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Chapter 4
"Uhhh...a date?" Haley was so surprised that she couldn't respond at first. "You want to take me out on a date? Why?"
Jake laughed. "Because I think that you've a great person. Not to mention beautiful."
"Oh." Haley glanced down at her hands as her face started to turn a light shade of pink. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."
"Why?"
Haley shrugged. "Well, I have Jenny to think about. And then there's Chris."
"What does Chris have to do with the two of us going out?" Jake leaned back into the couch really wanting to hear her answer.
"Well he's my ex and your friend. Wouldn't that be a little weird?"
Jake laughed and shook his head. "First of all, Chris and I USED to be friends. We are no longer friends. Haven't been for a long time. And even if we were I would still want to go out with you." He paused. "And as far as Jenny is concerned, I love kids and I realize that you guys are a package deal."
"Well, I still don't know Jake, I haven't dated in tears. I've been with Chris since I was seventeen."
"I know." He reached over and took her hand. "And what a better person to test the waters with than someone you know and trust?"
Haley shrugged. "That's true." She glanced up, meeting his eyes. "Okay. When?"
Jake grinned at her and sighed. "For a minute there I thought that you were going to tell me no."
"I thought about it."
He laughed. "Okay, it's Wednesday. Is Friday too soon for you? Will you be able to find a sitter for Jenny?"
She nodded. "Yeah. Taylor will probably watch her for me. She keeps saying that I need to date. I'm not off until 8:00 on Friday though."
Jake shrugged. "That's okay. We'll do a late dinner and I'm sure I can find something else for us to do after that." He glanced at his watch. "I should probably be heading home. Got work tomorrow."
Haley smiled. "Yeah, me too. Thanks for taking me home." She walked him to the door.
"No problem." He leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Until Friday."
She glanced down, a smile on her face before meeting his eyes. "Sure."
"I'll pick you up at 9:00. Be ready and have a good next two days."
"You too." She closed the door behind him and leaned up against it. She had a date. Her first date since the divorce. And with a very hot man. She was going to have to go shopping tomorrow. She had to call Brooke and tell her. She'd take her shopping and find her something hot at a reasonable price.
Lucas and Brooke just stood there for a moment shocked. Lucas shook his head and went over and grabbed Nathan in a headlock. "Whoa! Stop it!" He drug him away from Peyton and dumped him on the couch.
Brooke ran over to Peyton and knelt down beside her. "What the hell happened?"
Peyton shot Nathan a dirty look. "Hotshot over there wouldn't take no for an answer so I was showing him that I meant no."
Nathan rolled his eyes. "Whatever. She's just playing hard to get."
Lucas shook his head. "Nathan, if someone tells you no that doesn't mean that they're playing hard to get." He glanced over at Peyton and Brooke. "I'm sorry. We'll go now." He looked back at Nathan. "Come on."
Nathan stood up and stalked out of the apartment without a word. Lucas sighed as he headed for the door. "I'm really sorry Peyton. Nathan can be a complete jerk sometimes."
Peyton shrugged. "It's okay. It' not you fault." She stood up. "I'm going to bed. Good night, Brooke."
"Night." She turned back to Lucas as Peyton went to her room. "She's not usually like that."
"Too bad the same can't be said about Nathan, huh?" Lucas leaned against the door. "They could've had a little better timing though."
Brooke laughed. "No kidding." She shrugged. "But what can you do?"
Lucas lifted Brooke's chin with his finger. "I;d like to give us another chance. Will you let me take you out?"
Brooke nodded. "I'd like that."
Lucas smiled. "Good." He leaned over and lightly kissed her. "Guess I'd better go. I've got to drive Mr. Hotshot home."
"Okay." Brooke sighed. "Give me your phone and I'll put my number in it." When Lucas handed it to her she quickly put her number in and handed it back. She leaned over and kissed him lightly on his cheek. "Call me."
"Oh, I will. Don't you worry." With a final grin he left.
Brooke sighed as she shut the door. She had been in love with Lucas Scott for as long as she could remember. She'd finally caught his eye in high school, but that hadn't lasted. She hoped that they'd have better luck this time around.
She started for her bedroom when the phone rang. "Hello?"
"Brooke? It's Haley."
"Hey, Hales. What's up?"
"Jake asked me out and now I need a new outfit. We have to go shopping."
"I hope that you don't mean right now?"
Haley laughed. "No, Brooke. Not right now. Tomorrow after our shift." She sighed. "I haven't been on a date since I was seventeen and that was with Chris."
Brooke laughed. "Yeah. Well, we'll find you something." She paused. "I think that I'll have a date soon, myself."
"With someone other than Felix I hope?"
"Yeah. With Lucas."
"Lucas? Mmmm, he's hot."
"Yes, he is. And I've been in love with him forever."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah, since the first day that I met him."
"Wow. That's a long time."
"Yup." Brooke paused again. "Oh, my God! You will NEVER guess what happened!"
"What?"
"Nathan Scott and Peyton got into a fight. And I do mean that literally."
"What?" Haley gasped. "What happened?"
"Well, apparently Nathan was hitting on her and wouldn't take no for an answer. So she hit him."
"Wow. Not a good way to start a partnership, huh?"
"Oh, shit! I forgot about that. Wonder how that's gonna work?"
"Who knows? Alright, I'm off to bed. See you tomorrow."
"Okay, good night." Brooke hung up the phone and as she walked past Peyton's door she thought about knocking, but decided against it. She'd talk to her tomorrow.
In the next chapter...
At work...
Chris finds out about Jake and Haley.
Felix and Brooke have a confrontation.
