11 | Thank You

The next morning I wake up to my phone ringing. With my eyes still closed, I reach for my phone and answer it. "Hello?" I ask with a croaky voice, rubbing a hand over my face.

"Hey." His voice comes hesitantly through the phone.

I pull my phone back to look at the screen and to confirm who I think it is. "Axel?"

"Hey," he says again. "Are you busy today?"

Why would he be asking me that? "No, I'm not," I answer truthfully.

People yelling at each other in the background come through the phone. "I was wondering if you could watch Adam today? I'm at the station until seven a.m. tomorrow and Adam's mom's flight got delayed so she won't be in until tonight. I have no one else to ask so that's why I'm asking you."

"Of course I can," I say without a second thought. As I try to get out of bed, my feet get wrapped in the comforter and I land on the floor with a loud thud. "Ouch," I muffle.

"Did you just fall?" Axel asks, a hint of a laughter in his tone.

"No," I lie.

"Mhm," Axel drawls through the phone. "Adam's here at the station with me whenever you can stop by."

"Okay, I should be there soon." I pull out athletic shorts and a racerback tank top to change into.

"Conley?"

That causes me to pause. "Yes?"

"Thank you for this."

"Of course."

Half an hour later I'm pulling into the parking lot next to the fire department. The town square is quiet but I know it won't last long since it's just morning. I walk up to the stairs leading into the fire department and knock on the door, not knowing if I should just walk in or not.

The door swings open and Caleb is standing there, grinning. "Morning, Vienna. Wasn't expecting you here."

"Hi, I'm here for Adam," I say, grabbing my necklace.

Caleb opens the door wider for me to walk in. "We're all eating breakfast right now."

"Fun," I mutter under my breath as I follow him through the station. There's a weird tension between the two of us now.

We emerge into a room full of people I don't recognize, Jaden, Axel, Adam, and Caleb being the only ones I know. Everyone stops talking to look at me. The silence hangs in the air awkwardly.

"Vienna's here," Caleb says nonchalantly to everyone, pulling a seat out beside Jaden.

"Vienna!" Adam's voice yells as he runs up to me. He wraps his arms around my legs and hugs me.

"Hi, Adam." I rub his head and focus my eyes on Axel who stands up from his chair.

He walks towards me and touches my lower back, sending a shiver through my body, before walking out of the kitchen. "Follow me."

My eyes land on Jaden before I leave, untangling Adam from my legs as I do so. Jaden raises a brow and smiles at me before winking.

Now I can't help think he had something to do with this.

Adam is in front of me as we follow Axel to a room filled with lockers. Axel opens one and pulls out a familiar Spider Man backpack, putting it over Adam's shoulders.

I observe the cute interaction between the two of them as I lean my shoulder on the doorway, a smile lighting up my face. Watching this I can't help feel more attracted to Axel.

Axel catches me smiling and smiles himself. "What?" he asks, standing up.

"Nothing," I say quickly, feeling my cheeks heat up.

Adam skips out of the room and back towards the kitchen area, leaving Axel and me alone in the room. Axel walks towards me and stands in front of me, keeping my back pinned to the doorway. "What is it?"

I glance away, shrugging my shoulders. "I think you'll make a great dad one day," I answer truthfully. If anything, he's already a great father figure to Adam.

Axel's eyes find mine and I see something in them, but he looks away before I can decipher what it is. He runs a hand through his dark hair. "Thanks," he says before leading the way back to the kitchen and calling out for Adam.

"Can we go to the fair?" Adam asks excitingly as we head for the exit. His adorable attitude is infectious.

As I'm about to say yes, Axel says, "Adam-"

"But-" Adam's eyebrows narrow as he looks at Axel.

"I don't mind taking him," I say. "It'll be fun."

Axel places his hands on his hips, keeping his eyes on Adam. "Are you sure? He can be a handful sometimes."

"I'm sure. It'll be fun," I repeat.

Axel's eyes land on mine. "Call me if he causes any trouble. And again, thank you for doing this."

"Axel, it's not a problem."

His eyes linger on me for a few more seconds and I can't help but hold his gaze.

"When are we leaving?" Adam asks loudly, seeming bored.

Axel and I both take a step back from each other, not realizing how close we'd been standing next to each other moments ago. "Here's some money for Adam for the fair." Axel digs into his uniforms pocket, looking for cash.

"It's okay, I'll pay for him," I say.

"I can't let you do that."

I give him my best smile. "Axel, I promise it's fine."

"Can we go to the fair now?" Adam drawls out, slumping his shoulders.

Axel and I both laugh. "We're going to get breakfast first and then we'll head to the fair."

Adam narrows his eyes at me. "Why?"

I cross my arms over my chest, giving him the same attitude back. "Because I said so." Adam copies me and stares right back at me.

"Jaden wasn't wrong when he said you'd be able to handle him."

I turn to look at Axel and that look from earlier has returned to his eyes, but it's a look I've never seen from him before. I can't tell what it is.

"I'm leaving." Adam begins dramatically stomping his way to the exit.

Laughing, I say to Axel, "I'll see you later."

Axel grabs my hand before I can leave. "Thank you."

I smile back and give his hand a squeeze.

*****

"Can I have ice cream?"

"Adam, it's not even ten in the morning. No," I say without even looking away from the menu that's hand written in colorful chalk.

He tugs on my fingers. "Please!" he begs.

I shake my head no. "Later when we're at the fair you can."

"Fine," he mutters.

Elea and Olivia laugh behind me in the line we're standing in for our local coffee shop on the square.

"You have your work cut out for you today," Olivia says, her eyes flashing with amusement.

Elea nods her head in agreement. "Do you know why Axel asked you in the first place?"

I tilt my head. "He said he had no one else to watch Adam. I don't mind though." I run my hand through Adam's fluffy hair as he scrunches his nose and smiles up at me.

"Jaden may have said something," Olivia adds before stepping in front of me to place her order. "I'll also pay for their orders as well." Olivia points to Elea, Adam, and me.

"You don't have to do that," I complain.

"It's the least I can do since Jaden and I set you up to watch Adam."

"Oh, is that what you're doing?" I ask, getting a feeling this is more about Axel and me rather than Adam.

Elea quietly snorts while she laughs. I wink at her, both of us acknowledging the fact that our best friend can't help herself when it comes to intervening in our lives. More specifically our love lives.

After we get our drinks we follow Olivia to the flower shop she'd ordered all her flowers from for the wedding. The same old bell jingles above the door when we walk in with flowers in every inch and corner of the small flower shop. I smile as Adam sniffs some of the flowers.

"Hello?" a familiar voice calls down the tiny and narrow hallway from her office.

"Hi Mrs. Stacy. It's Olivia, I'm here to check on my flower arrangements," Olivia calls back to her.

Mrs. Stacy scurries out as she emerges behind a wall of flowers. She smiles when she sees us and her smile grows more when she sees Adam holding my hand. "Vienna Conley, how are you my dear?"

She comes to give me a hug and I squeeze her back. "I'm doing good. How are you?"

Her smile gives her answer away. "You know I love seeing a familiar face." Her hands cups my chin before she taps my nose with her index finger. "Now, who is this handsome little fella?" She looks down at Adam.

"This is Adam."

"Is he yours?" Her eyes light up when she looks back at me.

Olivia and Elea both slap a hand over their mouths as they start to giggle. I ignore them and and answer Mrs. Stacy. "No, I'm just watching him today. This is Axel's younger brother."

Mrs. Stacy's pale white eyebrows raise up as she adjusts her everyday bandana holding her hair back. "You still seeing that young man?" Her smile grows even wider.

For some reason I don't have it in my to tell her no. I would've thought she would've found out by now, but it also was three years ago.

Before I can answer, Olivia interrupts the conversation, saving me from having to answer Mrs. Stacy. Sometimes it's good to have a best friend who can read you like no other.

Elea gives my hand a squeeze as Olivia asks Mrs. Stacy some more questions about the flower arrangements.

Just then a loud honk sounds as an eighteen wheeler drives past Mrs. Stacy's store. She huffs, placing her hands on her hips. "They're not supposed to drive through town in that giant thing," she says disapprovingly.

"What is it for?" Elea asks, turning her head to look at Mrs. Stacy.

"This year they're holding a concert at the end of tonight and tomorrow for the fair. If you ask me I prefer the local bands over some famous one." Mrs. Stacy's eyes focus on the giant truck as it drives towards the fair.

A small smile forms on my lips as I think about the one time Axel and I danced to one of the local bands playing at the fair. He was my first slow dance.

"Can we go now?" Adam whines, pulling me out of my thoughts as he tugs on my hand.

I look up at Olivia and Elea who nod their heads. We wave bye to Mrs. Stacy before leaving her shop and heading to the fair.

A/N: Any ideas on what will happen in the next chapter? It's going to be an interesting one!