18. Lockheart #2
“Nice one, Shark. You didn’t even hesitate. Better luck next time, bro.” Jenson, Jaxson’s older brother, comes onto the screen, and I roll my eyes sky high remembering his antics on the last video call we had.
“Jenson, long time no speak.”
“You been missing me, Lockheart?” His cocky response almost makes me smile.
“Yeah, so much. Could you tell?” My sarcasm seems to be wasted on the Brady men as he clutches his chest and beams a smile at me.
“Lockheart, not in front of your lady. Jenson Brady, it’s a pleasure to meet the person who has wiped that frown off my handsome friend’s face.”
Nico smiles her appreciation back and I fold my arms over my chest and notice Shark’s doing the same.
“Is there a reason you’re in my office, Brady?” Her voice is stern and matches her demeanour perfectly.
“Well, my brother brought us in here on his phone…”
“Not you Brady, the other one. Jaxson.” Her scowl is directed at me when I start to chuckle, but instead of wilting under it like Brady does, I just raise my brow back.
“I wanted to show my family the offices. Oscar’s office isn’t as nice as yours and Mr. Maverick said I could. I’m really sorry.” He grabs the back of his neck with his other hand and I feel sorry for the kid.
“Shark, leave him be. Your argument is with your husband. He knew you were in here,” I gently remind her and smile when she smirks and turns on her heels to stride out of the office.
“Shoot, thank you.” Jaxson turns his phone around again and this time Penny and Jenson are on the screen.
“Hey, Lockheart. Hi, there. I’m Penny. You must be the blogger/journalist he’s been moping over. It’s nice to put a face with an idea.”
Nico’s shocked face turns to look at me as I growl out my frustrations with these damn Bradys.
“Pen, this is Nicole. And yes, she’s a journalist. How did you know?” I open my eyes wide at Penny, telepathically telling her to shut the fuck up about me being brokenhearted, but she just grins back.
“Smartest Brady, remember?”
Jaxson perches on the end of Emilia’s desk and fixes his gaze to mine. With a smirk on his lips, he glances down at Nico’s and my hands clasped together. “So what’s going on? Why are you both in Shark’s office? Do I hear wedding bells?”
I shift uncomfortably as Nico laughs loudly and blurts out, “God, no.”
I loosen my grip on her hand, a little offended at how horrified she sounded, but she squeezes it back.
Her voice softens and she offers me a contrite smile.“I just meant it’s way too early for all that.”
“Yeah, the idea of marrying Lockheart would strike fear into most women. Am I right, Pen?” Jenson nudges his sister and I remind myself why I was happy as an only child.
“I dunno. I can see the appeal. Tall, dark and handsome, a real strong silent type.” She winks at me, and suddenly I’m smiling again as Jenson and Jaxson look at Penny with disgust on their faces.
“Hey, lady. This one’s taken, but I can help you bag another strong silent type if you want.” Oh I like possessive Nico. Seeing the warning glint in her eyes as she stares at the screen is making my jeans feel tighter and my heart feel lighter.
“Deal. Maybe you’ll swap numbers with me seeing as ‘The Bridesmaid’ wouldn’t.” Jenson nudges her again and she smirks back. “Anyway, how did you two come about? I figured his dislike for the press and all social media was down to a beautiful journalist or blogger, but I never got the story.”
“Nico is someone I knew a few years back.” I manage to mumble. I immediately wish I hadn’t said anything, as the twinkle in Penny’s eyes gleams like a shining star in front of me.
“Really? Well isn’t that interesting.” She smirks and I frown.
“It, we, she, I…” I stutter whilst Jaxson grins, Jenson rolls his eyes, and Penny smiles smugly knowing she was so right about everything.
Nico shakes her head at my mumbling and stuttering, whilst Penny’s smile gets bigger and bigger until she’s all teeth and nothing else.
“Jeez, what’s with you, Owen? We met five years ago, we hooked up for a couple months. He was an ass and accused me of being a prostitute for a couple of stories, so I left.” I turn my frown onto her but she shrugs and looks at the screen.
“Oh hell no, don’t you frown at her. Nu-uh.
You did what in the who now? Why would you do that?
And there I was feeling sorry for you when you were all mopey and heartbroken, and now I find out you did that.
Nicole, you need me to punch him? Jaxson, punch him.
Somebody punch him.” Penny’s screeching makes me wince and I hang my head in shame.
“It’s okay, we’ve worked through it. I just figured seeing as you were his family you should know the full story.
Have you told them about Lucky?” I groan loudly and Nico looks to each face in confusion.
“What? They didn’t know? Well how am I supposed to know that?
And it doesn’t matter anyway, soon enough everyone will know.
” She huffs a puff of air out as she takes her hand from my thigh and crosses her arms over her chest.
“Who’s Lucky? And why do I not know who he is? Is he another tall, dark, and British soccer player?” Penny’s grinning wildly, Jaxson is shooting me sorry grimaces, and Jenson looks bored with the whole conversation.
“Lucky’s my son.” An air of pride infuses my words and has Nico gripping my hand again.
“Holy shirt. Why didn’t you stop me and tell me Lucky was a kid? And since when do you have a kid? We only spoke to you a few months back. I’m gonna need a lie down in a minute. I can’t cope with all of this.” Penny grabs a cup and takes a long swig from it.
“In his defence, he didn’t know about him until a little while ago.”
Nico blurts out the words I was trying to hide and winces at her lack of subtlety. Penny spits her water out all over Jenson, who jumps up, cursing at her, and fails to notice his Mama step behind him until she begins to continuously slap him on the head.
“So, Nicole. We’re gonna have to swap numbers right now, because I need the deets, but I also feel like I should rescue Jenson since the cursing was my fault.”
Nico laughs, promises to send over her number via Jaxson, and I find myself grinning at all of them. Being a Lockheart is great, but being an honorary Brady isn’t so bad either.
And now I’m one step closer to having Nico and Lucky in my life permanently, and that’s all I want.