The Opportunity of a Lifetime

Chapter 35 (Patrick's POV)

We have to give Gracie back to Allie today.

I don't want to give her back. She's like my own kid... But for all I know, she might be. It is possible, I guess. But it is also possible for this all to be a big lie. That's just the kind of person Allie is, and I don't like that Gracie has to grow up around that. Especially after what Allie said about not caring if she hurt her own child to get to me... that struck a nerve.

It's Sunday, and we have to bring her back this evening because of our show tomorrow. Allie texted me her address, and its really odd that she's been cooperative during this whole ordeal. The Allie I know would be stalking us and fighting for Gracie with all she's got. So I've been pretty paranoid.

"Da- I mean, Patrick, do I have to go home today?" Gracie asks, walking up to the couch I'm sitting on. I put my laptop down and look at her.

"I'm afraid so, honey. I wish you could stay, but we have a show tomorrow and that can get a little... chaotic."

"I don't want to go home, Patrick," she whines, tears welling up in her eyes. That breaks my heart, and I open my arms. She jumps into them, burying her head in my chest.

"I'm so sorry, sweetie. I'll come visit you, yeah? This won't be goodbye forever. Please don't cry. It'll be okay."

She nods, sniffling. She looks at me sadly, then runs off to the bunk area, probably to pack all her stuff up.

I hear a creak, and look up to see Hailey walking towards me. A smile immediately flashes on my face, and she returns the gesture. My heart starts to flutter when she sits on my lap and wraps her arms around my neck.

"Hey, baby," she murmurs, her gaze flickering between my eyes and lips. She slowly leans in, and I find it agonizingly slow, so I close the space between us, and I feel her grin against my mouth. Her fingers find their way to my hair, and she gently tugs on it, and I have to stop myself from letting out a moan. Right when it starts to get heated, I hear a loud clap and I jump.

"Okay, lovebirds, we gotta get going before you end up fucking on the floor," Joe says, and I blush and Hailey shushes him.

"Gracie is right in there," Hailey hisses. Joe slaps his hand over his mouth. I chuckle.

"And by the way," Hailey starts, "we've never 'fucked'."

Joe's eyebrows rise. "Had sex?"

"Nope."

"Made love?"

"Nadda."

He juts his lip out in thought. "Huh. You two really are pure. You owe me twenty bucks, Pete!"

As Pete walks in, my eyes widen. "You betted on that?"

"Yep," says Pete sulkishly, reluctantly handing a smug Joe a twenty dollar bill.

"I can't believe it," Hailey says, shaking her head.

"What I can't believe is how late were gonna be if we don't get going to Allie's now," Andy says, walking through and grabbing an apple from the refrigerator. "Let's get going, you sloths."

"Alright, alright," I say, pulling Hailey up with me.

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I knock on the door, and literally a second after, the door swings open to reveal an overly happy Allie.

"Guys! Come in, come in!"

We all walk in, confused, because she's acting really weird and optimistic, considering we took her daughter from her for a couple days.

"Do you want water or tea or anything?"

"No, thank you," Andy answers with an expression that says he thinks Allie would have poisoned it or something. Which isn't irrational.

"Gracie, honey, give me a hug!"

Gracie walks slowly towards her, kind of like how someone would approach a vicious dog. Allie opens her arms, and Gracie walks into them, hesitantly wrapping her arms around her mother.

"Did you like your sleepover with Patrick?"

Gracie nods. "It was really fun."

"Good. Patrick does know how to have a good time."

Uh... Okay.

"I had fun with everyone, Mother. I wasn't just with Patrick, you know."

"So, Patrick, how are you?" She asks me, completely ignoring Gracie.

"Um... fine, I'm fine. How are you?"

"Absolutely wonderful now." She smiles wickedly. Oh no.

After talking for a while, well, more like Allie talking to me and ignoring everybody else, she asks if she can talk to me alone for a minute. Warning bells immediately sound in my brain, but I stupidly oblige anyway.

She takes me into the kitchen, and she stops, her back facing me. I stand there awkwardly, not sure if I should say anything. But before I realize what's going on, she whips around and her lips crash against mine. My eyes widen and I try to shove her off of me, but she's got her arms wrapped around me so tight I can barely breathe.

This feels so wrong. I shouldn't be doing this. Her arms finally loosen a little and I use that to my advantage, shoving her off of me. I back up to the other side of the room, feeling tainted and disgusted.

"Why the hell did you do that?!"

"Come on, you liked it. I know you did. I know I did," she purrs, walking towards me again. I stick my hands out, shoving her away again. She feigns a look of hurt, curling her bottom lip down.

"No. I did not like it. I don't like you that way. I'm sorry, but I love Hailey."

"Aww. Poor Patrick. You don't love her. She's not for you. I can give you so much more. We have a child together, Patrick-"

"No! I don't love you anymore. Leave Gracie out of this. She doesn't need to go through this. Were leaving. The only reason that I'll be back is to see Gracie, not you. If I have to be the responsible parent in this, even if I'm not her dad, I will. Goodbye, Allie."

With that, I turn around and walk out before she can follow me.

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*Cheryl's POV*

Patrick has been back there for a while, and I get suspicious, so I excuse myself to the bathroom. On my way to the "bathroom", I hear a noise in the direction of the kitchen, and I walk towards it. What I see makes my jaw drop to the floor.

Allie's lips are pressed against Patrick's, and his hands are on her arms. This isn't happening.

I sneak back to the living room, sitting down on the couch. I'm in a daze. Should I tell Hailey? How could Patrick do this to her?

By that time, Patrick walks into the living room, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Were leaving," he states, and he walks right out the door. I glance around at everybody, all of them looking the same as me. Confused. We all say goodbye to Gracie, and we follow him. We pile into the tour bus, and I'm left with my own thoughts.

Patrick is cheating on Hailey.