After hearing about her parents, he doubted that Alicia would go there. He had to find her because Christmas was a little less than two weeks away.
Brad was about to knock on Alicia’s door again when his cell phone went off. Pulling it out his jeans, he flipped it open and answered it.
“Hello?”
“Where are you?” Zack asked him.
“I’m at Alicia’s house,” he answered.
“Well, you have to leave right now.”
“Why? What’s wrong?” Brad asked. “I really need to talk to Alicia.”
“You need to come to the hospital. Cherise is in labor,” Zack told him. “You can bring Alicia with you, but Lee is driving everyone up the wall.”
Cherise was in labor! He was going to be an uncle again. Rushing down the steps, Brad hurried to his black Lexus and got in slamming the door behind him.
“I’m coming. I should be there in thirty minutes. Tell Lee to calm down and help Cherise,” he said before disconnecting the call.
Before he drove off, Brad sat inside of his car and stared at Alicia’s house. He couldn’t get all of the good memories he shared in there with her out of his mind. He had been a complete asshole not to listen to her when she tried to explain the kiss to him.
If he had listened to her, Alicia would be sitting next to him going to see the arrival of the new additions to the Drace family, but he wasn’t going to give up on getting her back and placing a ring on her finger by Christmas.
“I’m coming back and I’ll make Alicia listen to me,” Brad said to himself before driving off.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
The second Brad got off the elevators he saw the entire Drace family sitting in the waiting room. Carter got off Traci’s lap and ran up to him.
“Uncle Brad, Auntie Cherise’s babies are coming.”
“I know,” Brad said as he picked up Carter and walked back over to his family. He noticed a Christmas tree over to the left and was surprised that Carter wasn’t over there bothering it.
“I saw Santa today,” Carter told him patting him on the shoulder. “He gave me a candy cane.”
“You did?” Brad sat down next to Traci and handed Carter back to her.
“Yeah, he was at the mall.”
“How are you doing?” Traci asked as she put Carter back down so he could walk around. “Zack told me about what happened with Alicia and then Richard just filled us in on who the guy really was. Were you able to talk to her?”
Brad shook his head. “She wasn’t at home and I don’t have a clue where she went to either, but I’m not giving up on her. Hell, she’s my woman and I’m going to get her back.”
“Brad, I feel like shit for even saying anything,” Richard chimed in.
“It’s not your fault. Alicia tried to talk to me and I blew her off. It’s my fault, but I’m going to fix it. So, how’s Cherise?”
“She’s doing okay, but Lee was the one I was worried about,” Zack laughed. “He called me in a panic as he was helping Cherise into the car.
“How far along is she now?” Brad asked leaning back in the uncomfortable hospital chair.
“The last time I heard Cherise was about ready to deliver and Lee was getting ready to go into the delivery room,” Traci told him.
For the next three hours, the Drace family members paced up and down the hallway waiting for the announcement of Lee and Cherise’s two bundles of joy. Forty-five minutes later, they saw Lee rushing out of the delivery room with a huge smile on his face.
“How did it go?” Traci asked rushing up to him. “When can we see Cherise and the babies?”
“Everything went perfectly,” Lee grinned. “Kade and Duncan are beautiful. Cherise is doing perfect. The nurses are getting them cleaned up and taking Cherise to a room. Give them a few minutes and then everyone can see my handsome sons and beautiful wife.”
Brad stood towards the back watching all of his brothers talking to their wives and he was thrilled for Lee and couldn’t wait until he got to see his new nephews, but he was a little envious that it wasn’t him standing there.
Lee got his wish for Christmas with the additions of his sons. He’d be damned if he wasn’t going to get his too. After he saw the babies and congratulated his brother along with Cherise he was going to put his Christmas wish into motion. Because the time was running out with Christmas fast approaching.
Chapter Forty
Christmas Eve
Walking around the kitchen, Alicia enjoyed a glass of eggnog as a batch of Christmas cookies baked in the oven. She had been home for about seven days since her trip to New York and she had to admit that she felt so much better.
All of the nervous energy and not being able to keep anything down had passed. She honestly felt like a new woman and she loved it a lot.
The first night she came back home she had gone into work to see about taping the last part of the Shades of Love special, but Tiffany had informed her that the Brad called the station and told them Cherise had the babies, so it would have to be postponed for a while.
Alicia couldn’t be happier for Lee and Cherise. Without a doubt, those two little boys were going to get a lot of love. She didn’t want to but she did wonder how Brad was doing. When she got home there had been several messages on her phone from him asking to see her, but she hadn’t returned any of them.
She had to stay away from him and that’s why she had made that phone call to him. Brad had jumped to all kinds of conclusions without listening to her. She couldn’t be with a man like that; it didn’t matter how much she still loved him.
The timer for the cookies buzzed and Alicia went over to stove and took them out. As she was setting the cookie tray on the counter the doorbell rang.
Who in the world was that? She wasn’t expecting anyone. All she had planned was to drink eggnog, nibble on warm cookies and relax with by the fireplace. Who had decided to mess with her night?
The doorbell rang again causing Alicia to rush from the kitchen. “I’m coming,” she yelled right before she opened the door.
Brad
Alicia’s eyes widened from shock as her brown eyes connected with a pair of blue eyes that haunted her dreams practically every night.
“Brad,” Alicia whispered. “What are you doing here?”
“Hi, Alicia.” His deep voice sent familiar shivers down her body. “Happy Christmas Eve.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked again.
Alicia was trying her best not to drool at the sight of Brad in his blue jeans, black shirt and leather jacket. He looked almost too good for words. What in the hell was he doing on her porch at eight o’clock at night on Christmas Eve?
“I bought you a present,” he said, holding up a medium box in his hand covered in Santa Claus wrapping paper.
“I don’t know,” she replied, glancing at the box and then back up at him. “I wasn’t expecting you. I think you should go.”
“Please Alicia. Just let me come in for a few minutes.”
Alicia glanced back into her warm, cozy house and then back at Brad. She didn’t know what would happen if she let him inside her home. He had already broken her heart, so why was he here with a present looking too sexy for her to think straight? Well…she might as well let him in to find out.
“Come in.” Alicia moved to the side, so Brad could walk in.
“Thank you,” Brad said as he strolled past her looking gorgeous as usual.
Once he was inside, she closed and locked the door behind them. “So, what can I help you with on this cold night?”
“Can I at least have a seat?” Brad laughed making his blue eyes sparkle. “Will you at least offer me a cookie because they smell delicious?”