Hope's Family Dreams (On Hold & Going Through Editing)

Chapter 4

A/N: This chapter is the first part of Hope's dinner with Westley. It's more of Hope getting ready for the dinner, the next chapter will focus more on the actual dinner with them together. Some of you may be wondering who Reed Williams is, and you will be introduced to him soon. I hope you all like this chapter. Please comment and vote if you like it!!!

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Copyright © 2012 misscowgirlup22

Chapter 4

Hope was nervous there was no reason to deny it. She'd invited Westley over for dinner to thank him for last night. The only problem was she didn't know what he liked to eat, or if he had any food allergies.

Excuses, excuses maybe she should just call Ella and ask her what to do. Maybe she could get something for desert from her while she was in town getting groceries for dinner. It sounded like a plan so maybe that's just what she would do.

Emma was spending the day with Hope's mom. So Hope could get stuff done. She hadn't told her mom about Westley, yet. She'd just told her that a good friend of hers was coming over for dinner, not specifying the sex. Thank goodness she did or else her mom would have never stopped hounding her about her guest.

When Hope got into to town she went straight to the bakery, she really needed advice from Ella right now. She had no clue what to do about tonight. It's not like it was going to be a date or anything, and Emma was going to be there, but she wanted to impress the guy she'd had a crush on in high school.

The bakery was packed as usual, some people looking for an early afternoon coffee and other on their lunch break looking for something sweet to eat. So basically it was business as usual.

Ella saw Hope and whispered something to one of her employees and then came over to see her. "Wow, I'm getting spoiled you're here two days in a row." Ella paused and her face started to get a serious look on it but she was still smiling. "So how was your talk with Westley over coffee yesterday?"

Hope shrugged, "It was nothing special we just sat and talked about the past . . .," Hope paused and started to look nervous. "Ella, do you remember when we left yesterday?" Ella nodded at Hope with a curious look on her face. "Well, he walked me to my car and it would start, so he took Emma and I home and then when he dropped us of I suggested he come over for dinner today, but I'm really nervous, and I don't know what to make. I just really need your help."

Ella knew what she was going through she'd felt this way a couple times herself. "Hope first of all you need to calm down, you're stressing yourself out and that's not good. And for dinner maybe you should make your beef stroganoff and a nice salad. Everyone loves your stroganoff, and don't worry about desert I'll get that taken care of for you, just come back by here before you head home."

Hope smiled shakily at Ella, she was right she needed to call down and that's exactly what she intended to do. "Thanks, Ella, for everything." Hope gave her a quick hug and walked outside to her car."

About an hour later Hope had finished her grocery shopping and had gone by to pick up the red velvet cupcakes which Ella said Westley would get each time he would come by the bakery.

After that she was on her way home. She'd put up the groceries, pick out her outfit for tonight and then do some work before getting Emma from her parents.

The groceries were easy to put up, but the task of picking out an outfit was enough stress to give her a migraine. Hope took a few deep breaths to calm herself and a half an hour later she had her outfit picked out. She decided on dark wash jeans that would look good paired with her boots and a short sleeve empire waist top that showed off a little cleavage but not too much. She deemed the outfit acceptable and got ready to go to the barn and check on everything.

For the next hour or so she worked, and when the clock chimed at four she knew it was time to get Emma so she could get home change, fix her hair and then prepare dinner.

When Hope got to her parents' house she saw Emma riding her pony Daisy in the coral. Her father was holding onto the reins to help guide the pony around while Emma sat their smiling proudly on top of Daisy. Hope smiled just watching them; her little girl was growing up.

Hope felt an aching pain inside her heart. She'd always wanted to give Emma siblings to play with and a father that was still here. Hope ached, for a big family of her own, because it had always been a dream of hers.

Hope's father Daniel smiled over at her, "My, aren't you a sight for sore eyes. Come over here and give your dad a hug, I haven't seen you in a while."

Hope had always had a really close bond with her father. Whenever she was in trouble or sad she could go to him and it he would always make things better. She was most definitely daddy's little girl.

She walked over to him and gave him a big hug. He embraced her back and she could feel his facial hair rubbing up against her forehead, and smiled her father had always given out the best hugs. She'd missed the sight of her father in his trusty old black Stetson and faded jeans.

Hope got her brown hair, blue gray eyes and also her stubborn streak from her father. And from her mother she got her curvy figure and some more things.

Once Hope realized she'd let her thoughts drift away, she brought them back and stepped away from her father to smile at Emma and say, "Hey, sweet pea, are you ready to go home now?"

Emma frowned at Hope and started to protest, but then she shrugged and smiled back at Hope. "Okay mommy, is Wes going to come for dinner tonight? I really wanna talk to him about his horsey."

Beth, Hope's mom, looked at her with a curious look on her face and said, "Did I hear right, is Westley Matthews coming over to your house tonight for dinner?"

"Yes, mom he is and it's just going to be a dinner with friends. For goodness sakes mom Emma is going to be there. What kind of person do you think I am?"

"Hope, I think you're wonderful, you know that, it's just that I know you had a crush on him when you were in high --."

Hope cut her off. "How did you know about that, is this public news or something?"

"No honey I have eyes and you had notebooks that you doodled on. They said stuff like Westley + Hope and sweetheart there is only one Westley in this town."

"So you're not the only one who saw that?"

"What do you mean sweetie?"

"Ella told me that she saw that notebook too, when we went shopping for Emma's dance clothes."

"Oh, sorry I didn't know, but I am your mom, and moms are nosy, so. . ."

"Okay mom well we have to go home so I can get everything done." With that Hope gave her parents hugs and got ready to leave, Emma said her goodbyes as well.

Before they headed to the car Hope's mom came up and gave her another hug and the said, "I love you, you know, and that's why I'm so nosy, it's a mom thing. Have fun tonight."

"I love you, too and yeah I'll have fun."

As Hope got ready to leave she realized tonight was going to be a long night.