When You Least Expect It
A/N: Part II of the date! Aha, finally finished it, and then after this will be Part III and then yeah…Ahaha I'm so sorry for the wait, and hopefully now that I'm back with this, the next one won't be too far off! Lollipop Luxury is next!
Disclaimer: Don't own it.
An Overnight Date II
Relax Paul, they like him! Brady and Peter seem to like him, and now we're being seated to eat and things are going to go nice as long as we stay on budget here.
I had been coaching myself through this date the minute we'd stepped out of the house. So far, Peter had gone back to normal outspoken self, speaking up whenever he felt the desire to do so. Of course, he knew better than to jump in and join an adult conversation, but that didn't stop him from chatting away with Jacob as he drove to the restaurant. Brady, however, had unfortunately gone back into his usual shy self as well, barely speaking above a whisper whenever Jacob tried to bring him into his and Peter's conversation. That didn't bug me though, since I knew that that was his normal tendency around someone that he's just getting to know which is why I was so surprised that he had been so chatty with Jacob the first time we'd met him. However, I just wasn't sure how I was feeling right about now. I really liked Jake, but I know that subconsciously I was hoping for an easy out of this date where my kids weren't comfortable with him and we'd call it off after dinner. That's just the way I am with dating ever since Garrett up and left us.
But then I would think myself to be crazy as I watched how well he was with my sons, like right now. Just sitting across from him, Brady sitting on one side of the table with me while Peter and Jake sat on the other side, watching him teach Peter how to make something with origami and their napkins.
"Just like that…there ya go, you've got it! And then you fold it like this…" Jacob's deep voice was nothing but gentle, patient, encouraging, but had that slight instructional tone to it that only added to the effect.
Brady was watching intently but wasn't exactly following Jake's directions and seemed content on watching while he fiddled with his own napkin aimlessly.
"Why don't you try to do it with them, Brady?" I asked him, gently rubbing his back with one hand as I gestured to the two across the table with the other.
"No…I don't think I could…" he murmured quietly as he continued watching the pair folding their napkins this way and that.
I was about to open my mouth to discourage his negative thinking, but closed my mouth as I noticed the rapidly approaching waiter who'd come to drop off the menus and ask if he could start us off with something to drink.
I was about to open my mouth to ask the twins what they'd want, when Jacob spoke up with a cheerful, "Hey guys, you know this is place has some really good milkshakes…you wanna try one?"
Naturally, the kids spoke up with excited cheers of wanting whatever flavor and I paled at the thought of paying the God knows how much for a milkshake for each of them. Not that I was stingy; if I could afford it, I would've gotten them the shakes, no problem. But with a fifty dollar budget, I would seriously be stretching it thin.
With a smile that I hoped didn't look forced, I gave my consent. We had decided on strawberry for Brady and I while Jake and Peter decided on chocolate. With the waiter's promise to return to take our orders, we began going through the menus that had been left on the table when we had first been seated. Brady quietly decided that he'd wanted chicken strips, while Peter had announced that he wanted a burger—like Jacob—to which I gave a stern look to silently tell him to tone down the crazy attitude. Looking over the menu, I had a hard time focusing on choosing what I'd actually wanted while I was mentally calculating all of the costs for dinner.
When the waiter came back, I'd decided to get the same thing as Brady since we'd already started some form of ordering the same things on each side of the table.
"So, how was work today?" Jacob asked after finishing another round of rock-paper-scissors with Brady from across the table.
"Hm, it was fine." I shrugged the question off as I watched Peter try to coax his brother into playing the game with him. "How was your day?"
"It was alright. Lots of cats today." He made a face that had me smirking, "I don't think I've ever seen so many hairballs in one place—and I grew up with two sisters."
"Well I guess it's just part of the job right? Helping animals, becoming the adored doctor that helps animals want to follow their owners every move again; right?"
With a theatrical sigh he said, "Sometimes I wonder if saving animals is worth all the slobber, hairballs, scratches, and occasional bombs in the exam rooms are worth being the ultra-attractive animal doctor." A wink punctuated the statement to show that he was indeed teasing, "But really, I love animals; so I guess it just all comes with the territory. But enough about me and my—hey, hey, don't throw your bird-napkin at your brother."
"Peter, say you're sorry right now."
"Sorry." He clipped out with mild frustration lurking in his voice—sometimes the kid just got too competitive for his own good.
"Chin-up buddy; we can't win 'em all right?" Jacob nudged him playfully before turning his grinning face back to me, "So, as I was saying: What is it that you do at your job?"
"Oh, well…I am basically just a personal trainer, because that's really all I can do right now. I have a steady flow of clients, and so I stay busy but the money isn't all that great. Esme really wants to help me, she keeps trying to push me this way or that way to help my career; but I can hardly do much as to getting a degree for anything since I have the kids." Shrugging nonchalant like, trying to make it seem smaller than the situation actually is I went on to say, "I'd love to become a massage therapist; I could still work at the fitness center and also be contracted out independently—make more money, ya know? I'm trying to get certified, and my boss let's me leave during the day to take classes. I'm six months in; three more and I'll be able to do switch careers."
"Well, perhaps in three months a celebration will be in order."
Talking in the long term; not a good sign. Or was it? It should be…right? I mean, this is our first date and we're talking about three months from now—yeah definitely not right. But damn if I didn't like the thought of being with this guy, my best friend's brother, the vet, in three months. Perhaps I'd missed adult companionship more than I'd originally anticipated. I mean, this could just be me clinging to the first guy that shows interest. But then there was that damn promising glint in his eyes and that had to be good for something, right? And he seemed to really be good with the kids, and they liked him in kind, so there's another plus; right? I mean, perhaps I should be grateful that I'm clinging to someone who's not only smart, but funny, attractive, related to my best friend, was good with my kids, had a good career, and did I mention attractive?
The chatter during the meal mostly revolved around Peter talking Jacob's ear off while at the same time Jake always found ways to involve Brady in on their conversations. It was some seriously hear warming stuff to sit back and watch my kids smile and laugh along with this guy—whom I was heavily attracted to might I add. The effort that he'd been putting in to get to know my kids was only adding to the effect. At the same time though, I couldn't deny that having some guy around my kids put me on a slight level of unease. Did they already feel some sort of connection with him? I thought vaguely, what if it doesn't work out between us? Are they going to feel some sort of loss; like when Garrett walked out on us? Am I really ready to put my family through that again?
Is Jacob worth the risk?
"Daddy?"
The inquiry quickly snapped me out of my thoughts to give my full attention to Peter, "Hm?"
"I was just asking if you were all ready to get going…?" Jacob spoke up, a questing curve to his features. "The movie starts soon and we don't wanna be late, right guys?"
The two-person-chorus of "No way!" sounded and I smiled faintly; the questions still running through my mind, "Well I guess we're all ready then." I smiled at Jacob, and he grinned in return.
Godhe'ssexy.
"Hey, can I get the check please?" He asked as our waiter passed by and within a few seconds he was back with that damn black folder that they felt the need to use for the bill. Does making the bill look better take away the feel of spending too much on dinner? I don't think so.
"Uh, h-how much is it?" I asked, practically forcing the words out of my mouth from fear of finding out the actual number.
He opened the flap, then closed it and raised his hips a little from the seat of the booth the way people do when they're fishing something out of their pockets, "Don't worry about it."
"But…shouldn't I help out? I mean, there's three of us and-"
Before I even knew what was happening, he'd reached across and placed his hand over mine on the table and gave me a serious look, "Paul, I'm the one that asked you out tonight. Why would I expect you to pay for anything? Everything tonight is on me; so don't worry about it, baby."
The endearment had set his insides aflutter while the control and power he'd exuded in that moment had blood rushing to an area that didn't truly seem appropriate while one of my kids were sitting right next to me.
Once we were sitting in the nearly full theater, I was feeling a little more at ease. Jacob had continued to insist that he pay for everything while we were getting our tickets, had continued to joke around and play with the boys, as well as show off his flirting skills by brushing his hand against mine on the arm rest between our seats. Brady sat next to Jake, while Jake sat next to me, and Peter on my other side. It's how the boys wanted to sit so we decided to just go with it. Halfway through the movie, he'd finally just grabbed a hold of my hand. To show him that I'd been waiting for him to make that move since the lights had dimmed, I flipped my hand over under his and laced our fingers together. I slanted him a glance and saw him looking at me with a look that had a flush running up my neck, to my cheeks; it was as if I was something completely fascinating for him, that he was lucky to be here with me and my kids. It was strange, it was different…it was good. It made mefeel good.
Leaning forward, close enough that his breath was warm against the side of my face, enough so that his lips brushed against the shell of my ear as he said, "I'm having a really good time tonight…are you?"
Deciding to forgo the movie altogether, I turned to look directly at him, "Yes…yes, I am. Thank you, for everything."
He didn't respond. Though the glow in his eyes that had nothing to do with the gleam of the screen had me growing to full mast in my jeans, and I yearned to feel his lips against my own as he raised my hand to press his lips against it—our eyes connected all the while, "It's my pleasure."
A/N: So? Did y'all like it? Aha, review and lemme know! Lemme know where y'all see this story going, if you're liking the progress so far, if it's continue worthy; just whatever's on your mind! So…review!
Notoriously Yours,
GoinnGaGa
