●be mine, valentine●

chapter five

What am I doing here? Valentine asked himself as he once again entered the turning doors of the architecture building.

No matter how much he dreaded it, Monday had finally come. It was time to face the music, he just didn't think he was ready.

Just like before the interview, he needed more time.

Countless times throughout the last week he'd questioned his thinking and his job predicament.

He'd go to the library with Luca for a few hours and sit down at one of the computers to type up an email to Caroline telling her it was all a mistake only to look down and see his sons' puppy dog eyes. His worn out clothing that he'd grow out of in no time. His stomach that should have something else in it other than microwave mac n cheese.

So here he was. Walking through the lobby of a building someone like him should never be in, getting ready to be trained by someone who was much too sweet to be giving him her time.

He could do this, if not for himself or Luca then for the baby growing in his stomach that needed much better treatment than it was getting.

Not that the child let him forget that though. Valentine had been having terrible morning sickness since the beginning of the pregnancy and back pains that just recently started as he entered into the four and a half month mark of his duration.

Even more reason for Valentine to not be working this second job. What good would he be when he was running to the bathroom every few minutes to puke the little bits of food out of his system?

Oh well. He thought as he continued walking. His decision was made. He'd figured it out, he'd made plans, he'd gotten Luca enrolled in daycare.

This was happening whether he liked it or not.

The thought of Luca being enrolled in daycare just brought his brain back to this morning when he'd dropped the boy off.

There were sniffles and tears from Valentine and from Luca but they had gotten through. After all, Luca was being taken care of. Even if he wasn't in love with Oliver he still knew the guy would take care of him. He just had a feeling. Luca was so excited to play with all of the dollies, he would never take that away from the boy.

"Valentine, you made it!" He turns his head as he hears Caroline's voice call from farther down the lobby. When he reaches her he plasters on his biggest, most professional smile and holds his arm out to shake her hand.

Caroline being Caroline though rejects the hand shake and pulls Valentine in for a quick hug. It takes him a second but eventually he relaxes in her presence. No one could blame him, her attitude was infectious.

He whispers out a small 'hello' as she releases him, a bright blush quickly rising to his face when she proceeds to look him over.

"Adorable, darling. Absolutely adorable." She says with a giggle as she takes his small hand in her own and begins leading him through the lobby to a set of luxury leather chairs in front of the receptionist desk.

He took a seat across from Caroline, just then noticing that Lindsey was sitting at the desk, sneering at him from behind her computer. He quickly shrunk under her gaze, trying to make himself as small of a target as possible.

He wasn't sure what he had done to her in their short interaction but apparently he made a pretty bad impression.

"I like your shirt, darling. It suits you." Caroline speaks, drawing his attention away from Lindsey. He picks at his clothing as he ponders over her words.

Obviously she was talking with utter pity, there was no way her words could be honest. She just felt bad for him because she could see that his clothes didn't fit. She could probably see the tear in the left sleeve, the stain right at the bottom, the way the neckline fell off of his shoulder if he moved the wrong way by just a little.