15. Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Esmerelda
I smile as I watch Aiden and Levi play with playdough on Damian's glass coffee table, pushing the cutters to make different shapes while smiling and giggling.
I shake my head. Those boys are too cute for their own good.
We’re above the tattoo shop and have been here since I closed the bakery an hour early, three hours ago, after Dad called and asked if I could pick up Aiden and watch him. He was frantic and extremely nervous, rambling and making no sense until he said the D-word. Yep, my dad has a date…
He bumped into a woman on his way to work this morning, not watching where he was going after dropping Aiden off at daycare. He ended up knocking the woman’s iced coffee all down her white top and well, she liked what she saw because instead of getting mad, she blushed because he caught her checking him out as he was apologizing.
He asked her out, and she agreed.
I instantly accepted to get Aiden from daycare and told him not to worry, that I’d have him for the night at Damian’s place, and then I had an idea. I called Scarlett and explained I had Aiden for the night and asked if Levi would want spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. She jumped at the chance because I’m kind and I love kids, I also offered to have Hannah as well, who is currently snoozing in her travel crib near the dark gray couch.
Scarlett currently has finals and with mine coming up soon, I know she’s a little stressed so some time to herself will do her good.
My phone goes off, and I look at all three kids one last time before walking over to the table and grabbing it.
Daddy: Are you sure the blue button-down is the right shirt? X
I chuckle and quickly message him back.
Me: Yes, now put it on and have a good time. Please don’t worry about Aiden or me. Do this for you! xx
I press send, look up to check on the kids again and see all three in the exact position they were in before my phone goes off again. I look down.
Dad: Love you, sweetheart xx .
My heart melts and I quickly reply then put my phone back on the table and check the sauce, quickly stirring it as the front door opens and Damian calls out, “Angel?”
Crap…
I rush over and say, “Shh, Hannah is asleep,” as I lock eyes with my boyfriend, who grins wide giving me butterflies before I notice Ace behind him. My eyes widen before I point at him and state, “Nope, you can’t take him yet, he hasn’t eaten, though if you want, you can stay. There is plenty.”
Ace grins as Aiden shouts, “ Dam-Dam .”
I wince and quickly look over at Hannah, who moves her head but stays asleep. I sigh and look back at the men just in time to see Damian pick up Aiden and Levi, holding them both close and I bite my bottom lip.
And there goes my ovaries.
“What am I, chopped liver?” Ace mumbles but with a smile.
I shake my head and return to the kitchen, grabbing another plate before grabbing the scales from the bottom cupboard, measuring the spaghetti to add one more person.
“You know your way around here quite well, huh?” Ace says, and I jump, making him chuckle as I turn to face him. “Sorry,” he says, and I smile.
“That’s okay. To answer your question, yes, I know my way around his kitchen just like he knows his way around my dad’s,” I answer him. I turn on the gas and place the pan over it to boil the water.
I’ve spent so much time here I could walk around with my eyes closed and not bump into anything.
“Thank you for taking the kids and giving Scar a break. She doesn’t like to ask my parents much,” he says after a few minutes of silence, and I turn to him again and smile and reply, “It was my pleasure. They’re easy to watch, and besides, Aiden adores Levi–”
I notice Damian playing with the kids at the table, helping them use the cutters, and my words trail off, and everything in me settles.
Now, that is a view that I could get used to.
His grin is wide while the boys look at him like he’s their favorite person. Same boys, same.
“You make him happy, you know,” Ace says out of the blue and I look towards him and reply, “He makes me happy too,” and he nods, looking at me softly.
“How much have you spoiled those kids with cupcakes today, angel?” Damian asks as he walks into the room, holding a now awake Hannah. Her eyes light up when she sees her daddy, and Ace chuckles, holding his hands out to her.
She squeals and leans towards him, and he takes her, holding her tightly. I retort, “None actually,” Damian raises a brow and I admit, “I gave them cookies and they were sugar-free…”
Both men laugh at me, I stick my tongue out and walk over to Ace. I hold my hands out to Hannah, who leans towards me, making Ace growl playfully. But I just grin and take Hannah, plopping her on my hip.
They want to laugh at me then fine, but at least the kids come to me instantly. Grinning wide, I check on the water, noticing it’s now boiling as my phone rings.
“Damian, can you please put the pasta in for me?” I ask and walk over to the table. I grin, seeing the caller. “Well, look what the cat dragged in,” I answer as I pull funny faces at Hannah, causing her to giggle.
“Excuse me, you are the one who is always with her boyfriend,” Cody replies, and I retort, “You mean my boyfriend you vetted and liked?”
“Hi Cody,” Damian says loudly, and I put my phone on speaker as he replies, “Tell him I’m not talking to him. He had drinks with your dad without me.”
My shoulders shake with silent laughter as Damian replies, “Fucker, you were out with Haley!”
“You mean appeasing her after a woman flirted with me, and she accused me of flirting back when all I did was tell the woman to back up?” Cody groans, and I wince.
It turns out Haley is a lot more jealous than we all thought. Now, that she’s not focusing on me and my friendship with her boyfriend, every girl has become suspicious in her eyes. Heck, a girl could say hi to Cody, and she’ll snap at him.
“Who is Cody?” Ace asks, and I reply, “My ex-boyfriend from high school. " At the same time, Cody states, “Her best friend.”
Ace raises a brow at Damian and questions, “Your girl is friends with an ex? How in the fuck are you not frothing at the mouth right now?”
“All this bad language around you… your mama will be mad,” I whisper to Hannah making her grin as Cody answers, “Because he knows me and Ess will never happen again after I messed up.”
“And by messed up, he means he dated my girl as a bet in high school for a year, took her virginity, then dumped her before returning to his actual girlfriend, only to regret it within hours,” Damian finishes, and I blink.
“You men realize I’m still here, right?” I ask as Hannah plays with my heart necklace with Aiden’s name on it, which Damian gave me yesterday after I met him at the bar, and yes, I cried.
“Sorry, Ess...” Cody chuckles and then sighs, “Look, the reason why I called.” I tilt my head as he asks, “Do you ever lash out at Damian when women hit on him? And by lash out, I mean threaten to hook up with other men after trying to hit him and then demanding a proposal.”
I blink, then blink again as I make eye contact with Damian, whose mouth is parted in shock.
Okay, so Haley is a little crazier than I thought.
“No, I don’t,” I mumble still a little shocked that is how she treats him then admit, “I know Damian is my boyfriend, and he hasn’t given me any reason to doubt him in that area. Even if he did, I wouldn’t threaten to sleep with someone else. I’d just kick him where the sun doesn’t shine before walking away.”
“Oh, so you know women throw themselves at my friend here?” Ace butts in with a smirk, and Damian groans, “Don’t test her, Ace.”
I just shrug and admit, “I walked in on it,” causing his eyes to widen. I continue, “She tried to kiss him, and I saw him get mad and move out of her way. I’m not stupid, Damian is a very good-looking guy, and he looks like a bad boy with the tattoos, leather jacket, man bun and the Harley. But again, he hasn’t given me any warning signs that he’s a cheater, so no, I don’t lash out. Instead, I grin because he is mine, and I’m his.”
Damian grins as he lifts the lid on the pan, balancing it, so it doesn’t boil over then walks over to me and wraps his arm around my waist as Hannah lays her head on my shoulder, still playing with my chain.
“I don’t ever remember you being this sappy, Ess.” Cody grumbles, and I grin as Damian replies, “That is because she wasn’t with me.”
“Alright, if your girl is trying to force you into popping the question, causing shit because of raging jealousy, then threatening to screw someone else, she shouldn’t be your girl,” Ace states, and I nod in agreement while Cody mumbles, “Yeah thought so.”
“Speak to her,” I encourage, “Tell her how you are feeling, and if she doesn’t get it together, threaten her back with her being your girl. You deserve the world, Cody, so don’t settle for anything less.”
“Oh yeah, I definitely see it, brother,” Ace mutters, and I raise a brow at him while Cody says, “Yeah, I fucked up, and Damian is one lucky fucker.”
“That I am, but as for Haley, listen to my girl,” my boyfriend chimes in. I lean into him and state, “Okay, I’m going to let the men talk to you, Cody. I need to get Hannah’s puree ready, love ya!”
“Love ya, Ess,” he replies then says, “Now Damian, about the drinks I wasn’t invited to?”
Ace laughs as Damian groans, and I roll my eyes.
Who knew my boyfriend and ex-boyfriend would become close?
Shaking my head, I walk over to the fridge and grab Hannah’s squash and carrot puree while eyeing the boys playing with the playdough, all while the men talk before my eyes land on Damian.
His grin spreads over his face, and butterflies swim through my stomach.
He says he’s lucky to have me, but honestly, I’m the lucky one. He makes me whole.