You Had Me At Hello (Book 3 Hello Series)

YHMH2-The Painting

Chapter 2...The Painting

(Damien's P.O.V.)

After the game we all went for ice cream. I was very proud of Hudson. His team had won the game 14 to 5. I couldn't believe my son was 11 years old. He was in middle school for Christ-sake. He was supposed to be my cartoon buddy. The little squirt that snuck downstairs after his bedtime to watch adult comedies with me at my parents' house. We still hadn't told Hudson I was his biological father yet. To say I was stalling wasn't entirely wrong. I wanted to make sure I had a respectable job, and was actually something to be proud of before we told him. But for once in my life the fear of rejection plagued my thoughts. Every time Dawson encouraged me to tell him. I always ended up chickening out. I didn't want to ruin his perception of me. Right now I was the fun loving uncle. And as soon as I told him the truth I would automatically become the deadbeat dad.

"Uncle Damien, I'm really glad you got to come to my game!" Hudson stated before eating a big spoonful of ice cream. "I swung just like you showed me, and it totally paid off!"

"It sure did Bud!" I replied.

(Sunshine's P.O.V.)

It had been a week since the whole baseball game incident, and I still felt like the kid with loser written on their forehead. It was embarrassing enough that I had ended up between the mans legs, but the fact that he actually knew my name and my work made it a hundred times worse. What I did was completely unprofessional. And it didn't help that the man was gorgeous. I had made a absolute fool of myself. There was no way I could ever face him again.

"It's useless Oliver, I'll never regain my composure. I'll just have to become a hermit and you'll have to become the bread winner," I declared to my cat as I plopped on the bed. He didn't find my rambling amusing. Oliver just continued to clean himself as if my over dramatized statements were an everyday occurrence. "Some bread winner you'd be. You big old fat cat!"

"Sunshine stop being micro-aggressive to the cat. He's deserved the right to be a big old fat cat with his age," Joey announced as he walked into my bedroom. Joey was my roommate, and long time partner in crime. We grew up in the same orphanage. He was the closest thing I had to a brother.

"I'm sorry Oliver, you're not fat. I just needed someone to vent to," I declared as I rubbed behind Oliver's ears. He automatically purred with thanks.

"See that's much better," Joey smirked.

"Whatever," I uttered under my breath. Joey also acted like a parent at times. I always felt like he was correcting me, but that was just his personality. Where as I am a free spirit, he is a control freak. "Are you ever going to tell me how your interview went at the junior college? Am I looking at one of the schools newest advisors? Joey you really know how to keep a girl hanging!"

"So I've been told," he mocked as he looked through the mail stack on our coffee table. "Sunshine I promise you will be the first to know when I find out anything."

"Better be!" I huffed. I decided I'd take a nap.

Maybe tomorrow when I wake up it will all have been a hideous dream!

That's the same lie I'd been telling myself for the past week. It still hadn't changed.

(Damien's P.O.V.)

Weekends were always good for my soul because it gave me a chance to unwind and refresh. I was scrolling through my news-feed when I noticed there was an event going on downtown tonight. It was the opening night of a gallery show. I looked to see the featured artists and sure enough Ms. Stewart's name was on the list. I had nothing better to do. I called a couple of friends to see if they wanted to join me.