Page 82 of Losing a Piece of Me

Her parents welcome me into their house, their family, their world. I am no longer the troubled kid in town; I’m not the child of the mistress either. Finally, they see me for what I am. Just me. Just a guy who is in love with their daughter, who will do anything to protect her.

My mom and I, we keep in touch. We meet once a month to have a meal together and we talk on the phone often. My father, on the other hand, I haven’t heard from. Lex’s parents say his drinking has only gotten worse. He’s been arrested several times for being drunk and disorderly and even managed to land himself in the hospital to have his stomach pumped a few times. If he’s trying to kill himself, it sounds like he’s doing a damn good job. I refuse to fight him anymore. I’ve done that most of my life and I’m tired of living that way.

Pops is doing as well as ever. He’s still as sharp as a tack and runs his diner the way he always has: complete chaos. Every weekend I go in there, he’s pouring coffee behind the counter with the radio on, listening to the local police.

Speaking of local police, Barney finally retired. The station even rewarded him with a new police cruiser, minus the police lights. It’s the exact same as the one they found at the bottom of the lake when they drained it.

I grab the broken-down boxes and carry them up the stairs and into our apartment.

I let myself in and set them down on the counter, next to the stack of boxes that are full of dishes.

“Lex, I’m home,” I yell out.

“I’m in the shower!”

I feel my smile spread across my face as I walk toward the bathroom, stripping clothes off as I go.

Behind the bathroom door, I’m greeted with steam and the view of Lex’s backside on the other side of the shower glass.

I step in behind her and place my hands on her growing belly. “How was your day?”

“Good. I have most of the kitchen packed up. Did you get more boxes?”

I nod and place a kiss on her shoulder.

“I will be so glad to get out of this cramped apartment. I can’t wait to start putting the nursery together.”

“I can’t either.” I fall to my knees and place kisses to her swollen stomach. The baby kicks me and I smile while looking up at Lex.

“He’s been active all day long. I think he’s missed you.” She runs her fingers through my hair.

“I missed you both,” I say against her skin as I shower her stomach with kisses, before letting my lips go lower.

She leans her head back while I have her pinned to the shower wall with my head between her thighs.

Her fingers tangle into my hair, pulling me closer as her gasps fill the room. When her moans have quieted, I turn her around and position myself at her entrance.

* * *

“Don’t be lifting that, it’s too heavy,” I tell her as we move boxes down to my truck.

“Okay, I’m sorry. I just feel useless watching you and the guys move everything.”

“Why don’t you call Hannah and go have some lunch or something?”

“She’s working at the store today. Surely, I can carry this one, right?”

The box she’s holding has nothing in it but pillows. “No, I don’t want you falling down the stairs because you can’t see over the box. Just let us take care of it, please.”

Her shoulders fall. “Fine. I’ll be over here, lounging on the couch and reading a magazine if you need me.”

* * *

We load up in the truck and stop in front of our new house. It’s a two-story brick home. There are blue shutters and a white picket fence around the front yard with a privacy fence in the back. There is a front porch and an attached two car garage. It reminds me of the perfect home that I never in a million years thought I would live in, much less with Lex and our growing family.

Before we start loading our stuff inside, we pose in front of the sold sign to take a picture.

* * *

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