Ever After

Chapter 11: Rome

*Two Weeks Later*

"Okay kids come on before we are late." He kisses me lovingly. "I'll see you later baby girl." I hum. "Have a good day at work." He hums. "I'll try." He pecks my lips one more time before leaving. I scoop Emma up throwing their bags over my shoulder before taking Sadie's hand. "Is daddy going to work again?" Emma asks pouting. I nod softly. "Daddy has too sweetie just like you have to go to school." He glances at his car backing out of the driveway. "We have a play and I want daddy to come." She says suddenly as Sadie opens the car door. "When is it sweetie?" She frowns because she didn't remember I could tell as she shrugs. "Tomorrow at two." Sadie says softly.

I kiss her head buckling her into her car seat. "I'll talk to him and you'll know he'll try. He always tries." She pouts. "He never comes." I sigh softly. "He will this time okay?" She looks up at me. "Really?" I nod. "Really. Now come on let's go to school yeah?" She nods and I get Sadie buckled up before getting in. I huff looking at the huge smile on Emma's face and I frown hoping that I can keep my promise.

*

"Mr. Peters is in a meeting. You can't go in..." I glare. "Can it Sierra or I'll have your job in my hand." I had been calling and calling all day. He refused to answer and even purposefully sent me to voicemail. I never got one text or not even a call at lunch. I open the door stepping into the room. "Teagan..." I fold my arms. "Don't!" He huffs. "Mr. Stanson I'm so sorry for my wife's behavior." I hold my hand up. "I'm about this close to become you're ex-wife." He gives me a firm look.

"It's quite alright Jackson. I need to be going anyways. I'll be in touch." He shakes his hand before leaving past me. "Teagan are you crazy?!" I laugh. "Are you?! I've been calling for hours!" He sits back down in his desk. "And what's so damn important that it couldn't wait till I got home?!"

I slam my hands on his desk. "How about for starters your daughter...let me repeat that...YOUR DAUGHTER asked me this morning if you had to go to work again! It's been two weeks and practically sleep here! Second she's got a play tomorrow and I promised you'd go!" He shakes his head.

"I can't! Why would you promise things without asking me first?!" I scuff tears forming in my eyes. "Of course you can't because you never have time for your kids Jackie! You know what Emma told me when I told her you always tried to come?! Huh?! She said he never comes! That's you're own daughter that sees in Jackson and I'm sick of it! I told you! And you promised! You know what's at stake yet you refuse to change?!"

I sob and when he tries to comfort me I push him away. "Don't touch me!" I pull away from him. "Jackie..." He gazed down at me. "You are right, you're so right and..." I stop him. "Save it." I whisper softly. "We can't coexist Jackie. It's work or me and you've worked so hard to get here I can't let you lose it. Don't worry though I'll be fine...without you..." I say before busting into tears. "I don't want to survive without you...it's not that I can't...but even if I fall...I'll be okay...for my kids."

He reaches out to touch my face and I shy away from his hand. My face wants nothing more than to lean into his touch. He picks up his phone. "Sierra direct all my calls and meetings to Cody. And do it now. I want no one coming in or out of my office." He hangs up and I swallow.

"Jackie please don't..." He kisses me gently and I push him back. "I can't...I can't..." He locks his hands in mine. "Look at me." He whispers and I do. "I'll be there..." I huff. "That doesn't change this Jackie." He frowns. "I know it doesn't and you're right. I need to be a dad first. I pay people to run things for me. It's just been a stressful day and I took that out on you. I'm so sorry. You tell the kids that whatever they have coming up I'm there. Parent kid day, done." I sigh. "Don't break that promise Jackson because breaking my heart is bad but breaking my kids heart is unforgivable." He frowns. "Have I broken you're heart Teagan?" I sigh.

"It's not broken but it's chipping." He huffs looking at his watch. "I have an hour for lunch give me that much. I'm the man you fell in love with. I promise. Let me show you what this poor kid from Santa Monica can do." I roll my eyes. "You already have." I say motioning to the room around us. He smiles. "No I meant what I can do for you." I scrunch my face up and he shakes my hands. "Come on. I'll show you." I nod softly. He drops my hands and I follow him out of the office.

"Mr. Peters I tried to stop her." I glare at her. "What did I tell you Sierra?!" I say and she returns to her desk. He glances at me and I push the button seeing the faint smirk on his  face. We step into the elevator. "So what did you tell her?" I huff. "She tried to stop me from coming in and I told her if she didn't can it I'd have her job in my hand." I say simply. "You do realize that you can't right?" I fold my arms. "I can and if I want I will." He laughs some. "Okay Teagan."

"So if I told you that I didn't like her you wouldn't fire her? You hate her." He rolls his eyes. "I don't hate Sierra...." "Well you sure as hell don't love her as much as you love me." He shakes his head. "I couldn't love anyone as much as I love you." I hum. "Exactly. Which is why if I wanted her job I could easily have you take it." He sighs. "Yeah Teagan sure." I huff. "I hate you." He scuffs. "Whatever." I glare and he playfully does too. I shake my head. This is gonna be a long hour.

*

I never knew quite how I end up where I do with him. He had taken me to a very nice lunch and then we went through the park. We laughed some and we argued like young couples playfully do and all that I get but how I'm kissing him on one of the couches in his office I don't quite know.

I pull back slightly out of breath looking at him. "Did you mean to do that or should we pretend you didn't?" I swallow just staring at him and he smirks slightly before cupping my face kissing me again. "Mr...oh..." I pull back touching my lips as Sierra stands in the doorway. "What the hell is it Sierra?!" He yells making his voice echo through the room and I jump slightly.

She sighs. "Cody wanted to see you sir." He sighs. "Sierra I'm not gonna tell you again. We have phones for a reason." She frowns nodding. "Tell him I'm on my way." She leaves and he turns to me. My fingers are still on my lips. "So..." I frown. "You've got to go." He sighs. "I'll be right back." I shake my head.

"I should let you work." I say sitting up pulling my hand from my mouth. "Hey...please stay...I promise I won't be long okay?" I sigh nodding. "I guess Jackson." He pecks my head very gently. "Okay. I'll be right back. If you need anything...well you know where everything is." He says laughing slightly before realizing there was nothing funny and he leaves. I lay back on the couch twiddling my thumbs.

Eventually it's been along time so I step out of the office. Sierra isn't at her desk and so I make my way down the long hall. I find a vending machine looking at the candy inside. "There you are." He says stepping in. I frown. "What's wrong?" I huff. "I don't have any cash." He pulls a dollar out of his pocket and I bite my lip gently looking up at him. "Go ahead." I take it from him feeding it into the machine. I push the numbers for the chocolate bar before grabbing it. "Thank you." He hums. "Sure thing. Come on." He leads me back to his room.

I sit on his couch chewing on my candy bar. "So..." I look up at him before holding the candy bar out to him. "No no." I nod as he sits next to me. "Ugh..." I swallow. "What's wrong?" He scratches the back of his head. "Well the good news is that we are opening another branch in Rome." I gasp that's great! Oh my gosh!" I wrap him in a hug. "But the bad news is I have to go help them open it." I pull back looking at him. "What?" I ask softly tears pooling in my eyes. "Baby..." I huff. "How long?" He sighs. "A month. Maybe two." I let the tears fall. "Rome...wow..." I stand. "A month..." I laugh before slamming my hands into the wall. He grabs me pulling me into him as I sob.

I cling to him gripping his shirt in my fists as I ball my eyes out. "I want you to come with me." I glance up at him and he cups my face wiping my tears. "I can't...the kids..." He smiles. "We can bring them with. We can home school them and when we come back they can go back to regular school." I shake my head. "I need air..." I say pulling away from him jogging into the elevator before he can stop me. Rome...what was I gonna do?

Enjoy!