Chapter 8

It had been a couple of days since the dinner and he'd done the exact same thing after he showed up at her house the first two times, disappeared for days or even a week and not said anything. It was starting to look like Ceaser had upped and left - run would be more fitting.

Who could blame him though? But it sure did take him a long time before he came to his senses and realized Ivy and her weren't what he wanted in his life.

Jules thought.

She was just a little worried about Ivy because the name 'Dada' had stuck with her and she hadn't stopped saying it.

Jules sighed as she tried to get her head into her work. She hadn't been able to focus for the past hour and the knock on her door made her completely snap out of her thoughts so she couldn't go back to it, which she was thankful for.

"Come in," Jules said still focused on the papers on her desk.

"You never take a break." Jules looked up at the sound of Andy's voice.

"Hey." Jules greeted smiling.

"C'mon get your ass up. We're going for lunch." Andy said

"Is it lunchtime already?" She checked her watch to confirm.

"Yep," Andy answered.

"Darn, I lost track of time." Jules began to organize the scattered sheets of papers on her desk.

"Or yourself," Andy mumbled knowing her friend.

Jules rolled her eyes which made Andy smile.

"What about Sofi?" Jules asked grabbing her purse.

"She already left with Ivy."

"Right. Let's go" They walked out of Jules' office and went to join Sofi and Ivy at the restaurant right across from the company which had been their favourite spot to hang out since they became friends.

The bell chimed as Andy and Jules stepped into the noisy restaurant.

They made their way to their usual table which was reserved for them during the weekdays due to the fact that the restaurant was always crowded around lunchtime and it was hard to get a table. So, they had asked for the table to be reserved for them.

Andy and Jules slid into their seats. Their table was next to the floor to ceiling glass window.

"Already ordered for us," Sofi said.

"Momma," Ivy said from Sofi's lap.

"Hey, beautiful." Jules smiled as she reached over to pick her from Sofi's arms. Jules settled her in her lap and kissed her all over her face which made Ivy giggle.

"Momma," Ivy said when Jules stopped and just stared down at her adorable daughter.

"So, I heard Mr. Thompson hasn't been to work since Monday because of that Russian model he's seeing," Sofi said

"I know for a fact that he isn't seeing anyone right now and besides he has other companies to run Sofi," Andy said.

"Or he has some family matters to handle." Jules suggested "Why am I even contributing to your office gossip. You guys are a bad influence on me."

"It's not gossiping." Andy said, "How many times do you want us to tell you."

"It just sharing..." Sofi began.

"...sharing information you got from someone else." Jules completed "Yea, you told me a billion times but it still doesn't change the fact that it's still office gossip."

Their food arrived then and they dug in. Jules feed both herself and Ivy.

"Not fair," Sofi said "You take the fun out of everything." She sighed giving up on Jules' inability to talk about the news that travel in the office.

"That's just typical Jules. Party pooper, Buzzkill, Fun ruiner Jules" Andy said

"You need a man in your life," Sofi said.

At that, Ceaser came to mind and Jules couldn't help but smile.

Andy wolf hummed.

"Somebody's blushing," Andy said.

"I'm not." Jules smile fell as she let Ivy play with her fingers.

"That's what the guilty ones always say," Sofi said.

Jules looked up at Sofi, shocked.

She was always on her side.

What happened?

Jules glanced at both of them, back and forth.

"Okay. Maybe." Jules finally said after the stare-down contest

"Hee!" Sofi squealed with a clap.

"Spill," Andy said nearing closer to Jules like she was about to tell them top-secret information about the Avengers.

Jules gave up and told them. She hadn't wanted to tell them because they would make the situation a big deal when it wasn't but they knew something was up.

"I met him the night we had the sleepover at your place"

"Wait." Sofi said, "Is it the same hottie that dropped you off?" She asked.

"The one and only." She said.

"You two have been seeing each other?" Andy asked.

"Well...yes. I mean, no. Not really." Jules was confused.

"Which is it?" Andy asked.

"Just a couple of times." She answered.

"And you didn't bother to mention it to us?" Sofi asked.

"I didn't think it was going to go beyond him coming over to the apartment."

"Whoaaa!" Andy said "Stop, Rewind and Freeze. He's been over to your place?" Andy asked.

"Well seems like he's done more than gone to her place," Sofi added

Well, Sofi caught on to what she had said.

"Okay. He came over the day after he dropped us over at your place. Then he came a few other times and we went out to dinner on Friday." Jules confessed.

"It's Friday, how are you just telling us now?" Andy asked.

"Well, what happened?" Sofi asked when she remained quiet.

"Nothing. I haven't spoken to or seen him since then. Looks like he couldn't handle it." She said with a frown "But he was soo good with Ivy. That was the one thing that made me sort of like him and there was this weird tension between us." Jules stopped talking as her mind drifted back to when she had gotten ready and walked into her living room and the way he had looked at her.

"Chemistry you mean," Sofi said.

"Wow! He really got to you." Andy said.

"Just a little." She said not wanting to meet their gaze.

"Uhm-hmm." Sofi hummed her response which dripped with sarcasm.

"Okay, maybe more than a little." She said truthfully this time.

Andy and Sofi chuckled which got her to release her breath. She was out of the woods with them, for now.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Sofi asked

Jules shook her head.

"There's nothing to do." She said "This happens every time, I date a guy, the guy takes off after learning about Ivy. But the different thing about this one was he already knew about Ivy before he took me out, took 'us' out." She corrected "But, I don't need a man. I have Ivy." She smiled down at her daughter.

Sofi and Andy couldn't say anything because they had been there every time a guy walked out on Jules after finding out she was a single mum but they also knew no one had done what this new guy had done, taken their best friend and their god-daughter out and made them both happy. They couldn't do anything but hope Jules found someone that would finally take care of her. She was so used to taking care of everyone around her she probably had forgotten what it was like for someone to take care of her.

Later that day, a few hours before closing for the day, Alice walked into Jules' office.

"Jules?" Alice called when Jules didn't look away from her papers.

"Yes?" Jules looked up at Alice to find her standing in front of her desk with a box in her hand "Who is that for?"

"You," Alice replied.

"Me?" she was confused.

"Yes," Alice placed it on her desk "It just came in."

"Oh. Thanks."

"What's in it?" Alice asked unable to hide her curiosity.

Jules smiled at Alice as she reached for the box and placed it in front of her. She took the lid off and picked the piece of neatly folded paper. Unfolding it she wondered who it could be from.

Jules,

It read.

I'm sorry for taking so long to reach out to you since dinner. I don't have an excuse for that but please, do forgive me.

I'd love to take you out Saturday evening to make up for it. I'll pick you up by 8:30 pm.

-Ceaser

P.S: Wear this.

Jules peeled out a red dress from the box.

"Oh wow!" Alice stared at the dress just as shocked as she was.

It was breathtaking.

What do I do?

Jules thought.

The second she was done for the day, Jules made her way to the daycare.

"Momma's here," Sofi said when she saw Jules exit the elevator. Jules made her way towards Sofi and Ivy, smiling.

"Momma." Ivy squealed happily.

"That's one big box you got there," Andy said.

"It's from him," Jules said.

Andy's eyes widened as she snatched the box from her.

Jules took Ivy and kissed her head

"Hi, sweetheart."

Andy and Sofi dug into the box and after Andy read the note aloud, she pulled the dress out and as expected, it rendered them speechless.

"I am so jealous right now," Sofi said as she stared at the dress.

"Are you going?" Andy asked.

"Of course, she's going." Sofi answered Andy "She has to go."

"Right," Andy said.

"Guys I'm right here." Jules notified them of her presence "And I'm still thinking about it."

"What's there to think about?" Andy asked.

"From the note to the dress, I can tell it's meant for me and the invitation isn't extended towards Ivy."

"C'mon you said so yourself he loved Ivy. He probably just wants you to himself." Andy said.

That scared her more.

"Can't blame the man," Sofi said.

"Jules, you need to live a little for once. We get that Ivy is in your life now, but you can't just cut back on everything you want. Just this once take what you're getting and enjoy it." Sofi said.

They both looked at her waiting for her to decide.

"We'd love to babysit Ivy," Andy said.

"You're welcome," Sofi said.

Jules smiled.

"Have I told you guys how much I love you."

"Only like a million times." Sofi rolled her eyes.

"We'll be at your place at seven tomorrow," Andy said.

"Thanks, guys," Jules said.

"Thank us after the date." Sofi said, "Now get out."

Jules smiled at them and left the office with Ivy in one and the box and her bag in the other.

Saturday evening, Jules' doorbell rang.

"I'm coming." Jules yelled for the fifth time as she made her way to the door "Hold your horses." She opened the door.

"We heard that," Sofi said as she and Andy made their way inside.

"Hello, Ivy." "Hey, sweetie." Andy and Sofi said to Ivy in Jules' arms. Andy picked her from Jules' arm as they walked inside to the living room.

"I thought you guys were going to bail on me" Jules joked as she shut the door and followed behind them

She was hoping they would.

"Way to go." Sofi said "So much for confidence in your friends"

Jules pursed her lips.

"Now go get ready," Andy said.

"Yes ma'am." Jules said "She's going to doze off in a while. Don't do anything that'll make her hyperactive." She added before she made her way to her room and into the bathroom to freshen up before she got dressed.

The day had been soo..., she couldn't explain. She just always found herself thinking of the outing with Ceaser at night and now it was finally here. She and Ivy went to the park as usual; that was the only time she didn't think about him or the outing.

Jules towelled her body dry and put on her lace lavender underwear. She walked to the vanity mirror, combed her hair and styled it in the best way she knew how to, leaving some tendrils falling from the sides.

Her eyebrows were perfectly shaped and full so she ignored them and proceeded to the foundation, putting only a little, a bit of shimmer on her eyelids, some eyeliner, mascara and red lipstick to finish the look.

She had opened the box and laid out the dress on her bed before Andy and Sofi had shown up. So, she slipped the dress over her underwear and zipped it up. She had noticed the back of the dress was low-cut and had avoided wearing a bra. The zipper stopped at the bottom of her spine and it was padded which made her boobs feel safe. The front was simple but elegant. The neckline stopped right above her boobs which left her obvious collar bone insight. She never liked them popping out like that but her mum had always told her it was sexy. She smoothed the well-fitted gown over her hip even though it fell on her body perfectly.

She put on her favourite nude killer heels she had saved for a rainy day. She took a simple nude clutch - which had the essentials - to complement the look and when she looked at the mirror, she smiled back at her reflection.

She hadn't looked this nice in like forever.

"Jules it's almost tim..." Andy stopped mid-sentence when she saw Jules "Wow!"

Sofi entered with Ivy dozing off in her arms and she paused at the door when she saw her.

"Whoa!"

"You look...amazing," Andy said.

"Thanks," Jules said.

"Let's see if Ceaser will be able to hold back now," Sofi said.

Andy and Jules laughed.

There was a knock on the door downstairs and Jules checked the clock. It was 8:24 pm. Of course, trust Ceaser to be on time.

"Should I let him in?" Andy asked

"No." She said "I'm ready. You guys should take care." She kissed Ivy "Goodnight pumpkin."

"Have fun," Sofi called as she left the room.

"See you guys later," Jules said as she walked down the hall.

"Or tomorrow." She heard Andy say.

"I heard that." She called out and heard them laugh.

Jules picked her phone and the key to the apartment from the living room cupboard. She left one for Sofi and Andy anytime they were over.