Fulfillment by Golland, M. (best large ebook reader .txt) 📕

adeep breath. “Well, your Mum and I thought that you could chooseher name, Charlotte.”

She looked upat Bryce then gave him a hug. “Okay, I will pick the prettiest nameever.”

He hugged herback. “I know you will, Charli.”

***

We finishedour breakfast together and answered more of Charlotte’s questions.Bryce was incredible and seemed to have the most amazingexplanations for her, ones where she would understand almost rightaway. Seeing her expression change from nervous curiosity tounderstanding made me feel so much better, and the apprehensiveweight of this encounter that I was carrying around lifted, justlike Jessica said it would.

“Are youalright?” Bryce asked as the kids made their way upstairs.

“Yeah, I am.That was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,but it just proved to me how wonderful and special my children are.I’m so unbelievably proud of them both. And you...you just blow meaway. Your ability to handle difficult situations is remarkable.I’m so blessed to have you.” I wrapped my arms around his waistjust as Lucy and Nic walked into the kitchen with Alexander.

I couldn’tlook Nic in the eye, I was still slightly pissed with her accusingme of flirting with Bryce’s best friend. It was none of herbusiness and she had jumped to the wrong conclusion. I mean,fuck! I was only talking to the guy and watching him play theguitar. I wasn’t salivating or flashing him my tits.

“How’d it go?”Lucy knowingly asked Bryce.

“Yeah, okay,those two children are pretty bloody awesome, just like their mum.”He gave me a loving wink. Lucy smiled.

“There’s someleft over waffles if you both want them,” he said as he pointed tothe plate on the bench.

Lucy took aseat at the breakfast bar. “Thanks, but your Eggs Benedict are myfav,” she batted her eyes at him in the hope he’d cook them forher.

He raised hiseyebrow and smirked at her. Interpreting that expression as anacceptance of her request, I unwrapped my arms from around hiswaist and took a seat at the breakfast bar. Bryce cemented myinterpretation by turning to the fridge and taking out the cartonof eggs.

Sitting oneseat away, I leaned in and baited her. “Tell me again, who haspower over him?”

She looked upthrough her lashes toward Bryce and answered quietly. “My methodsare different from yours.”

“Yes, I know,”I replied.

“So, big bro,what time does your flight leave tomorrow?”

I slumped overthe bench, having been reminded by Lucy that Bryce was flying toSydney the next day then on to Brisbane—I would not see him untilFriday.

“9 a.m. Why?”he asked, as he blended egg yolks, lemon juice and watertogether.

“You’re gonnamiss Alexis’ appointment with the surgeon to have the plasterremoved.”

He looked atme apologetically. “I know. I can cancel if you want me tocome.”

“No, don’t besilly, I’ll be fine. Anyway, you’ve neglected far too much of yourwork for me lately. You can’t keep doing that.”

“No youcan’t...” Lucy interrupted. “So, as I was saying, seeing as I’ll bethe one taking her, I will need to borrow one of your cars.” Shesmiled naughtily at her brother.

“No, youwon’t. You have your own car,” he accurately pointed out.

“It’sbroken.”

He raised aneyebrow at her as if to suggest her reason was pathetic andunbelievable, which clearly it was.

“I’ll take theMcLaren,” she said without looking at him.

“No youwon’t.”

“Fine, I’lltake the Ferrari.”

“No. You.Won’t.” He was very carefully pouring melted butter into theblender. “You can take the Jag.”

“I don’t likethe Jag,” she said, like an ungrateful child. “Lexus or Trans Am.That’s my final offer?”

He smirked ather and she smirked back, both of them in the middle of a war ofsmirks. I sat there watching them, trying not to laugh, Nic, toostifling a smile while rolling her eyes.

“You can takethe Lexus. It has more leg room than the Trans Am.” He switched offthe blender.

“Deal,” shesaid with a victorious grin.

Bryce finishedoff the eggs benedict by sprinkling some chives on top. He leanedacross the bench and went to hand it to Lucy, but quickly snatchedit back and took a bite, teasing her.

“Arsehole,”she said playfully.

I burst intolaughter.

“I was aboutto give this back to you,” he said. “But now I’m just gonna lickit.” He held the slice of baguette up to his mouth, again teasingher. She went to grab it but he was too quick.

“You are soaggravating at times,” she growled as she frustratingly pushed herstool back and launched herself around the island bench, now inpursuit of the half eaten baguette. I watched her chase him aroundthe bench a couple of times when I noticed another slice on theplate with a perfectly cooked egg and silky Hollandaise sauce tomatch. I looked up at the brother/sister duo still running ringsaround me then leaned forward and picked up the abandoned baguette.Hmmm, don’t mind if I do.

I bit down onit with a huge grin on my face. Yum!

Nic laughedand smiled at my consumption. Her smile also held an apologeticundertone.

She jiggledAlexander in her lap as she spoke to him. “Aunty Alexis is a clevercookie, isn’t she?”

I swivelledaround on my stool to face her, making sure I kept my leg out ofthe way of Bryce and Lucy. I thought I’d offer my own form ofacceptance of her apology, offering her some of the Eggs Benedict.I held it up toward her. “Want some?”

She noddedcheekily then stood up from the dining table and quickly walked tothe bench to avoid getting run into by Lucy, who still hadn’tnoticed the spare slice.

Nic took abite and let out a loud “Mmm.” Lucy refrained from chasing Bryceand both were stopped in their tracks.

Nic and Ifroze.

“Are you forreal?” Lucy asked, exasperated.

We both shookour heads. Bryce laughed harder then shoved the last piece he washolding in his mouth. I quickly did the same.

“You allsuck!” she said. “Not you baby boy. Mummy still loves you.” Shewrinkled her nose at Alexander. “But you, you, and you,” shepointed at each of us. “You all suck!”

She went towalk out of the room.

“Luce,” Brycesaid as he scooped out two perfectly poached eggs that had beenhidden in the pot. She turned back around, spying him placing themdown on another sliced baguette. “Remember that thing you did forme a few weeks ago, where you said I owed you?”

“Yeah?”

He poured theremainder of the sauce