“Done.” She pushed the door open and poked her head inside. “Feel like some company, sis?”

“Get in here already.” Sierra pulled the blankets over her protruding belly. “I guess Doug filled you in?”

Lexi saw the fear in her eyes and knew it was her job to reassure her. No matter how scared and uncertain she felt, she had to find a way to make her believe that everything was going to be okay. She pulled a chair up to the bedside and took her sister’s hand. It was ice cold. She rubbed it between both of her hands. “You have to believe that this baby is going to be fine, Sierra,” she said firmly.

Sierra’s lip trembled. “I know. I’m trying so hard to stay positive. I’m just scared. I can’t lose another baby, Lex.”

Lexi reached across the bed to hold her sister. She wanted to cry with her, but Sierra had spent years being the strong one in their relationship. It was her turn to return the favor. “You are not going to lose this baby. Do you hear me? I don’t even want you to think that.”

Sierra nodded her head and sniffed. “I know you’re right. I just have to follow the doctor’s orders and do everything in my power to keep our baby safe.”

“And I’ll be here to see that you do, young lady.” Lexi snatched a tissue from the box on the bedside table and handed it to Sierra. “If you step out of line, I won’t hesitate to kick your butt.”

Sierra laughed. “Does that mean that you’ll be staying until the baby is born?” she asked, looking hopeful.

Lexi shrugged. “Maybe even longer, depends how things work out.”

Sierra frowned, looking confused. “What happened to change your mind?”

Lexi reclaimed her chair to give Sierra some space. “You and Maddie.”

“Who’s Maddie? Do I know her?”

Lexi laughed. “She’s a five-year-old thief who stole my heart tonight.”

Sierra’s mouth dropped open. “Seriously?”

“Don’t look so surprised. I’m not an ogre, you know.”

Sierra reached across the bed to grab her hand. “I didn’t mean that. So, who is she?”

“Her parents are here having a baby, in the very next room, in fact. They didn’t have anyone to watch Maddie while her dad was in the room with her mom, so I volunteered.”

Sierra shook her head. “Let me see if I’ve got this right. You, Lexi Brooks, actually offered to baby-sit?”

“That’s right, and I’m glad I did. It kind of got me to thinking...”

“About?”

Lexi looked at the floor. “About the reasons I don’t want to have kids.” She looked her sister in the eye. “Maybe I was wrong.”

“About having kids?”

The thought of being a mother still scared Lexi, but not as much as the thought of being afraid to take a risk and living to regret it. “Do you think it’s crazy?”

“God no. I think you’d be an amazing mother, Lexi. You’re strong, smart, caring...”

“Why do I feel like there’s a but in there somewhere?”

Sierra sighed and started plucking invisible lint from the hospital blanket. “Are you sure you’re considering this because it’s something you want, not because it’s going to make Josh happy?”

“I’m not gonna lie. I do love him, and I want to make him happy. But this is about me, not him. I’ve allowed my past to dictate my future and I don’t want to do that anymore.”

“How so?”

Lexi leaned back in her chair and looked up at the sterile white ceiling, hoping to find an explanation that made sense. “Let’s face it; we grew up with a lousy example of marriage. I repeated Mom’s mistakes by getting involved with a man that was too much like Dad. Once I realized what I’d done, I swore off men, all men, or at least relationships.”

“That’s understandable. You went through hell.”

Lexi rubbed her tired eyes. It had been a long day, and an even longer night. She had no idea that when she woke up that morning, her entire life was going to change. “I’ve always thought of myself as fearless, ya know? I was always the first one willing to go skydiving or bungee jumping or dive headfirst into a new business venture. But when it came to taking real risks, like putting my heart on the line, I wimped out.”