Page 56 of Break Me Gently

“Are you okay?” I asked, glancing at his pensive expression.

“He’s probably a criminal mastermind,” he said, rubbing his chin. “How can he be so rich at forty-four?”

“Is this about you losing at Scrabble?”

“I didn’t lose. He cheated.”

I glanced back at the house, wondering if my mum put up with this from Luke too.

“Sure,” I said, smiling as the warm breeze fanned across my face.

Spring was here, and by autumn we’d have a new baby in the house—me at uni, and Zach right there with me.

We reached the grass, and Zach put his arm around me.

He didn’t know it, but he was going to be a great big brother.

Chapter 30

Zach

September

I yanked the car door open and let the cool breeze wash over me. My back was soaked with sweat. I usually avoided the police, but how could anyone not arrest Amber for the way she drove?

“Come on. Give me change for the meter,” she said, pummelling my arm with her tiny fist before screaming. “I want to meet our baby brother.”

“You’re never driving my car again,” I croaked, turning to dig change out of the central compartment.

“Please. We’d still be in Cambridge if it were up to you.”

I considered quoting scripture to her again, but she never took me seriously. I filled her hand with change and she ran off to the parking meter. Just as I was about to get out of the car I spotted the car keys and grabbed them, only then did my poor heart beat normally again.

Living with Amber was fucking amazing, but damn, she was also a menace. What happened to the sweet young lady I’d accosted over Christmas?

She was back. Just as she moved into the car, I moved out. She placed the ticket on the dashboard and climbed out again. I went round to the back of the car and grabbed the balloons, flowers, and gift bags.

Thank god it was a boy.

❧ ❧ ❧

It took forever, but Luke finally placed the baby in my arms. Amber hugged her mum, who held her close before kissing her forehead, then her cheek. Amber whispered something in her mum’s ear. Luke stepped back but kept his eyes fixed on me, and when I looked down at the tiny being in my arms, I understood exactly why.

Was this how my dad felt when I was born?

I traced my finger down the freshly exposed cheek. His tiny lips curled, and my heart overflowed with a tenderness I didn’t know I had room for. Yeah, we had to make one of these eventually. As soon as we figured out how to keep a houseplant alive first.

I held him close to my chest and walked to the window, the late afternoon light warm against the glass.

“I’ll always be there for you, lil bro,” I whispered.

I was never there for Amber, and that wouldn’t happen again. It didn’t matter if this was my brother or brother-in-law—it was all the same to me. I turned to see my family. Luke was still watching me, but his lips tugged upward, just like his son’s.

I smiled back and nodded.

There was peace for now, boomer.

❧ ❧ ❧