Good Girl Gone (The Reed Brothers 7)

“Oh.” She sings out, “Bow-chicka-wow-wow.”

“I think I might be falling in love with him,” I say quietly. Then I hide my red cheeks in the baby’s warm neck as he lies with his head on my shoulder, sleeping.

“After a few short days?” Wren asks.

“Sam showed me the text Josh sent him,” Peck says. “The one asking how long it was before he knew I was the one. It was really sweet.” She points her finger at me. “And it does happen. Just be careful,” she warns.

“What was his hometown like?” Lark asks.

“He lived in a mansion,” I admit. “The house he grew up in was huge.”

“Were you surprised?”

I rock my head back and forth. “A little.”

“How did he end up here? In a gang?”

“That’s Josh’s story, guys,” I say with a wince. He trusted me with it, but I’m not sure he wants everyone to know.

“I’m really p-proud of you,” Peck says quietly. “Really proud.”

I’m kind of proud of myself too. “Thanks,” I say.

The front door opens, and Sam stumbles into the room with Josh right behind him. “Can’t you let her go out without you for five minutes?” Fin teases.

Sam goes to Peck, plops down beside her and kisses her cheek. “Can’t. Five minutes is too long.”

Peck glows with happiness. Sam does too. Josh rolls over beside me, locks his wheels, and holds out his hands for the baby. I pass him over, surprised that Josh asked for him. But then again I’m not. “He’s bigger,” Josh says.

“They do tend to grow,” Wren says snidely. “It goes right along with the crying and pooping.”

Josh flips her off, and I think I fall in love with him a little more.

Sam stands up and stretches. He holds out a hand for Peck and pulls her to her feet when she takes it.

“Baby’s asleep,” Josh says.

“Good,” Sam says. “We’re going to go take a nap.”

He pulls Peck toward the door. I can hear her whispering, “Are you sure?”

But Sam just takes her with him. “Call us when he wakes up,” Sam says over his shoulder, and then the door closes.

Josh grins. “Guess someone is getting lucky.”

Finch snorts. “They can’t even do anything. It hasn’t been long enough.”

“I meant me,” Josh says. “I get to hold the baby.” He grins and I know, right then and there, that I love him. I just can’t tell him. If I told him, I would be afraid he doesn’t feel as strongly as I do. And the very thought of that scares the hell out of me.

Fin calls for a pizza delivery and we all take turns holding the baby while he sleeps. He likes to be swaddled tightly, and as long as he is, we can do just about anything with him and he sleeps right through it. Until he gets hungry, that is.

“You better call Peck,” Josh says.

Fin and Lark have their bare feet up on Josh’s coffee table, but he doesn’t seem to mind. I call Peck and she says she’s sending Sam down to get him.

Josh doesn’t want to give him up when Sam gets there, but the little guy is trying to suck on his face and every other piece of skin he gets close to. Sam laughs and says, “This one has a date with some boobies. Lucky little guy.” Then he waves goodbye on his way out the door.

“Do we have to go home too?” Fin asks.

Josh knocks her feet off the coffee table and says, “No, but move over and share the couch.” She grins and moves over, and I sit and watch him with all of them and wonder why it took me so long to find this, and why I had to go through everything I did to get here.

I take out a notebook and start to write in it. We’re supposed to be writing songs for the new album, and I’ve been rambling a little trying to get words on the page.

“Can I see?” Wren asks.

I hand her the notebook and she starts to hum. “I like it,” she says. “Even if it is that lovey dovey mooshy gooshy stuff.”

I grab the notebook back and swat her over the head with it. She laughs.

“I didn’t know girls could be so violent,” Josh says.

All of a sudden, four pillows fly in his direction. But he doesn’t look upset by it. He looks happy. I just hope it stays this way.

Josh

It has been two weeks since our trip and I still look at Star with wonder in my eyes. Last night, I fell asleep inside her and woke up with her in my arms. It’s the best feeling ever. But now I’m at work, where I can’t hold her. But damn if I don’t think about it all day.

Sam knocks me on the shoulder with his fist. “Did you get your tux yet?” he asks.

I look up from the tattoo I’m drawing. “What tux?”

His eyes narrow. “For the awards banquet tomorrow night.” He looks at Paul, and Paul shoots him a glare and gives his head a slight shake. “Never mind,” Sam murmurs.

“Oh, yeah, I remember now,” I say, trying to play it off. “The Zeroes are up for an award, right?”

“Three of them. Best new artist. Best single. Best female band.” He looks at Paul like he’s asking for guidance.

“You’re going with Peck, right?” I ask.

Sam nods. “Logan’s going too. With Emily.”

“I’ll see you there,” I tell him, although I know I won’t, because I wasn’t invited. I wonder who she’s taking with her.