It is ya girl, back again. Running out of fun things to say so have the chapter and I hope you lovelies enjoy! ~Shaymie

Angela

"You're cute when you blush like that."

Angela wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and sat back on her knees, looking up at Luke with a smirk. It was raining outside. Storming, to be exact, yet Molly decided to head to the inn to see Ash. She's been a bit down since Linh and Bridget went home and Ash said that he might end up leaving sooner than expected because Cheryl missed him. His friend Laney has been watching her since picking her up from summer camp and while Cheryl liked her (which was a miracle since she hasn't liked anyone Ash has hung out with since Molly broke things off), she liked her brother a lot more.

Angela and Luke had the house to themselves for the rest of the day. With it raining as bad as it was, Luke didn't have to work today. Owen was taking the day off to hang out with Chloe, so Angela's day was also clear. Maybe she should have used her day off to rest, but when is she ever getting a chance like this, a whole day where she'll have the house to herself guaranteed? Molly promised to stay put once she got to the inn until the storm blew over, and it looked like it wasn't going to stop until tomorrow.

The rain pounding on the roof made her glad she had gotten Luke to patch up those holes back in spring. It felt like only yesterday they were just friends and she was teasing him about walking in unannounced, saying that he might see something he wasn't meant to. Now they're dating and have exchanged their I-love-yous and she just finished sucking him off. Life really does come at you fast. So does Luke.

Angela let out a huff of air at that thought and stood up with a stretch. Luke's blush deepened when she picked up his discarded shirt and put it on. It was so easy to get him flustered. She would have gone for another round if it wasn't so late in the day and they needed to eat. They've been so busy getting busy that they haven't eaten a thing since Molly made breakfast this morning. And while she knew she didn't need to get dressed, it was getting pretty chilly in the house.

...And it was nice seeing Luke all embarrassed like that. He had no problem hooking up in public when there was a very high chance of getting caught, but her wearing his clothes is what does him in and turns him speechless?

"You look pretty in my clothes, Ange," he murmured, his voice dazed as she walked over to the kitchen. Now it was her turn to blush. It was embarrassing when his voice got like that. He sounded like he was in awe of her. She hasn't heard that emotion in someone's voice in a long time. It used to be how Molly would sound when she talked about Angela. Then she started getting better at ballet, getting famous even, and it felt like she stopped looking up to her big sister.

Angela felt like such a failure compared to both of her siblings and she hated it. Hated feeling envious of Kasey because of his stupid degree, feeling jealous because Molly had something she was really good at. Molly had multiple somethings she was good at. She picked up new hobbies like they were nothing, turned them into talents she'd master at the drop of a hat. It was impressive how quickly she could learn new things.

But... she knew from talking with Molly that it wasn't all it seemed to be. They've been talking practically every night. Back in the city—it felt odd to call it home now—she felt a lot of pressure. She thought everyone expected her to be absolutely perfect. She expected herself to be perfect so she worked herself down to the bone. Spent hours upon hours working out and practicing and watching the videos of their mother to perfect her mannerisms.

Molly said she might be having an identity crisis because she couldn't tell what was her and what was their mother anymore.

It wasn't really anything to be envied, and maybe Angela should start opening up during their nightly talks to make it even. But she's not used to being open and sharing her feelings, which made her glad she's not the one in therapy even though she probably should be. Mikhail fucked her up in so many ways and she wondered why she stuck with him for so long. There was a point when she knew she wasn't happy but still stayed with him because she was too stubborn to admit something wasn't right and she didn't want to move back home. Didn't want to deal with Kasey's stupid I-told-you-sos either.

She was proud of being the first Parker sibling to move out. After all, Kasey still lived at home even when he was attending college. Angela felt like an actual adult, living with Mikhail. Rather, living in his apartment since he was never home. Keeping his bed warm while he was gone, sometimes for months at a time. She'd just wait for him to come home and accept his half-hearted love. Bastard probably loved his violin more than he'd ever loved her.

It's different with Luke. She doesn't find herself doubting any of his kisses or his words. She could look at him and just tell that he loved her. Just thinking about it made her feel warm inside. She smiled down at the big bowl of fruit salad in her hands. Being loved was so nice. She'd always assumed it was a lost cause with her. Thought she ruined her chances of ever getting a stable boyfriend by messing around with so many people.

She grabbed a pair of spoons and went over to join Luke before she kept him waiting too long. He had taken the time to get dressed again, sans shirt of course. She joined him on the couch and set the bowl in her lap, shivering at the coolness of the bowl against her bare legs. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. More shivers ran down her spine. Would she ever get used to this? His love was so bright and warm, she wished she could just wrap herself up in it like a blanket.

She shoveled a spoonful of fruit salad into her mouth and groaned. How the hell did Molly make something as simple as fruit salad so delicious? Maybe it tasted extra good because everything—with the exception of the pineapples and blueberries—had been grown on the farm. She was literally eating the fruits of her labor. It was things like this that made her feel like all the hard work was worth it.

Angela fed Luke in-between bites, making the second spoon she'd picked up worthless. She should have turned on the TV or even some music, but the rain made excellent background noise. She normally hated when it was quiet. Kasey and Molly liked it well enough, but she tended to get nervous in the silence. She didn't mind it with Luke, though. He made the quiet not seem as lonely.

Her arm was halfway to his mouth when he gently wrapped a hand around her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. She blinked. Was he full? This was a pretty big bowl of fruit. The two of them had big appetites, but breakfast had been incredibly filling. Molly loved cooking for people and sometimes she went overboard with it. She's going to have a field day when Kasey arrives with the twins.

"Luke?" she asked, brows furrowing as he turned the spoon towards her. He grinned at her excitedly. It was times like this that she thought he really reminded her of a puppy. She couldn't believe he was older than Molly because he really didn't act like it.

"I told ya before that I wanted to take care of you, remember?" She blinked, cheeks flaming as she remembered that embarrassing time he talked her down from a panic attack and bathed her. She thought that was a one-time thing. She tried her best not to be so vulnerable around him even though he said he wouldn't think any less of her. She wanted to be strong all the time, but being strong was tiring and she was exhausted. Every part of her was exhausted. Those mines are no joke.

"I remember." She hesitated, eyes falling back onto the spoon. "You... really don't mind?"

"Course not! You deserve to take it easy, Ange. You've been working yourself to the bone lately." She opened up and met his eyes as the spoon entered her mouth. It felt like nothing when she did it to him, but it was completely different when he fed her. His eyes were so bright and happy, and it felt more... intimate. She felt safe and warm. All the soreness on her body was forgotten as she let herself relax.

Sitting on the couch with him, wearing his clothes, sharing food... It all felt so comfy.

She's always known that love could be like this but she never imagined it happening to her. Never thought someone would ever want to take care of her. She couldn't even remember the last time someone offered to. Luke's free hand left her shoulder to reach up and free her hair from the ponytail she'd tossed it up in. He ran his hand through it with a small sigh. A couple days ago she finally caved and went to Julius for help. He cut some bangs for her and even gave her an undercut when she tentatively asked if he knew how. He found the question insulting. Apparently he was a hairdresser before moving here.

"Pops wanted me to talk to you about something," he murmured when there were only a few bites left of the fruit. She said she wanted to leave it for him. He set the spoon in the bowl and moved it to the coffee table. She felt all her thoughts leave her head at the tender way he reached up and wiped some juice from her bottom lip. There was nothing flirtatious about it in the slightest but it still sent butterflies fluttering around her stomach.

"W-What is it?"

"It's about this house. He said he's willing to expand and add that room for half price. Employee's discount." She opened her mouth to respond, not looking for a handout, but he cut her off. The look on his face was shockingly serious. "I know what you're gonna say, Ange. He's not making it up 'cause he feels bad for you or anything. We really do have an employee discount. It's just that nobody's really worked with us for ages, y'know? And me and Bo definitely don't need it."

"Employee discount, huh? What is it with you forgetting to tell me things about your dad's business until I've already worked my ass off for something?" Luke looked sheepish, his cheeks flushing a light shade of pink. This happened before when he neglected to tell her that she didn't necessarily need to gather her own material for any work she needed done around the farm.

"I, uh... Didn't forget the first time. I didn't tell you on purpose because I wanted to spend more time with you." She blinked. Early on in spring, he'd take her into Fugue Forest to teach her how to swing an axe so she could get lumber to fix the holes in the roof. Did he like her even back then? How long has he liked her? Had he been crushing on her even when she still thought he was just an idiot and only saw him as a friend?

How did he manage to hide his crush on her as long as he had when he's so head over heels for her?

The thought of him making excuses just to spend more time with her was embarrassing but also... really cute. It wasn't like he didn't see her that often. She spent practically every night at the bar. There'd been nights before Molly started joining her where she stayed home but other than that, she saw him every day. Somehow that hadn't been enough for him? She couldn't think of a single person in her life who wanted to hang around her any more than they already did. The pretty girls back in high school didn't like her. Didn't understand how someone like her—she'd been going through a bit of an emo phase back then—was best friends with the most popular girls in school. Honestly she didn't understand either.

"You're practically my neighbor, babe. You didn't need to make up a reason to see me more."

"I didn't want to bother you while you were working," Luke admitted with a sheepish laugh. God, she loved him so much.

"So you decided to make more work for me by dragging me out to the forest every day?" She leaned in to kiss him. Love really did make people stupid, didn't it? He did all that work just to spend more time with her. She wondered what Dale thought about that. Did he know what Luke was up to? Did he just assume he somehow got lost in the forest all day? The place was like a maze.

Luke's lips tasted refreshing. Cool like the fruit they'd been eating. She couldn't get enough. One kiss turned to multiple which turned to her climbing in his lap and running her hands over his chest, over all the spots she knew would get the cutest noises out of him. And then she remembered they were home alone and she didn't need to keep quiet at all. They could be as loud as they wanted without worrying about someone barging in because who the hell would go out of their way to visit in a storm?

"God, you're so cute," Angela murmured breathlessly against his lips. "You're so good to me, fuck... So sweet and handsome. Makes me feel bad thinking about all the things I want to do to you."

"Ange..." There it was again, that breathy, husky tone of voice that made her lose all control around him. She trailed her fingernails over his chest and smirked at the way his whole body trembled underneath her. She loved teasing him, even before they started dating. Something about the way his cheeks would flush and he'd forget how to speak was addicting. Maybe because it's something she would have never expected from him.

She kissed him again. Softer and gentler this time. Didn't stop until they both needed to come up for air, but if she could she would kiss him forever.

"Can't get enough of me, can you, sweet boy?" she purred, resting her forehead against his. She could feel his eagerness underneath her and wondered why they even bothered getting dressed again. They couldn't keep their hands to themselves. Even now his hands were creeping up her—his—shirt. She was teasing him for wanting to spend more time with her but wasn't she the same way? Didn't she get a job at his father's business just to spend time with him?

"I'll always want more of you, Angela May. Whatever you have to offer." Her cheeks grew warm at his words. She had been hoping to embarrass him but of course he just had to be all sweet and fluster her. He had a way of effortlessly turning the tables on her when she least expected it. Sometimes he just took the teasing but sometimes he fired back with sweet words like those.

"All of me. God, you can have all of me."

She's never felt like this with anyone before. Never felt something this strong before, even with Mikhail. She didn't want this feeling to ever go away. She hoped this wasn't just an effect of the honeymoon phase of their relationship. A love this deep was special, something to be treasured for sure. She didn't care what Kasey said. He thought this was lust, not love, and that she was rushing into things.

What the hell did he know? He spent ten years in the same boring relationship. She's pretty sure he only stayed with Jill as long as he had because he was too scared to try dating anyone else. She would much rather prefer a happy relationship that's only lasted a few months over a depressing decade-long relationship. Besides, Kasey's just overprotective and too much of a worrywart.

And really, did he have the space to judge Mikhail when he did the same thing that bastard did? Only Kasey was objectively worse. He kept his kids a secret from everyone. He got back together with Jill without telling her about them. What the hell did he think would happen? Saying that they'd been on a break didn't excuse what he did. She wasn't sure if she wanted to punch him for his stupidity when he moved here or hug him because despite everything, she missed him. Not like she'd ever tell him.

Something to worry about another time. She had some business to take care of.

"...Pretzel?"

"Yeah! It's the perfect name for him!" Molly was positively beaming as she cradled the tabby. The cat purred and nuzzled into her chest. Angela bit back a sigh. Of course Molly would manage to get the surly cat that hung out near the inn to like her. Of course she would, because she's Molly. Everyone came to like her eventually. It was just inevitable. And some people liked her more than they'd care to admit.

Angela smirked at the thought of Chase. He isn't exactly being subtle. It's so obvious he's started falling for Molly, for real this time. Before she'd just tease him for being nice to her but this is different. He saw her as something more than Freckles. He came over the other day to give her a cake he made. Tried to play it off like it was nothing but who the hell stops by at six in the morning to bring a cake to a friend? Even Molly waited until people were awake to bring desserts to them.

Molly... Her cheeks flushed every time she caught a glimpse of the cake. While Chase might be in denial about his feelings, it wouldn't surprise Angela in the slightest if Molly was just unaware of hers. She had a way of not noticing things until they were right in front of her face and even then she could still be oblivious to them. She's been blushing around him a lot more lately and sometimes she'd even mumble his name in her sleep.

Angela reached out to pet the cat, scowling at the look it gave as her hand neared it. There's no way in hell she's letting herself get disrespected by a mangy fucking cat. She scratched the cat behind the ear just to assert her dominance. Pretzel was too cute a name for the little bastard. She kept her mouth shut since Molly worked hard to get the cat to like her and it's clear she was already in love with the stupid thing. She's always wanted a cat but their father was extremely allergic.

"I'm gonna go show him to Ash!" Molly grinned. She's been trying to spend as much time as possible with him before he had to go home. He's due to leave in about a week. She shifted the cat in her arms a bit and hugged Angela, who blinked at the sudden show of affection but gladly accepted the hug. "Love you, Angie."

"Love you too, Molls."