Chapter Sixteen
I went upstairs and Mason was finishing up the next six while Lucy and Alexis were sitting there talking to him, it was almost picture time!
“Lex, you now have plans on Friday.” I sat beside her and Mason groaned making Alexis more confused.
“Why?” she asked cautiously
“You and Mason have a date.” And her eyes went wide and her cheeks tinted pink.
“What?” she asked
“He had no choice. It’s at my dad’s restaurant and I want no complaining. You two have been amazing the last week and will deal with it” I said and turned to Lucy “And you my darling will be going with me” and her eyes lit up
“Really?” she said
“You didn’t think I would forget you did you?” I I raised my eyebrows questionably. “What’s your favorite food?” I asked
“Spaghetti!” she exclaimed happily
“Well then I know just the place!” I told her, Damon was going to take Mason shopping, and Alexis Lucy and I were going to go tomorrow too.
Lucy jumped up and hugged me “Thank you Ari” she smiled at me
“See,” I said giving a look to Mason and Alexis “Somebody knows how to be nice”
“Shut up!” Alexis glared at me, but she couldn’t keep a straight face, I knew she was happy about the date, and I knew Mason was only bother by the fact that I was paying.
“So Lucy, have you made any new friends?” I asked
“Yes! I have a sleep over on Saturday.” She got so excited it was cute.
“Do you guys want to have a sleepover Friday?” I asked and turned to Mason “You too,” I said in case he was thinking I meant girls only “I’ll bring in a couple extra mattresses from the guest rooms. We can watch movies!” I said
“I’m down as long as cameras are available.” Mason piped in, I really liked him. I thought of them like siblings now and they spent all day over here, only to be back at Hope to sleep.
“Duh!” I said and then an idea popped into my head “I’ll be right back” I said and went down stairs to find my amazing and loving father.
“Daddy dearest.” I said as I walked into the kitchen, you would think as a chef he would get tired of cooking all the time eventually, but he didn’t.
“Yes baby.” He looked over at me and I went over to him.
“I love you!” I hugged him
“What do you want?” he asked and I gave him my best offended look
“Daddy, why would you think I wanted something?”
“Because you’re my daughter and I know you, now what is it?” he asked
“Table for two for Friday, and tell them it’s on me and you can take it out of my account” I smiled and he shrugged like it was no big deal
“Done and there’s no need, I’ll just tell them it’s on the house,” and he studied me “What else do you want?” he asked as stirred something that smelt delicious and not like meat.
“Lucy, Alexis, Mason and I are having a sleepover Friday” I said happily
“That’s not what you want” he said, how did he know me so well?
“Well there are four rooms on my floor” I trailed off. This was just the main house, we had a guest house too with like seven rooms “Mine and Alexis’s suits and two guest rooms, and were turning one into a nursery, right” I said cautiously.
“Right” he said
“Can the other guest room be decorated for Lucy and Mason to share?” I asked and gave him the best innocent begging face I could
“Arianna, don’t give me that look” he said shaking his head
“Please daddy, they’re here every day, and there’s a whole guest house. I feel bad that they spend all day here and we have to take them back there just to sleep, and with them here it gives more room there. You know you love them too.” I said because they did, my parents treated them like they were their own, same way they treated Alexis and me.
“Arianna, we can’t just take them.” he said
“Take who?” my mom came in the kitchen
“Mason and Lucy.” My dad said
“I was thinking about having them here, they’re always here anyway.” My mom shrugged and I was happy she was on my side right now.
“Fine. You have the card to get things they need, bring in the mattress from the other guest room, until you sign over your rights, that room will be for the baby for if you would like to keep it.”
“Thank you daddy!” I hugged him and my mom,
“Yeah,” he hugged me back “Dinner will be ready in a half hour” he said and I skipped up stairs
My parents had I honestly don’t even know how much, but what I loved was they never said no when it came to helping people out, and I knew they would do everything they could to make the guest room homey for them.
“So, Mason, Lucy, we are going shopping Wednesday” I said, a soon as I got in the room and they all looked at me weird
“For what?” Mason spoke up
“My dad’s letting me turn the last room into a room for you and Lucy, I’m sorry you have to share but the other one’s going to be a nursery.”
“Lucy and I are going to get a room here?” he asked slowly
“Yes. I haven’t been this close to another friend other than Alexis, and she has her own. There’s a bathroom right across from it, and so that will basically be yours and Lucy’s bathroom,” I explained
“Why are you being so nice to us? You’ve barley know us.” He asked softly
“Because you are amazing people and I trust you guys and I want you comfortable, plus mom and dad love you guys too. I’ll bring in the other bed but anything else you need we can buy or if you have anything in storage from your old house.”
“We have everything in storage. My parents weren’t rich, but they did well for themselves. The house was sold and all the money is paying for storage or in a trust for Lucy and I to get when we turn eighteen.” I nodded along, I knew it was hard for him to talk about.
“Well aside from paint, we can go there first and get what you need and the rest we can buy.” I wanted them to feel as comfortable as possible and I think having some of their old stuff will help with that.
After we dropped Lucy and Mason off, I told Alexis about Damon taking Mason shopping tomorrow and I informed her that we would be taking Lucy shopping tomorrow for some clothes to wear Friday and her a new dress.
When I got home I had my parents move the bed to the other guest room, since I wasn’t allowed to lift anything and I got the room arranged so that they could each have their own side.
Tuesday morning came and I woke up happy again, best week ever
Alexis walked me to Calculus like usual and I went and sat by Damon again
“Thank you.” I said to him and smiled, I know I was asking a lot and we’re not exactly friends but I really appreciated that he would do this for me.
“Anything for you.” which made me roll my eyes, such a player.
“Get him a bunch of shirts and ties, a guy needs variety too.” Alexis and I would be dragging him to all sorts of things now; they were, for the most part, very boring and the more the better.
“You going shopping too?” he asked and I nodded
“Yeah, Alexis needs a dress, and so does Lucy, I’m taking her to that new Italian restaurant.” I didn’t want her to feel left out and I would love to spend some time with her.
“Who’s Lucy?” his brows furrowed
“Mason’s seven year old sister, she is adorable.” I said and then I got hungry, I was so damn hungry all the time, which is something I’m not used to.
God, I want brownies, ice cream and Pizza the thought just crossed my mind and I heard a laugh, I looked at him confused and he was just looking at me
“Arianna,” great, I’m pretty sure I said that out loud. “Would you go to lunch with me? We can get pizza and then I’ll take you to get ice cream” I was so confused, but I really wanted it and so therefore I wasn’t going to argue about it.
“Sure Thank you, for everything” I kissed his cheek and headed back to my seat before the bell rang.
When the bell rang signaling the end of English, I told Alexis I was going to lunch with Damon, and before she could make any comments I hugged her and left with Damon.
When we got to the pizza place we sat down and looked at the menu, I wanted everything!
“So, what kind of pizza do you want?” I asked him
“Whatever you want is fine” he smiled at me.
“I doubt you’re going to want to share mine” I said, I was craving weird things and I’m not sure that he’s actually going to want half the things I want.
“What can I get for you?” Damon ordered a soda while I ordered raspberry lemonade; I really wanted soda but I was giving it and coffee up while I was pregnant.
“And do you know what pizza you want?” she asked eyeing Damon, but he ignored her, I figured he would be hitting on out beautiful waitress and ignoring me but much to her annoyance, he paid her no special attention.
“I want to make one.” I said and she nodded and put her pen to the paper.
“What would you like on it?” she asked
“Uh, pickles, pineapple, bacon, Canadian bacon, olives, fresh tomatoes, Portobello Mushrooms, Zucchini, corn and extra cheese.” I loved this place, they had everything. “And can you bring a bottle of hot sauce?” I asked her and she gave me a weird look when I finished and I turned to Damon, and he was looking at me like I grew two heads and maybe a little grossed out.
“And for you?” she asked him batting her fake eyelashes
“Just bring a large, were sharing” He seriously wants to subject himself to my weird food? My own family even cringes at my taste.
“You are strange” he said slowly and I shrugged. We talked about nothing in particular as we waited for the food and when she came back with it he eyes it first while I grabbed a piece and put hot sauce on it and took a bite. It was hot but so delicious.
“It’s so good.” I groaned as I took another bite and took a drink of my lemonade.
“I’m a little worried.” He said as he took a piece and he smelt it before taking a bite and chewing it thoughtfully.
“And?” I asked him
“Not bad, weird but it’s not terrible.” He nodded like he couldn’t believe it and this time he put hot sauce on it and he nodded again “Better with hot sauce.” Well if he reacted well to the news, maybe my strange habits wouldn’t be so weird.
We had a great lunch and when the waitress came back with our bill we headed up to the register and when I went to pay, he actually picked me up, turned around, set me down and blocked me so that he could pay for it.
The waitress slipped her number to him and he tossed it in the trash as we left and wrapped his arm around me as we walked to a bakery to get brownies before going into the next shop for ice cream so I could eat them together.
I don’t think I’ve ever laughed this much as he dropped stupid and cheesy jokes and made fun of my taste in pizza. We joked about some of the events we were forced to attend and how awful they were until my alarm went off saying we had fifteen minutes till class, we went back. We walked back to economics together and people were staring, but I really didn’t care. And after that he walked me to Photography.
“Well, I’ll see you later.” He said “Thank you for coming to lunch with me, it was a great date” I smiled and blushed when he kissed my cheek, he was adorable when he was nervous as he gave me a semi-awkward hug and I got on my tip-toes and gave him a quick kiss before I blushed harder and turned to head to my class room. I looked back at him and he was still standing there, I leaned against the door and he watched me carefully.
“Good luck with your kidnapping.” I said and he nodded and I watched him walk away.
I never noticed him in this way before a month or so ago and I’m not sure if It’s because I’m really starting to like him or if it’s because I know he’s the father of my baby. Maybe both because knowing his reputation there would be no way I would want to try anything with him any other way.
Sure he was being sweet but I’m worried that he’s going to screw me over with this, that there is no way I could be enough for him, though I’m not asking him to marry me or even date me, I just want to know if he’s going to be willing to be a father, if he’s ready for it.