It Was Always You

Chapter Nine

Evan raced home as fast as he possibly could. He tried to get off as early as he could knowing that Kristan was at his house with no one to intercept her from attacking Isabel. She had told him that she could handle it, but he knew Kristan and how she could be. He wasn't sure exactly how much Isabel was able to withstand someone like her.

He couldn't help but call in reinforcements anyways. Selena was currently busy with the wedding preparations and was out of town with her mother. Mila was the only other person who could rein in the she devil. Thankfully she agreed with no issues whatsoever and Jared was home today, so he was definitely an added buffer for Kristan.

Even being married and having a baby with someone else didn't fully stop Kristan in believing that he could one day be hers. But it did stop her from constantly blindsiding him on outings with just the two of them using Shasta as an excuse every single time.

Once he reached the gates to his driveway he was relieved to see Jared's Subaru parked nearby and Kristan's Porshe was nowhere in sight. A sigh of relief flooded through him as he parks next to his best friend's car and got out. It wasn't even two in the afternoon, but he was glad to be home already.

As soon as he opens the door laughter flows through the foyer from the kitchen. He immediately heads in that direction. What he finds warms his heart that he can't quite explain it. Mila and Isabel sat at the counter having what looked like a cup of tea, both with a smile on their faces.

Looking over at the massive dining table sat Shasta and Jared as he held his infant son that was barely a month old and who was wide awake spitting up all over himself and his father's hand.

"Uh oh! I'll clean him up!" Shasta cries out as she quickly grabs the burp rag that was haphazardly placed on the table.

That was when Jared looked up and beamed at him. "Hey, you're home early."

That grabbed everyone's attention. Shasta throws the rag back on the table where Jared takes over and jumps from her chair.

"Daddy!" She races across the room and flies right into his arms.

"Hey, there munchkin. How was your day?" He asks as he holds onto her and walks to the dining room table.

"School was boring, but Issie was waiting for me at the bus stop and Uncle Jared and Auntie Millie is here!" she says excitedly.

"I can see that." He chuckles looking around at everyone, lingering a little longer on Isabel who smiles at him shyly.

Jared and Mila didn't miss the interaction between the two and they looked at each other for a split second, Jared with a raised eyebrow and Mila with a tiny smirk on her face.

"So?" He asks wondering what happened.

"It wasn't pretty if that is what you're asking." Mila informs him.

He sighs looking down at his daughter. "Hey sweetie, can you go upstairs and turn on the TV? Daddy needs to have a talk with the other grownups."

"But I don't want too." She pouts adorably.

"I know, it's just for a few moments. I'll come up and get you once we're done, promise."

"Okay." She whines as she's put down, sighs dramatically and stomps out of the room and up the stairs.

It wasn't until they all could hear the sounds of a cartoon being played that they start their conversation. Sighing deeply himself he pulls out a chair and sits across from Jared. "So, what happened?"

"Kristan was here as you know, completely uninvited as you know and tried to start some shit with Mila, as she does." Jared was the first to input.

"Sorry about that." He looks over to her and wince.

"You shouldn't be, it's been going on for decades. It isn't going to stop now. Besides, she's only like this because I took what she's been wanting for that last ten years and will never get in her lifetime."

Jared physically shook at that. When she looks over to Isabel she could see she was confused and wanted to ask but doesn't. So Mila goes ahead and enlightens her.

"Kristan has been after Jared since she was thirteen years old. We all grew up together and it hasn't been easy. She never left him alone and would always try to find ways to get the two of them alone together."

"I see. You never felt the same way about her?" She asks Jared who made a face at the thought of that.

"Never, not once. I was completely in love with this one since the moment I met her." He smiles at his wife who blushes in return.

Isabel could see why. They were both gorgeous, in fact so gorgeous she was surprised they weren't models.

"If she's been after him for that long and still is too this day then how did she end up having Shasta with you?" She asks next.

"Ah..." Evan suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

This was the part he hated admitting the most. For what he did while drunk and for cheating on the one girl he thought he was in love with as well, had been a point in his life anyways.

"Kristan wasn't very gracious when she left I'm afraid, Evan. She was kind of nasty at the end when Jared told her off about showing up and starting things with Isabel."

"Figures. I'll explain to you about me and Kristan, Isabel. It actually might help make sense of what's going on and how to deal with her in the future if you still decide to stay."

"And that's our cue to hit the road. Little man is getting cranky anyways." Jared stands up with Cale beginning to fuss.

Mila quickly rushes over to take him out of his arms and into her own. Immediately Cale starts to attack her breast like a starving child and when he couldn't receive anything through the fabric he let everyone know just how upset he really was.

"Man the lungs on that kid." Evan states as Mila tries to rock him to calm him down.

"Maybe you should feed him first before we leave." Jared offers as he bends down to grab the diaper bag. "We'll head upstairs and spend time with Shasta before we leave. That way Mila can feed the baby."

"Sounds good."

He waits until the three of them head out of the kitchen and joins his daughter who became excited they had joined her. He had an extra room with an entire nursey set in case Mila ever needed to place Cale down or change and feed him when they were over, but most times Jared would just take the plush rocking chair in Shasta's room anyways so they could spend time with her like this.

"So..." He starts out watching her as she takes over the chair that Jared had just been in moments ago.

"So." She repeats folding her arms on the table and facing him head on.

Facing her fully he rubs the back of his head feeling a bit exposed and yet guarded at the same time. "I'm not sure where to start with all this."

"How about you start with whatever is more comfortable for you. I'm not here to judge you Evan. You honestly don't have to explain anything."

"But I do. With the way Kristan showed up and harassed you, you deserve to know some things if not all. I just hope you don't feel differently about me once you know everything there is to know."

She looks at the table for a moment before pursing her lips and looking back up at him. "Will it make you feel less worried if I promised not to judge until I hear the whole story?"

"It...might." He says truthfully.

"Then I promise Evan. I want to hear what you have to say and believe me I don't think I'll feel any different about you as to what I feel now."