I finally move a bit so he can get out of bed.
I start to drift off but hear him yelling as he opens the front
door. It gets quiet, and I can’t hear anything anymore. Ok, now I
am more than curious.
I get up, put my robe on and head to the
stairs. I stop abruptly as I look down and see Allie standing in
front of Jesse. He has his arms around her and I can hear her
crying into his chest and blubbering on about something. What the
hell?
I watch Allie and Jesse walk towards the
family room as I descend the stairs. Once I get there they are
sitting on the couch. Allie has quieted down now and is sitting
there sniffling.
I grab a Kleenex from the end table and hand
it to her. She stands and envelopes me in a hug. “Oh, Cassie. I am
so sorry to wake you guys up. But-But I didn’t know where else to
go.” She starts crying again. I look at Jesse who is clearly
concerned for his sister. I push her back and ask her, “What’s
wrong Allie? Are you ok?”
She shakes her head, sits back down and blows
her nose. “Dad and I got in the biggest fight. I told him I wanted
to leave and pursue my writing and he went crazy! He told me I
would never make it writing, that I am stupid for wanting to try
and if I leave his company he won’t have anything to do with me
ever again!” She is blubbering now through her tears.
I sit in between her and Jesse and put my arm
around her shoulder, patting it while trying to console
her.
Jesse leaves us to get Allie a glass of water.
“Allie, surely he doesn’t mean that? What father wouldn’t want
anything to do with their child, really?”
Allie wipes her nose and turns to me. “Oh,
Cassie. He can be so mean sometimes, especially if he doesn’t get
what he wants. He doesn’t want me to leave his company. I am the
hardest working employee he has.”
Jesse returns and gives her the water and sits
back down by me. He puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me to
him. I lay my head on his shoulder.
“Allie. Don’t worry about dad. You need to do
what’s best for you, what you want. Life’s too short not to be
happy and go after your dreams.” Jesse looks at me and whispers in
my ear. I nod and smile. He then looks back at Allie. “We have
plenty of room here Allie. It’s a perfect place to write your book.
You can just stay here until you get on your feet.” Jesse smiles at
her and then at me and winks.
Allie looks at us both, biting her nail. “Oh,
I dunno. You guys are just starting out. You don’t need a third
wheel hanging around.” She smiles shyly.
“Nonsense,” I say taking one of her hands in
mine. “You’re like the sister I always wanted. We want you to,
really. We don’t mind at all. You can take a bedroom in the
basement, more privacy that way. It’s quiet and there’s a smaller
room you can use as an office for writing. It’s like an apartment
down there.”
Allie sighs, stands and lunges at us putting
an arm around us both. “Oh! You guys are the greatest!” Jesse and I
both laugh.
Once she releases us from her death grip,
Allie sits back down beside me. Jesse looks at her and asks, “Ok,
so when do you want to go and get your things?” Then he looks over
at me. “I can just take her so you can get some rest, maybe start
back at the Café, if you want. We’ll only be gone a few days. You
ok with that?”
Allie interrupts, “No! I have all my stuff
with me!” She smiles. “Huh? How?” Jesse starts to ask her. “I left
after the fight and took everything I need. I was so mad that I had
already decided to leave. It wasn’t until I started driving that I
decided to come here. I just needed you guys.” She
shrugs.
Jesse leans back into the couch and I let out
a huge yawn. Jesse laughs and kisses my hair. “Ok. It’s late or I
should say really, really early. Why don’t we get some sleep and
then I will help you unload your car in the morning.” He smiles at
Allie. “Late morning.”
We all stand. “Sounds good to me. I am beat!
Thanks so much for taking me in and helping me out. I’ll just go
get my small bag.” And with that she starts walking to the front
door.
I get up and stop her, giving her a hug. “It’s
no problem, Allie. We are glad to help. The bed is made down there
so go ahead and get a good night sleep. We will talk more in the
morning.” I laugh. “Or, when we get up.”
Chapter
thirty-one
It’s close to noon when Jesse fixes us a huge
breakfast. He sets everything up everything buffet style on the
island counter.
“Hmmmm, everything looks and smells
delicious,” I say looking up at Jesse as he holds me in his arms.
He gives my mouth a peck. “Nothing but the best for my girls,” he
chuckles.
Shortly after we sit down to eat Allie walks
in yawning and gives us a small wave. She makes her way to the
coffee pot, pours herself a cup and leans back against the counter.
Taking a sip she closes her eyes. “Hmmmm, that’s just what I
needed.”
After grabbing a plate and filling it with
food she sits next to Jesse and begins to eat. “I will cook dinner.
It’s the least I can do. I can pitch in with cooking, cleaning,
whatever you guys need me to do. I have some money. I cleaned out
my account on the way out of town so I can give some money for rent
too,” she says with a mouth full of food. She looks at us, swallows
then smiles.
Jesse swallows while shaking his head. “Nope,
not needed, sis. Really, don’t worry about that, save your money
for what you really need it for. You need to buy a desk and
whatever for your writing so use it for that and any other expenses
you have, ok?” I nod at him in agreement.
With tears in her eyes she smiles. “You’re the
best brother I’ve ever had.”
Jesse laughs with a smirk, “I’m your only
brother, but thanks.”
I look at Jesse, raise an eyebrow and cock my
head. He nods and winks at me knowing what I am about to say. “Um,
Allie? There’s something I want to tell you.” Jesse clears his
throat and looks at me. “I mean that WE want to tell you.” I smile.
Allie turns in her seat towards me and gives me her complete
attention.
“So, we found out yesterday that I’m
pregnant.” I say with a small smile. Allie starts to stand up but I
wave her off so she sits back down looking confused. “Allie, we’re
not sure yet if it’s Jesse’s baby, if you know what I mean. We are
gonna have a DNA test done in 6 weeks and they will do an
ultrasound then too, just to make sure the baby is ok.” I look at
her with sadness in my eyes.
So quick I didn’t know what was happening,
Allie is holding me and rocking me back and forth. She says in my
ear, “Congrats! Oh, my God! I am gonna be an Aunt!” She is
squealing now in my ear. Owwww!!
She looks over at me smiling wide. “Cassie. I
will love that baby and be the best Aunt no matter what you find
out. I will be there for you all the way!”
I am so relieved now. I can’t believe how much
support I have from my friends. I should have never doubted
them.
~*~*~*~
After we unload Allie’s car we take Jesse’s
SUV to go find a desk. I cannot believe how full her car was. Not
one more thing could have fit in there.
Once Allie picks out her desk and accessories
Jesse tells us he wants to go into the computer store next door and
look around. Allie and I decide to walk down the street so I tell
Jesse we will meet him at the Café in a half an hour.
As Allie and I are walking down the street she
abruptly stops me with her hand on my arm. She is staring at a
tattoo parlor, called Bucks Tattoos. Original, I think to myself
and grin.
Allie looks over at me. “I’ve always wanted a
tattoo. Let’s go in and look around.”
“Ok, we can go but we’re not buying anything
right now, Allie. We don’t have time since we are meeting Jesse,” I
smirk. She smiles and nods at me.
We walk inside and I am mesmerized by all the
tattoos that are adorning the walls. I walk over to a wall and
begin perusing them.
“G’Day, ladies. How may I help you this fine
day,” a sexy deep voice says from behind me. I spin around to see
where that sexy voice came from and there stands a man with a large
build and sandy brown hair that reaches to his shoulders. He has
tattoo’s adorning his arms. I can only see his back as he is facing
Allie.
Allie quickly looks over to me and then back
at him. “Um, hi. This IS a fine day,” she says as she is grinning
ear to ear. Oh my!
She moves closer to him and reaches out her
hand. As he takes it, she begins shaking it. “I’m Alexa. Allie to
my friends.” I roll my eyes and giggle. He continues to shake her
hand all the while staring into her eyes.
“Well, aren’t you the beaut, Miss Allie,” he
says in an accent that sounds familiar. Australian,
maybe?
Allie blushes so much she is beginning to look
like she has a severe sunburn. I giggle again.
He looks over at me quickly. Still shaking
Allie’s hand he says to me, “And what is your name, lovely
lady?”
“I’m Cassie. Nice to meet you.” I reach my
hand out and wait for him to take mine. But he just stands there
smiling at me still shaking Allie’s hand. I look down at their
hands and back up to his eyes. He realizes that he hasn’t let go of
her hand.
He turns back to Allie and finally releases
her hand, his smile spreading even wider. “Oh! Sorry!” He says
laughing, turns and shakes my hand. “I’m Shane Barton. Nice to meet
you lovely ladies.” He drops his hand quickly.
Now that I get a better look at him can you
say HOT? He is wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt. His eyes
are a dark brown, so dark they almost look black. The dimple to the
right of his mouth really stands out when he smiles.
Turning back to Allie he looks up and down her
body, slowly, eventually coming back to meet her eyes. “So,” he
says rubbing his hands together, “are either of you interested in
getting a tattoo? We do fine work here.”
“Actually,” I speak up, “I have been thinking
about getting a tattoo and I actually know what I want and where
but I can’t for a while. Sorry, but I would like to look through
your books to see if you might have what I am looking for, if
that’s ok?”
He turned to me and nods. “Sure! No problem.
Step right over here to the counter and hopefully we have what you
want. If not, if you can bring me a picture of it,” he says guiding
me to the counter. Allie follows us and stands next to me at the
counter.
“Um, do you have any books with symbols? I
know the one I want,” I ask. Shane nods and pulls out a book from
underneath the counter.
“I’ll just give you ladies some time. I have
another book in the back that might have what you’re looking for in
case that one doesn’t,” he says as he turns and walks to the back
of the store.
I open the book and begin looking through the
pages of symbols. Allie nudges me on my arm. “I didn’t know you
wanted to get a tat. How cool! I’ve wanted to get one for a long
time but haven’t found the one that I really want to get yet. That
and my dad would have freaked.”
“Hey, Allie? Please don’t tell Jesse. I mean I
wouldn’t ask you to lie to him or anything but just don’t share,
ok? I want to surprise him. Of course I can’t get it until after
the baby is born. Can you keep a secret that long?” I say while
smirking.
Allie crosses her heart with her finger.
“Mum's the word, sista,” she says winking.
“Ah! What’s the secret? I won’t tell,” Shane
says waggling his eyebrows. I giggle as I look up at him. He hands
me another book and I quickly begin to thumb through it. After
several pages I slam my finger down. “Oh, my God! That’s it! This
one right here!” We all look down at where my finger is and it’s
the heart shaped symbol that Jesse has on his arm.
Allie grabs the book and looks at it closer.
“That’s the same one Jesse has!” She smiles at me.
“I know! I want it so bad but smaller, on my
wrist.” Allie nods her approval. I turn to Shane. “Can I get this
one but smaller to put on my wrist?”
Shane turns the book around to face him.
“Hmmm, sure, that would actually work really well there,” he says
looking at my wrist.
“Well, now you know my secret,” I giggle. “I
don’t want my boyfriend to know about it until after I get it.” I
swallow hard and look down. Boyfriend? Well, yeah I guess he is my
boyfriend. I have just never said it out loud before. Sounds really
great! I smile to myself. Sigh.
Allie finds a symbol for everlasting love and
screams, “OMG! I found one I want!”
I look down at where she is pointing. It has a
detailed design in the middle down through the center and coming
out at each side. It’s really quite beautiful.
Shane looks at it and then back up at Allie.
“That’s one of my best designs for everlasting love. Your boyfriend
will really like that.”
She looks down and speaks softly. “I don’t
have a boyfriend. I want it because I write romance novels and I
love that symbol.”
Shane clears his throat and I can tell he is
trying not to smile. He looks like he’s relieved? Hmmmm.
“Can I schedule to have that one done,
please?” Allie asks. Shane proceeds to ask her how big she wants
the design and where she wants it. She tells him not too big but
she would like to have it on her back right below her left shoulder
blade. Shane smiles and they make the appointment for a couple of
days later.