47

I frowned at the phone and wanted to answer it immediately. A part of me did not agree in that instant. I knew it was wrong, regardless of the caller being his ex-girlfriend that still gave me no right to intrude.

"Chad, Rebecca is calling." I called on the top of my voice, walking towards the kitchen.

The way he dashed out of the kitchen, a wooden spoon in his hand, and holding the edge of the counter just to avoid falling, made me wish I would have answered the phone. He was acting suspicious for his own good.

He literally snatched the phone out of my hands. I shrugged one shoulder with raised eyebrows, going to sit on the couch with a frown.

I wondered if he would answer it but he hung up straight away, carelessly tossing his phone onto the space beside me. My eyes unconsciously followed the black phone as it landed, almost falling off the couch. I had to create a fence by placing my palm by the edge.

My eyes went straight to him and I took note of his lack of eye contact.

"Why is she calling you?" I had to ask.

"I don't know," he shrugged and leaned to retrieve the phone. "I'll block her phone number right now, fuck, I really thought I already did that." He frowned, punching in some figures as his fingers raked through his screen mercilessly.

"I'm so sorry that happened." He glanced at me briefly before focusing on his phone once more.

"It's okay." I didn't want to make things more uncomfortable than they already were so I made sure to affirm him that way.

"I'm sorry." He sighed in relief, putting his phone in his pocket with caution. "I'll continue in the kitchen." He pointed the wooden spoon in the direction of the kitchen and nodded.

I held his wrist with furrowed eyebrows, automatically stopping him from leaving. "Are you hiding something from me?" I asked out of plain, honest fear.

"N..no." He sighed, gently pulled his wrist free from my hold, crouched low in front of me and took a deep breath in, "Listen," he began and as if his calm, soothing voice was not enough, he proceeded to his my cheeks in his hands and moved his face closer to mine. I had to purse my lips to avoid the embarrassment from moaning at just the slightest touch.

"Nothing and no one will come between us, I promise. It doesn't matter if Rebecca is unwilling to give up, the thing is, I love you, and I mean it." He said in my face, literally.

"I know Chad, you don't have to tell it to me an inch away." I gently pushed him off, smiling at his current position but he looked as serious as could possibly be.

"What are you trying to say?" My smile had faded by now and I was curious to know if something was genuinely up and he was just hiding it from me.

"I'm serious. Please."

"O..okay, I'm not arguing." I swallowed and he nodded in understanding, standing to his feet.

"Alright, stay here." He ordered in his low voice, heading back to the kitchen.

I knew that he was only trying to make me feel better, but my worry had only managed to graduate.

A part of me knew it was best to shrug it off but at the back of my head, I was certainly going to get to the bottom of things.

Chad came out of the kitchen on a phone call and I seized my breath, wondering what he was discussing this time and if he had eventually phoned Rebecca back but the smile on his face when he presented the meal to me was not the type that would accompany a Rebecca phone call.

"Okay mom, I'll talk to her and see if she can make time." Chad rolled his eyes, strolling to the refrigerator and grasping a cold bottle of orange juice.

He hung up before coming to sit beside me, "sorry for wasting time but things are done!" He clapped his hands once and out his phone on the table, moving closer to me.

"Was that your mom?' I questioned seriously even though I already knew the answer. I started off with the bottle of orange juice just because the bottle was especially tempting.

"Yes I told her about the both of us being officially together and the news just threw her off her feet to be honest." He answered me. "Now she wants to meet you again, this time as Nikki, with me." He seemed to be proud of himself, judging by the smile that was on his face and the mere fact that he was making me blush was just everything.

"That is so sweet of her, of course, we can see her, and you know I'm not going to be working on weekends for sure, so that's something. Don't worry." I assured him, excited to meet his overly welcoming mother again.

"Really?"

"Stop making it seem like I'm some hard to get bitch." I teased him.

"It's settled then, this weekend, we go shopping again.?" He raised a hopeful brow and I shook my head at him gently.

"The last time that happened, I still have multiple clothes from that day with nowhere to wear them to." I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, but like my mom says, that was clearly for Mandy. Come on, you have to admit that it was pretty fun." He chuckled.

I was about to respond when a knock came on the door.

Both Chad and I looked up in confusion before he went to answer to whoever it was that had just ruined the perfect mood.

It turned out to be one of his security men and I wouldn't have cared if he didn’t say Rebecca was at the gates, waiting to be let in. Now, I was curious as to why she was so desperate and so I cut Chad from speaking. "Let her in, I need to know what she wants and why she is here."