Page 49 of Gunner

Chapter 21

Lacey stretchedand found the bed beside her cold. Rolling she wondered where Gunner had gone, then she saw the note by the bed and smiled.

Meeting with Jack.

Back soon.

Love you millions

Sitting up she saw it was already eight-thirty and threw her legs over the bed, testing her feet as she put them to the floor. She found the pain was still there but not as sharp as yesterday. Flexing her hands, she found the same, except for the cut between her thumb and palm, that still hurt like a bitch.

Moving slowly, she dressed in a pair of white jeans and a pink Bardot top with long floaty sleeves. It wasn’t ideal because she couldn’t easily do up the jeans with her hands like they were, but it looked cute, and she wanted to look nice for Gunner.

That may not be very forward-thinking, but she didn’t care; it was the truth. She’d spent her time with Carmine trying to be a confident woman and had ended up beaten and broken in both spirit and body. With Gunner, the reverse was true, she would happily do what she could to please him because she wanted to, and with every smile her offered her, she became more and more confident.

Finally making it down the stairs in this gorgeous barn conversion with old oak beams and large picture windows, she made her way to the kitchen and smiled when she saw her mug ready to go, just needing hot water.

Looking out of the window, she saw Bebe walking across the courtyard and smiled as she waved. Lacey went to let her in with a smile. “Tea or coffee?”

Bebe hugged her when she came through the door. “Whatever you’re making is fine.”

Bebe was beautiful, with long thick dark hair, that fell in perfect waves and sloped brown eyes that were flirty and mysterious.

“Looking stunning as always, Bebe.”

“I do try, darling, but you know how it is. Even the most gorgeous people have off days.”

When Lacey had first met Bebe, she’d found her a little unnerving with her confidence and glamour, and that was coming from a modelling background, but when she’d laughed, Lacey realised she was nothing like that.

Although with her curves, she could make yoga pants a deadly weapon. “How did you draw the short straw?”

Bebe carried the cups through to the living room and set them on the coffee table as Lacey hobbled after her less like a model and more like a ninety-year-old woman.

Bebe snorted. “Believe me this isn’t the short straw and I was coming to see Roz about a job anyway. I just diverted here until Gunner gets back.”

“I heard you were at the hospital. Thank you.”

“Yeah, well, I figured I should after I outed you at the bar that night and you went flying under the bus as you did.”

“Ha, I’d forgotten about that. You did kind of out me about me chucking my drinks away.”

“So, I guess you’re not pregnant then?” Bebe cupped her tea and sat back, looking contemplative.

“No. No baby this time. It’s probably for the best, the timing isn’t great, and we’ve only just got together.”

“But?”

Lacey looked over her mug at Bebe, surprised the woman was reading her so easily. “I don’t know, I guess in some ways I was disappointed. I did cry all over Gunner’s shirt, and we weren’t even together then.”

“You wanted to be pregnant?”

“Yes, in some ways I did. I’m not getting any younger, and I always saw myself as a mother.”

Bebe cocked her head. “When I was growing up in India, all my parents talked about was finding me a good husband and having children. I loathed the idea, but now I find myself thinking about having kids all the time. I’m thirty-six next month, and I can’t help feeling time is running out for me.”

“No man on the horizon?”

Bebe shook her head. “No, and honestly, I’m not sure I’d be a good wife. I’m too stuck in my ways and finicky. I like living on my own. I have Autumn and Mitch close and Waggs too, and that suits me.”