New Love (38 page)

"Hey baby," he
kissed and hugged her, “I missed you today.”

They ate and talked about what the attorney had said and came to the conclusion that Jade, who had already planned to breast feed as long as she could, had nothing to worry about. No judge in their right mind would insist she express milk for her to share her new baby with them. Tessa had a picture of the hand print on her face that she knew might prove useful.

Lucas’s mom and her friend spent a lot of time together, “If you two want to stay here when I’m at school Jade, you can. Mom is thinking about moving in with her shrink, which I think is perfect,” he laughed and Tessa smacked him, “Tell me I’m wrong baby?” she laughed.

Her other options were to not name Tommy as the father on the birth certificate which she just couldn’t do.

“I’m pretty sure the breast feeding thing is going to work Jade, but you need to remember that’s a temporary fix. You can’t breast feed until he’s five,” Ryan said seriously.

"I can't believe we’r
e sitting here talking about how my boobs are going to save the day," Jade laughed.

Rya
n wrote a few things down, “I’m going to call her in the morning and run this by her. Jade what are you willing to do, I mean can you give her a few hours a week for visitation or will that be too much?”

“I’
d thought about letting her watch him while I was at school the two and a half hours five days a week, but I don’t think I can,” Jade said.

“No
, I don’t think so, that is setting a precedence. Will they let you take him to school?” Ryan asked.

"I can find out.”

“Good, so what do you think, two hours on a Saturday or Sunday too much?” he asked.

"After what she did I would not like even that
.”

Ryan wrote it down, “Okay
, anything else?”

“Why are you doing all this for m
e Ryan?”

“That’
s what friends do,” he got up, “Your brothers would want to know you’re being looked after.”

“Well thank you” she called after him. She looked confused and frustrated.

They hung out, and Ryan said he was going to go.

“Can you give Jade a ride?”
Lucas asked.

“Sure, you ready?”

"Yes," she said quietly.

She walked to the truck and got in, “When did you get steps?”

“Earlier” his answer was short.

He pulled his hat down, he was uncomfortable.

They were about half way to Jade’s and had said nothing. Jade finally broke the silence.

“Ryan I don’t want you to feel like you have to do all this for me,” she said softly.

He pulled to the stop sign and looked at her.

“I don’t feel
like I have to Jade, I want to. If it upsets you, I won’t,” he said as they pulled forward.

“I
like you being here, and so does he," she said and grabbed his hand and put it on her belly.

Ryan smiled when he kicked him. “Good.”

The week went by, and Friday night they all went to Tessa’s. Her Dad was not going to be home, and Tessa missed the kids. They decided to play baseball in the yard.

“Jade
, can we talk for a minute?” Ryan asked.

“Only i
f you rub my belly.”

“Alright
… come with me” Ryan said, and they walked into the living room.

“I talked to Julie, the lawyer, and right now she says that’s a good plan, she would like to have a meeting with Tommy’s parents and feel them out, are you willing to do that?” Ryan asked.

“What do you think I should do?” she said and grabbed his hand and put it on her belly and laid her head on his lap.

“Well,” he said nervously. “If that’s okay with you I think you should.”

She was staring up at him as he rubbed her belly and smiled.

“Then I will
.” The baby kicked, and she laughed, “He likes you as much as I do.”

"You
want to kick me?" Ryan laughed.

“Nope,” she said grinning and bit her lip.

He closed his eyes and sat back, he rubbed her belly some more. She sat up and touched his face and kissed his cheek. “Thank you Ryan.”

The meeting would be in two weeks. Ryan agreed to go.

Chapter 16

Tessa woke up at three in the morning thinking of
Lucas. Her Dad had already left, and the kids were at her mom’s. She had an awesome dream, and she could not get it out of her head. She showered and brushed her teeth. She jumped in the Jeep and drove to his house. She used her key to get in. She went in his closet and put on the black outfit she had bought when she was prom dress shopping.  She grabbed the whip and giggled.
What am I doing
? She looked over, and he lay without covers, the moonlight beaming across his body. He looked so peaceful sleeping, she watched him for awhile.

His alarm went off, and he mumbled “Ten more minutes
,” and went to hit the snooze.

She took the whip and lightly hit his hand, he instinctively pulled it back and rubbed his eyes, he went for it again, and she hit his hand again. He sat up and opened h
is sleepy eyes and squinted rubbing them again.

"No way," he said under his breath and opened his eyes again.

She raised her eyebrow at him.

“Tessa, you look so fucking…
” he stood up, and she pushed him back gentle with the whip.

He smiled and sat back. She walked
over and pushed play on his stereo. She danced slowly to Alice Cooper’s
Poison
, and he watched her steamy eyed and jaw tight. He went to stand again, and she pushed the whip into him. The song finished, and she went and straddled him and pushed him down. She slowly kissed his belly and moved lower.

“Baby
…” he moaned.

They got out of the bed
and kissed, “I want to wake up like that every day for the rest of my life” he said smiling.

“We will, I love you” she threw on underwear and a tank top and ran downstairs and made him breakfast.

He ran downstairs, “We’re going shopping after you get out of school today.”

Lucas
scooped her up and kissed her.

“Oh yeah
? What are we going shopping for?” she laughed.

“More outfits. Fucking hot!”

~

After class Jade seemed irritated.

“What’s going on Jade?” Tessa asked as they pulled out.

“I’m hungry” she said and look
ed down. “And I like Ryan, Tessa… I really like him.”

“Have you told him?”

“No, I don’t want him to run scared, don’t you tell Lucas,” she snapped.

“I won
’t. But he would never tell him.”

“He would hate me, Tommy has only been gone for four and a half months, and I hav
e a crush on someone? What the hell is that about?!”

“Jade, Tommy would
n’t want you to be alone. You’re seventeen, and in a couple weeks you’ll be eighteen. He would never expect you to be alone forever. Ryan’s a good guy, he works hard, cares for you, TJ likes him more than me,” Tessa gaffed, “and he’s really nice to look at. I was thinking the other day; he has a very sexy voice. Deep and smooth Jade, I bet he would be…”

“Ca
n we go eat, please?”

Tessa laughed and
pulled over to text Lucas.

-Hey hot stuff, Jade is starving, and we are going to stop and feed TJ. Hope you’re not upset…LT

-Not at all. Just getting ready to leave here myself, where you going?...LL

-Probably Olive Garden to carb her up…LT

-Great, text me later baby…LL

They walked in to the
restaurant to get a table.  Lucas walked out and smiled.

“Would you like to join us
?” he smiled, “There’s no wait.”

They sat down, Ryan pulled the chair out for Jade and
Lucas did the same for Tessa.

“You know it’s going to take a lot more than that to get me to go home with you sir,” she whispered.

“Alright” he smiled. “Will that at least get me to the parking lot?”

“Of course” she smiled and started to stand up.

He laughed, “Could we eat first?”

“Sure you can” she laughed and sat down.

“You hungry Jade?” Lucas asked.

"Yes," she
looked down.

“You okay?”
Lucas asked.

"Yes
, thank you," she said quietly.

The
waiter brought out bread and salad. Jade took a bread stick and nibbled on it. Tessa looked at her.

“Jade what’s up?” Ryan asked.

“Nothing,” she answered.

“The
n eat-- little man is hungry,” he rubbed her belly.

She jumped.

"Oh sorry," he said and raised his hands in the air.

“Hey
Lucas, I think I forgot to lock the Jeep, come with me please?” she looked at him with her eyes wide. He followed her out.

“Sorry if I offended you Jade,” he whispered.

She looked down, “You didn’t, I like when you do that.”

“Ok, so what just happened, are you alright?” he asked.

“No, Ryan I’m not” she got teary eyed.

“Jade do you need
to go to the doctor?”

“No, ” she said and a tear dropped down her face, “Ryan I actually like when you touch my belly, I like that you’re around whenever I need you, I like you, really like you, and I know it’s stupid that you’re ju
st a really good friend, and I’m knocked up at seventeen and…”

“Are you done yet?” he asked.

“No…”

“Can I kiss you?”

Her eyes widened. “Do you honestly want…” she started, and he kissed her.

Tessa and
Lucas walked in, and they both smiled and sat down. Jade and Ryan didn’t even notice they had returned.

Ryan started to pull back, and Jade grabbed the back
of his head and kissed him again. The waitress came to the table, and Tessa giggled. Jade jumped, and they both looked around. She blushed.

“Can I tell
Lucas now?” Tessa asked and laughed.

"Shut up
, Tessa," Jade looked down.

“Can I tell Jade how you have looked at her since I met you?”
Lucas asked.

"Shut up
Lucas," Ryan said.

“You hungry now
, Jade?” Tessa asked.

"Yes," she
laughed.

Ryan sat back and rubbed his hands through his hair and took a deep breath. Jade looked at him an
d smiled. He smirked and looked down.

Jade ate until she couldn’t move, “Can I give you a ride home?”

“Yes, please Ryan.”

~

Tessa and Lucas went shopping. He threw everything he saw in the basket and she laughed. She grabbed a pair of elephant trunk underwear and smiled at him, he shook is head no. She grabbed a pair of banana undies and he dragged her out of the department and to the cash register he grabbed a pair of handcuffs, she shook her head no, and he raised his eyebrow and said, “Oh yes”.

They checked out, and she tried to pay, he pushed her back and laughed. The cashier was red by the time she finished ringing them out. They walked out laughing and right into Sadi.

“Well hello there Lucas, hey Tessa” she smiled, “You guys a happy couple now?”

“Hello Sadi, how are you?” he asked.

“Oh great, you know it’s been a rough year though. I’m sorry about Tommy” she said. “But I see you got through that just like you did when our baby died. Tessa did he tell you it was a boy?”

“I’
m very sorry, Sadi,” Tessa looked down.

“Why are you sorry it made i
t easier for you?” Sadi laughed.

“It wasn’t a competition Sadi, we talked about that,”
Lucas said calmly.

"Oh wow check out that ring
, Tessa!”

“Sadi are you still seeing your therapist?”
Lucas asked.

“Nope, I’
m all set though. You both have a great night, oh and enjoy whatever is in that bag.” She began walking away, she stopped. “By the way, I got into SU Lucas, where are you going?” she laughed as she walked away.

“You okay?
” they both asked each other at the same time.

He h
ugged her.

“
Lucas, your baby was a boy?”

“Yes,” he looked away
.

“You wanna leave, bud?” she asked rubbing his back.