Another Man's Treasure

35. Follow My Lead

Madison~

I watch as Nathan picks up the little girl, her arms snuggled around him with a bright smile on her face but when she turns and sees me it fades.

  Her big doe hazel green eyes staring at me and I'm at a loss for words at how beautiful she truly is. Her eyelashes so long and curly. The soft mint green dress she has on with a matching bow in her short brown curly hair is so adorable.

"Daisy this is my friend, Madison. Say hi." Nathan says in her ear.

Instead of speaking, she just gives me a shy smile and a small wave.
  I smile back at her and wave hoping I'm not scaring her or anything, "It's very nice to meet you, Daisy."

She looks up at Nathan and he nods at her, and when she faces me again she gives me a bright smile with some of her little baby teeth showing, "It's nice to meet you too." Daisy says in the cutest voice which completely warmed my heart.

"Daisy you can't just run off like that and open the door to-"
  I look up as a woman appears and stands infront of us.

She glances at Nathan and then at me, down and back up again.

"Fuck." She says looking at me again, "I love your dress."

Nathan sighs beside me, "Hey, watch your language."

  I smile at her, laughing at her compliment, "Thank you, you look beautiful as well." I say as I take her hand in mine, "I'm Madison."

She looks at Nathan once over then back at me, "Cassandra, Nathan's sister, it's a pleasure to meet you finally."

I turn and look at him.

Finally?

And all he does is wink at me.

Cassandra opens the entry doors wider and guides us in, and the first step into the home has completely blown me away. The old vintage atmosphere is present in the home.

"Uhm, mom and dad is not here yet, they should be back soon, but Ollie and Jess is here." Cassandra says.

Nathan sets Daisy down and she giggles as she runs off with another small girl, "Alright, uhh-I think I'll show Madison around and then come back down for dinner."

Cassandra smiles at us, "Okay, don't do anything I wouldn't do." And winks before walking away.

He sighs next to me, "I can't believe she just said that."

  I chuckle, "She's lovely."
        Hearing the things Whitney was saying about her just doesn't seem true but I guess everyone is different when it comes to work.

Nathan takes two flutes of champagne from a nearby table at the entryway and gives me one, "Easy for you to say, you are the only child."

   "And that's why I want alot of kids, five atleast." I tell him taking a sip from my glass, slowly thinking of my past.

I follow him up the stairs.

He turns to me, "Really? Five kids? In today's economy?"

   I laugh at his statement, "What economy are you talking about? You're rich Nathan."

"True, I don't deny that but five kids?" He asked still surprised. "That's a whole army."

   I give him a quick glance, "I just want a big old farmhouse with a massive garden for my kids to play in with a swing set and a tree house while I make them ice cold lemonade on a hot summers day. I want that."

"That sounds beautiful and serene." I hear him say. "Kind of like this house, my great-grandfather build this house for his wife, she loved vintage Victorian architecture and so he gave this house to her as a wedding gift, and that inspired him to start Lane Enterprises and to start his legacy." We stop infront of a large photograph on the wall, "There they are, my Great-grandparents."

I look at the beautiful black and white picture and at how inlove they seem to be, "I hope you get everything you wish for, Madison." Nathan says.

I wish so too.

And that glimmer of hope in his eyes soothes my mind.

We reach a door after turning left down the hallway, I watch as he opens it and I follow closely inside.

It's a fairly big bedroom, but alittle outdated and with storage boxes in some spaces of the room.

"My old bedroom." I hear him say as I walk to a bookcase near the window.

   "Oh really? How many girls have you sneaked in here huh?" I joke.

A few seconds goes by and I don't hear an response but instead the sound of his footsteps echos in the room.
   The scent of his musky cologne fills my nostrils forcing me to turn around and face him, but I swear I get the shock of my life when I see what he's holding up infront of his face, a vinyl cover. I get such a big fright and backed into the bookcase, and before a few books could land on me Nathan pulls me towards him in a swift movement.

My chest against his.

His one hand on my lower back and the other on my ass.

My breathing erratic and I can feel how fast his heart is racing as well, but I can't bring myself to look up at him, I instead stare and his Adam's apple.
   "Are you okay? I didn't mean to scare you." He says softly.

   "I-I told you I don't like surprises, remember?"

I feel his chest vibrate as he chuckles, "I remember, apologies."

I faintly look up, only too find he's already glancing at me.
   "Your hand is uhm-kinda on my ass, Nathan."

He quickly lets go off me, "Right, apologies." He says clearing his throat and walks off after picking up the vinyl from the floor, showing it to me one last time, "No One by Alicia Keys, I brought no girls in here."

  I smile at him, "You were a good kid?"

He nods whilst placing the record in a box, "Yeah, unlike my brother, he was a ladies man until he settled down with Delilah."

   "That's such a pretty name." I tell him, thinking of how beautiful she must've been too to have an ethereal daughter like Daisy.

"Horrible person though." Nathan says straightforwardly.

   "Daisy must miss her and your brother."

He nods, "She remembers Nick slightly but not her. My parents are her guardians, that's all she knows."

  I think of his works and nod in understanding, "How old is she?"

"She's four years old." Nathan says smiling, "Incredibly smart, so compassionate and kind, reminds me of Nick."

   The smile and happy gleam in his eyes causes me to smile, "Do you think your parents will approve of me?" I ask the question that's been on my mind since the start of the night. "I'm a stranger to them, I'm so-"

"There's no need to be nervous, Madison." He says gently while taking my hand in his, "Just follow my lead, okay?"

    "Okay, Nathan."

"There's something I wanted to tell you-"

Before he could finish, there's three tiny knocks on the door.

"Come in, Daisy."

The little girl opens the door and walks till by Nathan's side, lifting her arms up. "You're gonna kill my back, flower."

Nathan picks her up and gives her rosey cheeks a squeeze.
   "Ma is calling you to downstairs now please." She tells him.

He smiles down at her, "Alright, let's go." And takes my hand in his as we make our way out the room.

We give each other a slight smile, and the reassuring touch on the back of my hand calms my nerves.

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27 May 2024.
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