Chapter 43 Derrick
DERRICK
It’s has been a whirlwind over the past couple of months.
We celebrated Axel and Olivia’s wedding in France at one of her family’s gorgeous chateaus.
The biggest gossip of the event was that the father of her sister’s baby is the President of France.
Mind blown. That is the married guy who knocked her up.
No wonder she had to keep it a secret, but she couldn’t for much longer because he turned up uninvited to the wedding reception and basically declared his love for Penny.
She had no idea that he and his wife had separated, and that his wife or ex-wife now had met a younger man and was much happier.
While that was happening, Camryn Starr, our gorgeous friend who lives in New York and owns one of the best event companies in the country, who organized her boyfriend at the time’s engagement party, was dealing with her own drama.
That asshole turned into a psychopath and assaulted her and Nate Lewis, the owner of The Paradise Club.
Seems that Nate and Camryn were seeing each other behind the scenes, a friend with benefits kind of relationship, lucky girl, Nate is foine.
But after the assault, Camryn kind of lost it.
It brought up some past trauma, and she didn’t handle things the way she should have when it came to Nate.
She disappeared to Australia and hid. Poor Nate was like a lost puppy, waiting for Camryn to come back to him.
He had faith that she would, and he understood she had her own healing journey, as did he, after what happened at the opening of The Paradise Club Resort.
They came back together in Paris at the bachelorette party, and the wedding solidified that they were both madly in love with each other and that was it.
They were back together again. Wouldn’t mind being a fly on that wall when they made up.
Also, I found out that Ivy, Camryn’s sister, is having a thing with Nate’s brother Alex, who is the cutest thing ever, but she’s playing very coy about it, so I can’t get any more information about that.
We’ve added another little bundle of joy to the Dirty Texas family, baby Easton, Isla and Finn’s baby boy. It’s exciting that the brood keeps growing, and not only that, but we also have another wedding to organize.
Olivia and Axel have been in France, where she was accompanying Penny during the birth of her niece.
Penny ended up having her baby with the sexy silver fox, Julien, by her side.
They had a little girl called Genieve, adorable, but she came with a heap of media attention in support of his ex-wife.
The media portrayed that his ex-wife gave up having kids to pursue his political dream of becoming president, and now he is getting to do it with a much younger woman.
But the kickass ex came out and made a statement saying that she was the one denying him the chance of having a family as she never wanted one, and she is so happy that he finally got his dream of becoming a father. Class act that one.
And what about me?
It’s my 31st birthday, bitches!
Since my friends keep popping out little gremlins and my house is not set up for them, we decided on a simple birthday for me at Sienna and Evan’s home.
Honestly, I’m not in the partying mood, I’m feeling a little down.
Internally, I thought by thirty-one that I might have met someone and started dating, but alas, here I am all by myself.
This is the first time Finn and Isla have come out after being at home with their little one, and I’m so excited to see them.
“Let me look at him,” I say, holding out my hands to Isla, who has Easton wrapped up.
I sniff his soft blond head. “Smelling babies is the real fountain of youth. Have you been a good boy for Mummy and Daddy?” I ask him.
He looks up at me, all innocent and sweet, with those bright blue eyes.
Lady killer. “The ladies are going to die over your eyes, little one. Look at you, already giving me the Connolly stare.” His little brows pull together as he continues to glare at me.
“Issy, he’s so cute. I’m seriously broody at the moment with all these Dirty Texas babies. ”
“Derrick, are you hogging them?” Sienna rushes out and greets them. “Come in. Evan and the boys are in the man cave, Finn,” she tells Finn, who kisses Isla and disappears off to the man cave, leaving us girls to it. “I want a cuddle, D,” Sienna asks as I reluctantly hand him over.
“Where are your little ones?” Isla asks her.
“They are both in the man cave with the boys. I need to have a girl to help balance out all this testosterone in my house,” Sienna coos down at baby Easton.
“Keep your legs shut, woman,” I tell Sienna. Don’t say that wish too loudly because Evan will have her knocked up. I would love to see my girl with her girl, but she does produce the cutest little boys.
“You’re here,” Vanessa calls out to Isla as she lazes on the outside lounges. Ruby is currently mouthing her necklace, while Sadie is crawling under her feet.
“You look amazing,” Olivia tells Isla as she welcomes her.
“Congratulations to you on your niece,” Isla says.
“Thank you. I hated leaving her, but I’ll see her again soon.”
“Don’t worry, princess. Axel will have you knocked up in no time,” I tease as I give her a glass of champagne.
“Maybe in a year or two. We’re still trying to work out how to live on two continents.” Olivia moans.
“Seriously, how do you not want to procreate with that man?” I ask her, because if I was waking up to Axel Taylor in my bed every morning, I would be taking every single opportunity to jump him.
“Don’t worry, D, we’re getting plenty of practice.” Olivia smirks.
“You saucy little minx, I bet you are.” I laugh, grabbing Sadie off the floor as I take a seat. Little Easton starts fussing in Sienna’s arms, and you can see Isla slightly panic over it, the poor girl’s still in that newborn phase.
“You can feed him in the nursery if you don’t feel comfortable down here,” Sienna reassures her.
“Hey, if you’re worried about me, don’t be.
Remember, I hate breasts. They make me hurl, so I promise I’m not interested in them.
” I turn my interest back to Sadie. I’ve seen Sienna and Vanessa breastfeeding, and I’ve become immune to them whipping said breasts out, but I understand Isla is still new to the mum thing.
Isla shakes her head, grabs little Easton, and starts feeding him until he falls asleep. She starts patting him on the back, and that’s when I see the massive rock on her finger.
“You bitch! You fucking got engaged.” I gasp and whisper-yell at her so as not to wake the baby. Isla looks momentarily confused, like she has no idea what we are talking about, but then realizes and gives us a huge smile.
“He only proposed last night,” she explains.
I get up and grab her hand, looking at the ring. “It’s beautiful. And you know what that means?” Isla stares at me like I have grown a second head. “It means we have a wedding to plan.” I squeal as the rest of the girls clap in excitement, making Ruby and Sadie join in.
“The last thing I want to do is plan a wedding.” Isla sighs, looking down at her sleeping baby.
Totally understandable. New mum fatigue. “Lucky you have me. This ain’t my first rodeo, you know.”
“We’re not looking at getting married anytime soon. I mean, my life is kind of busy enough as it is,” Isla tells me.
“What about if I organized it?” I tell her. Not like I have anything exciting going on in my life.
“When Easton is a little older, things will settle down,” Sienna reassures her.
“We haven’t even thought about it,” Isla says with a shrug.
“What about Valentine’s Day? It’s months away,” I say, throwing out some ideas.
Isla looks horrified. “Yeah, months … I was thinking maybe years.”
“Hush, woman. That’s crazy talk.”
“Well, your thirtieth is in January. And Finn’s birthday is in March,” Vanessa adds. Isla is not looking pleased by that suggestion.
“See, Valentine’s Day is right in between,” I tell her. It’s perfect.
“Don’t forget we have Camryn on the team. She can whip up a wedding at any moment,” Vanessa remarks. That is true, Camryn could easily turn around a wedding in months.
“And you work for Sebastien. Now that he’s working in LA, I’m sure he’d love to help with the food menu. And Yvette knows the drill, plus don’t forget Wyld Jones can get you anything, especially now we have menswear.” I wink at her.
“Basically, the wedding is all planned,” Isla jokes.
“See how easy it is,” I tell her.
Isla sighs, she knows she is outnumbered and probably too exhausted to argue back. “I’ll talk to Finn, but I can’t guarantee he’ll say yes. I can’t even guarantee I’ll say yes.”
“Just think about it, Issy,” I tell her.
“Where’s my little man?” Oscar’s voice echoes through the backyard, breaking up the wedding conversation. He rushes over, scooping up his nephew from Isla’s arms. He has turned into the biggest teddy bear over little Easton, it’s so sweet.
“Seriously, that’s the hottest thing in the world. Dammit, Ragnar.” I swoon, watching him cuddle the tiny bundle in his oversized hands.
“The boys are in the man cave,” Sienna tells Oscar.
“Mind if I take him in there?” he asks, pointing to the man cave. Isla nods.
“So ... Valentine’s Day, then?” I smirk, turning back to the wedding talk, making Isla groan.
“Happy birthday, D. Sorry I’m late. Work’s been a bitch,” Jackson apologizes as he hugs me. When he steps away, I still.