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Homesick For Paris
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
All Grown Up Contract
JesseI frowned as I scrounged around on Joe’s desk for something that I could open a box with. Unlike my desk, which was neat and tidy, always organized to perfection, he seemed to keep pretty much everything out where he could see it. He claimed he knew exactly where everything was at any given time. That didn’t help when he was out front with a customer and I was trying to open up the boxes with the new equipment that we’d received that morning.Finally, I gave it up as a lost cause and headed for my own office to grab my box cutter, grumbling under my breath as I went. Should’ve just had the boxes delivered straight to my office, but Joe had been the one in the back at the time that the delivery came in, while I tried to explain more of the opening procedures to Chance before he left for the day, since he was only part-time on Tuesdays.The kid still wasn’t getting the opening procedures, but he had made a little progress in checking out customers, getting more efficient all the t
All Grown Up Pizza and a Movie
AudreyAnnabelle hopped up on one of the seats at the counter of the pizza place, drumming her fingers against the red countertop as we waited for our pizzas to be ready. Dino’s was the same as it had ever been. I was surprised to hear that they still didn’t deliver but only offered take-out pizzas. Same as it had ever been. I shook my head. North Carolina had barely changed since I had left it. Yet again, I felt hopelessly adrift, like I had far outpaced this town and everyone in it.I considered Annabelle for a moment. She seemed happy here. Oh, I knew she had talked about getting out and going somewhere else. She wasn’t planning on staying in Aberdeen forever. It was why she had two jobs and was living at home, after all: so that she could save up the money that she needed to get a fresh start somewhere else. All the same, she didn’t seem like she was unhappy. She somehow managed to make things work, even while she was dreaming of getting away.Could I ever be like that? Settle in
All Grown Up Catching Up with Sis
AudreyI bit my lower lip. “Isn’t it kind of weird to you that Clayton moved in so soon after he met Mom?” I asked, unable to help myself. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Clayton, I was just still trying to figure out how to act around him, and he was pretty much always there. Including at these family nights, which used to just be about the three of us.I guess that was one thing that had changed around here, but it was a change that left me feeling even more uncomfortable and out of place.Annabelle pursed her lips as she considered that. Then she shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said. “Mom really seems head over heels for him. That’s a good thing for her, too. It’s about time she found someone who could keep up with her.” She grinned at me, but then looked considering again. “You haven’t seen her the past few years. It’s been tough.”I frowned. “I’ve seen her,” I said defensively. “She’s come out to Paris a couple of times, and we did that tour of Australia together. Oh, and London. Reme
All Grown Up Not What We Ordered
AudreyIt wasn’t like I didn’t want to keep in contact with Annabelle while I was gone, or that I didn’t think that she had anything interesting to talk about from here in North Carolina. I just didn’t have time for anything other than dance.That was the way that it had always been, and that was probably the way that it would always be.I sighed just thinking about it, and Annabelle quirked an eyebrow at me. I shook my head. “Just thinking about that musical again,” I lied, and she laughed. I forced myself to grin and turned my thoughts away from Paris.I wanted to go back home, I really did. It was just that the more I thought about it, the more comfortable I felt here, and the more I sort of liked the options that I had. There were certain freedoms that I had here that I would never have in the strict routine that I kept in Paris. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it would be a process to give them up again, and it had me feeling uncomfortable and out of place even thinking
All Grown Up Wildflowers
JesseI tried not to be too nervous as I turned into the driveway of the Buchanan family home on Saturday evening. I probably should have called, but anyway, I knew that she and I were at least sort of on the same page. Just enjoying the time that we had together before she went back to Paris. Wasn’t that was this was all about?I knew that my plans for the night weren’t strictly what she had had in mind when she had said that. They were a little too lovey-dovey. At the same time, though, I didn’t think she would be complaining.Although there was definitely a reason I hadn’t called her and asked. I didn’t want to give her a chance to tell me no.I had been thinking about Audrey all day, almost to the point of distraction. Joe had noticed if the sly grins that he kept giving me were any indication. But who cared? Let him think what he wanted. I was sure he would be just as idiotic if he found himself falling for someone.Falling for someone. There was no doubt in my mind anymore. Even
All Grown Up The Most of It
JesseI pushed those thoughts out of my head before they could get too steamy. I wanted tonight to be perfect, and that meant that that sort of thing would have to wait.Not least of which because Annabelle was still there in the house with us. Just then, she came into the kitchen, clearing her throat to get our attention. I nearly sprang a step farther away from Audrey, even though it wasn’t like we had been doing anything. Heck, we’d barely been close enough to touch.Annabelle looked amused but didn’t say anything to tease us. Instead, she just looked at her sister. “Hey, are you headed out for the night?” she asked. “Or are you doing dinner on your own? Clayton and Mom are at the store right now, and he just texted me to ask you if you wanted a grilled burger tonight. The weather’s so nice that it’s time for a backyard barbecue.”Audrey laughed. “I can’t remember the last time I had a burger,” she said.“It’s all steak tartare over there, huh?” Annabelle joked, getting another gig
All Grown Up A Nice Date
AudreyI should have known, when Jesse showed up with flowers, that he wasn’t just planning on taking me back to his place and having his way with me. Not that I wouldn’t have appreciated that as well. There had been something about the mystery of it all, though, that let me know how serious this was. That made something warm flutter in my chest. Even if I knew that it also meant Annabelle would probably be teasing me the next time she saw me or giving me another of her patented lectures about how I was only going to end up hurt and hurting Jesse.I didn’t want to think about that right now. Instead, I felt a small smile grace my face as Jesse led me into the restaurant.I had only been here once before, and it was on my sixteenth birthday. I don’t think I really appreciated then just how hard it must have been for Mom to save up for a splurge like this. Of course, she had known one of the waitresses and was able to get us a special deal since we came on one of the nights when they we
All Grown Up Casual
Audrey“I know that,” Jesse said, and I hated the defensive note that crept into his voice. Because I knew that he knew that. I wasn’t trying to imply that he was an idiot or that he hadn’t thought about the same things that I had. I knew that he knew I was leaving.I took a deep breath. “I just, I haven’t been acting like this thing has an ending,” I told him. “I’ve been acting like I’m here and I’m going to keep being here. I’m acting like this is forever. But it isn’t, and we both know that.”Jesse frowned. “Where is this coming from?” he asked. Then he continued, “Do you want to leave? Because seriously, it’s okay if you do. I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.”“You didn’t make me feel uncomfortable,” I told him, sharply shaking my head. “The opposite, actually. Jeez, Jesse, you always make me feel the most comfortable that I ever do, in the whole world. I’m more comfortable around you than I am when I’m dancing.” I paused for a second, wondering if that was true. The word
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All Grown Up All Grown Up
AudreyI couldn’t believe that Jesse had gone to all of this work to build the perfect nursery for our baby. From the looks of the crib, it was hand-built, not just one of those flimsy things that you put together from the store. I could tell that there was still some work that he planned on putting into that, and there was a rocking chair only half finished on the floor. But Jesse was building me a nursery for our baby.I could barely believe it.Here I had been so worried that he would want nothing to do with me or the baby, when in fact, exactly the opposite was true. He wanted this enough that he was willing to put his love and dedication into incorporating us into his life and his home. He wanted our baby to grow up here just like he had grown up here.He was so perfect. I didn’t know how to tell him that.Instead, I was given the opportunity to show it to him.I caught his hands in mine and tugged him out of the nursery and back down the hallway to his bedroom. This time, I was
All Grown Up Moving Forward
JesseWhen I heard Audrey’s reasons for why she hadn’t told me about the pregnancy, I felt my heart break a little. Not because her reasons were terrible, but because I’d been so terrible to her this week. If she’d only explained things to me before. I knew that was my fault, though. I hadn’t let her explain. We’d been tired and too full of emotions to really talk last weekend, but I at least should have made time to see her earlier in the week.I didn’t know what I’d been expecting from her, but her actual reasons for not telling me were almost too sweet.“I’m assuming that you want to try to get yourself back into shape and go back to being a ballerina once the baby is born?” I said now, at dinner.To my surprise, Audrey shook her head. “Honestly, I think those days are over.”“I’m sure you can talk to your director and work something out with him,” I said, frowning. “I know there was the injury as well as this, but he seems like a reasonable guy. It’s not like you don’t have the ta
All Grown Up Mending Bridges
AudreyJesse slowly came up to the porch, like he thought I might run in the other direction. “You look really pretty,” he said quietly.“Is that all you came here to say?” I asked tartly.The lips of his mouth twitched with a grin. “Just the start of it,” he promised me. “Have you already eaten? I was hoping that maybe I could take you to dinner and we could talk.”I stared at him for a long moment. So now he wanted to talk? I wanted to hear whatever it was that he wanted to say, though. I wanted him, so badly that I ached. I found myself nodding. “Let’s go,” I said, heading toward his truck.We were both silent on the way to the restaurant that had been our favorite as teens. I should have known that he would take me there. Back to where it all began. There was a part of me that was terrified that I was never going to be able to come back here again after this too-serious conversation that we were about to have.There was another part of me that soared with hope, wondering if this m
All Grown Up Missing Him
AudreyI shook my head. “It’s more complicated than that,” I sighed. “He just got mad because I didn’t tell him that I was pregnant until we were on the way to the hospital. I lied to him about why I was back here, and he can’t trust me anymore.” I bit my lip. “I deserve it, for waiting for the perfect time. I just didn’t think waiting was going to end up making things so terrible.”“Oh, Audrey,” Annabelle sighed, coming over to sit next to me on the bed and giving me a hug. I knew she was probably going to be running late for her shift, but she didn’t seem to care. She just wanted to make sure that I was all right. I nearly cried with how much I appreciated it.She noticed. “Are you crying?”I had to laugh. “Hormones,” I told her. “I’m pregnant, remember? My emotions are all over the place.”She shook her head and went to grab me a tissue from the box on the dresser. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think he’ll be mad at you forever,” she said. “You didn’t see him when you were in Paris
All Grown Up Baby On Board
AudreyI’d had a great day with Mom and Annabelle, cooing over all the adorable little things that we could buy for the baby in the local mall. I knew that they were really excited about the baby, but as much as I tried to match their enthusiasm, I still couldn’t help but feel upset and unsure. It would have been so much easier if I had known that Jesse and I were an item and that he was going to be there for me. For us.I still hadn’t heard from him, though, and now it had been nearly a week since he had found out about the fact that I was pregnant.It had been a long week. Other than that shopping trip, I had barely left the house. What was there to do? Anywhere that I went around town, there was a chance that I might run into Jesse. I didn’t want to admit that I was avoiding him, but the conversation that he and I needed to have wasn’t one that I really wanted to start in public where anyone could witness it.It was a small town. Soon enough, everyone was going to realize that I wa
All Grown Up Audrey
JesseI took a calming breath to steady myself. No. I at least knew Audrey well enough to know that she wouldn’t do something like that without at least telling me that was her plan. Even though I hadn’t reached out to her, she knew where to find me if she really needed to talk about something like that. She knew where I worked, and she knew where I lived.At least, I thought I knew Audrey well enough to trust in that. If not Audrey, though, I had a feeling I would have caught an earful from Annabelle if her sister was even considering that.“You’re sure it’s yours?” Joe asked.“Yeah,” I said. I grimaced. “I actually asked her if it was someone else’s and that was why she hadn’t told me about it. She got pretty upset that I had even dared to think that she might have been with someone else. I believe her.”Joe nodded, and I could tell he was thinking everything over.“Am I right to be angry with her?” I asked, when he didn’t say anything. “I mean, she flat-out lied to me. You were rig
All Grown Up Processing
JesseI knew that I should probably talk to Audrey. Not talking to her was driving me crazy. She had always been one of my best friends, and if there was anyone that I wanted to talk to, it was definitely her. I missed her. I wanted to know how she was handling all of this. I wanted to know what she was thinking.I wanted to make sure that she was following the doctor’s orders to rest and stay off her feet for a little bit, in case it was the stress that had caused that terrible cramping that she’d had the other night. It had been hard for Audrey to stay off her feet before when her ankle was injured, so I could only imagine how she was coping with it now.I hoped for the sake of the baby, our baby, that she was taking the doctor’s words seriously. I had a feeling she would be, though. Somehow, I knew that she was going to make an incredible mother. That little baby was lucky.It was one of the few things that I was sure of.The rest of it was all uncertainties, and that right there w
All Grown Up Stress
Audrey“Eleven weeks,” I said. “Annabelle and I went for the ultrasound on Friday.” I pulled out the picture to show her, and her face lit up.“Look at that little peanut of a thing,” she cooed. “He looks adorable.”“He?” I asked skeptically. “You can’t possibly tell that from the picture.”Mom tutted. “Let me have my dream,” she said. “It would be good to have a little man around the household again. Besides, look at the way he’s positioned. He must be a boy.”I tried not to laugh. “Maybe it’s a boy,” I said, glancing at Annabelle.“Audrey’s hoping it’s a girl so that she can teach her to be a ballerina,” Annabelle said.“The world could use more male ballerinas,” Mom said, winking at me. “I always wished that I would have a boy to balance out you girls.” She sounded wistful, and I suddenly realized that I had never known if two kids were all that she planned to have or if things just hadn’t worked out for more. It suddenly seemed like something that I should know.Mom was wrapped up
All Grown Up Telling Mom
AudreyI had barely left my bedroom for the rest of the weekend after Jesse dropped me off at home. I couldn’t help thinking of the terrible things that he had said to me out in the driveway. I couldn’t help thinking of how much I deserved for him to say those things and more to me.I had fucked up. I knew that now. No, I had known that all along. I knew that I should tell him about the baby. All the reasons not to tell him seemed so stupid now. I couldn’t even think how to apologize to him, in fact, that’s how stupid all the reasons sounded in my head.Not that I was going to get a chance to apologize to him. I had given him his space on Saturday. He wanted time to cool off and process things, and I would give that to him. Sunday, I hadn’t been able to stop myself from texting him, though. I understood if he wasn’t ready to talk yet, but I just wanted to know when he might be ready to talk. The uncertainty was killing me.He hadn’t responded. Suddenly, I felt panic go through me, eve
