Title: Sweeter Beginnings.
Summary: Sometimes Fate and Destiny have different plans. What happens when Bakery owner Riley falls in love with a sports reporter and his was sitting on the kitchen counter, nursing a beer while Lucas was cleaning the kitchen.
Reviews and Feedback are welcomed :)
Lucy was already in bed, so the two boys were free to talk about their day. Especially given that Zay wanted to know more about what had happened with Lucy and her new friend. Especially considering that Lucy couldn't stop raving about her new friend's cookies.
"So?" Zay asks looking at Lucas who turns around and leans his back against the sink, staring at the dark skinned man in front of him.
"So what? Are you going to help me out here, slob? Or do you just came to drink my beer?" Lucas arches an eyebrow and Zay snickers and shakes his head.
"Last time I helped you, you and Lucy yelled at me because I broke a couple of dishes, so no thank you. I'll just take the beer," Zay raises the bottle and Lucas glares at him. "But I mainly want to know about the bakery ladies or more about this Riley chick. Lucy seems to like her."
Lucas groans "Don't start Zay!"
"What? Lucy said they're beautiful and awesome, so I was just wondering. Besides when was the last time Lucy got attached to the women you dated. Remember Kelly?"
Lucas groans again as he grabs his beer "Don't remind me. Lucy really hated her, and it's because of that reason that I don't date anymore."
"Dude! Lucy seems to take to Riley well according to Josh. This could be a sign that you need to start dating. So come on man-SPILL!"
"The truth?" Lucas gives a lopsided smile and Zay nods eagerly. "Damn! Man, they were gorgeous but Riley she was something else, she was beautiful" Zay grins as Lucas continues "She had this smile that lit up the room and how she spoke to Lucy was just amazing."
"Seems to me that Little Lucy was not the only one smitten by this Riley."
Lucas shakes his head "Definitely not."
"Wait let me get this straight, so you like her and thinks she is awesome and Luce is like obsessed with her and the cookies, and you didn't ask her out?" Zay frowns with confusion.
"I'm not gonna use my kid to get dates, besides I don't need a relationship. I have enough with my job and Lucy without worrying about dates and women."
"Look, just because last time turned out badly doesn't mean you should just give up," Zay spoke sternly, far from his usual laidback attitude. "I know that Lucy didn't like Kelly and that Lucy's mother just bailed, but dude not everyone is like them."
"Babineaux, just stop it." Lucas interrupts him, a warning tone in his words.
"Man, I know you love the little one, and you have done a good job and, shit, even with Josh and I and your family helping," Zay sighs. "But she deserves a mom, someone to give her relationship advice later and help her when she cries over girly stuff, so you should look for a woman to fill that role."
"It's not like any woman would do." Lucas scowls. "I have a daughter; I don't have time for dating. And not every woman wants to take care of a child that's not even theirs. I don't want Lucy becoming Cinderella with the evil stepmom."
Zay looks at Lucas causing them to both chuckles at the fact that they have seen that movie hundreds of times each due to Lucy before Zay continues talking.
"You see the situation as a disadvantage." He says seriously. "But think about it. If not every woman wants to, then at least you're not gonna waste your time with them."
Lucas things for a moment before shaking his head "When did you become so smart, Zay?"
"Must be the beer," Zay replies and stands up. "I'm going home. I'll be back for breakfast."
"Sometimes I hate that you live across the hall," Lucas complains.
"Because you have food and I have a bachelor's fridge, so it's empty." Zay snickers. "Plus, you can't complain because I babysit for you."
Lucas smiles "I do really appreciate it."
Zay nods "I know Luke. I am happy to help, but please think about what I said? I've known you forever, and the longest commitment you've had has been with Lucy, and you want to make her happy, but you being miserable is not going to help."
"What? You want me to pick a woman and say: 'I want you. Marry me.'?" Lucas mocks Zay, and he glares at him.
"No, I just want you to give it a try. I'm sure Luce wants you to be happy as much as you want her to be." Zay finishes and leaves the apartment, leaving Lucas alone with his thoughts.
Lucas was sleeping soundly on his bed when he felt his bed shifting and then a small and soft hand on his arm.
"Daddy?" He heard the whisper of his daughter and he stirs in bed and mutters something under his breath. "Morning, Daddy," Lucy says softly, and Lucas smiles with his eyes still closed and then feels a sloppy kiss press against his cheek.
He wraps his arms around his daughter, and she squeals loudly as Lucas hugged her tightly against him and got her under the covers with him.
"Morning, my little princess." He drops a kiss on the top of her head and Lucy giggles.
"Daddy, you have to wake up." She tells him and Lucas groans. "Daddy! Wake up!" Lucy frees herself from Lucas and starts to jump on his bed until he finally sits up rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Okay, okay," Lucas complies. "I am up. Get dressed while I take a shower." He gets out of bed while Lucy was staring at her dad. "What's wrong, Luce?"
"Nothing, it's just…" she trails off, and Lucas arches an eyebrow. "Nothing." She smiles, and Lucas sees her sprinting out of his room and towards hers to get dressed like she did every morning. He shakes his head as he makes his way to the bathroom, that girl was always up to mischief.
One thing he loves about his daughter was that she was independent and despite the many people who adore her and the fact that she had been raised without too many kids around, she wasn't a brat. She was like a grown up in a tiny body and even when it scared him that sometimes she was smarter than him, he was glad about it.
Lucy was the best thing ever to happen to him.
After he had showered and got dressed, he makes his way to the kitchen to find Lucy pouring coco pops in a bowl and popping some into her mouth while Zay was rubbing his eyes and yawning.
"Zay! Do you ever have breakfast at your apartment?" Lucas asks as he goes and gets make himself a cup of coffee. Zay goes to say something but another yawn takes over and which causes Lucy to giggle.
"Uncle Zay says he likes spending breakfast with his favorite lady who is me." She throws one of her small arms around Zay's shoulders and leans her head against his shoulder while he sighs and wraps an arm around her. "But I say he's just too lazy." She snickers while Zay gasps.
"LUCY MARIE FRIAR!"
Lucas laughs and proceeds to prepare the coffee. After about five years of being a father, he had a perfectly designed routine with Lucy and the help from Zay sometimes in the morning. Usually, Zay or his mother got Lucy off to school while Lucas raced off to work. Zay and his family all had an emergency key in case they needed to help with Lucy.
As Lucas pours himself a cup of coffee, he eyes the paper bag with cookies that was lying on the counter. Riley had given Lucy some cookies to put in her bag, and there were still about half a dozen left. He reaches for it, but soon a small voice interrupts him.
"Daddy! Those are mine," Lucy scolds him, and he sees the cute frown on her face. "You have to ask if you want one."
"May I have one?" He asks with a playful tone and she smiles at him.
"Okay, but just one." Lucy raises one finger to make a point and Lucas chuckles.
He opens the paper bag and smells the sweet scent of sugar and vanilla, and his mouth begins to water. He grabs one and takes a bite. He didn't even realize that he moaned with pleasure and Zay looks at him wide-eyed while Lucy giggles behind her hand.
"DUDE!" Zay scrunches up his face half-disgusted, half-amused, and makes sure that Lucy wasn't looking when he mouthed: 'You need sex.'
Lucas just sends him a glare but doesn't deny it.
"They are really good, right, Daddy?" Lucy says with a mouthful of cereal. Lucas gives her a look, and Lucy quickly swallows before smiling at him.
"No way, they can't be that good" Zay shakes his head.
"Zay, you have—" Lucas says and looks at Lucy. "Baby girl, do you have a cookie to give uncle Zay?"
"Okay," Lucy shrugs. "But only one, because you eat everything. You'll have to buy me more if you eat them all."
"Whatever, it's impossible, plus I don't eat things with so many calories—"
"Shut up, Zay," Lucas says and shoves a cookie into Zay's mouth.
The dark man widens his eyes and takes a bite. "Fuck," he mutters and Lucy gasps.
"Uncle Zay!" She scolds and Lucas smacks Zay's back so forcefully that the man chokes.
"This is awesome!" Zay manages to talk with his mouth full but quickly swallows when he sees the look Lucas is giving him "No wonder Lucy talks with her mouth full of food Zay." Zay apologizes and tries to take another cookie from the bag, but Lucas slaps his hand away.
"These are Luce's cookies, Babineaux." He chuckles. However, Lucas goes to take another cookie, but the bag is snatched away by Lucy.
"These are my cookies. Riley made them for me, so no cookies for you either." She says sternly and grabs a cookie while smiling cheekily at the two men.
"You're mean," Lucas pouts playfully and Lucy snickers and scrunches up her nose.
"Don't be a baby, Daddy. I'm the little girl, not you." She sticks her tongue out, and Zay laughs. He always had fun hanging out with the cracker that was Lucy. However, he stopped laughing and turned his gaze solely onto Lucas
"Whoa, wait. So, these were baked by Riley? The same one who Lucy said, you couldn't stop looking at?" Zay asks with a smirk.
"I was not starring at her!" Lucas tries to say, but Lucy stops him.
"Yes, you were daddy. You also said she was beauuuuuuuuuutifullllll." Lucy sings to him grinning. Zay cracks up laughing while Lucas goes red. He narrows his eyes at Zay before going to Lucy and grabbing her empty bowl.
"Princess, go brush your teeth and get your things so we can leave," Lucas tells her and Lucy nods as she jumps off her chair and runs to the bathroom.
Zay waits until she has disappeared in the bathroom and then looks at Lucas with a sly smile on his lips. Lucas knew what was coming but decides to play dumb and wait for Zay to speak. He knew what Zay was like and will, therefore, want to interfere.
"Riley, huh? So the woman is not only beautiful and great with Lucy, but she bakes amazingly?" Zay speaks, and Lucas lets out a heavy sigh.
"And not only that but she helped Lucy with her homework, and it was perfect, better than when I help her, and Lucy was happy," Lucas responds softly.
"Lukkkkeeeee," Zay drawls. "Shit!" He hisses at the looks on his friend's face, and he quickly looks around to make sure that Lucy wasn't around. "You have to ask her out."
"What? No!" Lucas knits his brow. "No, I can't. Besides, I don't have to. She's good with Lucy, but that doesn't mean I have to like her." He explains miserably, and Zay arches an eyebrow.
"Really? That's your excuse? You think she's beautiful and that she's perfect with Lucy, I think that's enough to give her a chance and ask for a date."
"Look, Zay, I appreciate the concern, but this is none of your fucking business, so stop it. I told you last night to shut up. I'm an adult, and I don't need to be told what to do, so keep your advice to yourself and leave me alone." Lucas finishes the conversation, and Zay sighs as Lucas goes to make sure Lucy was ready and he knew that his friend wasn't going to say anything more or hear him.
There was one thing Lucas had never changed in his life: he was stubborn. And maybe that quality was what got him through everything, because he didn't give up on Lucy, even when he was alone so that he couldn't complain about it. Zay understood the why in Lucas's attitude about falling in love.
That didn't mean he liked it.
Maya was walking around the café, making small talk with one of their regular clients and how well the bakery and art gallery was going, and the fact that she had sold her very first painting. They were doing so well that they had just hired a man called Tom to work behind the register so that Maya could focus on her art and Riley on the baking. She had been hesitant when Riley told her she wanted to showcase her artwork, but she was glad she listened to Riley.
Maya and Riley had been best friends for years, and she was forever grateful that she had found a partner and friend in Riley.
Maya didn't know a thing about bakeries, and Riley was never interested in art and business, so they complemented each other, especially when it seemed that Maya understood business and numbers more than Riley. Riley was trying her best to teach Maya how to bake, but it didn't appear to be going so well, so they had given up.
"Strudel," Maya says as she walks into the kitchen and Riley gives her a quizzical look. "I want one." She grins and Riley snickers.
"I can't bake whatever you crave just because otherwise, we wouldn't have a business," Riley explains as she makes her way through the kitchen.
"If you could bake what I crave? I'd ask for a man," Maya quips, and Riley snorts a laugh and takes something from a tray.
"How about a Gingerbread man?" Riley shows her a cookie and Maya burst into a fit of laughter. "I would cook a man for myself too. One that lasts more than just one bite." Riley jokes and Maya arches an eyebrow.
"One like Lucy's daddy?" The blonde girl asks mischievously.
"Maya," Riley draws warningly.
"What? I saw how you looked at him and there's nothing wrong with that. You're single and attractive, he's single and hot," Maya snickers.
"I won't use a little girl to get a date—"
"Oh, please!" Maya huffs. "Just two words: sexual tension."
"Maya!" Riley admonishes her. "I admit he's very, very good looking, but I just found attractive the way in which he cares for his daughter. It's endearing, and I want that in the future. But he has a kid; he's obviously lived more than I have and I don't think he would like to date a woman who doesn't know a thing about raising a family."
"So you're basically telling me that you want a family man, that's good with kids, and that wants them, that he should be caring and loving but when you see him you say no because he has more experience than you, because unlike most men, he's more mature than a seven-year-old." Maya arches an eyebrow. "That's bullshit, Riles."
"I—I—"
"Nothing," Maya shushes her. "If that man asks you for a date, you're going to say yes. I'm your best friend, and I know you, and you want that, so do me a favor and just give it a chance." Maya says and Riley stares.
It wasn't like she was going to see Lucas again in the near future, there weren't many chances after all, even if she did want to meet him again.
"Okay, I'll say yes." Riley sighs and gives Maya a pointed look. "But that doesn't mean he's going to ask me out."
"We'll see." Maya smiles wickedly. "We'll see."
"Dude, since when do you want to eat cake? I thought you didn't eat 'fat,' cause it messed with your dancer diet" Josh mocks Zay over the phone.
"Matthews, I don't wanna eat cake, I wanna meet the chicks from the bakery," Zay replies "And you know them so here I am."
"Lucas was pissed this morning, and he said that you were meddling again, so I don't understand why you would risk getting yourself punched in the face," Josh snickers and Zay rolls his eyes and huffs while he reclines on the couch.
"Lucas doesn't know what he needs, and I'm just trying to help him," Zay complains.
"True, but he's just all about Lucy now and after one woman disappointing him it's kinda understandable," Josh and Zay sigh.
Lucas had had a tough time after the birth of Lucy. He'd thought that he was going to have a family, that he was going to be a dad and raise his daughter with his girlfriend, but things had changed drastically during the pregnancy, and at the end, he was the one who decided to take care of his child. Alone.
"But according to Luce, this Riley chick is awesome, and you would know because you are her uncle."
"Well, from what Maya has said Lucas's eyes almost fell out of their sockets when he saw her, but you know the man is stubborn and he likes to keep his dates far away from Lucy," Josh says while he looks around his desk to make sure that Lucas wasn't around.
"I know," Zay agrees. "But I need to see if this chick is good for Lucy, so just give me the damn address of the bakery, and I'll go investigate."
"Do you not trust my judgment?" Josh mocks jokingly "Zay you know Lucas will get mad."
"Whatever, I'm not scared of him."
"Really?"
"I work out." Zay retorts and Josh snorts "Yeah but your workout is different to his workout, besides he doesn't bring Texas Lucas out much…but when he does you get a scared look on your face."
"Lucy will save me," Zay hears Josh's laughter. "Okay, now spill."
Zay was walking down the street with his hands in the pockets of his jacket and thinking about his plan, which he knew was pretty bad and not well thought out but he was curious, and he needed to find out what was going on with this girl that Lucy liked so much.
He arrived at the place that Josh had described It was a small bakery that seemed pretty nice.
Zay pushes the door opened, and he was welcomed by the smell of sugar, coffee and milk and a cozy warmth that made him relax.
He takes off his beanie and shakes his head and ran a hand over his head. As soon as his gaze was lifted, he saw a blonde boy behind the counter.
He was laughing and talking to some customer and hadn't paid attention to Zay, but Zay couldn't take his eyes off him.
His hair was short and spiky, and it looked silky. His skin was flawless, and he had this mischievous look in his blue eyes. He made his way slowly up to the counter.
When the guy sees the new customer, he smiles and introduces himself.
"Hi, I'm Tom, how can I help you?"
If it was possible, Zay thought that he looked even hotter now that he had him in front of him. His blue eyes, the sweet smile and his shy gaze were perfect.
"Just a black coffee," he answers to the question and his smile grew a bit, and he couldn't help but return it.
"Are you sure you don't want something else? Cookies, apple pie, brownies, muffins? A cinnamon roll maybe?" He offers in a cute voice that made him chuckle. "Riley makes a awesome double fudge brownie."
Zay stares at him, and for a moment the idea of how many calories and fat those brownies had crossed his mind, but it became a haze when he saw Tom's eyes. Dancing diet be damned at the moment.
"Okay," he says softly and Tom nods and moves away to get his order.
Soon another blonde passes in front of him as he goes and sits down and she starts to talk to Tom. She matched Lucy's and Josh's descriptions, so he knew this must have been Maya. He just observes them and saw the way in which the two seemed to get along, their laughter and the way they acted with each other.
When his order was placed in front of him, Zay tries to make small talk with Tom while Maya re-organized the display.
"So do you work here often?" Zay asks and Tom smiles "I just started, the business is picking up, and the girls need an extra hand, and I just moved here and needed a job."
Zay smiles "Well New York is happy to have you."
Tom blushes and Zay grins before Zay finally asks the question he has wanted to ask.
"Okay, I need to confess something," he says, and Tom arch's an eyebrow waiting for him to elaborate. "I came here because I wanted to know more about Riley."
"What?" Maya screeches from the other side, and he knew he sounded like a stalker.
"No, wait, it's nothing creepy," he adds nervously. "It's just that Lucy talked so much about you two and especially about Riley and—"
"Lucy?" Maya smiles softly, and Zay sighs when he sees her softening her look as she makes her way over to them and he knew he had said the right word. "That little sweetheart? Why didn't you say that before?"
"I dunno," he mumbles and Tom chuckles at the scared look on Zay's face due to Maya.
"So you're Uncle Zay," Maya says, and he nods.
"I am also her favorite person in the world."
"Okay," Maya laughs before continuing "So why do you want to know more about Riley?"
"Because of Lucy and, well, mostly because of Lucas," Zay takes a sip from his coffee. "I think that he liked her, at least the first impression and Lucy loved her, so I want the bastard to realize he needs to settle down for him and Lucy."
"Oh," Maya bites her lower lip. "I told her the same thing. She needs to date a guy who knows what he wants in life, and she wants a family more than anything."
"Lucas wants someone great with Lucy and that he likes, even when he's never gonna say that, but I know him." Zay states.
"She's amazing, really," Maya smiles thinking about her friend. "So if you want help to set them up… I could help." She says and Tom pipes up again "I will help." Maya gives Tom a look before laughing "I am sure we could get Lucy and Josh involved too."
Zay grins liking this bakery even more now. Maya writer her umber on Zay's napkin quickly before heading off towards a customer in the art gallery, leaving Tom and Zay to themselves.
"Here is my number too, in case you want to make a plan, or I don't know want to hang out," Tom says nervously and Zay gulps.
"Sure that sounds great, hanging out I mean not playing cupid."
Tom smiles, and Zay feels a funny feeling in his tummy "I—I have to go now. Radio show."
"Right," Tom nods "See you soon perhaps?"
Zay nods again and leaves some money and a tip for the coffee on the table, grabbing the numbers and stuffing them into this wallet. "Talk to you soon," Zay says to Tom as he slid his jacket back on.
"I hope to hear from you too."
"We are going to get in so much trouble," Josh mumbles as they sit at Lucas's kitchen table staring at the remains of Lucy's cookies.
"It's for a good cause," Zay replies.
"I don't see how getting our asses kicked by Lucas is a good cause," Josh frowns.
At that moment they hear the front door opening and two pairs of footsteps.
"Lucy!" Lucas yells when she threw her backpack and jacket on the floor, and she smiles sheepishly at him. "These things have a place, and it's not the floor." He scolds her, and she gives him a sweet look that he couldn't resist, but he kept the straight face until she picked her things.
"Okay," she drawls and does as told.
Zay and Josh abandon the kitchen and Lucas greets them as they wait for Lucy, who jump to hug her uncles as soon as she saw them.
"I hope you cooked since you were here and we don't have to eat take-out food again." Lucas sighs and makes his way to the kitchen.
"I tried to do something, but Babineaux doesn't even know how to chop a carrot," Josh jokes and Lucas chuckles.
"Dude, I'm a bachelor!" Zay complains.
"We all are. That's getting old," Lucas replies and Josh laughs.
"Daddy, may I have a cookie?" She asks and Zay and Josh pale waiting for Lucas's answer and crossing their fingers for him to say no.
The plan wasn't supposed to start until the next day.
"Sure, Princess, but just one," Lucas says as he checks what Josh had cooked and then the three men heard a sharp yell and all of them looked at Lucy who was holding the empty paper bag. "What's wrong?"
"Someone ate all my cookies," she pouts, and Lucas glares at Zay and Josh who were looking guiltier than ever.
They swallow thickly, and Lucas had to clench his jaw tightly to avoid the chain of profanities waiting to escape from his lips. Because no one, absolutely no one made his little girl sad nor stole her cookies.
"You are the worst human beings I've come across in my life," Lucas says through gritted teeth.
"Sorry?" Josh offers sheepishly, and Lucy glares at him.
"I hate you," she folded her arms across her chest, and Zay's and Josh's hearts ache.
"Baby girl," Zay pleads and Lucy huffs and ignores him. "I'll buy you more."
"Yeah, Luce, please?" Josh spoke meekly, and Lucy narrows her gaze.
"You're bad uncles, how could you? I'm angry at you," Lucy hugs Lucas's leg, and he soothes her wild mane and shoots daggers at his so-called friends and mouths: 'Douche.'
"C'mon, princess, we're having dinner now, so you shouldn't be eating cookies anyway," Lucas offers, and Lucy looks up to meet his gaze.
"But Daddy," her lower lip quivers. "Those were my cookies. Riley made them for me, and I liked them, and I wanted to eat one. You had promised that I could eat one."
"Luce—"
"Daddy," Lucy's eyes got watery and Lucas sighs. "I want my cookies." She speaks in a strangled voice.
"Ugh!" Lucas complains. "Lucy there aren't cookies, so—"
"But I want my cookies, Daddy! My cookies!" Lucy yells and Zay and Josh stared at her and Lucas.
"Don't be a brat; it's not nice," Lucas adds softly.
"You said I was a good girl today and I got a good grade and that I deserved a cookie, you promised. You have to give me a cookie because if not, you're a liar!" Lucy glares at him, and Lucas rolled his eyes. It was embarrassing being outsmarted by a six-year-old.
"There is some chocolate—"
"No! I want Riley's cookies." Lucy complains.
"I'm not gonna go to buy you cookies now. Josh can get some tomorrow; he has to visit his niece anyway."
"BUT I want them now, and besides I want to see Riley again and tell her I passed my math's test. Am I not a good daughter daddy?" Lucy gives Lucas puppy dog eyes
"Fine, fine!" He shouts "You need to have a bath, so I will take your math test to Riley and get you the cookies while you stay here." He turns and looks at Josh and Zay "Take care of Lucy and stay out of trouble." He grabs his keys and stalks out of the apartment.
As soon as Lucy and her uncles hear the front door closing after Lucas, all of them grin.
"He's gonna see Riley again!" Lucy chirps and Josh holds up his phone "I already messaged Maya."
"Plan worked after all," Zay says. Lucy grin then turns into a frown.
"You didn't have to eat all my cookies; you could have hidden them. So you stay away from my next lot of cookies?"
Zay and Josh just laugh and bring her into a hug "Miss Lucy if things go according to the plan Riley will make you an unlimited supply of cookies ok?" Josh says, and Lucy grins again.
"I can't wait."