Take Over || (n.j.) || Sequel to Closer

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven--
"So, you got a new boyfriend..." Nick says to me as he drops Eliza off on Wednesday.

"Yeah. What does it matter to you?" I ask him, putting my hand in the back pocket of my jeans. He looks like he's thinking about it, and then answers me.

"It matters to me because of the way he treats my daughter. And the way he treats you. Now, I'm not saying I wanna know everything about him, but is he at least a good guy? Does he treat you right?" He puts his hands up defensively.

"He treats me just fine. And I would not allow him to lay a hand on that little girl."

"But you'd let him lay a hand on you...."

"Nick, we are just fine! Okay!" I was getting frustrated. I know that he was just looking out for the safety of his daughter and I, but it was getting a little irritating. He had a cocky smirk on his face, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Alright. Bye Eliza!" He yells over my shoulder, looking into the house. Our daughter comes running to the door, hugging Nick's leg.

"Bye daddy. I love you."

"I love you too baby." He kisses her on the head and then leaves. I close the door, leaning against it. Derek comes out of my bedroom, shirt off. Eliza screams and hides behind me, her face in the back of my leg. He looks at me, wide eyed. I just chuckle and shake my head, picking my daughter up.

"Sweetie, this is mommy's friend Derek. Derek, this is Eliza." I walk over to my boyfriend, Eliza on my hip. He gives her a little wave, and she buries her face in my shoulder. He kisses me lightly on the lips before returning to my bedroom. I put Eliza down, kneeling in front of her so I'm at her height.

"You don't like him?" I tease her, straightening her shirt.

"He's not daddy though." I rolled my eyes and bit my lip. I tried to explain to her somewhat that Nick and I were together at one point and that's why we had her. Eliza now thinks that we can't be with anyone but each other. My bad.

"I know baby. But sometimes mommies and daddies just can't be together." I look at her sad eyes.

"Why aren't you and daddy together?"

"I'll explain when you're older honey."I stand straight up, running a few fingers through her soft hair. She goes to her room, closing the door a little bit. I go to my own bedroom, and as I walk in, I feel arms around my waist and I am turned around, lips crashed on mine. I felt Derek take my hands in his, putting them around his neck. The only thought on my mind was Nick, and his lips on mine instead. I felt pathetic right then. I pulled away from Derek, and caught my breath.

"I gotta go start getting dinner for Eliza." I say to him, patting his chest. He gives me a puzzled, 'what the hell' look and then backs away from me. I've been dating Derek for only a few days, but it already doesn't feel like it's going anywhere. I shake my head and start to the kitchen, calling throughout the house.

"Eliza, sweetie, come here please!" I spoke loud enough for her to hear me. Derek comes out of my room, his hair looking like he ran his fingers through it multiple times. He almost seems frustrated. My daughter came running into the kitchen, Sammy following behind her.

"Yes mommy?" She smiles ear to ear.

"What do you want for dinner baby?" I lean on the counter, putting my elbows on it to prop me up.

"Mac & Cheese!" She screams through the house. I laughed, knowing that's her favorite thing to eat for dinner now. Nick had texted me one night when Eliza was with him, and he said that she confirmed Mac & Cheese was her favorite food in the whole world. And that she wished she could live in a big kingdom made of Mac & Cheese. I found myself chuckling at the thought, out loud.