Griff pulled the golden brown, warm pasty halfway out of the bag and took a gigantic bite. Life was really great sometimes.
* * *
‘Please tell me you’re finally worn out?’ Lyndsey begged.
She’d been elated this morning to discover they’d have the whole day to themselves while Becca and the kids spent much-needed time with Deke, but that was before Griff rattled off the list of places he wanted to see. He’d completely ignored her promise that they could return as often as he wanted. They’d set off first thing after breakfast and relentlessly ticked off the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s and Tower Bridge. Their last stop was the London Eye. When they clambered off that a few minutes ago, she’d grabbed his hand, dragged him to an empty bench and forced him to sit down with her.
‘I guess I am pretty tired.’
‘Thank heaven for that. Anyway, we need to start heading back to the hotel. Don’t forget we’re on babysitting duty.’ They’d agreed to take care of Nora so that Becca and Theo could see Deke’s concert at the O2 arena. ‘Hopefully, she falls asleep easily so I can be right behind her. I’m knackered.’
‘I reckon I can un-knacker you . . . at least enough to wear you out again.’ He teased a finger along her chin, lifting her mouth to his for a lingering kiss.
‘Do you seriously think I’m going to have sex in front of my baby niece?’
‘She’ll be asleep,’ he wheedled. ‘We can go in mine and Theo’s adjoining room and leave the door open, so we’ll hear her if she wakes up.’ Griff’s hand strayed behind her neck and his fingers massaged her tired muscles until she moaned. ‘You can have a long, hot bath first.’
‘I’d fall asleep and drown.’
‘I should’ve phrased it more accurately —wecan have a long, hot bath first. Deke didn’t stint when he booked the rooms. Their suite has the most enormous tub I’ve ever seen.’
‘You’ve had this planned all day,’ she said accusingly.
‘It has spurred me on.’
‘I’ll consider agreeing to your rather seedy suggestion on one condition.’
‘What’s that?’
‘You spring for a taxi to the hotel. I refuse to walk any further or be crammed on the Underground or any more crowded buses.’
‘Yes, ma’am. Anything you say, ma’am.’
‘That’s quite enough groveling for one day.’ She leaned against his shoulder.
Who would’ve thought when she flew out of London a couple of months ago that her world would be turned upside down in the best possible way?
* * *
‘You lookin’ forward to coming home soon?’ Griff asked Deke. He glanced back down at his plate of breakfast and poked a fork in the fried egg. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Lyndsey shudder as the yolk spread satisfyingly over the plate. One of the many things he’d discovered during this trip was her violent dislike of runny eggs — hers needed to be cooked to the point of turning into rubber before she’d touch them.
They were all eating a late breakfast together before Deke flew off to Paris for the band’s next show. It’d amused Griff to see Lyndsey arrive at the table with the collar of her bright pink blouse turned up. He suspected he’d got a little . . . enthusiastic last night and left traces of his unshaven face where everyone might notice.
‘Can’t wait.’ Deke squeezed Becca’s hand. ‘She knows that.’ The meaningful look he gave his wife stirred Griff’s curiosity.
‘Well, go ahead and tell them. You know you’re dying to.’ Becca managed to sound exasperated and indulgent in the same breath.
‘I’ve been rethinking my priorities. Touring isn’t conducive to a settled family life. My first marriage is proof of that.’
From what he’d heard, Theo’s mother had her own problems that would’ve almost certainly wrecked the marriage without any help from the Deke Warner Band. It was decent of his old friend to take the lion’s share of the blame for his son’s sake.
‘Before y’all arrived, I had a few heart-to-heart sessions with the other band members. We’ve been together for years so they know me pretty well. They were disappointed but not surprised to hear I’m lookin’ at taking a different direction. It’s up in the air right now whether they’ll replace me as front man or break up. I want to start my own record label in Nashville. It’s bound to still involve some travel, but I’ll be home most nights.’ Deke stretched an arm around Theo’s shoulder. ‘This guy needs a real father, not an occasional visitor.’ He smiled indulgently at Nora, bouncing around happily in Lyndsey’s arms and chewing on her new Peppa Pig stuffed toy. ‘This little munchkin’s given me a second chance. I hope I’ll get things right sooner with her.’
‘It must’ve been a tough decision to make, but for what it’s worth, I reckon it’s the right one,’ Griff said.
‘I’m sure you didn’t expect this fallout from your suggestion that we all make this trip?’ Becca directed her question at Lyndsey.
‘No, but I could see we were all at a crossroads and needed to check our road maps.’ She burst into giggles. ‘Goodness, I’m sounding terribly American already.’
