You either fight for what you love,
or you lose it.
It's your choice.
:::::
Landon and I have been talking more and more with each other, catching up. It seemed like we had so many years and memories stacked against the wall the unhash to one another, but bit by bit we were becoming very close friends again. The one thing that I hadn't told him about just yet was that I was Luke Bryan's nanny. Not knowing exactly how he'd react had kept me from even slightly hinting towards it.
It was a Saturday and Luke had taken the boys bass fishing earlier this morning and weren't expected home until a little after one. Luke had given me leeway to do what I wanted, telling me that he was going to spend some much needed quality time with the kids. So, I made up a quick lunch of chicken salad and put it in a tupperware container in the fridge. On the counter I left a sticky note for Luke in a place where he would see it.
There's chicken salad in the blue tupperware container in the fridge. Just ask the kids if they want it on a bagel or bread. Serve it with some chips and a stalk of celery, which have already been precut and are in saran wrap on the bottom shelf.
~ Caroline
I finished up before plopping myself down onto the sofa and pulling out my cell phone. Scrolling through my contacts, I finally landed on Landon's and clicked on his name, the dial tone instantly began ringing in my ear.
"Hello?" Landon asked.
A smile formed across my face. "Landon, hey!"
"Caroline? Oh hey, what's up?" He asked.
I settled back in my seat a little bit more. "Oh nothing, I just wanted to see if you'd like to go somewhere."
"That sounds great actually," He enthused and I smiled. "Where would you like to go?"
I thought for a moment. "Well maybe we could grab a bite to eat, walk around?"
"Ah, well that sounds great. Can I pick you up?" He asked.
I then gave him the address. We said our goodbyes and I got up to slip my shoes on. It wasn't too hard to get ready. I decided to stay in my jeans and a blouse. I just slipped a coat on since the weather was a bit chilly. Before I knew it, I heard Landon's truck pull up the driveway. I rushed outside to meet him, oddly excited.
"Landon, hey!" I exclaimed, giving him a hug.
"Nice place you have here." He turned a bit, facing west and pointed to the recently finished main house on Luke's land. He had yet to move into it. "And that beauty, wow."
I smiled softly. I still hadn't told him about being Luke Bryan's nanny. "Yah... so let's go!" I enthused.
He chuckled and helped me into the passenger seat before we drove off.
:::::
I was coming up to the house with the kids when I saw an unfamiliar red truck pull up my drive, spewing gravel. I told the kids to run ahead and head inside, they entered the house through the back. My paced slowed, but I kept walking to see what was going on. Eventually Caroline emerged into my view and the same guy I'd seen her with in that restaurant last week. My heart sunk, it had in fact been a date. I stopped in my tracks as I watched them hug. And what tore me apart was the smile on her face, wider than the ocean. It wasn't caused by me and a part of me wasn't okay with that.
A little later on, I heard a knock at the door. I almost didn't hear it because of the thoughts of Caroline clouding my mind. Before I had the chance to get to the door, Mama came walking into the kitchen.
"Well knocking has no purpose if you're just gonna barge in." I said, rolling you eyes.
"Hush boy," Mama scolded setting whatever she had in her hands down on the island. It was a carboaord box. "Now where's Caroline?" She asked.
I shot her a look. "Why do you need Caroline?"
"She asked me to bring her some things. And what's in that box is none of your business so don't you dare touch it. Ya here me?" She said, pulling out a stool and sitting down.
I held my hands up, not liking being falsely accused. "Anyways," I sighed. "She's not here. She's gone out with this other guy."
Mama looked at me, and fought right through my fake smile. "Why the long face boy? You jealous?"
"Mama..." I whined.
She chuckled. "Well it seems like it to me. If you're so damn jealous why don't you talk to her. She's a gorgeous woman and amazing with the kids. You lose her and it's your dumb ass mistake."
I just stared at her through gritted teeth. That's LeClaire for you, always jetting straight to the point, not stopping to sugar coat things.
"Why are you so concerned about it anyways?" She asked.
I crossed my arms and leaned up against the stove. "I'm not concerned." I huffed.
She raised her eyebrow and laughed. "Oh really? It seems like it to me. You've got a thing for this girl and you don't like that she's with this other guy." She pointed at me, before crossing her own arms. "You can't argue with me on that one, son."
I inhaled sharply and picked at a button on the cuff of my sleeve. "Yah, well there's nothing I can do about. Things have changed. I waited too long and now she's into this other guy."
"How do you know? They could just be friends."
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "What a buddying friendship that is. I've seen her with him twice now." Mama just sat and listened as I continued. "Last week she got all fancied up and went to dinner with him."
Mama smiled softly. "You forget that I was a woman her age once, son. And sometimes all a woman wants is for you to fight for her. To make her understand you want the relationship as much as she does."
"Yes, maybe so, except she obviously doesn't want it any more or else she wouldn't be going out with this guy." I said hastily.
Mama just shrugged simply stating, "Fight for her."
::::
That night, Caroline came home in the same giddy mood she had done last week. I scowled to myself, knowing her happiness was the work of this guy she's been seeing pissed me off a bit. We had eaten dinner and got the boys ready for bed, making sure Bo had showered and Tate had gotten his nightly bath.
I sat next to Caroline on the sofa, creating enough distance between us to where it wasn't uncomfortable, but close enough to hint towards me liking her.
"We should watch a movie." Caroline suggested.
I nodded. "You can pick the movie." I said, not really caring what she chose at this point.
Caroline hopped up from the couch and walked over to iron rack which held a bunch of the movies we owned. I watched as she sifted through DVD cases, stopping only for a split second on a few before moving right along again. Eventually she picked on and popped it in before plopping back down onto the couch next to me.
Caroline pulled her legs up to her so she was sitting criss-cross-applesauce on the couch and it was adorable let me tell you. My heart thudded loudly as she turned to me and smiled.
"It's Forrest Gump," She stated. "I know it's your favorite."
I nodded and grinned. "It is my favorite. How'd you know?"
She giggled, smiling sheepishly. "I may or may not have read a magazine article where you stated that."
I shook my head and stood. "I'll pop us some popcorn. Do you want anything else?"
"Is the popcorn Redenbacher?" She asked innocently.
I rolled my eyes. "Let me guess, you read that was my favorite in the magazine too?"
"Maybe..." She said. "But a water would be nice too, if you would."
In the kitchen, I popped us a bag of popcorn and grabbed her a bottle of cold water and a Miller Lite for myself from the fridge. Plopping myself down next to her, I handed her the water and set the popcorn inbetween us before cracking open my beer and taking a gulp.
The movie played and soon the popcorn was gone as was my beer, Caroline watched the screen intently, still sipping on her water. Every so often I'd slip a glance at her to catch her laughing or smiling, sometimes she'd have tears threatening to fall in her eyes. The minutes ticked by and it began to get later, Caroline pulled the blanket that was hanging over the back of the couch down onto her and scooted closer to me, resting her head on my chest. I was taken aback by her sudden change in positions but I went along with it. A sudden urge to play with her hair came over me, so I began twirling strands of her hair between my fingers. When she stirred, I pulled back.
"I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
She titled her head up a tiny bit. "No, it's okay. I kinda like that."
She turned back to watching the movie and I felt the butterflies flutter in my stomach. Soon, I began to feel the need to tell her how I really felt. It was like, if I didn't do it then, all chances would slip away and I'd lose her.
"Caroline," I whispered softly. No response. I then realized she had fallen asleep. I sighed and continued on anyways. "I know you may not feel the same because you've been with this guy lately, but I love you, a lot actually."
I continued explaining to her slumber-enduced figure that I loved her. I told her why and told her about the things she does that makes me laugh and smile. Essentially I told her everything I couldn't bring myself to speak aloud, when she was awake. Yet, deep down, I knew I would have to confess before it was too late. I couldn't lose her. My choice was to confess my love to her, wether it be the last thing I do or not.
Author's Note:
I need at least 13 comments! :)
• Is Caroline forming feelings for Landon?
• How will Luke feel about that if he finds out?
• Any predictions??
This was basically just a filler chapter,
oops. There's gonna be big, important
chapters coming up though! Trust me,
I'm on the edge of my seat writing them! 😉