Giovanni Haynes
"You have reached the voicemail of..."
"Still no luck?" Mat ask strolling in right as I toss my phone on the leather couch across from me."Come on man, you did say she asked for space."
"Yeah well tell that to Haylie." The child have been repeatedly asking when she'll get to meet Ciara and she is getting on my last nerve.
He chuckles, "That's on you. I am taking them out for ice cream though, you should come along. Who knows it might help you get your mind off things."
That's the last thing I want to do. These kids were like small hexenbiest it's inconceivable to think that I might have impregnated someone and will be getting one of my own. "I'm good."
"Please Uncle." The kids chant, I gave a smile to Luca who had also started to call me uncle because of his cousins.
"Alright." I got up to grab my keys from the kitchen when the doorbell rings. "Get that for me will you."
After I retrieved my keys, heading towards the foyer I heard Mat talking. "I'm Mateo, Gio's favourite cousin." My curiosity got the best of me as I thought of who it could be.
"So you're the one who made my best friend relapse back to her mischievous and wild ways." The sound of her voice increase my speed.
Ciara stood facing Mat who look surprise by her words. "Don't worry I won't hold it against you."
I watch as Haylie comes running past me with Luca and Rayan right behind her. They gain Mat and Ciara attention, her beautiful grey eyes linger on me for a few seconds before looking down at the children.
I step forward as I watch her stoop down to their level.
"You're so much prettier in person." Haylie says enthusiastically.
"I could say the same about you. Gosh you three are so adorable."
Just by watching how she interacts with them I could tell that she'd be a good mother, one day. For one she didn't have the thin patience I had when it came to their irrelevant conversations that just doesn't make sense no matter how much they talk about it. I love them all equally but those conversation can drain the life out of a grown ass man.
Ciara is one special woman. Any man would kill to have someone like her in their lives, out of all of them she chose me and look how quickly I fücked things up with her. Someone like me doesn't deserve her but I'm one selfish bastard and I'll do anything for her to forgive me. Anything for her to be in my life.
"Gio was taking them for ice cream you should go with them." Mats suggest much to my liking.
"Sure." She agrees, to my surprise. I know there was a reason she came over but I never thought she'd agree to be seen with me in public after all that happened.
Mat give a subtle grin in my direction as Haylie squeals and clutch onto one of her hand; Luca taking the other.
"Let's go then." She says. I was still unable to speak not sure what I should say to her.
"Take my car." Mat say tossing me his car key. He had install a baby seat for Luca making his car a better option.
"It was nice meeting you Mateo." Ciara says sweetly, as she head for the door with Luca now in her arm and Haylie refusing to let go of her hand.
Mat grins again giving me a knowing look. "It's Mat for you, sweets and it was good to finally meet the famous Ciara as well."
She gives him a small smile before walking out the door. I followed behind and unlock Mats car that was park in my driveway both of us kept quite as she took over from me after my failed attempts in fixing Luca in the car seat. After making sure the kids were properly strapped in, I went to open her door only to be stopped before I could do so.
"It's fine I got it." With that she got in and close the door.
Sighing I got in and start the car.
After several minutes of uncomfortable silence excluding the annoying sound of Rayan game and Haylie horrible version of the silly song from Tangled, Ciara decides to break it. "Are you mute now?"
I glance at her, she was staring right ahead. "I'm just not sure what to say. I mean do much happened, where do I start from."
"Are you two upset with each other? Aunty did Uncle do something bad?"
"Yeah did he forget something important?" Rayan says as curious as his sister.
I glance at them through the rearâview mirror both sending upsetting looks my way. Ciara giggles leaning over to see them, her raven hair blocking the side view of her face from my eyes.
"Don't worry babes, I'm not upset with your uncle."
"Are you sure?" Rayan persist.
"I'm sure." Ciara answers.
"Kiss him to prove it." Luca surprisedly say. I grin at him through the rare-view mirror as a small gasp came from Ciara. He had been quiet all this time I didn't even thought he was listening.
"You don't have to." I whisper for only Ciara to hear. I understand how she must be feeling and I wouldn't want her to do something she didn't want to do.
Right after the words left my mouth I felt her soft lips pressing against my cheek. It took a lot of self-control for me not to run us off the road, how I miss the feel of her luscious lips. They lingered there before she whisper, "We should talk."
Ciara Mendes
"Soâ" Giovanni begin only to have me cut him off as we sat on a park bench watching the children play on the slide.
"I'm sorry I got mad when you told me about the other woman carrying your child. I knew you had your past something was bound to come up and the good thing is that it's not something horrible like finding out you have an STD. I mean that would just be horrible for the both of us, wouldn't it." I tried joking but he only stared at me with concern in his brown eyes.
"I never wanted to hurt you Ciara."
I shake my head, "I know and I have to admit that I was being a bit selfish, but I mean who wouldn't? A baby is a big deal especially when it's with someone else."
I took a breath before continuing. "Even though I realize I wasn't in love with Fisher it still hurt to know he betrayed meâ I honestly don't like starting over, if anything... I'd say I'm terrified of starting over. I mean unless I'm that kind of woman who just forgets about someone and moves on to the next like nothing happened. What I'm trying to say is when I started this with you, you better believe I was in it for the long run."
He gasp my hands in his. Eyes meeting mine as he runs his thumb over the back of my hand. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
I smile, "That depends on what you're thinking. I really care about you and during the long run there's bound to be injuries whether critical are just minor ones, but that doesn't mean you give up right? You recover and you continue because you just don't give up so easily on something âare in this case someone you care about."
I glance down at our join hands, "That's why I'm willing to do this with you and herâ but first we need to know if that baby is yours."
He move to sit closer to me, a content look on his face as he cup my cheeks.
"Baby, you have no idea how much your words mean to me. You are truly amazing." He say pulling me closer to kiss the top of my head. "Just the thought of losing you is scary enough and I vow to never do anything to hurt you ever again, cause I don't only care about you buttercup Iâ"
"Aunty Cia!" I look at the little girl who ran towards us with her arms wide open. Her long raven hair in a ponytail and her blue eyes brighter than the full moon.
I stood waiting for her to get closer. As soon as she does I pick her up and look at Alaric who was still yet to reach close to us. "Aunty it's the pwetty man that gave me Daisy." I glance at Giovanni who stood smiling at her. Her blue eyes look at me again. "Is he your boyfriend? She whispers but Giovanni chuckle indicates that he heard.
"Sweetheart what did I tell you about enquiring such information from adults?" Alaric ask causing Zen to lean her head on my shoulder, embarrass.
"Hey Ciara." Alaric close the distance between us kissing my cheek lightly causing Giovanni to clear his throat.
I turn to him, he was wearing the ugly colour of jealousy, which I find both cute and satisfying. "Giovanni this isâ"
"My best customer." I watch as the two man did one of those cheerful man hugs.
They exchange a few words before Alaric turn towards me taking Zen from my arms. "I'd love for us to stay longer and catch up Ciara but little miss here has a doctor appointment."
"Is everything alright?" I scan my niece for any sighs of injury are illness.
"I'm sure she is, just a regular check up. We were just driving by when she saw you and was eager to say hello."
"Oh. Better get going then." I kiss Zendra's cheek. "By princess, love you."
"Love you too." She says, before looking over at Giovanni."Bye pweety man."
Laughter erupted from us. "I'll see you guys around." Alaric says walking off.
I look at Giovanni who held a smile on his face as he watch them leave. "Is your niece flirting with me?"
"God, I hope not." I smile looking at the children who found new friends to play with. Which reminds me, "What were you going to say before Zen's little interruption?"
I watch as he put his hands in the pockets of his dark jeans. Looking down at the grass like a nervous child. "Oh that, we'll just continue the conversation some other time."