Strike 3 (Aaron Tveit)

After Strike 2

Ring. Ring.

Candace groggily opened her eyes at the sound of her phone ringing. The classic ringtone Apple had pre-installed in iPhones blared as Candace groped for her phone, finding it under her pillow and answering it with a groggy, "hello?" As a splitting headache stopped her from sitting up properly. A happy voice greeted her on the other line,"guess who finally got a baking tray?"

"Joey?" She groaned in reply, rubbing her temples.

"Correct! And now I need you to come over and teach me how to bake cookies"

Candace didn't reply, she just kept groaning from the headache.

"Candy, are you okay?"

"Yeah..." She groaned, "either the hangover's kicking in or my subconscious is messing with me..."

"Ooh, tell me about last night!"

Candace's eyes went wide as she lifted the blanket to see if her subconscious was messing with her. True enough, it wasn't.

"Joe, I'm" she stuttered, seeing Aaron come in the room with his undershirt and his boxers on, "I'll call you back..."

She hung up and turned to get into her robe, Aaron watching with a smile on his face.

"Don't look!"she said, growing protective of her half naked self but regretting the sudden movement as her head still ached.

He laughed, "I saw it all last night, there's really nothing to hide anymore, Acey."

She turned back to him, her robe not even tied yet and smiled. Amused by how he still remembers his term for endearment for her.

He smiled, as he walked over to her with a glass of water and an aspirin in hand.

"Here" he said, handing it to her. She took it, handing the glass of water back to Aaron, who set it on her bedside table after.

"Did we really go all the way?" She asked, dreading a reply. Aaron laughed as he tied her robe for her, "no" he replied with a chuckle, "I mean, you're still in your underwear, right?"

"So, what happened then?"

"Stuff" he shrugs, "I mean, I barely remember either. I just know I woke up with a splitting headache and a very hot girl named Candace in my arms."

He tucks a strand of hair in her ear and kisses her lightly, "okay, get dressed, I made breakfast."

"You cook now?" She asks, impressed.

"I've learned a thing or two while you were away" he winks before leaving the room.

After breakfast, Aaron headed home with the promise that Candace would call him after her little baking lesson with Joey. He smiled as he got ready for a day with his boys, who were coming over to watch the live telecast of the Yankees game against the Dodgers.

"After these messages" the commentator said which meant commercials were up.

Nico and Malcolm groaned, Aaron only rolling his eyes, not wanting the suspense of the heated game to get the best of him and cause him not to answer Candace's call.

"Hey, Aar Bear" teases Nico, who catches him checking his phone, "has she called yet?"

Aaron rolled his eyes again, "for your information, no, not yet."

Malcolm laughs, leaning back on his chair, "wow, man, there's something different about you."

"Yeah" Nico adds, "I mean, you look rested...but not like you got that much sleep"

Seconds later, both Malcolm and Nico, himself realized what he had said.

"YOU GOT LAID!"

"Took you long enough" Aaron jokes, "you're half right, though."

"Only half?" Nico asks, "they didn't go all the way" Malcolm replies, "knowing Aar Bear over here, he wouldn't. He'd want it to be hella special if it were with her"

Aaron shifted his eyes, knowing it was true.

"You've got it really bad, haven't you, man?" Nico asks, smiling then turning to Malcolm, "he's going for what his mom said, isn't he?"

"Definitely going for it."

Right before the game came back on, Aaron managed to spit it out,

"Guys" he said, "I think she's the one"