The day had taken a drastic turn for Jules at work due to Ceaser's unexpected visit. Although she was happy she had finished those files, else it would have been a nightmare going back to it the following week. She wouldn't have been able to sleep without thinking about it if she had left it unfinished.
She thought as she cooked with Ivy in the living room where she could monitor her playing with her dolls. Just then she heard a knock and frowned.
Who could it be?
Andy or Sofi didn't say anything about coming over.
She dropped everything and went to the door to check who it was.
She heard the knock again as she bent to pick Ivy not wanting to leave her alone as she went to the door.
"I'm coming." She called as she headed for the door.
When Jules opened the door, piercing grey eyes captured her brown ones and she felt her heart almost leap out of her chest.
He had the worst timing.
"Dada," Ivy said when she saw who it was. She immediately untangled her arms around Jules and stretched them towards Ceaser.
Traitor.
"Hey." Ceaser stepped in and took Ivy from her. "How are you Munchkin?" He asked her making Ivy grin as a cute giggle left her.
Jules watched as he took her into the living room without even giving her another glance. She felt anger rise within her.
Who did he think he was coming to her house at this time, barging in like he owned the place...and he called her Ivy, Munchkin?
That was her nickname for her girl.
"Well, come on in," Jules said to herself as she slammed the door shut.
Take my daughter. Take my house. What else would you like, your grace?
Jules thought as she went to the living room.
She stopped at the sight before her. Ivy was lying on the couch while Ceaser tickled her. Ivy's laugh was so loud and cute that Jules thought she'd choke and she felt the anger die down and a smile tugged at her lips.
Ceaser acknowledged Jules' presence then. He turned to look at her as he picked Ivy and placed her on his lap.
"Hey," Ceaser said smiling at Jules.
Jules' smile fell.
"For a moment there I thought I became invisible."
"Sorry, I just got caught up with this cutie right here." He said smiling at Ivy.
How in the world would a guy giving her daughter more attention than her make her heart overflow with joy and happiness? It made her more satisfied than the idea of him giving her more attention and neglecting Ivy. Somehow, she found it...annoyingly sexy.
"I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but what are you doing here?"
"I told you I was going to pick you up for dinner." He said eyes on Ivy.
"What?" Jules became confused.
"Dinner." He said, "I came by your office today to ask you to dinner."
Jules went back to earlier in the day to recall when he asked her. Ceaser watched her confusion disappear and turn to something he couldn't place.
Jules remembered but what she didn't remember was him asking. He had told her and she had silently promised that he was going to get it but with the way he had just barged into her house and taken her daughter, she decided just then that she wasn't going.
"I'm sorry. I can't." She said sadly.
"Why not?" Ceaser looked at her confused.
Jules shrugged.
"Because."
Ceaser waited
"Because...?" He asked still waiting for her to finish her sentence.
"Just because." She said, "I'm not going." Jules smirked waiting to see the look of disappointment on his face but it never came instead he smirked at her.
"Sweetheart..." Jules grimaced at the endearment but her heart melted "...I'll be here all night till you decide you're going to go to dinner with me."
Darn it! She wanted him out of her house just as much as she wanted to go out with him.
Ceaser knew the time she caved.
"Just to be sure, you do know I have a daughter, right?" She asked him disappointed in herself for not being able to stand her ground whenever he was around. His presence made her weak, like jelly legs - heart-melting kind of weak. And not to mention the way he was with Ivy.
"This is the second time you're asking me that. But yes, I do know you have a daughter." He waited for her to go on further but obviously, she was also doing the same "How does that affect our dinner plans?"
"Are you kidding?" Jules wondered if he thought she was going to leave Ivy and run away to dinner with him because that wasn't going to happen.
"No, I'm not." He said, "Look, it would be great to go to dinner with just you...but it'll also be much more fun if Ivy came along."
Jules blinked at Ceaser as she became dumbstruck. Who was this guy?
"You should probably get ready," Ceaser said to Jules when she looked like she wasn't going to move.
Jules wanted to say she'd get ready when she darn pleased but instead said
"Of course." She got up from the chair she didn't know she had sat on, it was probably when she was confused by this man.
She went to take Ivy from him.
"Where are you taking her?" Ceaser asked.
Uhm, excuse me?! She's my daughter.
"She might be a child, but she's also a lady. You don't expect her to go to dinner in her play clothes, do you?"
"Right." Ceaser put Ivy in Jules' arms.
"This will probably take long, so make yourself comfortable." She said not giving two foxes how or if he got comfortable or not, ok maybe she did.
"Take your time," Ceaser called after her.
Jules had showered and given Ivy a bath after they got back from the office which wasn't that long ago but she was tempted to take another bath and give Ivy another just to keep him waiting but decided against it.
She went into Ivy's room which was next to hers, taking her cute simple pale pink dress that had just a tiny band at the waist, shoes, diaper and a few other things. She took Ivy to her room, setting her on the bed, she changed her clothes, tidied her hair and placed a headband on her head. Placing her on the carpeted floor, she gave Ivy one of her dolls to keep her busy while she got ready.
Taking out a straight dark-blue gown from her closet and changing into it, she combed her hair and let it cascade past her shoulders. She applied mascara and some lipstick then slid her feet into her nude pumps and picked up a black clutch that had what she needed in it.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled.
Not bad at all.
She packed extra diapers in a bag with baby powder, lotion and sanitiser among other things. She never went anywhere without Ivy's essentials. Picking Ivy up, grabbing the bag she went to the living room.
Ceaser got up when she was back in the living room.
"All done." She said walking down the stairs.
"Wow." She heard Ceaser say when she reached the end of the stairs and she looked up to find him checking her out not even bothering to be discrete about it. She felt her body tingle under his accessing gaze.
"You look...amazing." Ceaser's gaze found hers after he let himself drink her in.
She looked different from the usual work clothes he was used to seeing her in and the way the gown fell just above her knee and outlined her curves was tempting. But he knew, he knew she wasn't trying to impress him with the bored look she had on as he checked out every inch of her body. She wore what she had and felt comfortable in and that almost made him smile.
"Thanks." She said.
Silence filled the room and Jules found it too awkward to stay quiet anymore. Ceaser was enjoying watching her squirm.
"Here." He said, "Let me hold her." He plucked Ivy from her arms.
"We should get going," Jules said walking ahead of him and opening the door. She shut and locked it behind them as Ceaser waited at the bottom stairs for her. "Oh. Do you have space for her car seat?" She asked him.
"I do." He said.
"Okay. Hold on a second." Jules walked to her car to get Ivy's car seat. She walked to his car after she had locked hers, placing the car seat at the back of his car. Ceaser secured Ivy into the seat and shut the door moving to open Jules' but she was already hopping in.
He smiled.
She was sending out a message which he got loud and clear: she was capable of taking care of herself and Ivy.
Jules watched Ceaser round the car to the driver's seat. He got in and started the engine.
He glanced at her with a smile on his lips. Jules forced a smile and looked behind to find Ivy playing with the hem of her dress, her favourite toy discarded.
Ceaser drove off.
"Where are we going?" Jules asked a while later.
"Somewhere."
No shit Sherlock!
Jules rolled her eyes. "Does this place have a name?"
He glanced at her.
"You'll find out soon enough."
"Fine" She left it at that.
Ceaser finally pulled up in front of a restaurant half an hour later, give or take.
"Stay." He said before he got out and she sat there confused as she watched him round the car to her side and opened the door for her.
"Thanks." She stepped out of the car and went to get Ivy out as he shut her door plucking Ivy out of her hands giving her room to adjusted Ivy's bag on her shoulder.
"C'mon." Jules felt his hand on the small of her back and it sent a shiver up her spine. Just then she saw the name of the restaurant and she was surprised.
It was a restaurant for the elite which only made Jules wonder.
"Good evening Sir." The hostess greeted as they walked in, her eyes going a tad bit wide as she met Ceaser's gaze "Mr..."
"Reservation for three under the name Thomas," Ceaser said before she could finish.
"Right this way." She said fidgeting as she led them past the main area into a secluded area of the restaurant.
Jules frowned.
The hostess hadn't checked to confirm their reservation.
"Your waiter will be with you shortly."
"Thank you," Jules said to the hostess when she realized Ceaser wasn't going to say anything as he pulled out a chair with one hand for her. The hostess eyed Jules up and down before turning back to Ceaser who adjusted Ivy on his lap as he sat.
What was that about?
Jules thought
"You're dismissed." Jules was just as shocked as the hostess was and watched as she scurried off before turning back to Ceaser.
"That was a bit harsh." She said in a low tone.
"The way she looked at you was completely rude," Ceaser said.
He saw that.
"Nothing I couldn't handle."
"You've got me now, no reason to take it all."
Jules stared at Ceaser wondering what he meant by that.
"How did you get a reservation here?" Jules asked, "It's almost impossible."
"I know someone," Ceaser said not giving anything away.
Jules was about to get more answers when she was interrupted by the waiter.
"Good evening. I'll be your waiter for the evening." The waiter said as he handed each of them the menu.
Jules gave him a polite smile as he handed her the menu. She scanned the menu for what Ivy could eat there.
"Jules, what would you like?" Ceaser asked.
"Uh." She paused as she quickly made her decision "I'll have the steak with mashed potatoes and minced meat on the side." She said and looked up to see Ceaser smiling and staring at her.
"And you sir?" The waiter said
"I'll have the steak." He said as they handed the menu back to the waiter.
"Anything else?" The waiter asked.
"A bottle of..." He began but turned to Jules and asked "White or Red?"
"White please," Jules answered, she hadn't drunk since Ivy became part of her family but a glass wouldn't hurt.
"...Chardonnay." He said to the waiter.
The waiter gave a curt nod before he disappeared.
"Dada." Ivy who had been making baby sounds since finally spoke.
Jules clenched her jaw as she saw Ceaser face light up like a child on Christmas morning.
"Hey darling," He said as he turned her in his lap so she was facing him completely.
"You really have a lot of endearments for her." Jules pointed out.
"Why wouldn't I?" He asked "She deserves them all. Although, I'm trying to find the perfect one."
Jules tried not to smile but she couldn't help it. Ceaser was being sweet and amazing with Ivy.
"Who are you?" She asked suddenly
He looked up from Ivy and right at her.
"What do you mean?"
"Every guy that finds out I'm a single mom would be miles away from here and I've been waiting for you to do the same, but you still haven't run." She said, "You intrigue me."
"First of all anyone who runs isn't man enough and secondly, I intrigue you; is that a good thing?" He asked.
She smiled and nodded
"But it's also scary."
The waiter chose that moment to arrive with their food which put their conversation on hold.