At least being on a fundraising board at the hospital doesn’t have me competing against anyone. I’m not built for constant battles. Although, give me a cause to get my teeth stuck into something and anyone standing in my way better look out.
Thanks to Lily and Carla, that’s what I have. They’ve gotten me on board with the charity event, taking place at the hospital in two months time. I’m excited about it really. One of the things I most enjoy is arranging things, and making sure everything possible has been covered to make an event perfect.
The event is to raise money to assist in getting the new wing of the hospital up and running. Although the building has been completed for over twelve months, it’s just been standing there empty. All the money previously raised having gone on the state of the art building. It’s impressive and we hope that the fact it’s going to be a dedicated children’s ward will attract even more funding.
Being involved has given me something to think about other than Lucien while he’d pushed me away. But since moving in with him, my thoughts are full of him and our growing baby. I’m finding it difficult concentrating on anything else.
Glancing back at Lucien, I frown. He’s on the phone and looks stressed. Whether or not he’s receiving bad news is something that I hope he’ll tell me. If this between us is going to work then he needs to start talking to me, whether it’s about us, family or even problems at work. Trusting me to talk to will help him get it off his chest instead of worrying away at it and it will give me a chance to be here for my man.
“I’ll be expecting Eric,” Lucien says into the phone, hovering over me. I move my legs so he can join me on the sofa. “Email me his flight details and either Ramon or I will meet him at the airport.” Lucien indicates he wants my legs across his lap. So I comply. He grins before finishing up on his call. “We’ll talk later, Dante.” He hangs up.
Sitting in comfortable silence for a few minutes, I realize just how tired he is. We’ve been spending our time together during the day, and he hasn’t had one complaint about his work falling behind, which makes me wonder just how behind he is because of me. I really don’t like seeing him like this.
And then he turns his head and focuses his dark eyes on me, and everything, but Lucien, disappears from my mind. I’m determined not to let him distract me like he always does.
“Talk to me Lucien. What’s going on? Why do you look exhausted?”
He doesn’t deny anything and lays his head back against the sofa, but his eyes stay on me.
“There’s a problem at the site Ramon is on. Materials keep going missing and accidents that shouldn’t happen, are. It’s as though this site is doomed to fail. We’ve never had so much trouble before and take the safety of our employees seriously. If we don’t do something about it someone is going to get seriously injured, which is why we are bringing Eric in.” He takes my hand from my lap and entwines our fingers together. He sighs as though I’m giving him strength. “Eric is our cousin, and used to work with us when we first started with McKenzie Holdings so he knows what he’s doing. He’s also on leave. He’s a Marine so he can handle himself just fine.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard of cousins while I’ve been around your family.”
“They haven’t been to Lexington for a good few years. Dante and I are the closest.”
“Are they a large family like the McKenzies?” I ask caressing his thumb with mine.
“Yeah. Francesca was my father’s older sister, about five years older if I remember correctly. She died twenty-seven years ago. It’s the anniversary of her death tomorrow as Dante reminded me. Emiliano then married Lucia. With how quickly his remarriage took place it caused a huge rift between him and my father, and my father hasn’t spoken to him since. With his first wife he has five children, Dante, Eric, Aiden, Mateo and Kasey and then with Lucia he has twins, Diego and Emelia. I’ve only really stayed in touch with Dante, who is a priest. We’ve helped each other out a few times over the years and I consider him a good friend.”
“Wow. Are they as hot as the McKenzies?” I tease and get a frown in return. Perhaps teasing him like this should wait until he’s feeling more secure in our relationship. I know what I want, but he isn’t completely there yet. “Lucien, quit frowning at me. I’m only teasing you.”
“That wasn’t funny especially as you’re carrying my child.”
I offer him a wry smile. “You do realize that I only have eyes for you, right?”
“Hmm.”
“Lucien, you are really going to start pissing me off. For god’s sake, I don’t just let anyone rip my panties off, and fuck me at his parents’ house.”
“Hell, Sabrina,” he growls.
“Don’t you ‘hell Sabrina’ me.”
He starts laughing.
I’m not impressed.
He continues to laugh.
“I didn’t think that was funny.”
He pulls himself together. “Sorry. It wasn’t funny, in fact is was fuckin’ hot.”
I roll my eyes at him.