Chapter 8 - flirting isn't crossing the line, right?

previously: is that a vacuum cleaner ?" he said, as if he was talking about something from outer space. Was this kid serious, I though, but when I saw his face expression I realized he was dead serious... Oh man...

...

"yes ! And you guys are going to use it on your rooms. You plug it in like this and then run it on the floor. Okay ? " I said but didn't receive any enthusiastic responds.

" isn't that hard? " Bella asked .

"no, not at all sweetie. It's easy."

" and boring !" Nick said and he had clearly no plans at helping at all.

"and it will be done by the end of the day so I suggest you start now !" I said and I gave Nick a firm look.

"how about Liam ! He doesn't have too !"

" He is 2 ! but when you find something he can do I'll make sure to tell him that" I said and put the vacuum cleaner in Nicks hands.

"come on Bella.. we might as well get it over with.." Nick said with a sigh.

" Can we swim in the pool when we finish ? " Bella asked hopefully with her big beautiful eyes. I took a few seconds to think it through.

"Fine.. first you clean, then we eat and after that we can take

a swim before bed.. "

" come on Bella, let's finish quick! " Nick said and his attitude against the cleaning had changed right away. I laughed at them and walked into Liams room to find him asleep.

Liam was only 2 years old and his real mother died giving birth to him. I really liked Julie, she was the only one that had tried to be a mother for me. My real mum died in cancer when I was 6. I have very week memories of my mother but one thing that is stuck in my head is her soft caring kiss on the forehead that she gave me every night. Fortunately I had a dad who was also very caring and made time for me. He was definitely not like Paul, a workaholic. My father worked a lot too but he worked from his office in the house and some times he took trips away but he never left me with some staff that he hired. He took good care of me, I became a "Daddy's girl" adoring my father more than anything.

When I was 15 something happened. He got sick VERY fast! He lost hair , but not

much like my mother had. One time he just got home and said he didn't feel good. I left him alone in his room and he didn't come out for a day but I wasn't surprised. I was 15 and could take care of myself and sometimes he really wanted to work alone so I didn't think it was something. one day later I entered the room and he laid there on the couch , sweating and slightly shaking. I took him to the hospital who didn't know what had happened and suddenly he was transferred.. I can't remember the location but after a week he was dead. R.I.P.

The doctors told me it was cancer and I believed them. I was suppose to live with my uncle but he didn't want me and Paul and my father were only half brothers so Paul was not a option. I was left to childcare where I lived with some foster families that I never liked and then 2 years later Julie took me in her house. Julie was a doctor when she was alive and she explained to me that she never knew my father but it's almost impossible to discover cancer and die of cancer the same week ! so I tried to look at my fathers files but the doctors said they couldn't find any. My fathers death is actually a mystery but I tell everyone he died of cancer.. It's easier for me to handle..

Every time I look in Liams eyes my heart breaks into pieces. He will never know his mother and his father will not really get to know him since Paul is all about his work … I am all he has . As I stood there over his cabinet Liam opened his eyes and looked at me with his big baby eyes.

"mama..." he said and reached his arms towards me. I lift him up and looked at him.

" no. Nessa... Julie is your mama.. Julie "

I wish my parents could see me now. I'm working, and practically raising 3 kids. I like to think that they would be proud of me but I wish they could see me and actually tell me in person. I feel like Liams mother and I'm at least the closest thing he has to a mother but I don't know anything about raising kids. Julie raised Bella and Nick from the beginning, I just made sure her work wasn't forgotten. But no one ever learned Liam since she died at his birth so now I feel like it's my responsibility. I'm afraid to fail...You could almost say I'm a scared newly mother.. it would be nice to have my mothers advice and my fathers calming voice and jokes.

" Mama.." he said and reached his tiny hand up to my face. I kissed the palm of his hand and held him closer to my body.

"Yes cutie.. I am your mama... Julie is your mother.. I am

your mama... "

Later that day , at 19.00 , lunch time..

"Nessa ! I am hungry " Bella said in her chair by the dinner table.

"when will we eat ? I'm starving!" He said and put the plates on the table. Liam noticed his siblings behavior and decided he couldn't be worse.

"food... " he said and giggled. I turned to them and faked a stressed smile. I felt something burn on my hand and saw I had gotten hot butter on my hands.

" DAMN IT !" I said and placed my hand under running water.

"YOU SAID A BAD WORD !" Bella yelled out and pointed at me with a angry face. I tried to ignore her and tried to control my temper.

"That is 1 dollar in the bucket ! " Nick said and smirked. I hope he understands that he doesn't get the money in the bucket when it's full.

"busy ?" Zac said. I turned around to see that he had entered and leaned against the kitchen wall with a smirk on his face.

"what are you doing here ? " I asked surprised.

" well, it's kinda exhausting to go to the gym so I thought that 4 hours there was enough "

"understandable" I said and regretted my stupid question before. That's when she noticed that he was newly showered. His hair was a bit messy after rubbing a towel in it, and his cologne was fresh. Why is he so damn attractive ?

"it will be done in a minute... can't you go away and play or watch tv for now?" I said and sighed hopelessly. The 2 kids sighed disappointed and left the kitchen . I leaned against the counter and dialed a nr on my phone.

"what are you doing ?" He asked while walking towards me and ran one of his hands through his sexy newly showered hair.

"Calling the pizzeria, Vanessa Hudgens officially admits that she can't cook ! I'm giving up! " I said with a laugh while trying my hardest to not imagine what he looked like in the shower.

"oh come on! It's not that hard" He said and stood surprisingly close to me.

"talk for yourself ! Look at this kitchen, it looks like a tornado was in here and ruined

everything. Even Liam could do a better job! " I said and threw my hands out in a dramatic gesture towards all the dishes. He rolled his eyes and took my phone with a smirk. Before I could say anything he had hung up.

"Hey !" I said upset but he only smirked at me.

"you are not giving up! "

" Yes I am ! I am tired and I don't want to stand here anymore !" I said and I really meant it. Then he did something surprising. With one arm he swept all the dishes and mistakes in the sink and started to prepare for a new meal.

"what are you doing ?" I said surprised.

" Helping you cook." he said simply.

" and you don't have a rule against that ?"

" well, you did actually give me a day off even if that's not your decision.. and besides.. I'm suppose to keep you alive and I think that you will die of food poisoning if I don't save the situation " he said and grinned teasingly at me.

" normally I would defend myself but not even I can lie that bad. " I said and laughed.

"okay, so let's see .. if you cut the vegetables, I'll do the rest." he said and handed me a knife.

"that doesn't sound so fair" I said when I started to cut vegetables.

" trust me. It's the safest. " he said and winked at me.

"fine. In small pieces or .. ? "

" yes, small pieces.."

"so what gym did you go to ?" I said in a attempt to small talk and avoid the awkward silence.

"The rest of the guys went near by but me and Sam went to... that other big place.. with that big Yellow sign" he said and chuckled.

"oh , yeah I know that place. Isn't it very crowded?" I said and looked up at him.

"I don't mind a audience .." he said and winked at me.

" Oh really ! Some ones a little too full of himself?" I said laughing at him. He dropped his knife and turned to me with a smirk on his face.

"What, miss Hudgens ? Is there anything I should be ashamed of ? " he said teasingly but I didn't know if he was joking or was expecting a answer.

What was I suppose to do ? Look away , hell no! That's rude, right ? I took my chance and checked him out for real, which made the whole situation even worse! Because he was so .. no words .. He was fully dressed and looked incredibly hot. Try to picture what he would look without – NO ! Don't go there ! But compared to Jack... wow..

"there should definitely be a rule against that..." I said and quietly and looked back at my vegetables. He laughed and pushed me playfully on the side .

"you break rules so I thought I could try it.. " he said and smirked at me. I smiled back.

"and how is it treating you ?"

" well , so far it's good but I don't think I should push it..." he said and laughed

Message received. Even if he tried to hide it with a laugh I got the signal. Maybe I'm just imagining that he's interested in me , but if he is he just told me that he could be my friend but this is his work place now and he keeps it professional. Well consider the message received and understood.

At least for now ..

"DAMN!" I screamed out for the second time in one hour. This time I had accidentally cut my finger.

" THAT'S ONE MORE DOLLAR!" Bella yelled from the living room. I tried to laugh but I couldn't since the sight of blood makes me wanna throw up. Zac took my hand and held it under cold running water but I tried to pull my hand back.

"water doesn't make it better …" I said.

"Hold it still." he answered me with a firm strict voice that made it sound like he was ordering me.

What just happened? Five seconds ago he was completely relaxed and joked with me. What changed?I held it still under the streaming water until he took my hand and put bandage on it. That's when I knew the answer... the reason he all of a sudden showed no emotion was because we had body contact. That's where the limit goes. Body contact is to much to control the situation. We both know that our lips have been to close too many times..

"thank you" I said and sat down on a chair , holding my hand carefully.

" you should really take a cooking lesson or somethin'" he said and this time he smiled again.

"well, I'm not sure that would help. I went to school and let's just say there is a reason I'm only a waitress." I said and lifted Liam up to my lap.

" bad grades?"

"Oh yeah ! But I didn't really care. All my school hours went by fast because I didn't pay much

attention. I was to busy thinking about what to do when I came home or what to do with my father."

"when did... when did your parents pass away ?" He said and I couldn't tell what his face expression was since he was standing with his back towards me.

" I am going to take that as 2 personally questions since it's 2 people! So that means I

get a question later." I said and tried to joke. If I joked about it the question didn't have to be so serious.

Zac hasn't been a agent long but long enough to read others emotions. He have always been good at reading people. The way she reacted is normal but it also meant that her parents was a very personal and emotional subject.. and he adored the way she tried to make it to a joke to light it up.

".. My mother died from cancer when I was 6 and then I lived with my father until he died when

I was 15 … of cancer too.." I said .

"you don't sound so sure o your fathers death..." He said and turned around to face me.

"I know you're a agent but don't profile me.." I said and played with Liam instead of facing him.

" I'm sorry , I didn't mean it like that … I just... I thought I might have a follow up question" he said and felt bad for asking in the first place.

I didn't answer. I just lifted Liam a and turned him so he faced me. Liam giggled and reached for my face. I leaned closer and let him touch my face with his tiny hands. I saw how Zac started feeling guilty so I decided to tell him more so he'd knew that he actually was right with his profiling.

" I don't know how he died. One day we watched TV together, laughing and teasing and one week later he was dead..." I said, quietly.

Zac new better than to answer .He didn't want to offend her by being to curious. He wanted to know more ofc but he didn't want to ask. and if he was right she would tell him herself. And like he had hoped she continued.

"I got him to the hospital and they sent him to another location that I don't remember..

and then he died and they blamed cancer.. It was 2 years later when I lived here that I understood that it's highly impossible to die in a week.. "

"and you don't remember the location ? Have you asked the hospital ?" he asked , trying hard not to act nosy.

"ofc I have!.. they say that they don't have a record of him every being there.." I said and starting to get upset like every time I have to talk about my father.

Zac immediately had a bad feeling about this.. something was definitely wrong with Vanessa's story. He didn't think she lied to him. but she had definitely not the whole story . And that location she was talking about.. He had a slight idea what location she was talking about but that was impossible..right? That would mean that her father was... that he was.. No he couldn't be..