The Elaborate Parent Trap

Chapter Nine

"Gecko!" Chris yelled walking into her house.

Jadelyn had been dropped off at school and today Chris needed her best friend. She needed her advice. "Come here." Echo coaxed when she saw the state her friend was in.

Chris, who always ensured to be dressed for anything. Make-up and hair done, today that was not the case. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, not a hint of make-up on her face. Black track pants clung to her hips and a sports bra beneath a grey tank covered her upper half. She made her way over and latched onto her best friend. "I fucked this up hard..." Chris mumbled.

"What happened?" Echo asked sitting her on a stool.

"Too far, too fast." Chris groaned.

"Huh? Chris unless you banged the poor guy behind a tree on the course I doubt it was too far or too fast." Echo told her.

"No, Echo when we went golfing last week and got rained off, we got lunch and went back to my house to eat and just hang out. Well, he realized I was faking being bad at golf and called me out on it. Then, the conversation took a deep turn into our feelings and... He kissed me." Chris sighed as she folded her arms on the counter and laid her head down.

"Why didn't you tell me? That's good!" Echo exclaimed. "Wait, how did you fuck it up then?" She asked.

"I pushed too much. He barely talks to me anymore and when I asked to get the kids together this weekend he said he'd have Brian or Zack drop him off." Chris explained with a heavy sigh. "Maybe he realized it wasn't worth it, but the least he could do is tell me, we've been close friends for months now." Chris shook her head.

"He could have gotten scared Chris. From what I've seen he hasn't been with anyone since River's mom left and that was years ago." Echo told her. "Just give him a bit of time."

"I was scared too, but I wasn't going to ignore him because of it," Chris explained.

"Men are dumb Chris." Echo countered. "Go home, get yourself dressed like you would any other day and get ready to take Bug out for dinner like you do every Father's Day. Leave Matt out of your head for now."

"Yeah, I know you're right but I just feel like I should not be as upset about this as I am," Chris explained.

"You have every right to be upset Tink. You like him and I presume that kiss was very good, and it sparked a lot of feelings for both of you. Then he just up and barely speaks to you? You both got scared only he is handling it wrong." Echo explained.

"You think so?" Chris asked.

"Yes, I do. Now, go, school will be out soon and you have a date with Bug." Echo smiled and ushered her friend out, sighing, hoping those two would figure it out.

Echo knew Chris liked Matt a lot, and this was the first guy she had ever seen Chris let into her life or Jade's. Echo only hoped Matt would figure it out and let what is meant to happen, happen.

Meanwhile, Matt was having a similar conversation with Brian, Zacky, Johnny and Brooks...

"Your phone seems to have stopped buzzing off the table. Chris working on a client?" Brian asked.

"No, uh, we haven't really been talking." Matt brushed off.

"Why not?" Johnny asked.

"You scare her off?" Zacky asked.

"No... I just..." Matt stuttered before groaning.

"What happened?" Brooks asked.

"I kissed her and it scared me alright?" Matt told them.

"Dude, you've kissed girls before. How is that scary?" Johnny asked laughing.

"Cause Matt likes her a lot more than he realized he did." Brooks chimed in, being the only married man in the group, his statement wasn't wrong.

"Yeah. I don't know what to do man..." Matt sighed rubbing his face.

"You're a fucking idiot dude," Brian told him exasperated. "So what you're scared. Why? Cause you actually like her, cause she's a good person, cause she doesn't care about your money?" Brian asked.

"Bri is right man. You're ignoring her, and barely talking to her you're gonna scare her off." Johnny quipped.

"Then, she's gonna find someone new and you're gonna feel like shit, and be stuck," Zack told him.

"Talk to her dude. Don't let fear hold you back man." Brooks told him.

Matt nodded and sighed. He had a lot of thinking to do and he wasn't sure what he was going to do. "I gotta go pick up Riv. I'll see you guys later." Matt sighed looking at the time, he knew it was early but it would give him a chance to drive and think...

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"River?" Jade asked approaching her friend. "Member how we shared my Mommy for mother's day?" Jade asked and River nodded. "Would you be mad if I gave my craft to your Daddy?"

"No, Daddy would love that!" River told her happily.

"Really?" Jade asked.

"Really." River answered.

The bell rang and the kids gathered their things, when they walked outside Chris and Matt we're standing next to one another awkwardly. "Mr. Sanders!" Jade cried running up to him with River. "I don't have a daddy but you are a really nice man and River says your a really good Daddy," Jade told him, handing him the craft before clinging to her Mom who looked close to tears. "Mommy. Can we invite Mr. Sanders and River on our dinner date?" She asked.

"Jade we don't want to impose on their night sweetie." Chris sighed saving Matt the trouble of crushing her by saying no.

It was as if Chris hadn't spoken a word as Matt made his split-second decision. "I'd love to join you girls on your date if River and your Mommy are okay with it," Matt told the small girl who melted his heart.

"Please Ms. Leclair?" River asked.

"If you want to you are more than welcome," Chris said puzzled and confused.

"Where are we going?" Matt smiled apologetically to Christina who looked away.

"Follow us. We'll lead you there." Chris told him as she got Jade into the car.

As soon as the door shut, and the kids were buckled Matt stopped her. "I'm sorry." He said softly.

"It's fine. I just would have thought you would tell me you need time rather than ignore me." Chris snipped.

"Just give me a bit of time. Please... I just need to figure this out." He asked.

"Take all the time you need." She shrugged and climbed into her truck and pulled away, waiting for Matt to follow.