“Hey, Ashley, what’s up?” he says. Ashley. What a mood kill. The woman can’t leave Kade alone.
“No, I can’t. I’m busy tonight.”
“Ashley, I said not tonight, I’m out on a date with my girl.”
“Yes, Ashley, my girl.”
I can hear her voice get louder. Wonder what the hell she’s saying.
“Yes, it’s Nikki. We finally made it official; she finally got her head out of her ass.” Kade chuckles and I glare at him. Pfft, head out of my ass, yeah, right. I hear more yelling. Then I look up, and Kade is staring quizzically at his phone.
“Well, that’s a first, she hung up on me,” he says, surprised.
“Still don’t believe me she wants you?” I deadpan.
Kade looks at me as if I’m being silly. “She doesn’t want me, Nikki, she’s just trying to look out for me.”
Yeah, sure, tell yourself that. I swear! I’m not going to let this ruin our first night as a couple.
“Ready to go to the movie?” I ask, smiling up at him once we finish our dessert.
“I’m sorry, Nikki, I’m gonna take you home, okay? I better go check on her; she’s all alone in that house. Rain check on the movie.”
“Okay,” I mumble in return. Fuck. Ashley is good. I wonder if she’s going to do this our whole relationship.
“I know she can be a bit much, but she’s like family to me. I would really love it if you two could get along. For me,” Kade says, his blue eyes pleading with mine.
I grunt noncommittally. Not gonna happen.
He gives me a long suffering sigh. “Come on, gorgeous, let’s get out of here.”
“You might need to roll me home,” I groan. I’m almost in a food coma. Kade grins cheekily, before lifting me up in his arms, and carrying me to the car.
Chapter Eighteen
Kade and I have been dating for a week now. We told Layla a few days ago, and she was practically jumping for joy. Good grief. After Ashley called Kade away the night of our first date, I don’t really hear much from her, not that she would talk to me, but she comes over often enough. I even ask Kade if he has heard from her at all, and he says she isn’t taking his calls. Today he's going over to talk to her while I go over to Layla’s to keep her company, and of course, to start the planning of a baby shower.
As we’re talking baby stuff, she starts talking to her stomach.
“Hi there, Tyson, can you stop kicking my bladder, please?” she says in a baby voice.
“Wait, Tyson? Wasn’t it something different the other day?” I swear, every time I talk to her she’s changing the baby’s name.
“Yeah, but today I like Tyson,” she says with a small grin.
“Have you thought of any girl names?” I ask.
“Chase has, but I know this one is a boy. We can’t agree on any girls names. Plus, with the amount of women he’s been with, it’s hard finding a girl’s name. Every time I say one that I like, he goes quiet, which means he’s banged someone with that name.” She makes a face, scrunching up her nose.
She picks up her cookies that are on the coffee table and starts munching.
“Anyways, how are things with Kade?” she asks, waggling her eyebrows.
“Good, actually. Only problem we seem to have is Ashley. She was pissed when she found out Kade and I are dating. Now she’s giving him the silent treatment.”
“That girl. Kade is so blind when it comes to her,” Layla grumbles, stuffing another cookie in her mouth.
“Yep, that he is. Chase told her to get out that night. I’m pretty sure he meant for her to never come back, didn’t he?” I ask Layla.
“Yeah, he did, why? Has she been over?” she asks, her brows furrowed.
“All the damn time! Well, except since she found out about Kade and me.” I pause. “This all feels familiar to me,” I say quietly.
Layla stops eating and turns to look at me. “He's not Ben, Nikki.”
“Think about it. Kade is friends with Ashley, Ben was ‘friends’ with Amanda. Both Kade and Ben were relentless in their pursuit to get me.”
“Yes, but Nikki, the difference with Kade is he really is only friends with Ashley. And he’s a good guy. Hurting you would hurt me, and we both know if he hurt me, Chase would kill him.” Layla smiles cheekily.
That does give me some food for thought.
Layla and I decide to go out and grab something to eat. I send Kade a text telling him I’ll see him at home in a couple of hours.
******
Layla and I close my car door, laughing. We just finished a day of shopping. Layla bought gorgeous baby clothes, and I bought some lingerie. I lock my door when James walks up to us suddenly. He kisses Layla on the cheek, and offers to carry her bags. Layla hands them over without a word. James walks over to me, gives me a lopsided grin, and takes my handbag and the few bags I have in my hands. I’m instantly suspicious. Before I have time to ask him why he's acting weird, he bolts into the house, and closes the door. Layla and I glance at each other, wide eyed. It’s then that I see Kade, sitting on the fence, with the hugest grin on his face. He jumps down, landing steadily on his feet. His chest is bare; he's only wearing a pair of snug worn jeans, riding low on his delectable hips. Then I notice the huge water gun in his hands. Oh, hell. I run to the front door to find it locked. That bastard James! I glance longingly at my car, but James took my handbag with my keys in it. That sneak! Kade runs up to me with the water gun and starts spraying me, getting me saturated.