Finding Love Again

Chapter 21

More Romanogers!!!

____________________________________________________________

The next morning, Steve and Livy were just about to head out the door to pick up Sharon when Steve's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and noticed it was Sharon, so he answered it.

"Hey, Sharon. What's up?"

"Hey, Babe! I'm calling to let you know that I won't be able to go to the children's art museum. I just got an e-mail that I have to come into work. Maybe we can reschedule?"

Steve's temper began to rise, but he forced himself to keep calm. "I'm so sorry to hear that. Um, about rescheduling, I don't think that is possible. I already paid the entrances, so I'm just gonna go ahead with Livy. Thanks for letting me know."

"I'm deeply sorry that I won't be able to go. I was looking forward to spending time with you. And Livy," she added as if it were an afterthought.

"Yeah, I was looking forward to seeing you spending time with Livy. I guess we'll have to plan something else for another time."

"Thanks for being so understanding. I don't know how I became so lucky to find a guy like you."

Steve scoffed silently. "Well, I'd better leave you to your work."

"Oh, yeah. I'll see you soon!"

Steve hung up and sighed. He now had an extra pass that would go to waste unless he could think of someone to invite on such short notice.

"Daddy, are we leaving now?"

Steve looked down to see Livy looking at him with wide innocent eyes. He knew he had to tell her that Sharon was not going to join them. "Princess, Sharon isn't going to be coming with us. She has to go to work, so it'll be just us two." Livy scowled which Steve interpreted as disappointment. "I know how much you were looking forward to spending time with her. I'm sorry that it won't happen. But we'll have just as much fun."

Livy's face brightened. "Yeah! We'll have much more fun! Let's invite Miss Nat to come with us."

Steve was surprised that Livy suggested it. "Uh, um, uh, I don't think that's a very good idea. It's such short notice. I think we should go alone."

"Please, Daddy! I want Miss Nat to come with us." Livy looked at him with her adorable puppy eyes and with her bottom lip hanging out. "Pretty please?"

"Look, I'll call her and see if she can come, but don't get disappointed if she can't because I'm sure she must have other plans this morning."

Livy nodded understandingly. She watched Steve scroll through his contacts until he stopped at Natasha's and dialed it. The phone rang one, two, three times before she answered.

"Hello?" Natasha's angelic voice sounded through the phone. Steve got lost in that voice. He could listen to it all day. "Hello? Is anyone there because I swear if this is a joke, I'm going to sue."

That snapped Steve out of his reverie. "Good morning, Natasha. It's me, Steve."

"Oh, hi, Steve! I forgot to look at the ID before I answered the phone, so you gave me quite a scare when you didn't answer at first."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Don't sweat about it. So, is there something I can do for you, or are you calling to change our afternoon plans?"

"Hehe, no." Steve was struggling to keep his nerves in check. He didn't get why he was so nervous. It wasn't like he was going to ask her on a date. It was just an invitation to hang out with Livy.