Stuck With Me

14 | Double Dates

FP had just give the kids their lunches so they could leave for school, as a knock followed on the front door. He assumed one of them had forgotten to grab something and rushed back to get it before they'd be too late. So, he opened the door without checking who was there and to his surprise he was facing a stranger. What did someone want at eight in the morning?

''Who are you?'' He asked suspiciously, afraid it was another journalist who was there to start bugging Alice. If so, he would gladly scare him away.

''I am Adam, nice to meet you.'' The man smiled and held his hand out for FP to shake, but he left him hanging. He wasn't here to make friends with people who thought they could just stop by in the early morning without properly explaining why they were there in the first place.

Instead he narrowed his eyes dangerously and opened his mouth to say something that would make him go away, but Alice interrupted him when she saw who was at the door.

''Calm down, FP. That's the guy I went out with.'' She pushed him a little to the side before he'd seriously attack the man but still he tried to soften his look once he knew that it wasn't an intruder or undercover journalist.

''These flowers are for you.'' Adam smiled and handed him over to Alice, who seemed to be over the moon.

FP was glad he saw her laughing like that, so he decided to take a few steps backs and let them have their private conversation. It didn't matter that he wasn't too fond of the guy, as long as he made Alice smile he would keep his calm.

''That's very thoughtful of you.'' She beamed and walked into the living room with him following closely behind.

After their date she had expected for him to pretend it never happened and even block her number, but to her surprise he had done the opposite and had called her in the hope that she still wanted to go out with him. And she did.

''I just wanted to check if you were okay. You seemed a little upset when you left last Friday.'' He pushed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and scanned her face as she tried to avoid his gaze on her.

Part of her was still ashamed of how the evening went down and how she hadn't been ready, but it was just too much of a big step for her to go all in with someone she barely knew. But, he was being thoughtful and even brought her flowers. It was more than any man had tried for the past few years.

''Sorry, I should have explained myself. I am fine. Thanks for checking in.'' She smiled slightly as she placed the bouquet of flowers on the dinner table.

''Maybe you'd like to have coffee now so we could chat for a bit? No pressure.'' He offered her.

Hopefully a coffee date wouldn't be too much to take for her and he could see she'd more relaxed if they would go to a public place and just chat to get to know each other without any pressure to take it any further yet.

''Sure, that sounds lovely.'' Her eyes lit up and he softly took her hand, leading her back to her front door.

FP just looked at them leave and smiled a little to himself as he had seen the spark in her eyes. She definitely looked happier than the day he had met her, or the day she had broken down in his arms even. Still, the thought of her leaving with this guy was bothering him more than it should be.

He knew these kind of guys, didn't he? He had seen lots of his female friends getting trapped in the web of a man who seemed to have a lot of charm. But Alice was a grown woman, and technically he didn't have any reason to think he wasn't treating her right. Right now the smile on her face was more important to him than his own over protectiveness.