Page 17

Andrew lowered the privacy screen when I knocked on it, his eyes meeting mine in the mirror. “Don’t go down the street!”
His eyes widened in surprise for a moment, then he nodded, his face expressionless once more. So professional. “Certainly, Ma’am.”
“You can pull up here.”
Andrew did exactly as I asked, pulling in at the top of Dante’s street. Needing to put as much distance between myself and anything that connected me to Grayson, I hustled out of the limo without waiting for Andrew to open the door. I couldn’t even look at him as I mumbled my thanks and headed off down the sidewalk.
God, I felt so shit. Sucking in a few gulps of air did nothing to help. Maybe I should have canceled the babysitting gig for today. I really didn’t feel up to facing my brother. And his extremely sweet, but way too perceptive, wife.
As I walked down the drive, I could feel my palms getting clammy. Wiping them on my jeans, I knocked on the door with a forced smile on my face. Lucy opened it moments later, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of me standing there. She was tall, nearly five foot ten, with a full figure, honey blond hair and green eyes.
“Hey! You’re early!” She stepped aside to let me enter.
“Yeah, didn’t have much going on, so I thought I’d come early.”
Lucy glanced out the door before she closed it. “Oh, where’s your car?”
Shit. Fuck. Think fast. “I had a bit to drink after the gig last night, so Miriam dropped me home.”
“How’d you get here, then?” Lucy’s eyes narrowed as she looked at me. See? Way too perceptive. Double fuck.
“Uber.” Bile rose in my throat at the lie.
“Well, that’s crazy. Dante would have come to get you.”
“It was no hassle. He can drive me to Lacey’s later to get my car.”
“Sure thing. How did the gig go?”
I followed her down the short hallway into the small kitchen dining area, trying to act normal despite everything that had happened. “Great. Loads of fun.” Which wasn’t exactly a lie. Everything had been peachy. Until this morning.
“Glad to hear it! I’m just gonna go finish getting ready.”
“Okay.”
Dante was sitting at the table with Sophie on his lap, cooing at her as she reached for one of his fingers. Yeah, okay, maybe this was just what the doctor ordered.
“Hey!” Dante passed Sophie to me the moment I got close enough. Then he shot me a look, his eyes roving over my face. Fuck, could he tell? “How are you doing? You look a bit shit.”
“I’m fine.”
“Okay, because if you’re overdoing it?—”
“I said, I’m fine!” Wow, I did not mean to sound like such a bitch. “Sorry. I’m sorry.”
Another searching look, which made me want to squirm, then Dante said, “I’m sorry, too. I’m just never gonna stop worrying about you landing yourself in the hospital.”
“I won’t. I know my limits these days. My chronic fatigue won’t ever bite me like it used to.”
“Okay then. Well, you’re early. I was just about to put Sophe down for her nap.”
I smiled and snuggled Sophie close, blowing a raspberry on her cheek that made her giggle. So cute. “I can put her down if you like,” I offered. “That way, you guys can go out earlier.”
“That would be great, actually. Lucy’s feeling really good today, so we can make the most of the afternoon.”
The way Lucy was smiling when she came back into the kitchen, I could tell my brother was right. She was usually wiped out by intense morning sickness, so I was super happy to see that she was having a good day.
“One hundred percent,” I agreed enthusiastically. “I’m glad the morning sickness isn’t kicking your ass as much as usual. You should definitely cash in on that.”