Page 153 of Everything After

Alfie frowned. “Hold that thought. The cock blockers are on their way,” he mumbled, nodding out at the water. A speed boat carrying the guys I’d once trusted to do right by me sped toward our home.

As we were inviting Lennie, Alfie suggested it was time I faced the music and had persuaded me to invite the rest of my band. I agreed, but only if Drew and Elle were invited to support me as well.

“I don’t know if I want to be strong. My ovaries are twinging every time I look at you and Charlie sitting there. I’m not sure if I want to go back to that lifestyle or if it’s just that this is all new to me. I think it would be much harder now, missing both of you, and wondering when the next time is that we’ll see each other again.”

“We can’t be the reason you give up your music, Lily,” Alfie stated flatly.

“What ifI’mthe reason? What if I can’t find a balance? What if being dependent on my band won’t allow me the time I wantfor you guys?” I asked, nodding toward the boat pulling up at the dock.

“Let’s see what they say. You’re not going anywhere until Charlie’s weaned and that won’t be for many months yet,” Alfie reminded me.

“True,” I said, shifting my gaze from him and focusing on our son. “He’s just so helpless and tiny,” I mumbled. My heart clenched with love for the little guy stretched out along Alfie’s lap. Charlie smiled up at his dad as if Alfie had been talking to him instead of me.

“Trust me. We’ll work it out. No one’s going to make you do anything you don’t want to.”

The engine cut on the boat and the feelings in my heart turned from those of love to hurt and anticipation when I first saw Lennie, then Digs and Shawn climb onto the dock. Rick followed, turned and helped Coral, and lastly Cody jumped ashore.

“Here goes,” I said, huffing out a breath. The tight feeling in my chest temporarily slackened only to tighten again.

Rick looked up and waved, then dropped his gaze. Lennie looked at him and something inside told me that Rick was prepping Lennie with what to say. Confirmation of this was cemented when Coral began nodding along.

“Don’t get up. Oscar’s greeting them off the boat,” I said to Alfie, once I saw Oscar striding down the hill to meet them.

“Be cool, baby. Come sit next to me.” Alfie patted a space next to him. From his suggestion toward me, I figured I must have looked nervous.

“I can’t, they saw me standing,” I countered.

Alfie laughed. “Are you going to stand all evening?” I huffed and sat next to him.

Seconds later Rick stepped onto the patio. “Well, well, well. What’s with this sight of domestic bliss? Alfie, you look way too fuckable with a baby on your lap.”

I laughed. “That’s what I told him,” I said, immediately relaxing with Rick’s playful tone.

“I’d even do you, Alfie,” Rick muttered deadpan.

“You’d do me anyway, given half a chance,” Alfie joked.

“Is there?” Rick probed, his gaze swinging between mine and Alfie’s.

Digs slapped Rick’s back. “Stop fucking with the guy,”

“I would… stop fucking him… eventually, but his ass would remember me for days,” Rick retorted, grinning.

“When you’re finished fantasizing over Alfie’s asshole, it might be an idea to gush over the reason we’re all here,” Coral remarked. The wink she gave me said, ‘I’ve got this’.

Knowing Coral well, I believed she meant the whole situation, and not just Rick’s smart mouth, which boosted my confidence.

“Okay, tell us all about the birth,” Digs muttered. “I can’t believe you went ahead and did it without letting us know.”

I pouted. “The situation was tricky, what with the rumor floating around, and everything else going on,” I remarked. I didn’t expand on what the ‘everything else’ pertained to, but my band members could probably guess that I meant the discord between some of us.

“Lily was a warrior in the labor room. She barely made a sound… barely spoke at times too. I have the upmost respect for everything she went through during that day.” The warmth in my husband’s eyes showed me how proud he was of me.

“Long labor? I’d love a child, but neither of these two wants kids,” Coral quietly disclosed.

“Sweetheart, you’d be bringing it up on your own. Lennie and I are barely at home, and that won’t change anytime soon.”

My heart went out to Coral when Rick waved her desire off, like it was nothing.