Chapter 3: I Really Like You
Summary: Olivia fights her first day of first grade, leaving Addison to vent to a very available Jake. A few weeks later, Jake and Addison get some much-needed alone time together while Olivia visits her dad in Seattle.
The morning came fast, faster than anyone would like, especially for six-year-old Olivia Shepherd. It was a morning full of complaints, tears, and pictures. As well as a special promise from Derek that seemed to work wonders on the little girl. And soon, she was off to school for her first day of first grade. A day that made Addison both sad and proud at the same time.
Once Olivia was safely off at school, Addison sat in her office with a cup of coffee and closed her eyes. She just wanted to enjoy a few minutes of silence after the morning she had. It'd been rough at home, but she'd never say that out loud. Olivia didn't like school. Not since her first day of preschool, which wasn't all that surprising to her parents. Addison loved school personally, and Derek never minded it. Amelia, however, had almost always hated it. One of the many traits she passed down to her niece. Mark loved to joke she was secretly Amelia's kid and not Derek's, and Addison always rolled her eyes playfully; Mark was hardly ever serious.
Jake knocked on her office door and Addison waved him in with a smile. She moved to join him on the couch.
"So, how did the first morning of school go?" Jake asked with a smile as he put an arm around her. Angela didn't start school for another week, so he figured he had some time.
Addison made a face while taking another sip of coffee.
"It went….well," Addison said, laughing ironically.
"How bad was it?" Jake chuckled.
"I had to call Derek to get her to stop crying, and he might pick her up from school today. I don't really think it'll happen, but it cheered her up at least," Addison chuckled.
Jake studied her quietly for a minute. He wasn't entirely sure if he liked how easily she talked about her ex-husband, at least he assumed Derek was her ex by the way she talked.
"Jake," Addison called softly, as if reading his face.
"If you don't like me talking about my ex, I need to know now. Before we get too far," Addison said softly.
"I'm falling for you. Hard. And it scares me. But it's not just me; I have my daughter to think about. Derek and I aren't together anymore nor will we ever be, but he will always be in our lives. In my life, even after she's an adult. Derek and I…," Addison struggled to find the words for a moment.
"We're friends, and that will always come before us being exes. I'm friends with his family. Hell, Amelia even told me once she used to tell people I was her mom sometimes. I never want Liv to grow up thinking her parents hate each other because it's just not true," Addison started.
"There was a rough patch for a while, but we figured it out. Right around the time we agreed to give up our marriage. Prioritizing my family comes first, Jake, and if we're gonna do this, you need to know that," Addison continued.
"I get that," Jake started, waiting until he had the right words to say before he continued.
"I feel the same about Angela. I don't know what my life would look like without her, but I also don't know how different it would be if Lily was still alive; if we'd still be together, if I would've met you, if we'd…be together. I'm just…I'm not used to this. I haven't been in a real relationship since before I got together with Angela's mother. I'm fine with you being close to your ex. I'm glad you are. Olivia deserves both her parents in her life. I just…need a little time to get used to it," Jake said carefully.
"And I can happily give that to you," Addison smiled.
Olivia meant everything to her, the same way she knew Angela must've meant everything to Jake. She never realized how hard this must be for Jake. To move on for the first time since his wife passed. If he needed some time to get used to it, so be it. There was something about him that made her feel like whatever this was between them was more than just a fling. With him, it felt real. She wasn't ready to lose it over something like this. Especially not when he was clearly trying.
"Do…do you need some space to think about?" Addison asked after some silence, hoping the answer was no. But at the same time, she didn't want to drag him into anything he wasn't ready for.
"No!" Jake exclaimed a little too quickly before realizing it was too much. He laughed it off nervously to try to cover up for his overreaction.
"I mean, I don't need space, if you don't. I just need to wrap my head around the fact that you'll always have him around. You both deserve it and it's great that it isn't awkward between you guys. This is just all so new to me. I just hope you understand that," Jake said.
"I do," Addison said as Jake squeezed her hand in his.
"So, what are you doing tonight? If you're free, that is?" Jake asked curiously.
"Honestly? I don't know. Go shopping? Liv could always use more uniforms," Addison thought out loud.
"How many uniforms does she have?" Jake asked with a laugh, making Addison blush.
"Too many. But in my defense, kids are messy! She has a uniform at school just in case and a spare one at her dad's house," Addison explained. She knew it didn't make much sense, but it was a lifesaver last year when Derek had no choice but to get Olivia on an early morning plane and rush her straight to school.
"I'm sorry, did you just say Olivia has a uniform at her dad's place?" Violet asked as she walked past. She was minding her own business, but hearing that threw her for a loop.
"Yes," Addison straightened up.
"Why?" Violet replied, confused.
"Doesn't he live in a different state?" Violet asked. She'd never so much as seen a picture of the man, but Olivia talked about him a lot.
"So?" Addison asked, wondering why it was any of Violet's concern.
"So, why does she need a uniform in another state?" Violet asked.
"In case…," Addison started, not knowing where she was going with the sentence.
"See? You don't know either!" Violet pointed out.
"No! I…in case her dad picks her up from school," Addison said, just glad she had an answer.
"From another state?" Violet asked, confused.
"Seattle's not that far from here," Addison pointed out.
"Your ex would really fly out here to pick your kid up from school?" Violet asked, chuckling in disbelief.
"If he promised Liv, yes," Addison replied.
"I wish I had an ex like that," Violet commented before walking away.
"Just ignore her," Jake suggested.
"I swear, I thought I moved here to get away from all those judgy parents. But I guess I should've known they exist everywhere," Addison said, half-jokingly.
"They're definitely everywhere," Jake chuckled.
"When Angela was nine, she decided she wasn't going to wear matching socks anymore, so I let her wear two different socks. And the looks I got from the other moms at drop-off…," Jake added. Addison giggled.
"Why didn't she wanna wear matching socks?" Addison asked, thankful for the distraction. And to hear from someone who truly understood.
"She said it was boring," Jake replied.
"She's not wrong," Addison said after thinking about it for a few seconds.
"Yeah. And, you know," Jake started, leaning in like he was about to tell her a secret.
"She still doesn't wear matching socks," Jake whispered. Addison laughed, causing Jake to laugh alongside her. Her laugh and her smile were infectious, he thought. And he couldn't help but think about how long it'd been since he'd been this happy.
"I could never, but Amelia taught Liv how to do that, but never to school. Well, she couldn't even if she wanted to. She has school-issued socks," Addison said.
"What kind of school does she go to that has regulation socks?" Jake asked, confused and wondering if Addison had her in some over-the-top strict military school.
"An international school. I want her to have every opportunity available to her, and if she stays there, she'll be ahead of her classmates. I just want her to have the best opportunity. Is that wrong?" Addison asked, starting to reconsider it now. Jake had this way of making her dead-set ways seem silly without meaning to.
"Derek and Amelia thought it was crazy when there's a million other private schools in L.A. that don't put that much pressure on her. But it was my choice. She seems to like being busy," Addison said, almost like she was defending her choices.
"Hey, you don't need to explain your parenting choices to me. I'm not your ex, and I'm not your judgy family," Jake said. Not yet anyway, he thought.
"You did what you thought was right. Stand by it," Jake said as he tried to smooth it over. He glanced down, hearing his pager beep.
"Guess I gotta go," Jake smiled softly.
"Don't think so hard. I'll see you later?" Jake asked as he got up.
She nodded back, watching him as he left, instantly feeling a sense of longing.
Around lunchtime, Addison got an email confirming Derek would pick Olivia up from her first day of school, but he mentioned he might be a little late depending on how fast he could get out of the airport. He was cutting it close, but it was the best flight he could find at the last minute, so he asked if someone could be at the school to get her in case he was late.
Addison had a quick surgery scheduled, but she wasn't sure she could make it. Thankfully, Amelia had a light day and stepped up to the plate. She'd grab Olivia and wait with her until Derek got there, and Addison was relieved she wouldn't have to cancel or find someone else.
She never asked Violet or Sam if she could help it. Cooper, and even Pete, were happy to help if she ever asked. And it felt like Jake would be pretty close to being added to that small circle. Sheldon volunteered a few times, but he didn't quite have the same experience with little kids the way the others did. And Charlotte was just a no-go, for obvious reasons.
She thanked Amelia over and over until she called her desperate. So, she stopped before going back to focusing on her work.
Not long after she headed to the hospital to prepare for her surgery, Addison couldn't help but secretly smile when she saw Jake was scheduled to scrub in with her. That meant she had at least an extra hour or two with him, which would be great. She just hoped she could contain herself around him in surgery.
Later that evening, after a late dinner with Jake, he walked her to the door after driving home. He'd always been a gentleman like that.
"Do you want to come in for some coffee?" Addison offered, ever the host.
"Is your ex-husband still here? You said he came to pick up Olivia from school," Jake hesitated.
"It's fine. You can meet him. He won't bite, you know?" Addison joked, chuckling.
"Derek? Amelia?" Addison called while walking through the house, looking for either of them. She frowned, not hearing a response. Seeing the back door open, she wandered out.
"Oh, Aunt Addison," Maya jumped, not realizing Addison was home now until she stepped out onto the deck.
"I didn't hear you, sorry," Maya said, straightening up from her seat on the deck. Addison smiled at the girl, noting the baby monitor beside her. She knew Olivia was technically too old for it, but they spent a lot of time outside and, therefore, often out of earshot. It made her feel better. Maybe next year, she'd reconsider losing it.
"That's okay. What are you doing here? Where's Derek and Amelia?" Addison asked, figuring they weren't home.
"Oh. Amelia isn't home. I don't know where she is. Uncle Derek had to leave after he put Livvy to bed. He saw Dad and asked if he could watch Liv until you or Amelia got home, but Dad volunteered me. Uncle Derek said there's a note on the counter for you. He also said he would've paid me, but he didn't have any cash on him," Maya explained meekly.
Addison rolled her eyes playfully and laughed. It was just like her ex-husband to get Maya or any other unassuming but trustworthy kid to babysit but not have any cash to pay them. She pulled out a $50 bill and handed it to the girl.
"You can go home now if you want. Thanks for watching her, Maya. Were there any problems?" Addison asked, watching the girl pack up her schoolbooks.
"No. I didn't hear a thing. She's been asleep the whole time," Maya answered, heading across the divider to her dad's place.
After hearing the door slide closed, Addison knew it meant Maya made it home safely and headed back inside.
"So, it looks like it's just us tonight," Addison smiled at Jake, moving toward the counter where there was, as expected, a set of blue Post-it notes. That man could never use a regular piece of paper.
"That was Sam's daughter Maya. Apparently, Derek had to run and got Maya to babysit for a bit," Addison explained, not taking her eyes off the post-it notes, reading what Derek had to say.
Didn't want to text or call in case you were in surgery. Had to catch my flight. Liv's asleep. Leftovers in the fridge. Amy's at a meeting. Maya's here keeping an eye on her. Please pay her. I only had $10 on me. Our children have expensive taste and drained my wallet.
- Derek
Addison smiled, putting the note down.
"Do you guys have another kid?" Jake asked, confused.
"No, why?" Addison asked, just as confused.
"The note said, children. I thought it was just Olivia," Jake pointed out.
"Oh," Addison said, now understanding where his confusion was coming from.
"It's just Liv. Sometimes, we refer to Amelia as our other kid. It's a long-running joke," Addison explained, laughing, hoping Jake understood.
"Right," Jake nodded, remembering they said something about that earlier.
"So, it looks like it's just us," Addison smiled, pouring him a glass of wine.
"Care to keep me company until Amelia comes home?" Addison asked.
"I'd love to," Jake smiled back, accepting the glass of wine.
The two settled for the night, talking about their work and just about anything they could think of as they drank some wine. It'd only been about an hour, but it felt like it'd only been five minutes when Amelia walked through the front door. Amelia didn't want to interrupt the happy couple making googly eyes at each other, but Jake excused himself, realizing how late it had gotten since he still had Angela at home. Addison walked him out before he kissed her goodnight and told her he'd see her at the office tomorrow.
By mid-September, Olivia was begging to see her dad again. It had been a few weeks, and phone calls and video chats just weren't doing it for her anymore. So, after talking with Derek, Addison agreed to send her out for the week after school on Thursday, since Friday was a half day, anyway.
With a plan in place, Addison knocked on Jake's office door, letting herself in, sitting down across from him at his desk.
"So, what are your plans for this week?" Addison asked, smiling.
"Work, mostly. Angela has a school art fair on Sunday, but other than that, my week's free. Why?" Jake asked.
"An art fair?" Addison asked, putting her chin in her hand while resting her elbow on the desk.
"Yeah. She painted something this year, and she's been super secretive about it; she said it was a surprise, and that if I want to know what it was, I'd have to come to the fair to see it," Jake explained, chuckling at how much this art fair seemed to mean to his daughter.
"Is she a good painter?" Addison asked.
"I mean, not that you'd ever say she wasn't, but you know. I love Liv more than anything, but she definitely inherited my inability to draw," Addison added jokingly.
"She is. And I'm not just saying that because I'm her dad; Lily used to paint all the time. She was an elementary school teacher, and art was her favorite subject. Angela hasn't painted in years. Not since Lily passed. So, the fact that she's painting again must be a good sign. Right?" Jake asked.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to just…dump that on you," Jake chuckled, realizing he'd just been vocalizing a lot that didn't need to be said.
"No, don't be. I get it; I mean, I'm not exactly without…baggage," Addison said shyly as she straightened up her posture. She could practically hear Bizzy's voice telling her to sit up straight. Jake smiled. It was nice to talk to someone who understood where he was coming from.
"But back to my question. Is there a reason why you want to know what my plans are this week?" Jake asked coyly.
"Yes, actually. Liv's going to Seattle after school on Thursday, so I thought maybe it'd give us some much-needed alone time," Addison smiled.
"I'd like that," Jake said simply, widening his grin. Addison's smile matched his.
"Good," Addison said, deciding they'd probably talk about it more later. Plus, she had a patient coming in for an appointment in five minutes, and she knew Jake had one coming in soon as well.
"I'll see you later?" Addison asked, stopping at his door before leaving.
"I'll see you later," Jake confirmed.
Addison bit her lip, unable to keep the smile off her face as she thought about the possibility of a week with her boyfriend. Of course, they still had to work, and he had his daughter, but she didn't imagine the teen being that much of a roadblock. Amelia herself had been spending more time at her own boyfriend's place, much like she had been all summer, so it would hopefully all work out. Addison debated if she could reasonably ask Amelia to stay there all week, just so she could have the house to herself with Jake, not that she was expecting any sleepovers or anything, but just a quiet place for just them.
The day passed by in a blur and after sending a quick text to Jake; she left for the airport to see Olivia off. Amelia canceled earlier in the day, leaving Derek and Addison scrambling to find an alternative. She wasn't sure who was picking Olivia up in Seattle, but Derek assured her someone would be there. Addison made Derek promise it wouldn't be anyone she didn't know. So, that narrowed it down to a resident or another attending. Addison always threatened to not send Olivia if she was going to be picked up by a stranger.
As worried as she was, she said her goodbyes and got Olivia to promise her to call when she landed (as always). Then she rushed off because she had a surgery scheduled that she had every intention of getting to. Despite the L.A. traffic.
She checked her phone relentlessly for an update the entire drive back to the hospital. Olivia could call or text from her iPad and was good about calling. Not that she would get a response as the plane was up in the air, but she couldn't stop herself from checking anyway. She didn't like letting Olivia fly alone, and they avoided it as much as possible. But sometimes it was unavoidable. Today was one of those days.
Somehow, she ended up in surgery with Jake again. Not that she minded, but she had a sneaking suspicion he put his name on the board just so they could spend time together. About halfway through the surgery, her phone rang. A nurse informed her it was Olivia, so she had the woman answer for her.
"Hey Liv, are you in Seattle?" Addison asked as the nurse tapped the answer button.
"Yeah! I got a cookie from the lady sitting next to me," Olivia said proudly. Addison relaxed slightly, hearing they took care of her on the flight.
"That's good to hear, Livvy. Who picked you up? Did Daddy make it?" Addison asked.
"Nope," Olivia giggled as she popped the P sound.
"Who's there with you, then? Is anyone there yet?" Addison asks with a dreading sense. They didn't like keeping her waiting. It always scared her that the airport authorities would consider her an abandoned child.
"You didn't think Derek would leave her all alone now? Would you, Red?" Mark asked as he took the iPad from Olivia.
"Mark," Addison chuckled as she continued on in her surgery.
"Hey Red," Mark chuckled in response.
"Miss me?" Mark asked playfully, with a hint of flirtation in his voice.
"Always," Addison said, deciding it'd be easier to play along. It was like she could feel him smiling on the other end of the phone.
"So it is true. You do miss me. Torres owes me money now," Mark joked. Addison rolled her eyes as she continued working.
"I'll tell her not to pay you. She should keep her money for someone more worthy," Addison teased.
"You wound me, Red," Mark joked. You could hear his fake pout on the phone, causing Addison to chuckle a bit.
"Uncle Mark? Can we get mac and cheese?" Oliva asked sweetly.
"Sure, kid," Mark said.
"Can we get Molly Moon's, too?" Olivia asked, keeping her voice low. She knew Uncle Mark had no problem taking her, but she also knew her mom might not be so open to the idea.
"Liv, don't think I can't hear you!" Addison called out.
"Don't worry, Red. I won't get her ice cream," Mark told Addison on the phone.
Olivia frowned until Mark gestured, making it clear he would, indeed, get her ice cream. Despite what he was telling Addison. Olivia giggled, trying to keep quiet, but Addison could still hear her, even though Mark had the phone by now.
"Just not right before eight, please," Addison said, giving up on the fact that her daughter would have more sugar than she would've liked.
"I don't need her bouncing off the walls right before bedtime," Addison added.
"Deal," Mark said, taking it as a green light.
"And Red, if it makes you feel any better, I have strict orders to feed her dinner first. So you're in luck," Marked winked at his niece.
"Thank you, Mark. I owe you one," Addison said.
"Dinner and drinks next time?" Mark tried.
"Uncle Mark!" Olivia exclaimed loudly.
"Mommy can't date you!" Olivia added.
"Why not?" Mark asked, offended. While all of this had been playful, it still offended him that his niece was against him dating her mother. He did have a girlfriend, but he'd always try to get Addison.
"Because," Olivia said, exasperated.
"Because what?" Mark challenged.
"Because she already has a boyfriend. Dr. Jake. Duh. They kiss all the time!" Olivia said dramatically.
Addison could feel the heat rush to her cheeks, knowing the entire operating room could hear the conversation, including said boyfriend, Dr. Jake.
Mark gasped dramatically.
"Say it ain't so, Red. Did you have to break my heart like this? I thought we had something," Mark joked. However, he wasn't really joking as much as everyone thought.
"Okay!" Addison all but yelled. This was venturing into not safe for work territory.
"I have to go now. I'm in the middle of surgery. Thank you, Mark, for picking her up last minute. Livvy, be good for Uncle Mark and I'll call you at bedtime to say goodnight, okay?" Addison asked with a tone of finality.
"Okay. Bye, Mommy! Save lots of babies while I'm with Daddy! Love you forever, like the stars!" Olivia said.
The nurse hung up at Addison's request. She was too embarrassed to look at Jake to see his face. Knowing him, he probably had a stupid grin on his face, thinking the entire thing was cute. Or he was jealous of Mark. She wasn't sure yet.
After the surgery, Jake met her in the scrub room.
"So, that was an interesting phone call," Jake teased. She blushed, knowing he heard everything.
"I just want to be clear that there's nothing going on between me and Mark. He's basically family. He's just a big flirt; that's all it is, and he is harmless," Addison pleaded her case, hoping he'd understand.
"So, what time should I come over tonight?" Jake asked casually after hearing her out. He never thought it was anything more than close friends during that phone call.
"Oh. I guess whenever you're free. What about Angela? Will she be alright?"
Addison double-checked. She didn't want the teen to feel unwelcome or abandoned.
"As long as I make it to her art fair on Sunday, I doubt it'll be a problem. She can cook, I can leave her money, and she knows where to find me if she needs me. I don't have to worry too much about her. She's a good kid, and she's having a PG-rated sleepover with her friends, while we have a little R-rated sleepover," Jake said the last part quietly so only she could hear.
It takes all of Addison's willpower not to bite her lip or blush. Jake chuckled.
"I'll see you tonight, and I'll bring over dinner," Jake told her, leaving her alone in the scrub room.
The couple had the whole weekend to themselves wrapped up in each other's company, save for a few phone calls and Angela's art show. He asked Angela directly on Friday night if he could bring Addison; he didn't want to overstep. She, of course, just automatically assumed Addison would've come with her dad. Angela liked spending time with Addison, as well as her daughter.
When they got there, Jake and Addison walked around a bit, perusing the art from the other kids from Angela's school. Thanks to Addison's upbringing, she had a small eye for this stuff. It wasn't much, but she could tell when something was good or not. After a few minutes, they found Angela talking to some school friends.
"Ange," Jake called out once they got a little closer.
"Dad! You made it!" Angela exclaimed.
"Of course," Jake smiled.
"It's nice to see you again, Angela," Addison said.
"You too," Angela smiled back.
"So, where's your painting?" Jake asked.
"Come on," Angela said, leading them in the other direction to where she'd set up her booth.
When they got to her booth, they saw a vertical canvas painting displayed in front. Their eyes lit up when they could finally see Angela's painting in full view. Jake immediately recognized it as an old family photo of his grandmother, his mother, his aunt, and his uncle when they were kids. It was a picture they had in the living room and one he'd kept in the family for a long time. He grew up passing that photo every day in the house he grew up in and he memorized the story his mother told him years ago about how they'd come to San Francisco from Peru.
His grandmother wore a sombrero type of hat, and her children walked playfully in the background. The glaring difference between this old photo and Angela's painting was that the photo was in black and white. Angela's painting, however, brightened the imagery with colorful additions. The flowers on the sombrero and stripes on the clothes were reminiscent of those he recognized in his own Peruvian culture, and one that he'd tried his best to educate his daughter in growing up.
"That's beautiful, Angela," Addison commented, admiring the painting.
"Thanks," Angela smiled shyly, blushing slightly.
"You…you painted this?" Jake asked, his voice hitching slightly on the overload of emotion he was feeling. Addison looked over, surprised to hear how emotional he was.
"Am I missing something?" Addison asked curiously.
"It's my great-grandmother and my grandparents; Dad's mom and aunt and uncle," Angela said, pointing out the people in her painting.
"I never really knew them or even met some of them, but we've always had this picture in our living room. Plus, Dad grew up with this picture, so it's just been in our family for a long time," Angela added.
"It's beautiful. Really," Addison commented genuinely, smiling at the girl.
"What about you, Dad? What do you think?" Angela asked anxiously.
"I love it," Jake said, clearing his throat. He knew it wouldn't be wrong to cry, but he didn't want to in front of his girlfriend. Not this early on, anyway.
Angela's smile beamed as Jake went in to hug his girl. Addison watched the two, admiring how close the two were and how talented Angela was. She wondered if Lily was as good of an artist. All Jake said was that art was her favorite subject, but he'd never said if she were any good. Part of Addison felt a twinge of jealousy before when listening to how Jake talked about his late wife. She could hear the hurt in his voice when he talked about her, and she could tell he still loved her. Even if his feelings were complicated due to her addiction.
But now, watching Jake and Angela hugging it out, she didn't feel jealous anymore. She felt proud. Despite her passing, Jake and Lily had raised an incredibly talented daughter. And all Addison wanted to do was get to know her better.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Chapter title is inspired by the song, I Really Like You by Carly Rae Jepsen. We hope you enjoyed reading this and we will be back next time with another chapter. These first few chapters have been pretty fluffy so far, but there is some drama coming up soon so look out for that! Thanks again for reading and comments and reviews are encouraged and appreciated 3