Iris
Anna sat beside me as I drove to the restaurant, I think my heart was going to beat out of my chest the way it was beating. I was extremely nervous, I don't know why. It may be because this was going to be the first time that Anna and Scott officially spend time together.
I'm not sure why I expected the worst either, I mean he wasn't even mad at me when I told him about Anna, he was shocked, yes, but there wasn't an ounce of anger. He understood that I had my doubts about his past but he also knew that it wasn't going to stop me from seeing him again. I think he also knew what I was going through every time I tried to call him or write to him, it was agony.
It was bittersweet to me, I would always play the scenarios in my mind, sometimes they wouldn't end up as great as the other times, that's what has been holding me back-all the what ifs and the maybes.
"Where are we going, mommy?" She looked at me and then looked out of the window eagerly, I'm sure she could feel my anxiousness too.
"We are going to that man you met the other day's restaurant, the one you told me you saw on the television." Her curious frown broke into a wide smile, she is certainly pleased about that. I, on the other hand, was a bit on the fence. She would either love him or hate him, there was just no in between with Anna Shepherd.
I stopped at the restaurant , I saw Scott coming out just as I pulled into the parking lot. For a moment I scanned over him, he hasn't changed much in five years, he had a few smile lines starting to show but his body, I must say five years haven't changed his well-shaped body one bit, in fact it only did him good. I shook off my impure thoughts about his body to see him coming closer, I got out and walked to the other side to open the door for her to get out , thank goodness for a child lock or else I'd have Anna bouncing around the parking lot already.
I helped her out and held onto her hand as we met Scott halfway to the parking lot, the way he looked at us made my heart gallop, even more, I didn't think that was possible but I was not complaining, it's been a while since I felt like this over someone, with James it was more of a love of convenience.
"Hi," He said a bit breathlessly with a cheesy smile.
"Hi, I see you still haven't found a name." I gestured to the nameless board on the front.
"Hopefully before the opening, I'll be able to decide. You can come in, Hi there Anna." She held onto her plush toy as he bent down to her level. She narrowed her eyes looking him up and down, she then giggled.
"You have a stubbly face." My mouth went agape.
"Anna! He just said hi, you should say hi too."
"But I know him." I shook my head, that's a four and a half-year-old for you.
"You know Anna, I do need a shave but I was just so excited to see you that I forgot." She covered her face with the toy in shyness.
With that we walked into the restaurant together, he held open the door for us and followed behind. There wasn't anyone in the restaurant since it wasn't open yet. There was a table set for us in the middle at a booth.
He showed us to the table where the drinks were already set, he anxiously called me this morning asking what Anna could eat and if she was allergic to anything.
I handed Anna her juice and Scott poured us some wine.
"You know it feels like we've never been apart, last night I was thinking about us and the bubble bath." That thought has crossed my mind numerous times.
"I've been thinking about that too, now we feel a bit awkward around each other but back then we couldn't get enough." Anna just looked at us confused and drank her juice.
"I know what will break the awkwardness." He stood up and grabbed something from the kitchen.
He came back with a serving tray.
"My specialty spaghetti for a special girl and a plate of the first dinner salmon." I swiftly remember the night I had to endure dinner with Hunter and Scott as he teased me.
"I was thinking of something else to break the awkwardness." His mouth opened to say something but then he shut it. The sexual tension in the air was palpable. All I wanted to do was kiss him like we used to kiss, his kisses have never been topped.
For most of the night, we talked about the things that have changed and the things that we had in common. Anna asked him a few things, very curious about this new creature that has entered our lives, when he came out with the chocolate mousse dessert I could see she took a liking to him. He was a natural father, he wasn't trying too hard for her approval and he knew how to talk to her.
I took a spoonful of the mousse into my mouth, his eyes lingered on my lips I could see what thoughts were running through his head but he knew he had to behave himself in Anna's company.
Anna rested her head on my shoulder as I and Scott talked.
"Do you think she likes me?" I tried to see over my shoulder, she was fast asleep.
"I think she does, the dinner was great. It was nice to just talk again. I missed having conversations like these, with James it was a one-way street, he never took what I said seriously." I omitted sadly.
"And you wanted to marry him?"
"I don't even know what I was thinking, now I'm left with the remnants of what we were. I have so many things to still cancel for the wedding, planning a wedding is just as demanding as canceling one."
"Your wedding would've been in a week and a half right?" Scott had this look on his face, the look that told me he was planning something.
"Yeah, why?" I asked slowly.
"Maybe you shouldn't cancel it."
"And to who do I get married to then if I am not canceling it?"
"Me"
"Wait...what?"
"Marry me, I'm not going to love someone else, ever. I'm not going to change my mind about you."
"Scott...we've just started to get to know each other again, what would the guests say if told them the wedding is still on but the groom has changed, and Anna...well, I don't think she'll notice much but she just met you basically she has to get used to you. Aren't we going a little bit too fast?"
"Nope, at least consider it. Would there be a big difference whether we get married in a week or in three years?" I sighed, he wasn't going to let up on this.
"I can only promise to consider it, we've waited much too long already."
After this conversation I wanted to carry Anna to the car but Scott held her for me instead as I unlocked the car, for a few minutes he stared at her, taking in her face.
"She looks like you." He commented with a smile, he slowly and cautiously placed a kiss on her forehead.
"She has your nose and chin, and unfortunately that glare you gave Peter way back when." He chuckled.
Oh I remembered that glare all too well.
"Peter actually works for me at my other restaurant, and he still lives next to me with his wife and son, he eventually did buy me a new rose plant."
Scott placed Anna on the seat and I strapped her in, I closed the door and stood in front of Scott, I could feel the small smile tug on my lips.
"Thank you for dinner it was great, I think Anna enjoyed it too, she really was fascinated by your stubble." I placed my hand on his cheek , gliding it over his light stubble. He grabbed my hand before I could move it away and placed a kiss on my palm.
He pulled me close to him, holding me by the hips, trailing little kisses on my neck and up my jaw and finally stopped at my lips.
He placed his lips on mine, slowly we kissed. The way his lips felt on mine and the way his light stubble felt on my skin made my heart skip a beat. His lips moved quickly over mine, I pressed myself against him , I pulled away from him a little.
If we didn't stop now I'm sure I wouldn't get home, with Anna around I had to behave.
He looked at me sadly.
"God, I've wanted to kiss you for so long. Well, more, but for now that will suffice." I giggled slightly.
"So we both have to behave ourselves." He shook his head.
"That's...harder than you think it is." I raised my eyebrow at him, oh the innuendo.
"Then you have no idea how...hard it is for me." I teased back. He pursed his lips.
"You probably need to get home."
"Probably." I pecked a kiss on his cheek and got in the car, he held my door open.
"Think about the proposal, okay?" He looked at me, his eyes glinting telling me that his question came from a deep place.
I nodded.
"I'll think about."
"Bye, I'll see you tomorrow at our official meeting, I love you."
"I love you, I'll see you tomorrow." With that he shut my door and watched me drive away.