Not in the Same Way

Twenty Two

"He's on hiatus. He'll be back tomorrow maybe."

I give him a deadpan stare.

"Nope. Get up. We're not having a pity party."

"What are we going to do? I have to FaceTime the boys at five to decide what we're doing and it's already four."

"We're baking cookies, you'll be done by then. Get your ass up."

"So, us working on not cursing in front of Aves, we still doing that?"

"Shut up."

"I thought there was Thai food on the way."

"Oh....I forgot about that." I say, "oh well, we'll have dessert for after."

He laughs through his nose but follows after me into the kitchen, leaning against the counter as I gather the ingredients we'll need. 

He picks Ava up from her high chair where I've placed her and sets her on his hip, whispering something in her ear. 

 I cock my eyebrow at him but continue to gather ingredients. I turn back towards them only to be greeted with a cloud of flour being thrown in my face. 

I gasp as I wipe the white residue off my face.

Ava giggles in Calum's arms and he himself has an amused expression on his face. 

"Oh.. you think that's funny do you?" I ask as his face explodes in laughter until I throw my own cloud of flour at him. 

"Oh, you've done it now." he says, setting Ava back in her chair as her giggles and the white powder fill the air until the kitchen is a complete wreck and we are both hysterical messes on the floor. 

"You look ridiculous." He laughs.

"I could say the same for you." I reply. 

The doorbell rings and we look at each other.

"I'll get it, you go get washed up." He says, a swift and unexpected kiss pressed to my cheek leaving my cheeks a deep shade of red as he pushes himself off the floor where we've been sitting and heads towards the front door to get our food. 

Ava is safe for a moment in her high chair so I walk quickly to the bathroom, shedding my flour covered clothes and rinsing off in the shower before wrapping myself in a fluffy towel and stepping into the hallway. 

A feeling of dejavu overwhelms me as I crash into Calum in much the same manner as the first night I met. It's only when I notice his eyes scanning over my body that I realize my towel is no longer around me. 

I blush and quickly grab the material wrapping it around me again as Calum chuckles and pulls his lower lip into his mouth. 

"Nothing I haven't seen before, love." He calls behind himself as he heads to his own shower and I duck into my room, slipping into clean underwear, a tshirt and shorts. 

I walk back into the living room still incredibly embarrassed. Ava is waiting patiently in her chair for her dinner and I place her fruits and veggie pieces I've cut for her on the tray of her high chair. She digs in just as I hear Calum's heavy footsteps approach behind me.  

"So dinner and a show tonight, I didn't know the lengths you were willing to go to to cheer me up but I have not been dissapointed Ms. Carter."

"Oh, buzz off." I tell him, censoring myself for Ava so he won't give me shit for swearing in front of her again. 

"Don't be embarrassed." He says with a quick roll of his eyes, proving he still knows me well. 

When I don't reply he pops the lid of his takeout tray and begins to eat. 

"I must say that I am definitely feeling better." 

I lift my hand to my forehead to shield my face from his view, he's enjoying watching me squirm far too much. 

"I'm just picking with you Darby, I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"Just drop it, please." I plead, my eyes meeting his and he gives a slight nod. 

"O-yeah, um, okay." He stutters and returns his attention to his dinner. 

"What time are you supposed to play your portion of the album?"

"Um..." He thinks for a minute. "It'll be like nine thirty here. Ash is gonna do the first bit and then pass it to Michael who'll pass it to me and I'll send it to Luke. I shouldn't have to be on more than like ten or fifteen minutes." 

I give a nod. 

"You're gonna listen to the whole thing with me though, right?" He asks, sounding incredibly concerned, like I'll deny him. Like he suspects I might still have the strength to do that. My eyes scan over his face, focusing on his lips as my tongue slides across my own. 

Maybe I still do for now, but my resolve is fading fast. 

AN: cute little fluffy chapter

ily,

Sav