Lauren's PoV
"How can you eat those?" I asked Dylan as she ate a couple of fries with salt and vinegar piled on them.
"Mommy," she sighed with a soft eye roll and grin, "Kenora is famous for these fries!"
"But they are very unhealthy." I smirked and she just shrugged, eating a couple more. We finally pulled up to a small blue house that had an extended garage attached to it. I looked passed the place and could vaguely make out Camila's house. I closed my eyes and pushed away all the bad things that were said earlier that morning – not wanting to dwell on them while I shared time with my daughter.
"Just the salt is bad for you," Dylan interrupted my thoughts, "the vinegar is good for you in small doses." She shrugged as if it were regular news to her.
I stared at her and smirked. "And what makes you so sure?"
Dylan bit into a fry, chewed and swallowed before talking again. "When Camila first gave me these fries I told her you'd be a little upset because it wasn't healthy. She said 'honey, the only thing that's bad is the salt and grease, the vinegar actually helps your system.'"
I had to chuckle. Camila.
Dylan was right, I wouldn't have approved of all that but she insisted they were good and it was what she wanted so I allowed her to have the small size. "Are you enjoying them at least?"
"Muchly." Dylan grinned and finished the rest, wiping her hands with a napkin. Her eyes could barely see from over the dashboard but she noticed the house and with a confused look, she stared at me. "What is this?"
"This," I pointed to the place and opened my door, gesturing for her to do the same, "is our new home."
Dylan's eyes widened as she quickly ran through the snow and onto the small deck area, looking across the lake. "That's Lucas'!"
"I know." I grinned and grabbed the key from under the snow covered flower pot. "Want to see inside?"
Dylan hopped off the deck and followed me eagerly as I pushed the front door opened. I had already taken a look at it and approved. I still wanted the place checked for any issues it may have had but I had the money to clean damage up. I wasn't concerned at all.
Just for my family's safety.
"Wow!" Dylan grinned as the living room had a big picture view window that looked out towards the lake. "Where's my room?" She asked bouncing around.
"Well you have three rooms to choose from." I pointed down the wide hallway and smiled as she clapped her hands.
"Three?"
"Of course, the prettiest girls always get first choice." I chuckled and Dylan ran down the hall, scoping out each room, the closets and finally she settled on the middle room with the medium sized closet.
"This is perfect to fit my hockey gear in." Dylan opened up the closet doors and walked in slightly. "I love it." She nodded, confirming it.
"Good." I nodded. "Now let's pick my room."
Dylan dragged me to the furthest room and nodded. "This will do," she grinned with her little dimples and scrunched her nose in a crinkled smile, "if I remember correctly, you have lotsa shoes and clothes you don't know what to do with."
I shook my head and wondered briefly how she got to be so smart; not that she wasn't before but it was just a reminder of the time I had lost with her. Then knowing that she was in Camila's care made it make sense to me, Lucas was the top of her class just like Camila had been throughout school.
"That's where you're wrong," I tackled her and she giggled, both of us falling to the freshly shampooed carpet, "we need a day to go shopping together so we both can fill up our closets."
"Really?" She looked surprised and I nodded. "Can we go to the city? That's where Camila takes Lucas to get school clothes!"
I licked my lips and kissed her forehead. "Of course, baby. Anywhere you wanna go."
"Mommy, what's the other room going to be for?" Dylan asked, her eyebrows rising to her hairline.
I shrugged, getting up off the floor and dragging her with me. "I'm not sure, actually. We could put a computer in there maybe?"
Dylan had a pensive look on her face before she licked her own lips and cleared her throat. "Can, I mean, do you think Lucas can have that room?"
If I would've thought about that idea, I would've brought her along too. Wow, I should've thought about that. I had no issues with it whatsoever. Lucas was welcomed into our home whenever she wanted and that went for Camila as well. My door was opened to both brunettes that had made heavier impressions on my heart and in our lives.
"I think," I knelt down and straightened out her winter coat collar, "that's the best idea I've heard all day."
Dylan looked like she had just won the lottery with the widened eyes and happy smile that graced her face. "I can't wait to tell her!"
I grinned and grabbed her hand. We checked out the rest of place and we made a decision that the basement would be used for any other big gatherings. I figured I could put a pool table down there along with a mini bar – alcohol free of course. It was huge down there and Dylan was having fun planning a potential Christmas party she wanted to throw for her friends.
She sounded like she was nine going on fifteen.
Over an hour went by and I promised Camila I'd have her back in time for them to get ready for Dylan's hockey practice. "Come on babe," I shooed her out the door and locked it, "I can't believe it's already getting dark."
"I know." Dylan frowned as the sun started to disappear behind the trees. "Can I spend tonight with you?"
I looked at Dylan and smiled softly. "Of course, baby. I have a job interview tomorrow morning so you'll be getting to school early."
"That's okay." Dylan grinned and bit her lip. "Mrs. Wise is always there because some kids live far away and come in on an earlier bus."
"If you're sure..." I pressed while driving towards Camila's house.
"Mommy," Dylan giggled, "I'm sure!"
"Okay." I nodded and reached to grab her gloved hand. "Tonight it's a Jauregui girls night."
--
Camila's PoV
"Homework done?" I called upstairs where Lucas and Hadley were giggling about something.
"Yes!" Lucas stopped laughing long enough to answer me before going back to whatever the girls were doing.
"I really appreciate you taking Hadley, Miss Cabello." Tori sighed worriedly. "I didn't think I'd be called back so soon and my sister isn't back from the city yet."
I waved her off with a soft smile. "She's been a delight," I assured her, "and listen to them, I doubt there's any complaints."
Tori laughed and nodded, tugging on her heavy coat, blowing hair out of her face. The front door opened and Dylan came running in, nearly knocking over the tall brunette teenager. "Where's the fire?" Tori chuckled softly and Dylan looked at her sheepishly.
"Sorry."
"Dylan, you forgot-" Lauren stopped at the door.
Our eyes locked immediately and I felt my heart do that lurchy thing. We exchanged shy smiles and then our gaze went back to Tori and Dylan.
"Hadley!" Tori called and not even two seconds later, the blonde came down and gave her Aunt a kiss on the cheek. "You be on your best behaviour, kay? Mind your manners and I'll be back in town tomorrow for sure."
"Be safe." Hadley smiled and ran back upstairs, but not before dragging Dylan with her. "Dyl Pickle's back!"
"Hey!" Dylan's giggle could be heard echoing the place.
"Thank you again," Tori smiled gratefully and stepped aside from Lauren, "I'll give you a call as soon as I hear from my sister."
"Don't worry about it," I smiled back, "Hadley's more than welcome to spend the night if need be. I'll make sure she's got everything for school."
"Jaiden has always said you were the best." Tori laughed and waved as she rushed out the door. She worked forty-five minutes away in a smaller place as a nurse assistant. She was on call a lot.
Then there were two.
"Make yourself at home." I said softly and stepped forward, my hands finding their way to Lauren's scarf, gently tugging it off. My fingers then found the buttons to her coat, slipping them through the holes one by one, while holding her gaze. "How was your day?"
"My morning was eventful," Lauren whispered, her brown eyes flickering with some sadness, "however, my day with Dylan was amazing."
I smiled softly and nodded. "Good, you two need time together."
"She's staying with me tonight." Lauren bit her lips, as if she was almost afraid that I'd protest.
"I'll be sure to pack extra clothes." I nodded, not affected by her plans. I meant what I said to her, she didn't need to ask my permission to take Dylan at any given time. I was doing her a favour now by just taking care of Dylan. Lauren had true custody and was free to walk away from all this with her daughter in hand if she pleased.
"Camila." Her voice broke the silence that I wasn't even aware of. I blinked and looked at her, she looked so broken and lost and for the first time I had no clue why.
"Lo, what's wrong?" I frowned in concern.
"What would've happened if Sofi told you I came back?" She whispered.
I felt my heart beating harder because I knew the intense talks weren't over yet. Which was okay because they needed to be done.
"I would've chased you." I said seriously after picturing it in my head.
I would've gotten a phone call from Sofi telling me that Lauren was standing on our doorstep. I would've forced Normani to turn around. I would've taken Lauren back in my arms and kiss her like there was no tomorrow and then beat her ass figuratively for scaring like she did in the first place. We'd cry and then she'd drop to her knees and propose yet again. I'd follow her to B.C. or she'd come with me to York. We'd marry shortly after and live our lives together before having little Lucas and Dylan.
But that didn't happen.
Sofi never told me about Lauren coming to see me. Lauren left for B.C. while I went to summer hockey camp and then college, slept with a stranger and nine months later had my beautiful daughter. Lauren pursued her career by writing and composing for my sister's albums and then two years later, she had her own beautiful little girl.
I inhaled as I realized just how badly I wanted to break down. "Where did we go so wrong?" I asked, stepping back from Lauren. "God, what happened back then that caused all of this?"
Lauren looked down and swallowed. I didn't even think about the girls upstairs before starting the conversation. My heart just needed more answers. Something.
I needed someone to tell me where I went wrong to have been abandoned by the two people who I trusted and loved the most.
"Lauren," I whispered in a desperate plea, "did I do anything?"
"No!" She looked horrified. "Camila, no. No. You," she paused and closed her eyes, "you were perfect."
I didn't want to touch anymore of that subject with her. I didn't want to open those wounds again because I got part of it.
"This morning," Lauren's voice cracked and it alarmed me, "you did say that when you looked at me..."
Fuck.
I sighed heavily, pressing my cheek against hers as I pulled her close to me. "I didn't mean it like that," I whispered honestly, "I just meant that yes, a part of me still hurts but that's what makes this real. I wanted Sofi to know that we didn't just jump into anything."
"Camz," Lauren looked at me, "we kind of did. I mean, I just got here not even a month ago and we've slept together..."
"It doesn't matter," I whispered, "with us there is no right moment to be together. We just are." I realized what I had just said and so did she, stepping back slightly to gaze at me.
"Together?"
I smiled and blushed a little, swallowing. "Well I was hoping we could maybe, you know, go on a date."
"Wow," Lauren broke out into laughter; a laugh that I hadn't heard in years and she just looked at me, her shoulders shaking because she was laughing so hard.
Wow indeed.
See if I asked her out on a date again.
Psh.
"You've been spending way too much time with Normani." She finally calmed down. "I know the Cabello charm consists of more then that."
Oh, so she wanted to play it that way.
"Fine," I shrugged and bumped my hip with hers as I walked past to grab a couple of water bottles from the fridge, packing them for the girls' practice, "I guess my Tuesday night just opened up. And you know, I do have a few admirers around here that'd love to have my company..."
"You wouldn't." Lauren's eyes narrowed and I knew she was thinking about Aimee. Hot blonde. Lethal. But not as lethal as the fucking hot brunette standing in the middle of my kitchen with her hands on her hips and eyebrow raised in question.
"Wouldn't I? I mean, the brunette I wanted to see just shot my technique down and gave me a complex." I pouted and Lauren rolled her eyes with a grin. "Jauregui," I stepped closer to her, my fingertips meeting the exposed skin of her neck drawing little patterns lightly, "I've been thinking," I whispered and moved forward, forcing her to take a step back, our eyes never leaving the other, "I really want to treat you to a nice dinner. I want to get to know you better. I want to spend time with you." I finally had her trapped between myself and the breakfast island. "Please, honour me by accompanying me Tuesday evening?"
Lauren was holding her breath, a pink colour tinted her cheeks as she swallowed and licked her lips.
Cabello charm still worked!
"Please?" I whispered hotly against her lips, my darkened chocolate eyes flickering from her dark brown and down to her all-too tempting mouth.
Lauren's hands thrust in my hair and she kissed me passionately. I moaned and pressed her harder into the island, my hands finding her hips and holding us steady. Tongues greeted gracefully and mouths moved gently.
The kiss ended and we were both breathing heavily, eyes full of lust and skin that seemed even more sensitive. "Every time I look at you," Lauren said huskily, "I fall that much deeper."
Was that code for 'yes'?
I wanted to cry – but for a good reason. I wanted to scream that I was falling that much deeper too.
"I've never stopped." I whispered and captured her lips in a slow brief kiss. God, I wanted her all over again.
I needed to feel her again.
"Stay tonight?" I asked, stepping away as we heard footsteps running down the stairs.
"I promised Dylan." Lauren whispered, frowning.
I grinned and nodded, understanding. I was being selfish. "Will I see you tomorrow?" I felt like I was in high school all over again. You know, eager to see my boyfriend's hot cousin whenever I had the chance.
"You can count on it." Lauren nodded and we turned our heads just in time to see Dylan and Lucas tugging on their coats and grabbing their hockey gear from the hallway closet.
"Come on Coach!" Lucas pointed to the clock. "We're going to be late. Time is money!"
"Yea!" Dylan followed Lucas and Hadley outside.
Lauren smirked and tucked some hair behind my ear. "Better get a move on it Coach. You've got to set examples that need to be followed and being tardy is not one of them." She winked and grabbed the bag I was packing, smacked my ass and went to pull her own coat and boots on.
I closed my eyes and smiled, whispering to myself, "I've so just sealed the deal with Tuesday night."