31. Lexie

Chapter 31

Lexie

I woke up in Oliver's arms, and for once, I didn't want to bolt. I kissed his cheek, and when he didn't wake, I kissed his jawline, his nose, his mouth.

He woke up with a snort, startled, and I giggled.

"Oh no," he muttered. "Trent."

My eyes widened. "He spent the night at his grandmother's, remember?"

Oliver nodded. "That's right. I've got to get over there." He paused. "Will you go with me?"

I bit my lip. "I don't know. We don't want to spring this on him out of nowhere, do we?"

"No time like the present."

I was nervous as hell. I'd barely met Trent, what if he didn't like me? What if he was jealous of my time with his father or jealous of his little sister?

Oliver thumbed my bottom lip out from between my teeth and I pouted. He laughed and kissed my mouth before swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

"It's going to be fine. Trent takes things in stride. He's a pretty chill kid."

"I know but?—"

Oliver turned to kiss me again, shutting me up. "No buts."

"Okay," I sighed, and got up with a grunt. I went to my closet, groaning when I realized I barely had any clothes that fit anymore. "I'm too fat to wear anything," I moaned.

"What? You're not fat, Lex, you're pregnant. And glowing."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Don't get too close, I could be radioactive."

He barked out a laugh and got up, coming over to put his arms around my waist from behind, locking them just below my breasts, which were swollen and aching from the pregnancy.

"I'll buy you some maternity clothes," he said. "For now, why don't you wear that little milkmaid dress of yours? The one with the polka dots."

"You remember that dress?"

"You wore it to pick up your check from work last week. You looked incredible in it," he murmured, kissing my neck, biting gently at my collarbone.

"Don't do that," I groaned. "We'll be even later than we already are."

We were up so late last night that we had slept past noon.

Oliver let me go with a chuckle and dressed in his clothes from the night before, picking his phone up from the nightstand.

"We have to go," he said quickly. "My mom has somewhere to be.".

I hurried to get dressed and grabbed my purse, following him and frowning.

"Are you sure I should go? "

"You go where I go, Alexandra Tripp," Oliver said, smiling weakly at me, and I wondered what was wrong.

We arrived at his mother's place in record time, with Oliver driving a bit over the speed limit.

Oliver helped me out of the car and we walked hand in hand up to the door. He knocked quickly, letting go of my hand.

I looked over at him, confused, but then his mother opened the door.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here," she said with a sigh. "Trent's been so worried."

Trent came running down the stairs, slamming into his father and grabbing him around the waist.

"I thought you left," he sobbed as Oliver picked him up.

"I would never leave you, buddy," Oliver said quietly, and I just stood there, feeling awkward, unsure what was happening.

"He gets like this sometimes," Oliver's mother explained, ushering me into the kitchen. "I've made some tea."

I paused at the door when I saw Oliver's father sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea.

"Oh. Hello."

Oliver came into the kitchen with Trent, who still had his head buried in his father's chest.

"What are you doing here?" Oliver growled.

His father held his hands up in defence. "I'm just here to see your mother. She needed some help calming Trent down."

"And you weren't available," Oliver's mother added, but there was no bite to her tone as she smiled at me. "Do you like sugar or cream?"

"Just sugar, please," I responded quietly, looking at Oliver' s father. He'd asked me for forgiveness, but I wasn't sure if I was going to give it to him. Forgiving Oliver was different than forgiving his father. His father was the ultimate reason for our breakup, and for Oliver and Tristan's falling out.

I slowly sat down at the table and Oliver did the same, still holding Trent.

Oliver opened his mouth to speak but I patted his knee, looking at him. "It's okay, Ollie," I told him, and he relaxed.

"Oliver, this is as good a time as any to tell you," his mother began, pouring my tea and adding three sugar cubes, "that your father is moving back in."

Oliver froze. "What?"

"He and I have had a few long conversations." She looked at me. "One or two of them about you, Lexie."

"Me?" I asked, confused.

"One of the reasons we separated was because I found out about what he did back then."

She glared at her husband, and he hung his head.

"But we've gotten past it," he said softly.

"We're trying to get past it," she corrected, sitting next to me. "But you and this grandchild are a big reason why we're reconnecting."

"Good," I said, smiling. "Because I'm sure Trent and the new baby will love knowing their grandparents are together."

Trent lifted his head; tear tracks staining his face. "Are you going to be my new mommy?" he asked quietly, and my heart ached.

"If that's what you want," I said slowly, not wanting to push.

Trent was quiet for a moment and then his face broke into a big smile before he fell over into my arms .

I caught him, surprised, and hugged him tightly while laughing.

"I think that's a yes," Oliver said with a chuckle, and I felt tears pricking at the backs of my eyes as I looked at him.

Oliver smiled.

We sat and chatted with his parents for the better part of an hour, and although things were still tense between Oliver and his dad, they seemed better by the time we left.

I was grateful. All I'd ever wanted was for Oliver's family to like me, and it seemed like we were on the right track.

I felt amazing as we drove off in the car, looking out the window, unable to stop smiling.

"Daddy, can we go get ice cream?" Trent asked.

"Kiddo, it's lunch time."

Trent pouted.

"We could go get lunch first," I suggested. "And then ice cream after?" I looked at Oliver, mirroring Trent's pout.

"Two against one," Oliver groaned.

I rubbed my belly. "Two soon to be three," I said with a wink.

Trent bounced around in his car seat. "Can we? Can we?"

"All right, all right," Oliver conceded. "The diner?"

"Let's go someplace different," I suggested. "What about that new family place on Third? The one with the arcade?"

Trent gasped. "An arcade ?"

Oliver smiled at him in the rearview mirror. "Let's do it."

Trent whooped in victory.

We arrived at the restaurant and were seated right away. Trent kept staring at the arcade area .

"We have to eat our food first, okay, buddy?" I said, and Trent sighed heavily. But then he looked at me with a smile.

"Okay, Mommy."

Tears sprang to my eyes, and I sniffled, wiping at them as my heart just seemed to swell and swell.

"Are you all right?" Oliver asked quietly.

"I'm perfect," I said. "Everything is… perfect."

"It is, isn't it?" he agreed.

Trent leaned his head against my shoulder for a moment, smiling, before coloring his kid's menu.

An hour later, Trent and I were playing Pac-Man on the arcade machine, and he was beating my pants off.

"You're too good at this," I complained.

He laughed out loud. "I'm just good enough, Daddy always says."

"Daddy can kick both your butts at Pac-Man," Oliver said, coming up behind us.

"Put your money where your mouth is, mister," I replied, and Oliver reached into his pockets, pulling out tokens with a cocky grin.

Another hour later, we were all out of tokens and I was exhausted, my feet aching from working last night and being on them for too long while playing Pac-Man.

"You all right?" Oliver asked, and I nodded tiredly.

"Just need to get off my feet," I said with a wince. "I think they're swollen."

"Why?" Trent asked, looking at me with his head tilted.

"Because sometimes the baby makes that happen," I explained.

Trent got very close to my stomach, putting a hand on it. "Don't do that, little sister. Don't hurt Mommy."

I couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, Trent."

"Did she listen? "

"I'm sure she did."

Trent patted my belly again. "Good girl."

Oliver looked down at us, and when I met his warm brown eyes, there were tears in them.

"Now I'm the one who should be asking you if you're okay," I teased gently.

"I'm perfect, too," he said, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Me, too," Trent piped up.

I giggled. "It seems like he never meets a stranger."

"Not a single one," Oliver agreed, laughing as we headed out of the arcade. Trent had pouted a little about leaving, but he didn't throw a fit. He really was a good kid.

Later that night, after I'd read Trent three stories before he finally went to sleep, I crawled into Oliver's bed, gasping at the luxuriousness of the soft sheets.

"Why don't I have these sheets?"

"Because you have been living in the guest house," Oliver said. "At least, until now."

I groaned in pleasure as I pulled the sheets and comforter over me. "Well, I want these sheets."

Oliver frowned. "These are your sheets."

My cheeks flushed pink. "Are you sure you want me to move in so quickly?"

"Yes," he said instantly.

"But Trent?—"

"Trent loves you. He's already calling you mommy. I want you here with me, with us, Lex."

"I guess it would give your parents some time to reconnect," I mused. "Having me watch Trent instead."

"And it would give you two time to bond before the baby gets here." Oliver smiled. "It's perfect."

I thought about it for a long moment, biting my lip. It wasn't like I was worried about moving in with Oliver, or even bonding with Trent. What I was really afraid of, well, it was hard to explain, even to myself.

"Something's wrong," Oliver pointed out, covering me with his body, pressing his forehead against mine. "What's wrong, baby?"

I swallowed hard, feeling tears threatening again. God, was I going to cry through this whole pregnancy?

"I'm afraid," I admitted softly.

"Afraid of what?"

"Of losing this," I said with a slight wave of my hand. "Of losing you, losing Trent. Losing all of this. Because well, I lost it before."

"That was because of my stupidity," Oliver said with a frown. "And I'll never be that stupid again, I promise you that."

I looked at him then leaned up to kiss him.

"You'd better not be," I muttered.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

I kissed him again, and when he guided himself inside me, I knew that this was perfect, just like I'd thought earlier.

Nothing and no one would ever take it from me again.

Perhaps fairy tales could come true.