Chapter 14

Jules was immersed in her work when Alice called in.

"Ms. Jenna, Mrs. Thompson is here to see you," Alice said.

Mrs Thompson?

Ceaser's mum. What's she doing here?

"Send her in Alice."

"Right away."

Seconds later, Alice walked in with Selene following behind.

"Selene, what a surprise." Jules went around her desk to give her a hug.

"A good one I hope?" Selene asked as she embraced the young woman her son couldn't seem to get out of his mind.

"Of course. Please have a seat." Jules offered "Can I get you anything?"

"No, thank you. I won't be here long."

Jules nodded and turned to Alice

"Thank you, Alice."

"I just came straight from Ceaser's office," Selene said when Jules was seated next to her.

Jules let out an unsteady breath as Selene studied her.

"Selene, I didn't know Mr. Thompson, your son, was my boss when I accompanied him to the charity function." Jules told the older woman "I found out that evening and I don't know what you must have thought of me when I told you I worked for the company he now owns. I didn't even know."

Selene placed her hand on Jules'

"I didn't know either." Selene said, "Up until you mentioned the name of the company you worked for at the Charity function, Ceaser hadn't said anything about it to me or his father."

Jules sighed.

Selene didn't know about it. That was a weight off her shoulder.

"How did you find out?" Selene asked.

"Well, Ceaser told me he was a Thomas, not a Thompson. The night of the charity function, Ceaser dropped me home and, my friends who knew what our boss looked like told me. To say I was shocked would be an understatement." Jules said, still hurt at his betrayal.

"Well, that explains why my son is in a good mood," Selene said sarcastically.

"Excuse me?" Jules looked at the woman, curious.

"Well, my son isn't his normal self as we speak. He's...troubled." She paused "It's like, he was right there in the room but at the same time he wasn't. He was distracted by something...or someone."

Jules understood what Selene was trying to tell her not so subtly.

"I doubt I'm the reason for his pleasant mood."

"If you say so." Selene smirked like she knew something she didn't "Anyway, I thought I'd get a chance to see your daughter, but it looks like..."

"Of course." Jules said "My work can wait. I can use this as an excuse to go check on her as well."

"If you insist," Selene said happily and they left her office.

"Alice, I'm escorting Mrs. Thompson to the daycare, I'll be back in a few minutes."

Alice gave her a curt nod and they were on their way.

Jules and Selene arrived at the daycare and made their way from the elevator through the corridor leading to the reception before the children's playroom and a nap room.

"Beth, where's Andy and Sofi?" Jules asked one of the babysitters.

"In there." The young woman said.

"Okay, thanks." Jules said "This way." She told Selene.

They entered the playroom where all the children were. Some sitting on the floor playing with their toys, some on their very small tricycle.

Jules saw Sofi with one of the kids who looked up and saw her. She waved at Jules and pointed to the other room. Jules went beyond the playroom into the other room where the children took their naps and immediately saw Ivy with Andy. The sight of Ivy brought a smile to her face.

Andy saw her first then Ivy next.

"Momma." Ivy beamed at her from across the room when she saw Jules. Jules made a beeline to her and took her from Andy raining kisses on her daughter's small face.

"Hey, darling." Jules said to her.

Ivy grinned at Jules and cooed. Jules had forgotten why she was there in the first place until that moment. She looked behind her to find Selene smiling at both of them.

"Andy this is Mrs. Thompson, Selene this is Miranda, my friend." Jules introduced them.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am." Andy greeted her.

"Please call me Selene." Selene said, "It must be so much fun working here."

"Hmm, that's debatable but I love it." Andy said "Well, I'll go check up on the rest. Excuse me." Andy said before she left.

"Selene, this is my daughter, Ivy."

Selene's was so excited to meet Ivy

"May I?" She asked Jules.

"Of course." Jules let Selene take Ivy from her

"She's so pretty," Selene said as she just looked at Ivy and something in the child's feature seemed familiar. "Her eyes..."

Ivy smiled and Selene's heart caught, there was something about Ivy that Selene couldn't quite put her hands on. Ivy reached out to touch Selene's sparkling diamond earring.

"You've got good taste," Selene said to her but Ivy full attention was on her earring.

Jules watched as both of them got along with each other.

Minutes passed and Jules had forgotten she had to get back to work as she stayed back with Selene and Ivy.

"Ah-ha!" Someone interrupted their conversation "I was wondering where you'd run off to."

Selene and Jules turned to see who it was.

"Oh, Eric." Selene said, "She's adorable."

Eric joined them

"Nice to see you, Jules."

"Nice to see you again Mr. Thompson."

"What did we say about the formalities?" Eric asked Jules.

Jules smiled at the older man

"Eric." She tried again

"Much better." He turned to Ivy who was in his wife's arms "Sweetheart, can I have my turn?"

Ceaser had been ambushed by Jules' friends in the previous room but he'd finally caught up with his dad. He reached the room and leaned against the doorpost watching his parents before his eyes went to Jules and he just watched her watch his parents.

Jules smiled at the older couple.

They were still so much in love.

Ivy stared into the older man's eyes and cooed when she was in his arms.

"You are the sweetest baby, aren't you Ivy?" Ivy beamed at him like she knew what he was saying.

"Dada." Jules heard Ivy say and she froze, the smile falling from her face before she swallowed and turned her head to find Ceaser leaning against the doorpost, his eyes were on her before he looked away and smiled at Ivy as he walked further into the room.

He looked as perfect as ever. Well, just his looks, definitely not his attitude.

Jules thought.

Ceaser walked towards Ivy.

"Hey Munchkin." He smiled at Ivy.

"So, Jules, how have you been?" Eric asked.

"Busy, at work, at home," Jules said.

"I guess my son isn't making it easier for you then," Eric said.

She looked at Ceaser who also chose that same time to look at her and it was like the only thing they were both thinking of was the moment in her office because the tension in the room went up a notch. Well, more than a notch.

"I...I mean, he's a great boss." Jules finally got out as Eric and Selene just smiled at her.

Ceaser watched Jules.

"Well, we best get going and leave you to your work," Selene said.

"Yeah. But we would love to see this cutie again." Eric said.

"Anytime."

"How about you come over to our home this Saturday, for lunch," Selene suggested.

"That would be great," Eric said.

"Hmm..." Jules didn't know what to say

I'm sorry I can't be there because I have issues with your son?

That didn't sound like an answer to her

"I...I don't think..." Jules began.

"She'll be there," Ceaser said, interrupting her and Jules glared at him.

"Well, it's settled then." Eric said, "We'll see you and this cutie on Saturday at twelve; sharp."

Jules smiled and nodded not knowing what to do asides from that.

"See you soon." Selene kissed Ivy who was now in Ceaser's arm.

"It was nice seeing you today," Jules said to them.

"Thank you for having us," Selene said before she left with Eric.

Jules turned to Ceaser after they left.

"What were you thinking?" She asked him.

"That you didn't want to accept their invitation because you and I had a fallout."

"What we had wasn't a fallout," Jules said.

"Besides I don't stay with my parents if that's what you thought." He ignored what she said.

"I don't care where you live." She said

That was what she thought but thank goodness.

"You would, soon," Ceaser said and Jules' heart skipped a beat.

"I'm going back to work before the boss gets angry. He has a temper." Jules faked a whisper as she walked towards him. She kissed Ivy and smiled at her all along she felt Ceaser's gaze on her the whole time.

"I bet you love his temper," Ceaser said.

Jules looked up from Ivy to Ceaser and her stomach tightened at the way his gaze penetrated hers with that annoying smirk of his.

She swallowed as she remembered what he had done to her in her office.

Darn! His temper.

Jules pulled back physically and mentally before she walked out of the room and made her way to the elevator after she made sure Andy and Sofi knew who Ivy was with. She entered the elevator and waited for it to close. It began to close when someone stopped it with their foot which made it reopen again. Jules looked up at the person and her heart began to thump. She wanted to walk out of the elevator and wait for another because she was scared of what might happen with just the two of them in the elevator but she didn't move. Ceaser would know she was afraid of being alone with him.

Ceaser stoic expression didn't help to figure out what he wanted as he walked into the elevator as she tried to seem unaffected by his presence when her inside was already a mess. Ceaser went to stand behind her and Jules wanted to scream for help as the elevator closed. Ceaser reached out from behind her to push the button to his floor. She felt the spot he breathed on, against her nape, tingle and she clenched her fists from doing anything stupid like touch that spot and rub away the feeling. But oh, she wanted to because it sent unwanted feelings through her.

"We need to talk," Ceaser said, so close to her ear his breath doing things to her.

Jules closed her eyes and forced herself to think straight before she spoke.

"We have nothing to talk about."

"I think we do," Ceaser said getting tired of her not letting him talk. Before he could think about it, he stopped the elevator and pushed Jules against the wall keeping her hands pinned behind her with one of his.

Jules stared at him unable to do anything.

Oh, she was mad. How dare he!

"What are you doing?" She asked as she tried to break free from his grip. His nearness was making her lose her voice.

"Tell me, Jules." Ceaser spoke into her ear which sent tingles through her whole body "Tell me you don't feel this." His lips lingered near her lips. He was so close Jules could count his lashes but she didn't want to, because that would mean looking into his eyes which would render her weak.

But she looked into his eyes anyway and stopped struggling to get free from his grip on her. Her chest was heaving as she gently and slowly pulled her hand from his grip then placed them on his chest wanting to keep them there for as long as she could. Ceaser hoped she didn't feel his heart pounding in his chest as she placed her palm on his chest. Jules leaned into him as her lips grazed his slightly parted ones.

She wanted to kiss him badly but she couldn't.

"I don't," Jules whispered and pushed him away as she pushed the elevator button which set them in motion.

Ceaser stood there, his jaw clenched. He wanted to ravish her but not just yet. He'd wait for her to come to him.

Jules' heart was still hammering when she left the elevator to her office.

Who could blame her for lying?

She had to do it for Ivy and for herself. She didn't need anyone to mess up the life she had with Ivy. Not now. Now ever.