AUSTIN:

I was in the kitchen, making dinner, which was spaghetti and meat sauce and garden salad. Jessica entered the kitchen, and she was wearing a hot pink cardigan sweater, a white tank top with makeup graphics on it, light wash skinny jeans, white ballet flats, her gold Jessica necklace and gold hoop earrings. Her blonde hair was in curls rather than her usual pin straight blonde hair. She had her pink floral print makeup bag in her hands and she asked me,

"What smells so good, Dad?"

I said,

"I'm making spaghetti and red sauce with beef for when Ally comes over with her daughter. I'm so nervous."

My daughter laughed.

"Aww, that's so cute. You're a grown man and you're so nervous about the girl you like coming over."

She took out her eyeshadow and started painting her eyelids with light pink sparkly eyeshadow, black mascara, and black eyeliner.

"Is your brother taking a shower?"

I had told Max to take a shower before Ally came over because it had been three days since he last took a shower. He was thirteen, he really should be showering more often. Also, he was on the wrestling team at their school, Calvin Coolidge Middle School.

Jessica took out some pink blush and painted her cheeks with it. She said,

"Yeah. I'm very glad you told him to take a shower. I know because I could hear him singing Baby got back in the shower so I decided to do my hair and makeup elsewhere."

She took out some bright pink lipstick and covered her lips with it and smacked her lips together. My phone dinged in my pocket. It was from Ally and it said,

"I'll be there in five minutes."

I texted,

"Can't wait to see your gorgeous face."

I said,

"Hey, Jessie, can you set the table? Five places- napkins, forks, bowls, and plates."

"OK."

I saw my daughter do as she was told. Max came in, in a black Walking Dead hoodie, a black Got Guitar? t-shirt, dark wash ripped jeans and red Nike high tops. His blonde hair was slicked back.

"Wow, Max, you clean up good."

Jessica laughed condescendingly.

"You should clean up more."

Max made a face at her and she made one back at him.

"Thanks. I'm sure your new girlfriend is hot."

I laughed.

"I'm still getting to know her, but eventually, hopefully, she will be my girlfriend."

I grabbed a loaf of sourdough bread and started cutting bread and I put butter in the middle of the table, the salad in the middle of the table, put sauce on the pasta and mixed it and put into a bowl on the table. I then heard the doorbell ring. Shit- I felt those butterflies in my stomach again. She's here, I thought. I went to go answer the door, and Ally was holding Sofia's hand, and she had a purse on her shoulder, and a plastic box of Vanilla cupcakes in her hand. I greeted her, saying,

"Hey, beautiful,"

And then I kissed her hand. She giggled softly and she said,

"Hey, Austin,"

And we tightly embraced. I knelt down to Sofia's height and I said,

"Hey, you. You little munchkin."

A bright smile spread across Sofia's face as she let go of Ally's hand, consisting of little squirrel cheeks and large brown doe eyes that she had inherited from Ally and she giggled a little. The sound of laughter from a young child always melted my heart. Sofia said,

"Hi, Austin,"

She hugged me and gave me a kiss on the cheek and I hugged her back. I said to her,

"Look at you, with your little jean jacket with butterflies and flowers and your little Ariel T-shirt."

Ally laughed.

"She's a real Ariel fan."

I stood back up on my height and I said,

"Come on in."

I closed the door behind my would-be girlfriend, and Max and Jessica came out of the kitchen. Ally asked me,

"Can I put my bag and the dessert I brought down?"

I said,

"Of course. Meet my kids- Max and Jessica."

Jessica greeted her first. She giggled.

"I'm Jessica."

Ally said to her,

"Hi, Jessica, it's very nice to finally meet you. You're gorgeous."

Jessica smiled.

"Thank you. It's nice to meet you, too."

She then came over to Max and she said,

"Hi, Max. It's very nice to finally meet you as well. You're very handsome."

Max said,

"Thanks. You're gorgeous yourself."

Ally giggled.

"Thank you."

He winked at her and clicked his tongue. I could hear Ally say,

"And this is my daughter, Sofia. She's six."

Sofia said to them,

"I'm a little munchkin!"

Jessica laughed.

"Hi, Sofia. You are a little munchkin."

Max said to her,

"You're so cute. My dad really likes your mom."

I laughed as I went into the kitchen and put the dessert on the counter and I came back out. I said,

"Dinner's ready."

My kids walked in and I handed them cups and I said to them,

"You two, make drinks for yourselves and ask Sofia if she wants anything to drink."

Max said to me,

"Sure, Dad."

He went to the refrigerator and pulled out a jug of apple juice and he whispered to me,

"By the way, you scored."

A big old cheeky, toothy, grin spread across Max's face.

"What do you mean?"

"Ally is so fine."

I whispered,

"Maximilian, Ally is twice your age. Wait five years and then you can flirt with all the adult women you want."

Max said,

"I know to take you seriously when you use my full name. OK, fine."

Jessica was reaching into the fridge and pulling out a bottle of sparkling water and I heard her ask,

"Sofia, do you want me to get you anything to drink?"

Sofia replied,

"I'll take some water, please."

Jessica went to the sink and poured my would-be stepdaughter a glass of water. Sofia said to her,

"Thank you."

I asked Ally,

"Do you want me to top you off? I have Chardonnay, Rosé, Cabernet and bud light."

I said,

"May I have some Rosé with a few ice cubes?"

I giggled.

"Your wish is my command, beautiful."

I poured her Rosé and put ice cubes in it. I got myself a can of bud light and poured it into a glass. We later sat down to eat dinner and Ally immediately started eating the pasta I had cooked.

"Austin, did you make this?"

He said,

"Yup."

"It's delicious."

"Thank you."

I saw Sofia was sitting right beside Ally. I asked her,

"You like it, Sofia?"

She nodded as she was still chewing. She swallowed and Ally wiped her mouth, covered in tomato sauce. Ally asked,

"Max, Jessica, I'd like to get to know you two a little better. How old are you?"

They said in unison,

"Thirteen."

Jessica was putting butter on a slice of bread.

"We're twins. I'm the oldest,"

Jessica said with a somewhat haughty smile on her face. Max looked rather pissed at her.

"By three minutes."

Sofia was eating a forkful of her salad and she said,

"You guys are brother and sister. Act like you're friends! I have no brother or sister, so you two are lucky!"

Ally giggled as she took a sip of Rosé. I whispered to Sofia,

"You get used to it."

"I'm in first grade. I have twin girls named Leah and Lola in my class and they say they're each other's best friends. No reason why you can't act like that, too."

Max said,

"Dang, girl. You're only six and you know how to tell people off."

The little girl said,

"I just want everyone to get along."

Ally asked them,

"What do you kids like to do in your free time?"

Max replied,

"I like to wrestle, in case my dad didn't tell you, I'm on my school's wrestling team. I have ADHD so it helps me with my chemical imbalance. PE is my best subject. I also like to play video games, go to movies and I like to skateboard. All with my friends."

"Cool. What about you, Jessica? What do you like to do?"

Jessica was eating more of her salad and she swallowed.

"I like to go to spend time with my friends, I like to read and I like to design. I love beauty, fashion, makeup and art a lot."

"Do you think you want to go into fashion or makeup when you grow up?"

"Um, yeah. I might. I mean, I'm only in eighth grade now but it's something to think about."

"Speaking of your friends, I know your friend Alanna Dillon. Her mom Trish is my best friend and we work at the same pediatrician's office."

Jessica giggled.

"Alanna and I have known each other since birth. My dad and her dad are great friends so their friendship was passed down to us."

I smiled. Jace Dillon had been friends with Dez and I since we were freshmen in high school and the three of us had gone to college together as well. Trish and Jace, despite going to different high schools (but both still here in Miami) had met at the mall and they ended up going to the same college together and then they ended up moving in and getting married together and their daughter Alanna and my daughter Jessica were just two months apart, and the two ended up going to preschool, elementary school, middle school and they may even end up going to highschool together. Jace and Trish were still friends with Piper and I, despite our divorce.

Later after dinner, I said to Ally, as she was holding Sofia's hand,

"Oh god, I didn't ask you if you wanted a tour of the house."

I took them upstairs and Max and Jessica followed- showing them the twins' rooms, my room, the office/home gym, the guest room and the TV/game room. Sofia asked me,

"If we move in here with you, can I have Jessica's room?"

Ally laughed.

"Jessica does have a very pretty room, doesn't she?"

Jessica smiled.

"Thank you. And if you smell a stench next door, that's Max's laundry."

Max gave his sister a dirty look.

"God, Jessica, you're a priss."

"Max, it's not high-maitenance to want to smell pleasant."

I said,

"Kids, please don't embarrass me by squabbling. But Jessica, Thanks for reminding me. I need to do laundry tomorrow."

I turned to Max and Jessica.

"Ally and I are going to have some alone time. Why don't you two go take Sofia into the game room and play a game with her and we'll have dessert in a little while."

Max gave me a look.

"Sure, Dad. But the games I play might be inappropriate for kids her age."

I said,

"Max, I meant like a board game, silly. We still have those board games you and your sister loved to play when you were younger."

Jessica said,

"Sure, Dad. We'll keep the little one entertained."

Sofia said,

"I want them to get along, though."

Ally laughed and she said to me,

"Come on."

We sat down on the sofa and Ally snuggled up to me. Her head was on my shoulder and I had my arm around her.

"The dinner you made was delicious, Austin,"

she whispered to me.

"You deserve the best, beautiful,"

I whispered and I kissed her hand. Her nails were covered in pearl pink nail polish.

"I could tell Sofia really liked it, too."

Ally whispered,

"Sofia's not a picky eater at all. She'll eat anything."

I snickered.

"You're so beautiful."

Ally blushed.

"You're so sweet."

Hope you guys liked that chapter! I think Austin and Ally really like each other! More of their alone time will be in the next chapter. So excited because tomorrow I'm going to San Francisco Comic Con :D. But also San Francisco is trapped in this deadly heatwave :l :O but fortunately it hasn't knocked out the power. If you guys like the story, remember to favorite, follow and review! Love my readers to the moon and back. The Austin Moon and back if you will, :D