Previously in "Surrender All Your Dreams", Caroline finds out from Stefan himself that he's interested in her as more than friends with benefits. Tatia meets Brady after she, her sisters and their friends run into Amara at a club.
Chapter Two
Caroline groaned as she woke up the next day, her head feeling like someone was hitting it with a hammer. She looked over and saw some aspirin and a glass of water and she took it and sat up rubbing her head. "Ouch, holy hell this hurts…" She got up and walked to the bathroom and did her morning routine and walked downstairs to see Lexi smiling widely and she greeted her. "Ugh, Lex, not so loud. My head is killing me."
Lexi smirked and chuckled at her friend. "You're the one who drank all those jello shots last night." She went into the kitchen and brought her a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. "So what are you going to do about Stefan? Are you going to try and have a relationship with him? He does love you, you know."
"I know he does. I honestly don't really want to decide anything yet, okay?" Caroline said as she began eating the breakfast prepared for her. "Oh, and speaking of…where did Tatiana disappear to last night? I saw her with that cute guy and then she was gone."
"She disappeared all right. She told me earlier that she's found someone. She will tell us later, when we get to work," Lexi replied with a nod as she sat down across from Caroline.
Caroline finished eating and then she stood up placing her plate in the sink and retreating upstairs to take a shower and get dressed. She got out of the shower a little while later and got dressed in a pale pink strapless dress that had a big purple bow cinched around her waist accentuating her curves in all the right places. She brushed her hair out and piled it in a bit bun on top of her head. She did her makeup before slipping on her shoes and going downstairs to meet Lexi.
Lexi smiled and saw her come down the stairs and walked with her to the car. They got in and a few minutes later they were at the shop. They walked in and saw Tatiana grinning happily and whistling while she worked.
"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Tatiana?" Caroline looked at her, smiling teasingly.
Tatiana rolled her eyes and walked over. "It's still me. I'm just so happy. That guy I left with last night, I think its destiny." She smiled and sat in a chair and looked at the other two.
"Are you going to see him again?" Lexi asked as she began pulling out books to put out for display in the glass window in the front of the store.
Tatiana nodded and blushed slightly biting her lower lip. "Yeah, he's picking me up at five for dinner at his house. Oh, and um, Caroline, these came for you." She walked over, picked up a glass vase with a bouquet of roses that had an unsigned card. "It doesn't say who it's from though."
Caroline frowned then took the vase from Tatia, taking it over to the front desk to read the card, which said "Blonde hair, blue eyes, what else am I missing? Oh, a beautiful body…think of me always…" Caroline smiled and blushed slightly and looked at the card flipping it hoping it would reveal who it was. "Well, whoever it was sure knew how to tug at my heartstrings." She was unaware of Stefan looking in the window smirking and he disappeared when she looked up.
Lexi smiled and waved at her ex-boyfriend, but said nothing of seeing him as she climbed out of the box-enclosed display window, closing the door behind her. "That's great that you got flowers, Care. I wonder if Tatiana or I will get some," she said with a teasing smile.
Caroline smiled thoughtfully and nodded at what she thought of. "You might, although I bet Tatiana gets more than flowers." She smirked and saw her face.
"Hey! Be nice. Just because I have someone and you both don't…"
Caroline rolled her eyes and held up a hand stopping her. "We do have someone special, we just haven't figured out what to do is all…"
"You mean YOU haven't figured out what to do about Stefan. I know I want something with Thierry. In fact, I guarantee you that he'll call on me soon." Lexi smirked at her friend.
"Do tell us what happened, Alexia," Tatia said as she leaned her hip against the glass display case just inside the front door that housed the main cash register.
Lexi felt her face heat up and she looked away from Tatia's penetrating gaze. "Nothing really happened. I mean all we did was kiss while we were at the club, and well, he said he would call on me soon." She looked up and saw none other than Thierry walking through the door. "Oh. Hello, Thierry!" Lexi squeaked and hid behind Caroline.
"Hello, ladies," Thierry said as he removed his sunglasses, giving them a smirk. "Brady says to tell you hello, Tatiana."
"Oh he does, huh?" Tatia said with a smirk before getting out her phone to send a text to Brady.
Lexi came out from behind Caroline, her face colored red from seeing him. "What are you doing here, Thierry?" She walked around and grabbed a watering can and filled it with cold water before going outside to water the flower boxes and squeaked when she felt his hands on her hips. "I'm trying to water flowers, you know."
"Oh, I know that. I just couldn't resist. You are a very charming woman and you sure know how to tease me. I couldn't stop thinking about you, so I had to come and see you. Would you like to have dinner with me this evening?" Thierry smiled widely at her hoping she would say yes.
"I kind of already had plans. The girls and I are going to another bar in Richmond, and it's going to be a long drive there and a long one back," Lexi said.
"I wouldn't count on that, considering Brady is coming to pick up Tatiana to spend the evening with her. Oh, and then there's Stefan, who is probably going to ask Caroline to dinner, which you and I both know it will be hard for her to say no to. So, that leaves you, Miss Alexia." Thierry smirked at her and saw Tatia come out and run up to Lexi.
"Hey, I can't go to the bar tonight. Brady asked me to spend the evening with him and I can't say no. You and Care have fun though!" Tatia ran back inside to work some more on designs she had drawn last week.
Lexi nodded and looked up seeing Stefan walk into the shop and she bit her lip knowing that Thierry was right. Caroline gasped seeing Stefan walk in. "Stefan? W-what are you doing here?"
"I thought I'd see if you were still thinking about my offer from last night," he said.
"Still thinking about it," she replied.
"Well Caroline, can you think over dinner?" Stefan leaned on the counter towards her, smirking a bit and saw her look at Tatia.
"But, we're going to a bar…" Caroline stuttered out looking at Tatia and then at Stefan.
"I'm not. I'm spending the evening with Brady." Tatia smirked and went back to her sewing.
"Oh, we're going, Care," Lexi said as she came back in. "We'll just have to go without the others."
"I'm not in the mood to go anymore, Lexi." She turned and walked outside slamming the door behind her and stalked down the street.
"What did I say?" Lexi looked at Stefan wondering what the hell had just happened.
"I'd better go talk to her." He smiled at her apologetically before leaving and following Caroline.
"Go away, Lexi. I'm not in the mood!" She walked faster and was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.
Stefan turned her around and looked down at her. "Caroline, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," she said abruptly to him. "Nothing is wrong, Stefan. But, you know I'm not ready for a relationship right now. You have to know that."
"Caroline, I know you better than that. Your mouth says no, but your heart says yes. What are you so afraid of? I'm not going to hurt you." Stefan smiled and turned to walk away.
After he was gone, Caroline huffed in frustration then headed back into the shop. "So, are we going or what?" Lexi looked at her friend hoping.
"I already said I'm not in the damn mood. Why the hell would you ask me again?" Caroline rolled her eyes and sat at her station and did her work before leaving when they closed up and she went home. She went into her room and slammed her door locking it.
Lexi, surprised by her friend's behavior, decided to send someone a text that would help her. Jenna Saltzman received a text from Lexi and she sighed and shook her head. She went to their house and went inside. She walked up to the room she knew to be Caroline's and she knocked on it softly. "Caroline? It's Jenna. Can I come in? I just want to talk to you." She stood there and smiled softly when the door opened revealing a very moody Caroline. Caroline saw Jenna and she stepped back to let her inside. She walked over to her bed and sat down on it huffing. "Caroline? What's going on? You haven't been acting yourself for over a month now. You've been really moody lately."
"Jenna, a month ago Stefan and I hooked up as just a way to have fun but he didn't use protection that time and I'm pregnant, Jenna. I'm pregnant and scared that he won't want to be there for me. I'm afraid to commit to him because I'm scared he'll leave me alone." Caroline cried and was wrapped in Jenna's arms and she sobbed softly.
Jenna embraced Caroline gently, rocking the younger blonde. "Have you thought about telling anyone else?" she asked.
"I want to tell Stefan, but I suppose Lexi deserves to know too." She sniffled and wiped her eyes and texts Stefan asking him to come over. "Can you wait downstairs, Jenna?" She heard footsteps on the stairs that belonged to Stefan.
Jenna nodded and walked downstairs passing Stefan on the way and she sat in a chair rubbing a hand over her still flat stomach. Stefan walked into Caroline's room and shut the door walking over to her and sat beside her. "Caroline? What's wrong?"
Caroline bit her lip and looked at him then at the bed. "Stefan, I'm pregnant and…it's yours."
Stefan looked shocked. And then he asked, "From a month ago?"
"Yes, Stefan, it's from a month ago. You never wore a damn condom, so now I'm carrying your child." She looked at him hurt that he was questioning that it was his.
Author's Note: Okay, while progress is slow, I hope that you are enjoying this. The next chapter will work on focusing back on Lexi and Thierry, and what's been happening with them. Happy reading!