I think you're going to like this chapter!! Thanks again to my favorite reviewers!! xoxoxo

The next three weeks Alex had been on his best behavior. Bailey had had nothing to complain about. He'd even been early on several occasions to spend time with Riley. His relationship with Aiden was blossoming as well. She'd been out of town on several consultations for the last two weeks and he missed her fiercely. He found himself scrambling for his phone every time it rang hoping it was her. He was sitting on the couch at Chris and Ajay's house only half paying attention to the TV and conversation going on around him. Bailey noticed his distraction and decided to tease him a bit while Petey was mixing her a drink.

"Alex… are you in there?" Bailey cooed seductively.

He looked up at her standing in front of him.

"What's the matter honey?" she asked straddling him and making sure her ample cleavage was fully visible in her low cut tank. Alex licked his lips slowly shifting his hips beneath her.

She smiled as she bent forward to whisper in his ear, "Feel better now?"

The very instant her tongue touched his ear lobe he felt his phone vibrate. Before she even knew what was happening, Alex had lifted her up and placed her down on the now empty seat.

He brought his phone to his ear as he walked to the sliding door of the patio, "Hey babe. I miss you too…"

Bailey looked at the closed door in shock, "I thought he had dumped her."

Ajay was wearing the same shocked expression on her face, "So did I. He hasn't said anything about her and he hasn't left early like he had been doing either."

"She's been out of town the last two weeks." Chris muttered still focused on the TV.

Bailey grabbed the remote and turned it off, "Why didn't you tell me that before I made an ass out of myself?"

Chris looked at her sarcastically, "Next time you decide to sexually molest him I guess I'll let you in on his dating status. I didn't know that was my new job title."

"What the hell?" Bailey stated.

Petey sat beside her and handed her drink to her, "What did I miss?"

"Did you know that Alex was still dating what's-her-tits?" Bailey questioned.

"Yeah." He chuckled.

"You didn't think I should know that?" she asked trying to understand what he thought was so funny.

"I didn't know it mattered to you." He answered.

He could see that he had said the wrong thing immediately. It was like a dark cloud had come over her features.

"If he is bringing our daughter around some strange girl then yes it absolutely matters to me." She said, her voice escalating.

Petey didn't' have time to respond before Alex returned. Bailey saw the difference that phone call had made to him. It was like he was glowing. He didn't even try to hide the smile on his face. He was completely oblivious to the tension in the room.

"That was Aiden. She's going to be back in town tomorrow and wanted to go to dinner." He grinned.

It was like all he could see was her face; he even looked like he was in "Alex and Aiden Land" when he spoke, Bailey noticed.

"That's nice." Ajay commented breaking the silence.

"She wants to meet all of you." He said looking around the room.

"Sure that sounds good right?" Petey asked.

He and Chris had been dying to meet her. Ajay and Chris nodded and Bailey shrugged.

"Please be nice Bay, for me? I really like her and you know how much your opinion means to me." He begged.

"Fine." She muttered rolling her eyes.

"Thank you! You're going to love her!" Alex smiled grabbing her in a hug.

"Stop it you weirdo." She laughed.

He pulled her down to the floor still smothering her in his arms.

"ALEX!" Bailey screamed when he poked her ribs.

"Hadn't heard you do that in awhile." He laughed kissing her cheek.

"Watch it Shelley!!" Petey warned.

THE NEXT NIGHT

"Is she always so punctual?" Bailey sarcastically wondered.

Petey squeezed her thigh beneath the table to remind her to behave.

"She's on her way. Some of her luggage got lost." Alex assured, his eyes never leaving the entrance.

Another ten minutes passed when Alex straightened in his seat, "She's here."

He got up and went to the door. The others strained to see the new girl. Unfortunately there was a whole group of twenty-somethings at the door. Bailey was quickly sizing each one up and found only one that she deemed a possible threat. Scrawny blonde with the skin tight pale pink satin dress on. She looked like an anorexic cupcake. One could imagine Bailey's shock as Alex picked the girl up and kissed her passionately. She felt her eyes begin to burn from not blinking. She swallowed slowly and forced herself to blink. She watched as Alex put her down and stepped away from her to compliment her outfit, no doubt. The little "cupcake" circled her twig arms around Alex's waist and pressed herself into his embrace. His arms came up to lovingly caress her back as he bent to kiss the top of her head. Bailey suddenly felt the urge to projectile vomit everywhere as she realized that "cupcake" was crying.

"Aww…they're cute together." Ajay announced.

"What is she crying for?" Bailey asked.

"They haven't seen each other in two weeks Bay." Petey responded.

He could tell already that she was going into defense mode. Bailey's stomach twisted again as Alex wiped her tears away as she fanned herself like some miniature pageant queen. Alex took her hand and led her to their table. Bailey took a deep breath just before they approached and plastered on a fake smile.

Alex was looking down at his new toy with pride, "Guys, this is Aiden Carlton."

She smiled brightly and leaned into Alex shyly while raising her twiggy little arm to wave, "Hi. I'm so glad that I finally get to meet ya'll."

"That's the cutest thing I've ever heard." Chris smiled.

Ajay kicked him beneath the table.

"This is Ajay and Chris and Petey and Bailey." Alex introduced.

She smiled again as she took her seat between Chris and Alex, "Sorry I was so late, the airline totally messed up my luggage."

"They don't mind." Alex answered bumping her shoulder with his.

The entire meal Bailey said very little as she was mostly observing the little cupcake elf. She was flawless so far. She laughed at the right moments and it was such a sweet twinkling sound, like a wind chime in a soft breeze. Bailey had sincerely hoped she would bray like a donkey and was utterly disappointed when she didn't. She was also verbose, but never in the annoying over-talkative way. She listened and interjected politely when she had something to say. But the thing that was making Bailey so irritated was how attentive she was to Alex. All of the things that Bailey used to do out of years of being around him, the little pixie did like it was the only reason she woke up in the morning. When their drinks arrived she daintily plucked his lemon from the rim of his cup and dropped it into hers. Why would she remember that he hated lemons? She unrolled his silverware for him and placed his napkin over his lap. He was in the middle of a story so she ordered his food exactly the way he wanted it. She stated all of his preferences with ease, like she'd done it all her life. Bailey gritted her teeth every time Alex rewarded her with a smile, a nod, a touch, a kiss. Alex was HER best friend DAMNIT! She couldn't just waltz in all bright and shiny and new and take him away. What did they even have in common? She didn't know anything about wrestling and being from the south she probably didn't know shit about hockey either. Bailey glanced around the table noticing Ajay's annoyance. She was quietly tapping her finger on the table while glaring at the back of Chris' head. She hadn't even realized how enthralled Petey and Chris were by the well dressed witch until she caught her friend's expression.

"Excuse me for a moment; I need to wash my hands." Aiden smiled docilely.

Alex watched her float through the restaurant before turning back to the table, "So what do you think of her?"

"I think she's perfect." Chris smiled.

Ajay cleared her throat.

"For you, she's perfect for you. She's so sweet and funny." Chris corrected.

"I like her too. All we have to do is teach her about wrestling and she'll fit right in." Petey agreed.

"And hockey." Alex added.

Petey laughed in return, "If those are the only faults we can find, then I think she'll be fine."

Alex looked expectantly between Ajay and Bailey, "What about the two of you?"

"I'm thinking about dumping Chris so he can be with her." Ajay retorted.

Chris pulled her to him instantly, "Don't be like that, I was just talking to her. You know I only want you."

"Fine." Ajay huffed when Chris leaned in to nibble her neck just below her ear.

"Bailey?" Alex encouraged.

She almost bit her tongue. When he turned to look at her, his eyes filled with hope, seeming to beg for her approval, it almost made her swallow the words on the tip of her tongue. Instead they came flying out like word diarrhea and were far more hurtful than she intended them to be.

"I think she's more of a little pet poodle than she is anything else. Is she really like this all the time or is this some well coordinated bullshit to make us like her? Nobody is that sweet or that funny. I thought that she was going to chew your food for you too. She's nothing like us Alex. She's a prissy, spoiled, southerner that shares not one common interest with you or any of us. So I don't get what exactly there is to like about her." Bailey said.

Alex dropped his eyes; the pain she had inflicted was evident all over him.

"That was pretty fucked up Bay." Petey whispered.

"Whatever. If you don't want my opinion then don't ask." She retorted.

"Next time just kick me in my fucking balls." Alex muttered.

YIKES!! Note to self: Stay away from Bailey's friends!! Review please and tell me what you think!!