Chapter Two

After that little serious conversation, Ian busted out a bottle of white wine and enjoyed it between him and Skylar. For almost two hours they talked about the events in their life that had happened in the last five years. There was a lot. From Ian becoming a father at such a young age to Skylar graduating high school as valedictorian. She'd really stepped up her game since that night so long ago, deciding that she wanted to be something in life not just some sad girl with no meaning.

Kyle and Emily arrived a while later to find Skylar with her legs on Ian's lap, and both of them laughing their heads off.

Kyle smiled. "It's good to see you two getting along," he said, putting Emily down on her feet.

"Daddy!" Emily mused, running over to her father.

Skylar blushed, realising just how close she was to Ian. Maybe Emily didn't like the idea of seeing her dad withs somebody else. But with the big smile Emily had on her face, it was hard to tell.

"We had a good time reliving our life since the past five years," Ian explained.

"A lot has happened," Skylar added.

Kyle was pleased to see his cousin so casual. Usually, he had on a serious face and didn't take well to new company. Yet he seemed to really be enjoying Skylar's company. His friend was easy to get along with, always being such a kind person. But he knew that she had that feisty side to her, the one he had been attracted to for such a long time, until he realized that Skylar was more like a sister than anything and that was all they would ever be. Friends.

"Do you want to start heading towards Palo Alto?" Kyle asked Skylar. "We can stay at a motel..."

"Oh, right. You're moving into your dorm at Stanford," Ian said, looking thoughtful.

"Yeah," Skylar said, starting to get up.

"No," Ian said quickly. "It's late. Stay here, the drive there is pretty long and why stay at a motel? Just leave tomorrow in the afternoon. Emily and I have a lot of space here, and I don't mind at all."

Skylar gave him a thankful smile. "Alright, thank you."

Kyle grinned, relieved that he didn't have to make that long drive just yet. All he wanted to do was crash.

Skylar was happy that Ian remembered her, as she had not forgotten about him. He was the only person that had ever seen her like that, never really having let anyone in when it came to her emotions. She had always been afraid of opening up. That night she had just broken to a point where nothing mattered to her anymore, that was until Ian showed up and showed her that there was much more to life. She would be eternally grateful.

Ian showed Skylar and Kyle to their seperate rooms. Skylar was so tired all she wanted to do was fall on that bed and go to sleep. That wine had done her well.

She quickly unzipped the suitcase she'd brought inside to change into something more comfortable, which was just a small pair of pajama shorts and a Van Halen t-shirt. Soon she was sleeping like a baby.

Ian could not sleep. After having put Emily to bed he went into his study and tried to get some work done, but he couldn't. She was here. In his home! The girl he hadn't stopped thinking about in the past five years.

She'd come back into his life sinfully sexy, extraordinarilly smart, charming, and obviously looked up to him as if he was some sort of hero. He was no hero as far as he was concerned. Although it did warm his chest to think that she really looked up to him.

What was wrong with him? He had to focus on his work and raising his daughter properly, there was no time to think about Skylar as if something could happen between them. She had to focus on her schooling and future career, of course she didn't think about him in that way at all. But was it bad to imagine something else...

A knock on his door distracted him from his thoughts.

Kyle entered the room holding a bottle of scotch.

"Care to join me for a drink?" he asked.

Ian shook his head. He'd had plenty to drink earlier with Skylar. "No, thank you. Skylar and I finished an entire bottle of wine together. I'm surprised I'm not in bed yet."

Kyle stood thoughtfully for a moment. "You know, you never really took well to new company. Why are you so okay with Skylar?"

Was he really that hostile towards new people? Ian couldn't help but wonder.

"Skylar and I have a past..." he said, not really putting too much detail in.

"She's been through a lot, you know," Kyle said.

Ian nodded. "I know, cousin. I know."

"Mind telling me exactly what happened between you two?" Kyle asked. "She isn't an ex-lover is she?"

Ian laughed. "Oh, no. But I  can't really tell you, I don't know if Skylar would be okay with you knowing. It's pretty private."

Ian did not know how much about her problems Skylar had disclosed to Kyle, but in case she hadn't, he didn't want to be the one to tell Kyle. It was Skylar's to tell, not his. Plus, he didn't want to offend Skylar in any way. He would respect her privacy.

Kyle sighed. "She's told me a few things. I know she's been through some pretty serious depression but she never really likes to talk about it."

Ian nodded. "Well, she seems to be doing pretty great now."

"Yeah," Kyle agreed. "But I feel like sometimes she relapses...I don't know. There are times where there's just an emptiness or sadness in her eyes. She always comes back though, so I guess that's good."

Ah. So Skylar had failed to inform him of her relapses. That brought a frown to his face. She kept assuring him that she was doing well, that it was all thanks to him. Well, at least she's not trying to kill herself anymore, he thought. At least she was trying to be happy, and for that he respected her.

"Are you and Skylar...a thing?" Ian asked.

Kyle scoffed. "No. Not at all. I'm not gonna lie, though. I used to have a thing for her, that was when I first met her. Then I realized that I wouldn't want to jeapordize my friendship with her because of that. She's my best friend."

Without even realizing it, Ian let out a little sigh of relief.

"Why do you ask?" Kyle asked.

Ian gulped. "No reason. I was just wondering."

Ian didn't look too deep into it, deciding to let go of the subject rather quickly.

"Well, I'm gonna go finish this bottle of scotch," he said, and then he left, leaving Ian alone once again.

Skylar awoke to the bright San Francisco sun shining brightly through the bedroom window. Didn't Ian believe in curtains? With a groan she sat up and got out of bed. What she really needed at the moment was a great cup of coffee.

He better have a French press, Skylar thought as she brushed her teeth.

Once in the kitchen, Skylar encountered Ian. He was in running shoes, shorts, and a tight black t-shirt, chugging down water, he was obviously kind of sweaty. Skylar found the sight rather appealing. She had to admit, Ian was very handsome...

"Good morning," she said, rather cheerfully.

He looked at her and a grin spread across his lips. "Good morning, Skylar. Sleep well?" As he said that, his eyes roamed over her body; the short shorts showing off her legs and curves.

"Very," she said. "I guess this was my last night in a comfortable mattress. I hear dorm beds aren't the best."

Ian rolled his eyes. "Not the best, but you'll get used to it," he assured her. "Coffee?"

"Please!"

It turned out that Ian did not own a French press, and so she had to drink coffee made by a Keurig. She wasn't about to complain though. She was getting coffee, that was all that mattered.

"Sugar?"

"No, thank you," she said, taking in the smell of the delicious caffeine.

Ian raised an eyebrow. "Please don't tell me you're a little coffee addict."

She smiled innocently. "I didn't drink coffee once when I was thirteen and had the worst headache of my life. Never missed a day since then."

Ian groaned. "Do you know how bad that is for you?"

Skylar sighed. "Do you know how good it is?"

Sure, not being able to go a day without a cup of coffee wasn't the healthiest, but she loved it. The minimum intake of a day was one cup, it was usually two to four for her. Maybe she should have had terrible teeth, but she went to the dentist every three months and took great care of her teeth.

"Surely you have something that you can't go a day without," she said. "A little addiction."

"I don't, actually," he informed her.

"Nothing at all?"

"Nothing."

"Hmm. We all have something."

"Not me."

Ian found it quite funny as he watched her pout, obviously trying to figure him out. He didn't want to point out just how delectable she looked at the moment; messy hair, t-shirt that she obviously had no bra under, shorts that showed off her long legs. Was it so bad to want to ravish her so badly?

It was noon when Skylar and Kyle were getting to leave, much to Ian's disappointment. It would have been nice to have Skylar stay longer. But at least he wouldn't have that temptation in front of him anymore, maybe then he could get some work done.

"Bye, Ian, thank you so much for having me," Skylar said, surprising Ian by giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Any time," he said, almost breathless. "Remember, you need an internship, you've got one."

And he really hoped she would take his word for it. At least then he would have an excuse to be around her.