“How’s Lay?” Tye wrapped his hand around Forde’s bicep.
“Good. God, we’re all great. She’s beautiful, my daughter, Luciana Joy. Six pounds, four ounces and nineteen and a half inches long. She’s got really dark hair, and a lot of it.” Forde paused to take a breath.
Tye pulled his “brother” in and gave him a long hug with a multitude of backslaps.
We all shared hugs with Forde and each other, laughing and talking at the same time.
“When can we see them?” Zoe asked.
“Soon.” Forde’s smile was huge. “They’re cleaning her up and settling them in.”
“How’d Ryan do?” Tony’s voice was full of concern.
“Don’t be too hard on him,” Forde sobered. “He couldn’t take the noise. It upset him to see Lay in pain. I had to tell him to sit in the corner.”
“Having a baby is hard work,” Zoe told us. “Had to be hard on somebody who loves her so much.”
“It wasn’t easy,” he admitted.
“Amen to that.” Tony slapped the new dad on the back.
“Go back to your wife and kids, and send somebody out for us when she’s ready,” I told my boss.
“Thanks,” Forde met my gaze, “for everything.”
I knew he meant Tye. I don’t know how he knew I’d soothed him with my presence, but clearly the superhero did.
Tye walked me to the door of my apartment. We were running on adrenaline. It had been a long night, but I wasn’t tired. I pulled my keys out of the pocket of my purse.
Tye held out his hand.
I dropped them into his. “Hey, are you hungry? I’m starving. I could make breakfast,” I offered.
He unlocked the deadbolt, and after I pointed to the correct key on the ring, he unlocked the door. “I could eat.”
“I can cook, honest.” I wanted him to stay for a little bit. I was still a little buzzed from the emotional high we all had shared, and I didn’t want it to end.
He walked through the door first and scanned the open floor plan, then moved aside so I could deal with the alarm. “Okay, Miss California, dazzle me,” he said, raising one brow.
I dropped my purse on the chair and headed to the kitchen. “Challenge accepted.”
I reached for the carafe and refilled Tye’s coffee, and then my own. I don’t know why we were drinking coffee, except it was morning and that’s what I did. We were nearly finished eating the breakfast I’d cooked. It seemed to be a success.
“So what do you call this again?” Tye pointed to his almost empty plate. There were still a few chunks of potato cooked with eggs and bacon. In honor of Lucy’s birth, I’d added cheese to the mix.
“A sailor’s breakfast.” I shrugged. “When my dad was alive, we’d go to this place at the marina, and this was the special on Saturday.”
“I like it.” He took a sip of his coffee.
“It’s great, if you aren’t worried about your diet.”
He finished eating, and then we sipped our coffee. My mind jumped from topic to topic, and suddenly, I let out a chuckle.
“What?” Tye did the eyebrow lift thing.
“I was thinking about how the dads are going to be in so much trouble in fifteen years. Teenagers—Tony and Forde will have their hands full.”
He leaned back in his chair. “I can’t get over all of that black hair.”
“I know, and it looked like it was styled professionally,” I shook my head. “She is a beautiful baby.”
“I’m happy for them,” Tye said softly.
“Layla’s told me a little about how she met Forde.”
“They got their happy ending.” Tye grinned.
“Make sure you remind them of that when Luciana’s teething.” I chuckled.
“They’ll just call Auntie B, the baby whisperer,” he said, smirking.
I was making a life here in Indy. I’d found good people who wanted to be my friends and a job that I enjoyed. I was laying a foundation for my future. “I’ve certainly enjoyed the time I’ve spent with Livy. She’s a good girl. I think, because she’s so smart, she gets frustrated that she can’t communicate.” I loved Tony and Zoe’s little girl.
“You’re really good with kids.” He stared at me.
His comment pleased me. “Well, you’re no slouch. I noticed you were the first to hold Luciana.” I liked it that he was comfortable with the newborn.
He sat up straighter and flashed a cocky smile. “She’ll hate me when she starts dating and I intimidate her boyfriends.”
I figured those boyfriends would have a lot to live up to if Luciana compared them to her Uncle Tye. “Tye the Protector,” I mused.
He grimaced. “I’m usually called other names, mostly not so nice.”
I tilted my head and stared at him. “Yeah, I can see that, too.”
He gave me a tiny frown.
“Hey, that wasn’t a shady comment. I mean, you’re a single man. You’ve made no secret that you work hard and play hard, so I imagine there have been some casualties along the way.”
His expression changed from wary to curious. “So perceptive. Let’s just say I’m not perfect, and won’t claim to be, and leave it at that.”
I nodded, pressing my lips together to keep from smiling. “Thank God. I don’t think I could stand you if you were perfect, too.” I stood and started clearing the dishes from the table.
“Let me help you, and then I’d better head home. God only knows what dad and Ryan have gotten into.” Tye gathered the mugs and the carafe.
“I can see the three of you wreaking havoc.” I laid the plates on the counter. “You can leave those. Thanks for everything. Last night was really special.” I meant being there with my friends, being a part of all of that happiness.
He followed me to the front door. “I’m an uncle,” he said, sounding a little surprised at the responsibility. “I’m going to be a part of her life from the beginning.”
“And you’ll be a good one,” I said.
His hand touched the doorknob, but then he turned to face me.
I watched as though he moved in slow motion as he slid his arms around my waist. I stepped into his body as if it was the most natural thing to do, like I had done it a thousand times. His lips met mine.
I liked the way his arms felt surrounding me, strong but loose, how his lips felt pressing against mine. The kiss wasn’t sloppy, nor did he try to force his tongue inside my mouth. It was gentle then exploring, but much too short.
When he ended it, he rested his forehead against mine. “I couldn’t resist a taste.” His voice was low and rough. “You’re a forever type of girl.”
I let him pull slowly away, fighting the urge to touch my lips with my fingertips.
“I’m not that type of guy, Billie.” He sounded bitter as he held my gaze, watching my expression.
I knew disappointment had to be reflected there. “I was that kind of girl, but now, I don’t know what I am. I can’t give a man everything that he’d need.” I told him honestly. This was the closest I’d been to a man since the attack. Inside, I was a little turned on. I wasn’t freaking out—and that kind of freaked me out. I cleared my throat. “Since you aren’t a relationship kind of guy right now, and I don’t know what I am…why don’t we agree to be friends?” I licked my lips, because they were suddenly very dry. “I could use one like you, someone who’s honest, and I think you might need someone like me, who won’t try to change your mind.” I vowed to bury my crush on Tye. I liked him too much to try to change him. I didn’t have time to even try; I was too busy changing myself.
He smoothed a lock of my hair out of my eyes.
Which reminded me I needed to get my hair trimmed. I’d ask Zoe who did her hair. Dammit, I told myself to pay attention.
“I’d like that Billie...to be your friend,” he whispered. Then he smiled, and it was a beautiful thing to behold—honest and easy. It made my insides warm, but not in a sexual way. His smile was comforting and comfortable.
Chapter Fourteen
Billie
Two weeks had passed since Luciana arrived. After the first six days, Layla sent Forde back to work. I’d visited the newest addition to my friends’ family three times. I told her parents I wanted to bond with her since I was sure I’d be babysitting often, something that was greeted with joy, much to my relief. Ryan had gone back to school, and I think their family had started to fall into a routine.
I found I really liked being friends with Tye. He was funny and started stopping by my desk nearly every day. We’d talk about our day or something we’d read.
Earlier this particular week, he’d opened the door to the office to find Rick, Tony and I getting ready to leave for the day. “What’s going on?”
“Cali girl wants to hit the range,” Rick said in the fewest words possible, as was his way. The guys had overheard Tye calling me “Miss California” and picked it up. Every time one of them used it, I had to fight off a dorky smile because it made me feel like I was part of their group.
His gaze went directly to me. “You shoot?”
“I haven’t since I moved here, but I regularly went to a range in Denver.” I began to fidget as his gaze narrowed.
After a moment, his expression cleared. “I’m in.” He backed out into the hallway.
“Great,” Tony said. “Billie, you go with Tye. I gotta pick up Zoe and drop off Livy.”
“You packing now?” Tye glanced at my purse. He lowered his voice. “Forde push the permit through for you?”
Tony had come up behind me. “Nope, I did. I still have contacts, and since she was working here and living alone, I thought it made sense.”
Relieved Tony had answered for me so that I didn’t stammer through an explanation, I smiled.
Tye’s gaze stayed on Tony as if he was trying to figure out if that was the whole truth. I knew he didn’t miss much and I figured that he was compiling every bit of information that he could about me. Tony did nothing to hide that he was looking out for me.
The elevator doors opened, and we all got in.
“Good plan.” His response was delayed, which only emphasized that his mega-brain was in overdrive.
Yeah, my time was running out. Tye was going to start asking direct questions, and soon, the others would follow.
As we rode to the first floor, Tye turned to me. “So how good are you?”
“We aren’t betting,” I warned him. I’d noticed he was competitive and rarely lost a bet. I didn’t want to feel pressure while I was concentrating.
“So, you must not be very good,” he murmured.
“It’s been a while. I don’t know how out of practice I am,” I demurred. I wasn’t bad, but I might be rusty.
“We’ll handicap,” he offered.
Rick snorted. “I don’t think Billie’s gonna need any damn handicap. And for fuck’s sake, don’t ever say that in front of Zoe. She’d kick you in the balls.”
Tony laughed, clearly sure his wife would do just that.
“Zoe doesn’t need any help, she’s a good shot,” Tye said.
I wondered if she was better than Tye. Watching her smoke him would be very entertaining.
I suddenly wanted to play a little, so as we exited the elevator and headed to our vehicles, I turned to give him a challenging look. “How about this? Let me warm up a little, and then we can revisit the idea of a bet.”
Excitement flashed in his eyes. “Deal.”
As it turned out, I almost won. But keeping my end of the bargain, I made Tye a plate of brownies.
This morning, I couldn’t find anything I wanted to pack for lunch, so I waited in line at the pub around the corner from the office to place a takeout order. From the corner of my eye, I saw Tye walk in. He was dressed in a light grey suit with a navy shirt, and his blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail. I raised my hand up a little to try to catch his eye.
“Hey,” I said as he neared. “I’ll add your order to mine. I’m picking up a sandwich for Forde, too, so it’ll save you the wait.”
“What? Are you encouraging me to cut in line?” he asked, mock disapproval in his expression.
I rolled my eyes. Tye always took every advantage. “Like you weren’t going to text me your order two seconds after you saw me?” His chuckle was deep and throaty and made me grip my thighs together.
“Busted. So, you pulled lunch duty? Did Lay tell Forde he couldn’t stop by?” He flashed a knowing smile.
“I might have fixed it so that he couldn’t go home for lunch. Layla called to say that Lucy was down for a nap, and she was going to take one also.” I felt guilty about manipulating Forde’s schedule to keep him away from his home. I looked away for a second.
He bumped my shoulder with his. “He’s gone a little overboard with the hovering, but who can blame the guy? He didn’t even know Ryan existed until about a year ago, and after the kidnapping...”
I bit my bottom lip. “You’re right. He has every reason to keep a tight rein on his women for a while.”
The woman in front of us finished placing her order, and we stepped up to the counter space for “To Go” orders. When we were done, Tye put his hand in the middle of my back and guided me to the far corner of the entrance.
“Forde will cool out. He just needs some time or maybe a fascinating case.”
I leaned my hip against the wall trying to appear casual, but I noticed that the other customers were giving us side-long looks. Who could blame them? Tye was hot. “Got anything?”
“Not really. Work’s slow. Things should pick up in a few weeks. The holidays always bring out the worst in people.” He frowned, and then gave a one-shouldered shrug.
Standing this close, I noted that Tye looked tired. I could see the fine lines around his eyes. I reached out and rested my hand on his arm briefly. “That must suck.” He didn’t seem to notice that I touched him, although I felt a jolt of electricity travel up my arm.
“It does, but I’m good at compartmentalizing. It’s supposed to be the happiest time of the year, but at the office I have to deal with the bitter fallout from parents who hate one another.”
“I’m pretty sure having two babies around will make this year better.” I tried to lighten the mood.
One side of his mouth lifted. “How many presents have you bought for the girls?” He moved closer to me.
I frowned because I felt a little silly. I’d caught the baby bug and loved spoiling them. “Three each, okay?”
He smiled sheepishly. “Only three? I’ve got you beat.”
I giggled and smacked his arm. “You’re such a softy, Uncle Tye.”
“Only in the presence of a pretty girl,” he whispered then winked.
My breath caught. I was far from immune to his charming ways. Thank God, they called my name at just that moment to tell us our order was ready.
We collected our bags of food and headed back to the building. I said something that made him laugh as we stepped off the elevator on our floor, and I paused mid-step when I noticed a woman waiting outside of Limited’s door.
We had no appointments scheduled. She appeared to be in her late twenties and wore faded jeans and a black North Face jacket. She stared really hard at me, and then she moved in our direction.
Tye moved quickly, stepping in front of me. Perhaps he shared my feeling that something was off about this visitor.
The woman moved just as quickly, closing in on us. Her gaze narrowed on me. “You’re her. You’re Bilan,” she said loudly. “God, I can’t believe I found you.” She was almost laughing.
Shock made it hard for me to breathe. This can’t be happening. Not now. Not here. I couldn’t think while the voice inside my head kept screaming, No, no, no! I felt the blood drain from my face as I froze in place.
The woman kept talking. “They thought I was crazy to fly here, you have no ties to this city, but I had to follow up on the lead. God, you have no idea how much I want to talk to you. I’ve got so many questions
.”
Another fucking reporter. “Go away,” I croaked.
“Oh, come on. I found you. The least you can do is give me an exclusive.” She put one hand on her hip, her expression turning ugly. “Your story plus the photos from when you were released from the hospital will double our sales.”
I shook my head. Every instinct told me dash into the office, but she stood in my way. “Go away,” I repeated, this time louder. “Leave me alone!” Finally, I stepped around the reporter and threw myself in front of the keypad beside Limited’s Door. I punched numbers then tried the door. It wouldn’t open. Fuck. My hand was shaking so hard the second time that I hit two numbers at the same time.
“Look here,” the woman shouted. “I’ve come a long way. I deserve a few minutes of your time!”
“Babe.” Tye moved closer to me. “What’s going on?” His body blocked the woman’s view.
Again, I pushed on the door, trying to make it open. I closed my eyes and started chanting, “Oh God, No.” I couldn’t believe that this is happening now. “No, no.”
“I’ve got the door.” Tye hit the speaker button. “We need one of you out here.”
He tapped in the four-number code, and I turned the knob as soon as the locks disengaged. The door flew open, and Forde’s burly body filled the doorway. He took in my panicked state and pulled me into the office. He then blocked the door again against the woman trying to push her way inside behind me.
“What’s goin’ on?” He sounded calm, but his arms were loose at his sides, and he was ready for anything.
“This woman was waiting for your assistant in the hall.” Tye’s words weren’t rushed. He sounded in control, as if it was perfectly normal for me to be freaking out in the hallway.
Forde looked over Tye’s shoulder then he glanced back at me. “Go to my office and close the door.” He then stepped out into the hall and pulled Limited’s door behind him. As it closed, I heard him say, “Now, what’s this all about?”
I rushed to my computer, dumped the bags of food on my chair, and hit the microphone button. I needed to hear what was said.
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