He's Captured My Trust (Captured Series Book 2) (32 page)

“No, Libby, she wasn’t, but she did. The flak I’ve taken about you from my sister and Michael this week has been tough. It made me wonder if they were your family and not mine.” He pauses. “Sophie expected you to be, shall we say, not so forgiving. She thought you would make me work harder.”

“Oh, I’m sure that can be arranged—you working harder.”

“I’m sure it can be. But whatever you have planned will have to be this weekend. I’ll be working on Monday. I am needed over at the casino to sort out the contractors for the Glasgow base. I’m going to make that my flagship branch.”

“So what are you getting done? And why Glasgow for the flagship? I thought you would’ve made London your flagship.”

“Because, my beautiful girl, there is nothing in London that interests me. My time would be much better spent in Glasgow.” He flashes me a grin. “If you want, you can come and see the plans on Monday, maybe give your input on the colour scheme.”

“I think I’d like that,” I say, smiling warmly at him.

“And anyway, I haven’t made up my mind about the London one yet. It was one of the ones losing a lot of money.”

“Oh, I see.” I didn’t realise London was losing money. “If you need a hand with anything, a fresh pair of eyes to look over the figures, just say so. I’d be more than happy to have a look.”

“You always manage to surprise me. I don’t want to impose or take you away from your own work. I always run my ideas past Michael, but I’m not sure this can wait till he gets here. I’m going to have to make a decision about this within the week.”

“I’m here to help in any way I can.”

“In that case, on Monday, we could have a look over the figures at the club. Then I think I should take you out for a nice dinner.”

“That’ll be something to look forward to. Come on. We better think about leaving. I don’t want to be late for Ethan.” We tidy up quickly, and I load the dishwasher.

As I close the dishwasher door, I feel Alex approach me from behind. Strong arms snake around my waist, pulling me close to him. I lean back, resting my head against the warmth of his chest.

“I could get used to mornings like today,” he whispers in my ear as he kisses my neck. My body melts, like it always does.

“So could I, but we need to go.”

He spins me around so I am facing him, his face smiling at me, happy and content. “I know we do, but before we go, can I say something?”

“Of course.”

“I love you so damn much; it hurts to be apart from you. I am sorry for causing both of us unnecessary pain these last few days.” His words are soft and his eyes don’t hide his sadness. “Maybe if I’d listened to Michael, I would have been here sooner. Maybe he and Sophie had a valid point. But if I came straight here, things with Katherine would still feel like unfinished business. Now I feel better. I know I’ve done everything in my power to help. There’s nothing else to be said or done between the two of us. You, my dearest Libby, are my present and my future. I don’t have any other words to show you how much you mean to me.”

I stand on my tiptoes and place a delicate kiss at each corner of his mouth before kissing him hard and with passion. “I love you too.”

I RELUCTANTLY AGREE TO LET
Alex drive my car to Ethan’s. After he keyed the postcode into the GPS, he got us there in one piece and without getting lost. He also didn’t have any problems with driving on the left-hand side. But I’m not sure about him driving my car. It’s too girlie. But then again, it might suit the soft side of him I get to see.

Ethan is standing at the front door with Lucy in his arms, giggling away. He watches me approach him, and then his gaze shift to the driver’s door as Alex gets out and walks toward us.

“Seriously, Libby?” Ethan tries to contain his anger, but it doesn’t work. I know him too well. “You have to be kidding, after this week—”

“Ethan, enough!” I chastise him.

“It’s alright. Let your brother say his piece,” Alex says, approaching calmly.

“You two say whatever you need to say, but I don’t need to hear it, and neither does this little one.” I reach and take Lucy from Ethan. She doesn’t need to hear her daddy shouting, and by the look on his face, that’s what’s about to happen.

Alex smiles at me, his way of letting me know things will be fine. I know they will, and, anyway, Ethan doesn’t have long to stand arguing with Alex. He needs to be at work.

Lucy and I head straight into the living room, where, from the looks of it, she has been playing all morning. I smile at the thought of Ethan and her down on the floor playing. There are soft dolls and teddy bears on the floor, and her activity centre that she sits and plays with is out as well. I lay her down on the floor and sit beside her, picking up a doll. She giggles and squirms when I tickle her and rolls over onto her belly laughing. I can’t believe she’s already doing this. The next six months are going to go by quickly at this rate.

“She just started doing that this morning.” I look up upon hearing Ethan’s voice. He enters the room with Alex closely at his back. “We’ve talked,” Ethan tells me.

“Talked?” I say.

“Yes. Your brother has made his feelings clear.”

I look from one to the other, but get nothing. I’m sure Alex will enlighten me later.

“Her bottles are made up, and Mum has sent over some soup. You can try her with some, but if she doesn’t take any, I have some pureed fruit in small tubes in the fridge. Just make sure it’s not too cold for her. I’ve written down the medication you need to give her. It’s in the kitchen. Oh, and you can go a short walk if you want, just not too far.”

“Okay,” I say, “now go before you’re late.”

Ethan scoops Lucy up, giving her a big kiss and cuddle. I love seeing him like this with her. He hands her back to me before going.

I sit back down on the floor and set Lucy between my legs and hold her. She’s not steady enough to sit unaided for any period of time yet. She reaches down and picks up a teddy bear. She is getting so clever. Alex moves from where he’s been leaning against the doorframe, just watching, and joins me on the floor, sitting opposite me.

“So are you and Ethan okay?” I ask as he picks up a doll.

“Sure.”

I try to read his face, but he’s giving nothing away.

“Ethan just made it clear what will happen if I, uh, mess up again. I’d hate to be the man who messes up with this little one. He won’t stand a chance with Ethan.”

I laugh at his choice of words.

“What?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all,” I reply as I play with Lucy. Alex watches with amusement and interest. It’s hard to believe that at the start of the week, she was lying sick in the hospital. I’m so happy with how she is now.

Alex’s phone rings. It has rung a few times, but he’s let it go straight to voice mail each time. He looks at me before answering it. I nod, letting him know it’s alright with me.

“Michael, give me a sec. You’re on loudspeaker, so no swearing. We have Lucy with us.”

Michael laughs. “Playing happy families, are we? Hi, Libby. Are you alright with this jerk?” I can still hear the laughter in his voice, and I laugh myself, stopping only when I see Alex’s straight face. He doesn’t find it funny. Well, that’s his problem!

“Yeah, Michael, I’m fine.”

“What are you calling for? I presume there is a real reason, and it’s not just to check up on me.” Alex sounds a little on the grumpy side.

I lift Lucy up and move onto the couch, getting comfy. She’s such a good baby, content and giggly.

“Of course there’s a bloody reason.” Michael pauses. “Shit—Sorry.”

I laugh again, picturing his face.

“I can get out the middle of next week and help and try to make a decision about what you’re keeping,” Michael says. “But I will only be out for a week. One of us needs to make sure everything is alright at our end before Christmas.”

“That’s great, although my decision will probably be made before you get here. Libby’s going to have a look at the figures as well on Monday. I’ll e-mail you a copy after I have the most recent set.” Alex pauses for thought. “Going with the figures from the liquidator, London and Newcastle need to go. I just want to see how each has performed since the buyout.”

“You do realise there would have to be a significant turnaround to consider keeping those, right?”

“Yeah, I know,” Alex says. “What about the accounts for the hotel? Are they finalised yet?”

Curiosity gets the better of me with the mention of his hotel, and I look at him.

“Yeah, they sure are. I’ll send them to you, but I have already started the necessary arrangements. Your dad is taking care of things.”

“Keep me updated on any possible developments. So you’ll be home for Christmas but back here before New Year’s?” Alex asks.

“Yeah, I’ll be in Scotland for New Year’s. Looking forward to that. Lib, you should make him work for it, if you know what I mean.” Michael laughs before hanging up, and, judging by Alex’s face, Michael made the right call.

“See, sweetie,” I say to Lucy. “Men are just big kids at heart.”

“Is that so?” Alex moves from the floor and joins me on the couch.

I nod before turning my attention back to Lucy, who is getting a bit grumpy. It must be lunchtime.

“What are we doing today?” he asks me.

“First things first. You can take Lucy, and I’ll go and sort some lunch for her, and maybe afterward, we could go for a walk, maybe even to the shop and back. Then we might get our lunch in peace.” I lift Lucy and hand her to him. He looks a lot more relaxed now than the first time he held her. I leave her crying in poor Alex’s arms and head to the kitchen. Everything is where Ethan said it would be. I spend more than a few minutes preparing everything for her, including her medicine, before heading back.

I walk toward the living room. Lucy is giggling and Alex is speaking softly to her. I stop at the door and watch. He looks completely smitten with the tiny girl in his arms as he dances with her.

“Should I be jealous?” I ask with a smile of love for both of them as I walk across the room and put lunch down on the side table.

“Maybe. She is adorable.”

Of course she is. She’s the most perfect thing in all our lives at the moment. I lift my arms to take her.

“Do you want me to feed her?” he asks.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. What’s the worst she can do?”

“Spit it all over you,” I say, laughing.

He only shrugs. He really is going to feed her. “I’m sure I can cope with that.”

I sit on the couch opposite and watch them. I am in shock and awe, although I’m not sure why. But then again, this is the Alex I know and love: caring, compassionate, passionate, possessive, protective—my list could go on.

“There. All finished,” he says, finally looking over to me. “That wasn’t so hard.”

“No, you made it look too easy. You better change her before we go out.”

“What?”

“Her nappy. It will need changing.”

“I can’t change her.” He looks horrified.

I laugh. “Give her to me.”

Ten minutes later, Lucy is all tucked up in her pram, and we are ready to go. Her eyes are heavy, and I know it’s only a matter of time before she falls asleep.

Alex takes the pram as I lock the front door, and refuses to give it back. That’s fine with me.

“So what are we going to shop for?” he asks.

“Some bread to go with the soup Mum left for lunch, and there’s a good deli where we could get some fresh ingredients for home, since you said there was nothing there.”

“Sounds good.” He keeps on walking, pushing the pram. I have to admit it suits him.

“So what’s Michael organising with the hotel?” I ask, thinking about the phone call with Michael earlier, even though I don’t know if Alex will tell me.

“The sale.”

Shit. Not what I expected. “Really?”

“Why are you so surprised? I told you it was only meant to be about improving profitability before selling it. I have no interest in the hotel business. Don’t get me wrong—that came out wrong. Of course I am more than interested in what you do. I would’ve kept hold of it purely for you, but I know your heart lies with Stewart Estate. And I’ll make a fair bit from this deal.”

“So it goes on the market just like that?”

“Yes, unless you have something to say.”

I shake my head, knowing his unspoken question.

“Then it’s already settled: the hotel goes on the market.”

I frown, thinking of his motives, if he even has any. He stops walking, puts the brake on the pram, and turns toward me, taking hold of my shoulders. “I don’t know how many times I’ll need to tell you two things. One, stop overthinking everything, and two, I’ve already told you that I want to be with you.” He kisses me before turning his attention back to Lucy, who is nearly asleep.

Our shopping trip is worthwhile. Alex buys loads, including several bottles of expensive wine. I’m glad he has the car to take it all home today. He wants to cook dinner tonight, but I won’t have time before work and probably won’t finish until after midnight. Lucy stays asleep while we have lunch. I watch with bemusement how happy Alex is when I have a second bowl of soup.

Lucy being Lucy times her wake-up to perfection—just as we finished. Alex sees to her while I tidy the mess in the kitchen. I could get used to him being around, and that’s what he’s telling me, isn’t it? I’m scared to ask, but that is what he’s hinted at all day.