“What happened?” I ask Blake when he shuts the kitchen door behind him with a tired sigh and not the happy grin I expected to see. Sebastian and Elliot look over as they stop what they were doing. I stop cooking the pasta I was making for us all to celebrate Izzy’s and Blake’s engagement, as they got back from their weekend away. The poor dude has taken her on five dates now to propose, and every one of them has gone wrong. I seriously didn’t think this one could go wrong, but the look on his face says something did.

“I went to ask when I realised how much of an idiot I am. I left the damn ring box in the car. The car the valet drove away,” he says, and I mentally sigh.

“That’s unlucky, man,” Sebastian says, trying not to laugh, and I whack him on the arm.

“Just plan something else, or just ask randomly. I mean you could tell her all the fucking romantic things you tried to plan,” Elliot says.

“Coming from the guy who would ask Allie to marry him on his bike,” Blake responds drily with a stressed look.

“What’s wrong with that idea?” Elliot asks, and none of us answer him. There is so much wrong with that idea, and I doubt Allie would be happy.

“Let’s dish up and have a nice meal, anyway, but sorry, Blake, you just seem to have the worst luck,” I comment.

“I got lucky when I met Izzy, so I knew the universe had to mess with me, somehow,” Blake says with a laugh.

“How long until the fight?” Blake asks me, causing the kitchen to go suddenly silent.

“Two weeks.”

“Fuck, I didn’t know it was that soon,” Blake says, and my brothers look away. They have given up trying to convince me not to do this. That we should all run from here and leave this village in our past. I know they would get up and leave everything, with their girlfriends and children following, but I couldn’t expect them to do that. They know there isn’t any way of getting out of it because we would be looking over our shoulders for the rest of our lives. This is a chance to actually escape. We all finish sorting the food out, hearing the girls laughing in the living room and knowing that Tilly is really settling in with our family. I don’t know when it became hers as much as mine, but I know I wouldn’t be able to let her out of my life.

“Is it strange having a baby in the house that isn’t yours?” Elliot asks me, as we carry food into the dining room.

“No. I don’t see her like that, but I wish Tilly would name her. Calling her ‘baby girl’ for the last two weeks hasn’t been easy.”

“I bet,” Elliot replies but doesn’t look at me. “Dude . . . maybe you should ask her to move into her parents. I don’t get why she is staying here now they have moved here. They have a massive house, and she should be with family,” Elliot adds, but I don’t look at him as Tilly stops in the doorway, hearing every word. Her hurt-filled eyes meet mine, and she turns around, walking out.

“Tilly, wait!” I shout at her back as she walks away, and I glare at Elliot who holds his hands up, before following her through the house. She stops inside the conservatory that no one goes into and watches the pouring down rain outside. I close the door behind me, looking her over. Tilly has jeans and a white top on that shows how she doesn’t look like she had a baby at all. Her long, red hair is loose and wavy, making it seem like it’s begging me to touch.

“Do you want me to move out?” she asks quietly, but her voice echoes around the conservatory.

“No,” I reply with one word, but it means everything, watching as she turns to look at me. I don’t move as she walks over, placing both her hands on my chest and looking up at me. Tilly raises her hand and pushes a bit of my hair behind my ear before grazing her finger across my cheek. Only the sound of our heavy breathing is in the room.

“When are you going to stop pushing me away?” she asks.

“I’m not good for you Tilly, but I can’t let you go,” I reply and lean down to kiss her. I can’t resist her, anymore. Tilly moans as she relaxes into the kiss, and her hands go into my hair. I pull her up to me, kissing her harder and loving the way she moves her body against mine.

“I can’t, not yet,” she says, breaking away, and I know she means because it’s not long after her labour and not that she doesn’t want to be with me.

“I’m sorry, I’m fucking sorry I’ve been avoiding this, us. Not anymore, Tilly,” I say, watching as her blue eyes watch me. “You’re mine now, and I’m not pushing you away anymore. You’re the reason I’m going to win that fight in two weeks.”

“You’re still fighting? And, it’s in two weeks?” she asks, her voice nervous, and I hate that I have to fight. That I can’t just walk away from it all. I can’t do that to my brothers.

“I don’t have a choice, Tilly,” I reply. There’s a knock on the door behind me, and I open it to Maisy, who smiles.

“Sorry, but the food is ready, and everyone is waiting,” she says. Maisy has a huge bump now, and there is a planned birth for two weeks’ time. It’s the day after the fight, and I can’t wait to be able to see their baby when I win.

“Where’s Jake?” I ask her, knowing I forgot to ask earlier.

“With my dad. He popped over and Jake was napping. I didn’t want to wake him up as he was up all night with a new tooth coming through,” Maisy responds as I shut the door behind Tilly.

“Are you excited for the baby to come?” I ask her about the planned birth as we walk down the corridor, and I don’t let go of Tilly’s hand. I’m not hiding anything or how I feel about her anymore.

“Very,” she says, rubbing a hand over her bump. We walk into the dining room to see everyone is seated and Izzy hands the baby monitor to Tilly before sitting down. I lean over and kiss Tilly gently on the lips before I sit next to her, and I’m aware of how silent the room has gone as I look at her blushed cheeks.

“About time,” Sebastian mutters, and I look over to see them all staring at us.

“When did this happen, and how did I not realise?” Izzy asks.

“Just now, and I don’t know,” Tilly answers with a smile.

“Damn . . . I owe you fifty now,” Elliot says to Luke, who laughs.

“Me, too,” Sebastian nods.

“Why wasn’t I included in this bet?” Izzy asks, making us all laugh. Allie comes into the room with two drinks and takes the seat next to Elliot.

“So . . . what did I miss?” she asks.

“Those two are together,” Elliot waves a hand at us as he speaks.

“Dammit. Fifty quid went,” Allie mutters, and I can’t help but laugh at her.

“Best bet I ever made,” Luke says, but goes silent as Emilia walks into the room. Emilia is one of Izzy, Blake, and Allie’s roommates, and there’s something weird going on between her and Luke. Everyone has mentioned it, but if you ask them, they won’t talk about each other. Emilia sits next to Tilly.

“You dyed your hair black, it looks really nice,” Tilly comments, and Emilia smiles.

“Wanted a change,” she shrugs.

“Like the new tattoos, too?” Allie responds as I get some pasta for my plate. We all start helping ourselves to the food as Emilia talks.

“Only one or two,” she comments, her cheeks going a little red.

“Why didn’t you come to me? I would have done them for you,” Luke says.

“I didn’t want to, but thanks,” she responds, her tone curt and short with him.

“Why not?” he asks, his tone is downright pissed off, and I raise my eyebrows at Tilly as she gives me a wide-eyed look.

“Because despite what you think, Luke, the world doesn’t revolve around you,” Emilia snaps.

“Guys,” Izzy tries to break up the argument, but it doesn’t work.

“I never said it did, only offered to help you,” he comments.

“I don’t need your damn help,” Emilia says and stands up, walking out of the room. Luke pushes his chair out and follows her out.

“Who wants to make a bet that they will be with each other soon?” Elliot asks, breaking the tension.

“I’m in,” Tilly responds, and I laugh.

“Yeah, me, too,” I agree. There’s something there between them.

“Nah, I don’t think so,” Sebastian says, shaking his head.

“Why?” I ask.

“They argue too much, and they are both so young,” Sebastian says, and he has a point. Out of all of us, Luke is the youngest, but then, I saw the way he looked at Emilia.

“So? We met younger than them,” Maisy answers.

“True, but I don’t know,” Sebastian shakes his head.

“I totally think they have already done it,” Allie says.

“Why?” Izzy responds.

“Just something she said once,” Allie shrugs, and then, the baby monitor starts beeping before the sound of the baby crying comes through. Tilly goes to get up, and I stop her by placing my hand on her shoulder.

“I’ll go,” I say, knowing that Tilly has been up half the night with the baby. I tried to help, but she only seemed to want her mum.

“Thank you,” Tilly says, and I get up, walking out of the room. I go straight upstairs and into Tilly’s room. The bad smell hits me straight away, and I know what the problem is. Once I change the baby’s nappy, I sit in the nursing chair and rock her in my arms. I look down at her cute, little nose and her little strands of red hair. She looks every bit like her mother. I rock the baby until she falls asleep on my chest and lean my head back on the chair. She might not be my daughter, but it’s starting to feel like I would do anything to protect both her and her mum.