Chapter 2

Later that afternoon Fitz was back at his practice sitting in his office. He couldn't get the formidable Dr. Olivia Pope out of his mind. She was beautiful. She was no doubt smart, and from what he could see she was an excellent mother.

Actually watching her interact with her son was the highlight of his morning. It was nice to see such an obviously career oriented woman interact so freely, and so lovingly with a small child. He could tell that her children meant the world to her.

He felt like an ass for making assumptions about her late husband. Had he known that she was a widow he wouldn't have made such assumptions. However, he was aware that he should not have made those assumptions either way. He only did so because he found himself attracted to the little vixen.

She was well dressed, she had long straight hair, and she had a little compact body that was sculpted to perfection. He had been jealous of any man that could be her husband. Her husband had been a blessed man.

Fitz knew that they were trying to go into business together so he had to temper his attraction to her, but he knew that it would be a hard feat to conquer. She seemed a little fiesty, and he could tell that she was used to getting her way. He knew that he had a hard rode in front of him trying to convince her to go into equal partnership with him.

Fitz sat at his desk smiling. He was remembering when she had bent over to place her son on his feet. He was guilty of staring at her behind. He couldn't help himself. You wouldn't expect such a petite woman to have such a perfect ass, but she did.

Then there was her son. One half of a set of twins. She had said that the other twin was a girl. Her son was the cutest, and smartest little boy he had ever met, and seeing how he was a pediatrician he had met a lot of children. He could only imagine how cute her little girl was. Liliana, he thought he remembered Leo saying her name was. Pretty name for what he was sure was an equally pretty little girl. He wanted to meet her.

Fitz didn't typically date women with children, but he wasn't dating Olivia, and her children intrigued him. He believed that by him and Olivia going into business together it wouldn't be a bad idea to become friends with her children.

Fitz was single, and while he enjoyed his singleness he was getting older. He was 35, and he had started thinking what it would be like to have children, and a wife. Seeing Olivia with her son reminded him of the voids in his life. Although he knew that he couldn't pursue Olivia he couldn't deny that he was attracted to her. He also couldn't deny that her children added to her appeal too.

"What's up with you, bro," His younger brother Patrick asked?

Fitz broke out of his daydreaming. He said, "Nothing, what are you doing here?"

Patrick took one of the seats in front of Fitz's desk. He said, "I have court, and we are in recess for a couple hours. I thought I would come and see you since I had time to kill."

Fitz asked, "Uh, shouldn't you be working on your case?"

Patrick eyed his brother, "If I didn't know any better I would say that you weren't happy to see your kid brother."

Fitz shrugged, "I could think of better things to do than to be badgered by you. I'm fine, Patrick."

Patrick observed, "You look like you have a lot on your mind. What's up talk to me, bro."

"I met a woman. If I could she would be the type of woman that I could get serious about, and bring her home to meet mom, and dad. However, it'll likely never happen," Fitz opened up to his brother.

Patrick asked, "I have never seen you back down from a challenge. Give it a shot, bro. I mean if she is all of that don't let her get away."

Fitz ran his fingers through his full head of hair. He said, "There are way too many obstacles with this one. We may eventually work together, she has a set of young twins, and she is a widow. Let's not add to the fact that she probably hates me."

Patrick frowned, "What reason would she have to hate you?"

Fitz explained, "Well, I put my foot in my mouth. She had her son this morning, and he was sick, and she was talking about all the rushing around she had to do. I made a comment about her husband being more helpful to her. Then I asked her to have dinner with me to go over the business proposal I gave her, and she mentioned that her evenings are dedicated to her kids. Again I mentioned her husband doing his part and helping out when needed. Only to find out later that her husband is deceased. He was killed in some kind of accident."

Patrick whisteled. He said, "Yeah, you really did put your foot in your mouth. I'm sorry, bro. That's only a small obstacle. You can wear her down with your charm."

Fitz shook his head. He said, "I am not going to hit on a widowed single mother. Plus, I don't know how long ago her husband died. It would be tactless to pursue her."

Patrick reasoned, "I know better than anyone that it hurts to lose someone you love, but she has to move on with her life. I am sure that her husband wouldn't want her sitting around missing him. She deserves happiness too."

Fitz laughed at his brother. He said, "You don't even know who she is. How do you know what she deserves?"

Patrick stood preparing to leave. He said, "See that's the last time I try to be the encouraging, supportive little brother."

Fitz laughed as he watched his brother leave. He knew that his brother was right, and that at some point Olivia would have to move on with her life after losing her husband, but he there were too many obstacles standing in their way. He was going to focus on getting her to join the partnership by his terms. Personally he wished her nothing but the best. He wanted her to find love, and he wanted to her to be happy. Granted, see didn't seem sad. He never would've guessed she had experienced such loss if Leo hadn't mentioned it.

Fitz wanted Olivia, but he knew that it probably wasn't feasible. He needed to focus on what was important. Growing their business.

Across town Olivia sat on her best friend, Abby's sofa. She said, "He was so good looking, but he was an arrogant, jerk. Abby he actually said to me that my husband should help out with the kids more. How inappropriate is that?"

Abby laughed, she said, "That is rather inappropriate, and presumptuous of him. I think I should come to your next meeting with him."

Olivia rolled her eyes at her friend. Abby was a sassy red head that Olivia had met when she was in medical school. Abby was also a doctor, but as Olivia liked to tease her she was a bigshot surgeon. They had hit it off immediately in medical school, and had been as close as sisters ever since. Abby was the sister that Olivia never had. So was OIivia to Abby.

Abby was with Olivia when she met Stephen, she was with her when they got married, and Abby was also there when Olivia gave birth. She was the godmother to both of Olivia's twins. Abby was in a long term relationship with their good friend Harrison. Olivia couldn't understand for the life of her why they hadn't married one another. They had been together for about five years now. They didn't live together, but they were more committed to one another than some married people.

Olivia shook her head continuing, "Abby, you know good and well that I am not interested in dating anyone. I thought it might be a good decision for him, and I to join forces, but now I am starting to second guess myself. Our personalities will obviously clash."

"Liv, in two weeks Stephen will have been gone for a year. I know it hurts, and that you loved your husband, but eventually you will have to move on. There is no good time to move on. However, when the right opportunity comes along to move on you have to pounce on it. I'm not saying that this Dr. Grant fellow is the right opportunity. I'm simply saying don't close yourself off to love," Abby said gently.

Olivia squinted at her friend. She said, "Did you hear anything I just said. I am not worried about my love life. I am worried about if doing business with this man is the right thing to do or, not?"

Abby laughed, "You can deflect all you want, but you just make sure that you heard what I said. You said that his numbers for his practice are good. So on paper it's the ideal situation. Don't let your personal feelings for him affect your business. You know better than that, Liv. Stephen used to always say that you were stubborn. Boy, was he right."

Olivia rolled her eyes saying, "Where is my son? I need to get him, so that we can go get Liliana from school. Did his fever ever break?"

Abby stood walking to the back of her house. She answered, "Yes, I didn't actually need to give him anymore Tylenol. What you gave him earlier did the trick. I think he just has a little cold. He's been napping almost the whole afternoon. I woke him up and made him eat some lunch."

Liv gave Abby a pat on the back. She said, "You're such a good auntie. Thank you so much for filling in while my parents are away."

"Liv, you know that it's no problem. I love these children like they were my own. I don't mind looking after them," Abby said sincerely.

Later that evening Olivia was home fixing dinner for the twins. It was a quick, and easy dinner of green beans, potatoes, and baked chicken. She sipped a glass of wine while she fixed their plates. She called, "Thing One, and Thing Two wash your hands, and come to the table please."

She heard her children giggle. She smiled to herself. She guessed that Leo was feeling much better. Her kids were such happy children, and that made her happy.

A few moments later Leo, and Liliana came running into the kitchen laughing, and full of energy. So full of energy that Liliana knocked over her attache case from the stool where it rested. All of her papers spilled out over the floor. Olivia came around the counter to help the twins pick up the papers. She scolded lightly, "What did I tell you two about running in the house? Do you see what happens when you run in the house?"

Liliana, and Leo said in unison, "Sorry, Mommy."

Olivia's heart melted. She said, "It's ok, just make sure you follow the rules."

With the papers in her arms Olivia stood, and walked back over to the marble topped island to organize the papers. She noticed the business plan that Fitz had given her to overlook.

She wasn't interested in being equal partners with him, so she hadn't intended on looking at the report that he had given her. However, something caught her eye. If they combined their business, even with splitting things in half her profits would increase significantly. Olivia sat on a stool, and started reading the information. She was so engrossed that she was startled when Liliana climbed into her lap.

She said, "Mommy, you told us to come eat, but you didn't give us nothing to eat."

Olivia smiled at her daughter. Her daughter was silly like her father, but she looked so much like Olivia that it scared her sometimes. Olivia corrected, "I didn't give you anything to eat."

The little girl smiled, and nodded, "You didn't give us anything to eat."

Olivia stood placing her daughter on her feet. She walked around the island, and grabbed their plates. She walked over to the table, and set the plates in front of them.

As she walked back to island to get her own plate she heard Leo say, "I was a big boy today, Lili. I tooked my medicine, and I didn't cry. I met a tall man, and he was nice, and he showed me how. I can show you the trick so you can take your medicine too."

Liliana looked at her brother asking, "What are you talking about, Leo. You didn't go anywhere, but to Mommy's work, and Auntie Abby's house."

He said, "Yeah, and the tall man was in Mommy's office. He is a doctor like Mommy."

Liliana asked, "What was his name?"

Leo shrugged. He looked at his mother asking, "Mommy, what was that doctor's name?"

Olivia could feel her cheeks getting warm. She took her seat at the table saying, "His name was Dr. Grant."

"Dr. Grant, Lili. I told him that you were three minutes older than me, but that we were still the same age," Leo chatted.

Liliana looked at her mother, "Mommy, am I going to meet Dr. Grant? It's not fair that Leo gots to meet him, and I didn't. You tolded us that we have to share friends too."

Olivia teased her daughter, "How do you know that Dr. Grant, and Leo are friends?"

"He showed Leo a trick, Mommy," Liliana said sassily, with her hands on her little non-existent hips.

Olivia laughed at her daughter's antics. After a moment she said, "I don't know if you will ever get the chance to meet Dr. Grant, but remember what I told you?"

The little girl's eye brows knitted together. She asked, "What?"

"I told you that there will be times when you, and Leo won't always do everything alike, and that it's ok. Remember?"

She nodded her head, returning her attention back to her food. She mumbled under her breath, "It's still not fair."

Olivia gave her daughter a sad smile. If only the little girl could understand that life wasn't fair. If life had been fair, Stephen would be sharing dinner with them. If life was fair, she wouldn't have been lusting after Fitz, because Stephen had been everything to her.

Later on that night after the children were fast asleep, and Olivia had showered, she crawled into her bed wearing a tank top, and tiny sleep shorts. Thinking over the day she saw Fitz's piercing blue eyes in her mind's eye. He was truly a good looking man, and he wore a suit well. He was also great with Leo, which she found perplexing. Other than his arrogance he actually was a pretty good catch. Not that she was looking for a catch, or anything.

He really looked like he knew his way around a woman's body. Absentmindedly Olivia cupped her small, but plump breasts. She could feel her pulse beating below her waist. At that exact moment her cell phone that rested on her nightstand started ringing, startling her.

Olivia shook her head. She mumbled as she reached for the phone, "Girl, I know you're sexually deprived, but get over yourself, and stop disrespecting Stephen."

She looked at her phone to see that it was Fitz calling. She looked at her bedside clock. She answered, "Hello?"

"Hi, Olivia. It's uh, Fitz. Dr, Grant," he said tentatively.

She replied, "Yes, umm. It's kind of late to be calling Dr. Grant. How can I help you?"

Fitz cleared his throat. He said, "I am sorry to be calling so late, but I had several things that I wanted to speak with you about."

Sitting up in bed Olivia responded, "Okay."

Fitz said, "Well, first I wanted to apologize for the comments I made about your husband. I realize that they were extremely inappropriate."

Olivia said, "I hope you realize that even if my husband was alive, and well that your comments still would have been inappropriate."

Fitz loved her feistiness. He said, "Yes, I'm aware, and I really am sorry for my behavior. I'm not sure what came over me."

Olivia asked, "What else did you want to discuss?"

"I was wondering if you had the opportunity to go over the proposal I left with you," Fitz asked?

Olivia cleared her throat. She said, "Uh, yes I looked it over, and I have to admit that the numbers are appealing, but I'm used to being the boss. I'm used to running things, so I'm still unsure. I'm reworking my numbers, and taking your proposal into consideration, but I'm not making you any promises."

Fitz said, "I can tell you're a brilliant woman, Olivia. I want you to be completely comfortable going to into this endeavor. However, don't let your stubbornness, and your need to control the reigns prevent you from entering into something that as I stated earlier could be mutually beneficial to the both of us."

Did he just call her stubborn? Abby had said the same thing to her earlier. She didn't mind hearing it from Abby. Abby knew her, and had been telling her that she was stubborn for years now, but she didn't care for this man who knew nothing about her calling her stubborn.

"As I said, I'm reworking my numbers, and taking yours in consideration. I will call you when I have made a final decision. Is there anything else you needed," Olivia asked with attitude.

Fitz shook his head. He couldn't win for losing with this woman. Every single time he opened his mouth he stuck his foot in it. He said, "No, there isn't anything else. Those two topics were the only ones I wanted to address."

With that Olivia disconnected the line wondering who in the hell this man thought he was?