Same Kinda Different

Chapter 3

*A few weeks later.*
I text Liv and tell her don't worry about coming over to help me get ready and to watch Remi. I'm not going out tonight. Remi is sick. She texts me back and says okay love you let me know if you two need anything.
I then text Tucker and tell him what's going on.
I'm downstairs trying to rock Remi back to sleep when the doorbell goes off. I slowly get up and lay her on the couch. I open the door and there stands Tucker. I move out of the door way and let him in.
I look at him and say, "Tucker, umm did you not get my message?"
Tucker kinda smiles and says, "I did but I didn't want to let this stop us from hanging out. So I called my mom and asked what I could get Remi to help her and what to do to help you."
I start grinning and lean up to kiss his check and say, "Thank you, Tuck."
I start walking and turn my head to look at him.
He's in like shock. He then follows me into the kitchen. He sits down the couple bags he brought with him.
I start unwrapping things and look at Tucker. I shake my head and say, "Tuck, all this stuff is homemade."
He nods and says, "When I called my mom and told her that you weren't going to be able to go out because of Remi being sick she started working on all this. She didn't want that to stop us from hanging out. I'm suppose to get down on my knees and apologize to you again."
I start laughing and say, "Please don't! Make sure to tell your mom thank you. She made things that Remi loves to eat when she's not sick so Rem will be a happy little girl."
Remi comes into the kitchen about that time and says, "Momma. Tummy hurts."
I look at her and say, "I know baby. Do you feel like your going to get sick?"
She nods and then leans over and starts to get sick. I quickly walk over to her and pick her up and put her over the sick so she can finish getting sick. I look at Tucker and mumble I'm sorry.
Tucker shakes his head and says, "Don't be, Laken. Mom told me what I was getting myself into when I told her this. Why don't you go give Remi a bath and I'll clean this up."
I step back for a minute and say, "Are you sure?"
Tucker nods and says, "Go, Laken."
I take Remi upstairs and give her a bath. Then I rock her to sleep. I quietly put her in her bed and go to my room to take a quick shower. When I finish I walk downstairs to see Tucker looking at pictures that are hanging on my wall.
I point at one and say, "That was my first Song Writer of the Year award. Actually it was my first award show to go to."
Tucker smiles and says, "You've changed a lot since then."
I give him a look.
He says, "I don't mean in a bad way, Laken. Your beautiful then just as you are now. How many guys can say they have seen the famous songwriter Laken Brown in sweatpants and a t-shirt?"
I laugh and say, "Not many can. Sorry I took a shower after I got Remi to sleep."
He shrugs his shoulder and says, "That's fine. You probably needed it."
I say. "You know you can call me Lake right? You don't have to be all formal with me, Tuck."
He nods and says, "I just like the sound of your name."
I raise an eyebrow at him and shake my head. I then say, "Well want to go warm up what your mom sent us to eat? I'm starving."
He says, "Yeah sure. She also sent some grilled chicken for us. She said she figured we would want a little more than what she sent."
I laugh and say, "Well I'm not like your normal everyday girl. I do love food especially home cooked food."
He laughs and says, "Well that's good to know."

As we are warming food up I hear him humming a song.
He finally says, "I'm working on a song about my brother. I just can't get the right words out for it."
I grin at him and say, "Well you are with a song writer right now."
He smiles and says, "Well if you'd like I wouldn't mind having you help me but not tonight. Let's just eat and talk. Should we be worried about Remi being upstairs by herself?"
I shake my head and pick up the baby monitor and tell him, "No. I still have a monitor in her room for when I'm downstairs. Plus she usually will start screaming for me if she can't find me."
He says, "That's smart."
I nod and walk over to the fridge and grab a beer out of the fridge and look at him and say, "Stupid question but are you even old enough to drink?"
He grins and says, "I'm just 20, Laken. I won't be 21 until January."
I say, "So water or soda then?"
He says, "Water is fine."
I put the beer back in the fridge and grab two bottles of water. I hand him one and open the other one for myself.
He looks at me and says, "You can drink the beer if you want."
I shake my head no and tell him, "I don't want to be rude and drink while you can't. Now let's eat."
He's grins and states, "I was told you care a lot about others. I should have known you would do something like this."
I look at him and shake my head. I knew he was telling the truth. I care about others and that can get me into trouble sometimes. I grab my plate and go to sit on one of the bar stools at the island. He follows and sits down beside me. We eat and chat about growing up in Nashville and different things. We finish and put the plates in the sink and head to the living room.

I turn the tv on but put the volume down low. He looks around the room then finally asks the question I had been waiting on, "What happened with your ex-husband? I've heard a couple different things."
I take a deep breath and tell him, "I walked into our house one day and he was in bed with his secretary. I kinda knew something was going on but that was the last straw bringing her into my house and sleeping with her in my bed. I was young and stupid when I married him. We were I guess you could say high school sweethearts. He's two years older than me so when he finished school we left for his job. We ended up in Texas. I married him at 18. We move to Texas when I was 20. I had Remi that February. Then at 21 is when I caught him cheating."
Tucker brushes my bangs out of my face and says, "Laken, I'm sorry you had to go through all of that. I'm glad you did though. You wouldn't be the strong woman sitting in front of me. You wouldn't be the woman I can't stop thinking about."
He pulls my face to his and kisses me. I deepen the kiss. We pull back to breathe and I start blushing.
Tucker grins and says, "I'm sorry, Lake, I couldn't resist. I like you a lot. In the last couple weeks that we've gotten to know each other I can't help but want to be with you."
I look at him and whispers, "I like you too, Tuck. But your getting more than just me in this relationship. Your getting that little girl upstairs. I know she likes you, Tucker, but she's my everything. Your getting a woman who has been put through a lot."
"I know I am, Laken. I promise I'm not going to hurt you or Remi. That's why when you cancelled tonight I wanted to be here. I wanted to help you care for Remi. I want to give you what your ex-husband hasn't given you and I sure as hell want to give Remi what he hasn't." He says to me. He pulls me into his lap and slowly pulls my face down to his and kisses me again. I pull back and smile at him.
I whisper, "You do understand what your getting into right?"
He nods and says, "Yes. Laken, will you be my girl?"
I laugh and quickly kiss him. He grins and says, "I'm taking that as a yes."