Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 94

Carter

Alley was six and was her mama’s mini, both physically and with just as much attitude to match her mother at that age. Kade was three and I just pretended to know half of what he was saying. We sat at the dining table I rarely used with Meri, the youngest on her lap as she fed her from her own plate. She seemed like a natural with kids and I found my mind wandering to things I shouldn’t be considering yet. Thats when Alley tugged on my shirt and I snapped out of my daze.

“Does Briar live here?”

“Shes staying here for right now,”

“Why is she your girlfriend?”

I glanced at Briar and she tried to tuck her suppressed smile behind her hand holding the fork.

“Thats a very complicated answer, the truth is I wish she was but I’m to afraid to ask her.” 

Alley looked at Briar. “Do you want to be Carter’s girlfriend? He needs one, Mama says its about time he settled down.”

Briar coughed clearing her throat. She closed her eyes and bit her lip trying to find the right words to explain things to a six year old with out alluring to the devastating facts.

“I would love to be Carter’s girlfriend but I’m dealing with some stuff right now and it’s not fair for me to get into a relationship right now.”

“What kinda stuff?” I went to hush Alley and Briar shook her head at me.

“I lost my mama and my uncle not that long ago, I had a boyfriend but he wasn’t kind to me so I have a lot of feelings I don’t know what to do with it. Trying to wrap my mind around new feelings is like writing cursive without never learning how. But we are really great friends right now and I care about him a lot.” She assured Alley.

“I don’t know how to write cursive,” Alley said.

“Some letters are harder then others, just like some feelings are harder then others, it take time to learn what they look like and how to connect them when you write. You have to learn when to separate the letters and when to link them and what the capitols look like because that letter no longer looks like what your used to. Just like I’m not sure which feelings I should be feeling anymore. If I want to be Carter’s girlfriend I have to learn what my feelings mean now and I’m just not there yet, though I like him very much.” Alley nodded the explanation partially going over her head but the simple breakdown made sense to me. That told me a lot about Briar and where here head was at. 

Kade pointed to the garlic bread and I gave him another slice. I was mulling over those thoughts when Meri dove into Briars plate and started shovling handfuls of diced up spaghetti into her mouth. I couldn’t blame the kid it was good.

Briar laughed and relinquished her plate to the toddler. I got up and made her another plate and set it before her handing her the fork. She took it but still eyed the toddler in her lap shovling food into her mouth as she ate. Kade and Meri were making an absolute mess and I chuckled to myself.

Briar eyed the two youngest. “How about after dinner we do baths and then a movie?”

“Sounds good to me.” I let her know and I did the dishes and whipped down the counter while Alley worked at a puzzle and Kade chased tucker who amused himself with staying just out of the toddler’s reach. She brought out a freshly changed Meri and laid her on a blanket on the floor before scooping up Kade and returning him in his PJs not long after. Once I had the kitchen and diningroom back to rights Briar had Alley on the couch braiding her hair. I went and found the popcorn and dug out some juice boxes when Briar came in and warmed some milk  and put it in Meri’s bottle. She smiled at me  as I grabbed us each a beer and we settled with the kids on the couch and she set up a dragon training kids movie on the tv. The kids nodded off halfway though the movie. 

Meri across Briar’s chest, as she lay with her head in my lap. Alley snuggled into her side at the back of the couch  and Kade was sucking his thumb, passed out with head on Briar’s thigh and her foot protectively hooked to hold him in place since he was so close to the edge of the couch. My phone dinged. It was Amber checking in a group chat with Blaze. Briar’s eyes were on the movie, a content smile on her face, her hand instinctively running soothing motions up and down Meri’s back, her other hand resting on Alley’s shoulder, who was snuggled into her side. I took a picture, of us all on the couch and sent it to Amber.

Amber: She looks good like that dosen’t she

Carter: yeah she does

Amber: shes a real one carter, don’t fuck it up

Carter: I have no intentions to fuck anything up

Amber: Good

Blaze: Thats wife material right there, careful you may get baby fever

Carter: I know, shut up blaze!

Blaze: ::haha emoji::

I sent the same pic to Mazzie

Mazzie: oh, you got it bad, looking at her like that makes me want to be a honorary auntie

Carter: I just wish things weren’t so complicated

Mazzie: Sometimes complicated is worth it

Carter:Your right about that

Mazzie: guess this is your alibi for poker night.

Carter: Yep

The pair went quiet after that no doubt about to add another minion to their horde.

The movie finished and I scooped Kade up walking him down the hall to the guest room on the first floor that I usually put them in I tucked him in and went back for Alley who roused.

“We will be upstairs in my room if you need anything.” She nodded and closed her eyes as tucked her in next ti her brother.

When I came back to the living room Briar clutched Meri.

“Where is the baby sleeping?” she whispered.

“With us,” I whispered back.

She gingerly clutched the babe and stood careful not to rouse her. She trailed me up the steps and down the hall to my room. I disappeared into the walk-in closet and brought out the pack and play and erected it. She carefully leaned over the edge and laid the baby down.

Watching her like this only made me want more with her and I swallowed those feelings back as I handed her one of my shirts and she slipped out of her clothes and into it as I finally disposed of my work attire.

We both crawled into bed and she looked at me.

“You're good at this,” I whispered. 

She shrugged, “I helped with Cricket,” she murmured like it was nothing.

I pulled her to me and kissed her forehead. She snuggled into me and I wrapped my arms protectively around her.

She may not see her worth but I saw her.