Blake woke the next morning to the sunlight coming in through the window. He silently put room darkening shades on his "need to get" list. As much as he wanted to have Gwen with him in his bed last night, neither of them were ready for that. The hadn't even admitted to each other what was going on. Blake got himself up and headed to the kitchen to fix breakfast, that is until he realized that a furnished house didn't mean it came with a stocked fridge. He put his palm to his forehead. Everything happened so fast yesterday he didn't get groceries or check out of his hotel. He grabs his phone off the counter and did a search for restaurants in the area that would deliver. There wasn't a big selection but anything at this point would do. He ordered some scrambled eggs, sausage, and pancakes. As he is leaning against the counter scrolling through his phone, he feels two tiny arms wrap around his waist. He brings his arm around her pulling her into his side.
"Good morning sunshine. Did you sleep ok?"
"Yeah I did until the sun in my window woke me up"
"Dammit your room too. I'm gonna get us some room darkening shades today. I'm sorry it woke you up."
"It's ok Blakey. What are we doing for breakfast?"
"Are you hungry?" Gwen nods her head in response
"Good you need to eat. I ordered scrambled eggs, sausage, and pancakes." Blake informs her noticing a look on her face that he can't quite place "hey what's that face for?"
"Blake I don't eat meat." She says worrying that he might get upset that he ordered that for her and now she wasn't gonna eat it.
"Good to know for next time. I'll suffer through and eat your portion this time." Blake says pretending and being over dramatic
"You aren't mad?"
Blake taken aback by her question. Why would he be mad?
"No. Why would I be mad?"
"I don't know no reason." Gwen answers pulling out of his embrace to sit on the kitchen stool looking at her lap
"Hey. Gwen." He says as he walks over to her and lifts her chin "are you ok?"
She straightens up and puts on a smile.
"Yes I'm good Blakey."
He can tell it's not a full smile but he doesn't want to push her. He wants her to open up to him when she is ready. So he bends slightly to plant a kiss on her forehead. How does he manage to make her feel like so treasured and important to him? She has never had a man treat her the way Blake does. Tony, her first boyfriend, never did anything wrong per se but he sure didn't go out of his way to make her feel important. This was a welcome change. One that Gwen needed a long time ago and especially now with everything going on in her life. Breakfast came and they ate with a sense of contentment. Blake got Gwen settled on the couch with the tv remote and an endless amount of channels.
"Alright sunshine are you sure you're gonna be ok long enough for me to go check out of the hotel and to get your clothes out of the storage unit?"
"Yeah I'll be ok. To be honest I'll probably take a nap."
"Ok here is the house phone. I'm gonna stop and get you a cell on my plan if I have time. If not I'll do it tomorrow after I get you to your treatment."
He smiled at her and she smiled back. He turned to walk toward the door until he felt her grab his hand. He turned around to see that shy face that was trying to decide if it's ok to ask for a kiss goodbye. Yeah they kissed yesterday but she didn't want to assume that it was ok to do it. He could read her facial expressions even though she thought she was covering them well. He bent down and their lips met. Explosions. Is it gonna be like this every time? Gwen hoped so cause it was amazing.
"You sure you're gonna be ok?"
"Yeah I'll be good now." She smirks that's satisfied smirk
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Blake pulls up to the storage unit after checking out of his hotel. Gwen had given him the key to the unit Gavin gave her. He walked in and took it up to the lady at the desk asking if she would help him find it.
"Oh that's an easy one; it's the third box down in the second row over there on the wall."
"Wait it's supposed to be a big unit like with furniture and bags of clothes."
"I'm not sure sir but the key you showed me is for a box not a whole unit."
That asshole. Blake walks over to the box and opens it. The only things in the box were photos of Gwen and what he assumed were her family and an address book. Shit Gwen has no clothes. The bastard. She is gonna be so upset. Blake thinks about what he should do. It's not like Gwen can go shopping she wouldn't have the energy not to mention she would fight him about him buying her clothes. sStubborn woman' Blake chuckles to himself. He starts flipping through the address book not really paying attention, trying to decide his next move. As the page we're flipping through one page caught his eye. It had drawings and colored doodles all over it. It was the contact info for a Justine and by the 'bfffl' drawn in the page; so Blake assumed that Justine was Gwen's best friend. This was sure gonna be an awkward conversation but he needed clothes for Gwen and he sure wasn't gonna be any good at picking stuff out so he took out his phone and dialed the cell number for Justine.
"Hello?"
"Hi um is this Justine?"
"This is she. Can I ask who is calling."
"Hi um I know you don't know me but I'm a close friend of Gwen. She sent me out to get her stuff from a storage unit that supposedly her ex boyfriend set up and well there's a problem. I don't want to stress her out or anything so I was wondering if you could meet me at the mall and help me."
"Anything for Gwen. What did you say your name was again?"
"Blake my names Blake."
"Nice to meet you Blake. I'll see you in about 15 minutes."
They hung up the phone and Justine about lost her mind. Of course she knew about Blake. Gwen had called her numerous times after Blake had left to tell her about him and how amazing he was. By the way he is handling things Justine begins to think her best friend might just have found the right guy after all.
"Blake thank you for what your doing for her. Guys haven't always treated her the best."
"You don't have to thank me I'm only doing what she deserves."
"She said you weren't from around here. Are you guys staying at a hotel?"
"No I actually signed a rental agreement on a town house a few miles from the hospital. I couldn't leave and know she is here alone handling everything on her on. She deserves better."
"You really care about her don't you?"
"Yeah I do. She is special."
"That she is, I'm glad she finally found a man that knows that. Listen if there is anything else you need just call me."
"We will thank you for helping. Now I just gotta find a job and we will be set. It was nice to meet you hope we see you soon."
"Wait your a musician right?"
"Yeah that's me."
"So you play the guitar right?"
"Yeah." Blake answers curiously
"Perfect. Our boss Chuck has a god son he has been looking to get lessons for. I'll give him your number and I'm sure he will pay you well."
"Wait Chuck as in the CEO of Vx that you and Gwen work for?"
"Yep that's the one." She says nodding
"Wow that would be perfect! Thank you so much for everything!"
"Not a problem. Remember call me if you need anything else."
"I will thanks."
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Blake was grabbing all the bags of clothes from the trunk that Justine had picked out for Gwen, along with the new iPhone he got her. He knew this wasn't gonna go well and he knew she would try to make him take the clothes back or pay him back, but neither of those were happening. He was gonna take care of her, he promised her, and now, two of her best friends as well that he would. He walked in quietly listening to see if he could hear anything. When he heard nothing he crept into the living room not wanting to wake her if she was asleep.
"Blakey your back." she said she turned to look at him
"I am sunshine. How are you?" He asked dumping the bags on the floor and walking over to the couch
Gwen moved so Blake could sit down and she crawled into his lap giving him their hello hug.
"I'm much better now. How did the storage unit go? Did you find my clothes?"
"Gwen he didn't rent a unit. He rented a box."
"What? Those things are tiny. There must have been a mistake."
"We looked it up multiple times sunshine. There was no mistake."
Tears started to well up in her eye. Blake heart was breaking but his anger was growing. Who in the hell did this asshole think he is. Leaving her with absolutely nothing. Tears were falling down her cheeks while she held on to Blake for dear life.
"Blake what am I gonna do? I don't have money and I can't get a job. I have nothing."
"Gwen I already took care of it. I had Justine go shopping for some clothes for you and I got you the rose gold iPhone you wanted."
"Blake you can't do that. I can't let you spend all you money on me."
"It wasn't all my money not even close actually and I want to spend it on you."
"What do you mean not even close?"
"Remember I told you my brother died in a car accident?"
She nodded her heard waiting for him to go on.
"Well we got a settlement out of that. A relatively large settlement. I'm not celebrity fish or anything but I have money. So stop worrying about it and go through it and see what if anything you like."
Gwen reluctantly accepted the clothes Blake had bought for her and she was reminded of just how much her best friend new her. She loved everything she had picked out. Later that evening Chuck the CEO of Vx called Blake's cell number and they set up a time to meet. Blake was thrilled that he would have a job doing something he loves, a home, and a woman he cared about more than anything else in the world.
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After dinner that night they decided a movie would be a good idea. Blake had gotten Gwen to eat half of her dinner and he was proud of that since she hadn't eaten much at all in the hospital.
"Blakey?"
"What's up?"
"Thank you for everything you have done for me."
"Gwen you don't have to thank me. Seeing you happy is enough thanks for me."
Gwen leaned in planting a kiss on his lips and Blake felt like for the first time in his life he knew exactly where he was supposed to be. He was supposed to be here taking care of Gwen.