The Hook-up

Chapter 101

-Almost a month later, late March-

Lauren held onto Bruno's waist as they walked down the swanky parking lot of the outdoor shopping center in Los Angeles. "Bruno...." She leaned into him looking around the surroundings.

"Yeah?" he wondered walking toward the store.

"I feel like someone knows we're here..." she said glancing to the side letting go of his hand a little.

"So?" he asked taking her hand back bringing her closer to him than she was before. "We're getting married and having babies. There's no reason why we should hide it."

"But, Bruno....people will talk...." She told him.

"Baby...I thought everyone knew about us after the Grammy's?" he questioned stopping by the side of the door to the store they were going into. He felt that someone was watching them too. It made him equally as uneasy but he had to be stronger than that for her. She watched her head drop a little smiling.

"I forgot about that...." She told him.

"Well, I didn't. So come on...let's go buy something for our babies..." he responded touching her sides sweetly kissing her on the cheek. I'll give them what they want if they're going to be like this... he thought to himself opening the door to the children's store.

The couple oohed and ahhed at things for several hours before deciding to purchase two elegant cribs for the babies. The deep mahagony wood smelled like it had just been cut and polished to perfection with small details that would make the most discriminating shopper jealous of a new born baby. "Oh my gosh...." Lauren reacted as they walked over to blankets and bedding.

"Laur..." Bruno paused pulling her back a little. "Can we do this next part when I get back from New York?"

"I guess..." she said moving her feet back and forth a little. "I am kind of tired..."

"Come on, mama..." he said taking her hand leading her to the counter where the sales person was standing. They made some small talk and then walked toward the exit where they had forgotten about the mystery photographer. They held onto each other smiling and laughing about something Bruno had said in the studio as they neared the car.

"Oh...." She paused hearing voices behind them. She nudged Bruno a little finding the photographer behind them snapping pictures. Bruno ignored her reaction getting in the car.

"Elle...calm down. There's nothing to worry about. They'll be online. The end." He told her getting in the car.

"Did you really just say that? You?" she asked a bit shocked by his response.

"Yeah." He shrugged his shoulders turning on the music rolling down their windows.

"Are you high?" she asked half-jokingly.

"Maybe." He laughed as they drove past the person snapping pictures. "High on you, babbbyyy." He sang to her taking her hand.

"Oh goooddd." She moaned laughing at him. "I'm hungry."

"Then let's get you something to eat..." he said pointing to the Panda Express on the other side of the street.

"Can we just drive thru, B?" she asked.

"Yes." He said turning into the drive thru lane. "What do you want?" he asked her.

"Whatever...oh...no..." she started to look at the menu. "I just want rice with the sweet sauce..."

"What are you going to want later?" he asked knowing how she had been acting.

"Fine...get me that..." she pointed to something that a football player couldn't even finish.

"Lauren...you and those babies crack me up." He responded placing the order for them. After getting everything they needed he handed the bag to Lauren.

"Wait...let me check it..." she said glancing at the bag taking a sip of both sodas. "This isn't Dr. Pepper like you wanted."

"Damnit!" he exclaimed dramatically with a laugh. "Let me go get it. Give me two minutes..." he said pulling the car into a spot near all the other cars. He jumped out of the car without even worrying about her. As she glanced down at her phone checking her e-mails and facebook she heard a snapping near her. They can't see me...she said to herself as she saw Bruno walk back toward the car holding a cup taking a sip out of it. "That guy was out there still. He has no life if he followed us her..." he said starting the car driving away toward the house.

"I just look like a mess today..." she said looking down at her flip-flops and capris. "Like he couldn't have picked a worse day..."

"Lauren...shut up and eat an eggroll." He told her as they reached the house.

"Wait..." she said stopping by the car reaching for her phone.

"What are you doing?" he asked her as she pulled him close to her holding up her phone.

"I'm beating him at his own game. This gets tweeted and no one will notice that guy's pictures.." she said smiling at the camera as he reached his hand out to it so he could get a better angle.

"Smile, boo." He said leaning in to kiss her cheek before she could have it otherwise. She laughed a little at his gesture taking a few bags from the car.

"What are you going to say in the tweet?" he asked setting the food down for her.

"Umm...how about.... 'We're so cute.'" She asked.

"I can get behind that." He replied handing her a plate of rice drizzled with sweet and sour sauce on it. "That's what you wanted, right?"

"Yeah.." she answered pressing send on the tweet watching him walk to the bathroom.

"I gotta pee." He said to her.

"Thanks for the update. I didn't think musicians peed." She said with her mouth full not getting an answer from him. She looked over at the pile of things that they had just purchased hearing his phone start to ring. "shiiittt..." she groaned digging through the things to find his phone picking it up to answer before it went to voicemail. "Hello?"

"Hi, Lauren..." she heard a familiar high pitched female voice on the other end.

Shit.