Behind The Scenes

[Chapter Eleven]

Chapter 11

As my last class finished up on Friday, the professor adamantly reminding us that our second midterm was fast approaching, I walked out of the room feeling utterly relieved. The weekend could not have come at a better time. I'd had six assignments due over the last four days, and even though I had a full day without classes, I still ended up spending my day off surrounded by textbooks in full-on work mode.

I was in desperate need for a break, and tonight was going to give me that.

Tonight would be awkward to say the least. Even though Dean had been the one to set it up, the feeling that it was a date was definitely dancing around my mind. Albeit, it was a date with a three-year-old chaperone; but it was a date nonetheless.

I had half been expecting a phone call from Ryan sometime throughout the day, telling me that he'd wanted to cancel, but as the hours trailed on, my phone stayed silent and my nerves gradually settled.

Breathing in the fresh LA air as I followed a crowd off campus, I pulled my sweater tighter around my shoulders. It was already the middle of November, and even though it sometimes felt like the temperature would never drop, a much needed breeze blew gently as I headed across the street.

Turning and following the familiar path to Abbie's daycare, my train of thought circled one particular track, and every stop seemed to link back to Ryan. What was he doing? Was he as nervous as I was for tonight? Was he excited? Every question seemed to have a variety of answers, but I knew which ones stuck out as the ones I wanted to be true.

Time passed quickly as my thoughts swept me off my feet, and minutes later I was walking into the daycare. Expecting the kids to be running around and playing like they normally were, I was thoroughly surprised to see them seated in the middle of the room, not making a sound.

'Well, there's my answer,' I thought to myself, smiling as I rested my back against the wall, quietly observing the sight in front of me.

Ryan sat on a chair in front of all the children, a book in his hand as he grinned animatedly at his young crowd. "The moon lit up the sky as Nellie looked up at it from her window," he read, enthusiasm clear in his voice as he flipped the page of the picture book.

Other parents slowly started to trickle in, flabbergasted to see Ryan Adams sitting there reading to their children. I'm sure it wasn't everyday that they found themselves in the midst an A-list actor.

A smile stretched across my face as Ryan finished the story, a happy ending causing the children to cheer and applaud. Finally taking notice of the other people in the room, I saw Ryan's gaze sweep over the handful of parents before his eyes locked on mine; a small, sexy smile growing as the kids in front of him scattered themselves across the room.

Before my instincts kicked in and caused a blush to dust my cheeks, I averted my gaze as Abbie came skipping happily towards me, arms wide in excitement. "Did you see it momma?" she squealed as I dropped my school bag, wrapping my arms around her in a hug and situating her comfortably on my hip. "Ryan came in and played with us at playtime, and then he read us a book!"

"He did?" I asked in amazement. She nodded. "That's pretty great of him, isn't it? Did you say thank you?"

Her mouth popped open in shock, telling me that, no, she hadn't thanked him, but was sorry she'd forgotten. Her head whipped around to where Ryan had been talking to the leader of the daycare, wiggling herself down off my hip before scurrying over to Ryan. Smiling to myself, I saw her tug the side of his jeans, grabbing his attention before starting to speak. I could hear her enthusiastically thanking him like I'd told her to, but before I knew it, they were both grinning at each other as she grabbed his hand and tugged him in my direction.