Page 142 of Luci’s Lullaby

“You did not?” Reese hits my shoulder. “You told her you L-O-V-E her?”

I side-eye Ava. “Why did you spell it?”

“It hurts less than hearing you told her you love her? And then, she ran away.” Ava shrugs.

“Damn, you women are brutally honest!”

Reese frowns. “Did you want us to lie?”

“Hell, yes! At least tell me you’re ripping that shit off.” I rub my chest where the pain is.

Reese winces. “Are all guys this bad when they get their heart broken?”

“Why yes, Reese. We go on drunken stupors and try to ruin our lives. After, we have sex with total strangers while calling her by your lover’s name and hating yourself.”

“Wow, we’re so alike.” Ava wrinkles her nose.

I cock a brow. “We don’t get ice cream, we get beer.”

“I think we should combine the two.” Reese laughs.

“Hell, no. I’m off the stuff for a while.”

Ava shifts so she can look at me. “Tell us the rest.”

We sit talking for hours. By the time they leave, I feel less like a shitty parent, more in love than ever before, and ready to write music again. I need her to know I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.

I sit up, rocking Luci in her amazing nursery, and pen a new song. I know it may not go anywhere, but honestly, there are only two people I want to have it. Fame and money don’t mean a thing if you don’t have anyone to share it with.

“Lullaby.” Something starts working, and I beat the music. “A lullaby for Luci. Luci’s Lullaby. I bet she’ll listen to a song by that name.”

I woke early and got to work. I called Aksel and insisted he come over. He still feels responsible for this mess with Sam; she’s a mess all on her own. By the time he gets here, I’ve got Luci up, fed, and dressed.

I meet him at the door with a huge smile. “Hey, I’m so glad you came.”

“I have to be honest, I’m still fighting leaving.” Aksel rubs his neck.

“Naw, come on in.”

“I have to say you’ve piqued my interest. What’s up?” He sits beside me by the keyboard.

“Music.” I smile. “I need to record a song, and I want you to help me.”

His eyes widen. “Are you sure?”

“There’s no one else I’d rather work with.” I hold out my hand. “How about it?”

His eyes float between my hand and my face. He grabs it with a big smile. “Let’s do this, I’m ready to make some music.”

“Here’s my idea—it’s a lullaby for Luci. I love her so much, but by the time she’s grown, she’ll know the truth about me not being her dad. I want her to have something from this time in our life, telling her how much she means to me and how she and Charlee saved me.”

“Is this it?” He takes the sheet music and reads it. “Man, this is damn good. You know that, right?”

I shrug. “It’s a start; maybe we can build something off of it.”

“We’re both still under contractual obligations, so we’ll need to be careful. I’d hate for Sam to take anything you make on your own.” Aksel’s smart.

“I hadn’t thought of it.” I chew on my lip. “How am I going to get it recorded?”