Just Between Us

Chapter 2

Lillian's POV

This is so much harder than I thought!

His daughter already hates me, God could this be anymore difficult?!

"Soooo, Stef?" Kent nudged his daughter.

"What?" I could hear how annoyed she already is. The poor girl, she's never had a mother figure in her life...

"What do you think?" My fiancé's eyes lit with anticipation. I know he's excited, but he can't honestly expect a good response. Me and her just met.

"I think the shrimp scampi is a little over cooked, but the garlic helps," she's unbothered and takes a sip of her iced lemon water. For some odd reason, I should be offended but I'm not really offended. Just a little butt hurt that she doesn't like me- I thought I was a people person until I met her...

"What?" She shrugs and Kent inhales deeply.

"I was talking about Lillian, you knew exactly what," he confronts her in a mild tone but she remains unaffected.

"Oh Lilliannnn! Yeah- I just met her. Don't rush me," her eyes lit up for a brief second and then she's frowning emotionlessly as she stabs a shrimp before eating it.

"She's nice, isn't she?" Kent continues to push and he gives me a gentle squeeze on my hand. I squeezed it back as he's trying so hard to find a motherly figure for his daughter.

"It's okay Stef, hopefully an opportunity will be presented and I could change the way you see me," I smiled softly at her and she looks at me...

It wasn't anything special, but it was significant; it was this blank stare that grazed upon my comfort as she sets her fork down.

"It's Stefani..." she casually goes back to eating and then speaks again.

"A total sweetheart, dad. If you ask my opinion, she's too good for you. Just like the women before her: too good. Yet, you couldn't keep them because-"

"Stefani, car. Now!" Kent becomes fed up.

A few of the waitresses and waiters stopped what they were doing and looked at us. I became slightly pink and looked back at Stefani who casually pat her lips dry and checked her phone.

"No thanks, my Uber is here anyways. Have fun!" She jumped to her feet with energy and leaned over to kiss her dad on the cheek as he sighs heavily.

I think he realized he just gave her what she wanted by having her leave...

"Bye, Lillian. It won't be long," she waved.

"Out smarted and outwitted," Kent shakes his head with a tired smile.

"She's... a handful," I tried to be optimistic about the events that's taken place.

"I just want her to see what I see, that's all," he sips his wine. I couldn't help but smile back at him and reach for his hand.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" I smiled as I tilt my head back to down my glass.

"You are an amazing woman. I know I can only give you so much and you'd much rather have a child of your own than dealing with mine, but you're worth building a future. You're worth everything," he gives me a starry smile.

"Oh Kent," I giggled.

"I'm serious Lillian, I'm not giving up," he takes my hand into both of his.

"But how are we gonna tell her the news?" I came to realize that the intent of this lunch was to inform Stef-... Stefani that I'd be moving in with them by tomorrow morning.

"She'll be out and about until the afternoon. She'll just have to deal with surprises," he quirks a smile.

"Does she not like surprises? Who doesn't love a surprise?!" My mouth dropped.

"This kid," he pours another glass of wine for the both of us.

"Probably because you aren't doing it right," I scoffed playfully.

"I thought I was doing it right," his arm snakes around my waist and I could smell the alcohol from his lips as he smirks and taunts playfully.

"Hey dad, I- nevermind," A voice from afar called and I jumped out of his arms.

Letting out a soft grunt and curse, Kent plasters a patient smile, "yes sweetie?" He blinks constantly.

"I said never mind. I'm nineteen, I don't need your permission to go shopping this evening and tomorrow morning," Stefani retorts and for some odd reason, I was softly smiling. Even as my back was facing her, her presence was refreshing to me.

"We'll see about that when I control your allowance," Kent comes up with a good counter response and I got anxious to see what remark Stefani made.

As I turn around, me and her instantly locked eyes. We've made eye contact previously, but this is the first time she's acknowledging me, taking in my presence...

"Check your bank," she pull out her phone to look at instead.

Curiously, her father checks his phone to look at his bank account and I even hear him choke.

A satisfied smile grows on his daughter's face.

"Yeah, I don't need your money. The money I make from being an Instagram model is actually good enough for me to have an apartment, car and accessories. I'm home by choice, don't push it by forcing this into our lives," her eyes became a cold hearted glare.

Taking a short breath, Stefani's face calms down again and she leaves- again.

"Do you still think it's a good idea to go forward with this?" I became hesitant. She actually won't like this surprise.. I jus know it.

"Don't be intimidated by her. She's pulled that card before. I just didn't realize she was trending that much. She made a beauty channel on YouTube a few years back. I just never thought it was thriving that much," he wipes his frown off with a sip of wine.

"Oh..." I realized there's been some truth as to what Stefani was talking about. I thought she was exaggerating it because it's been so long since she's had a stable female figure in her life.

"Don't let it bother you. Yeah, I've came across some good women before you but they were only good towards me, not Stefani. I can't bring her mom back, lord knows I'd do anything for her to stop hating me... but you're here, I have good faith in that you'll do right by her," Kent shared a smile with me and I melted.

"You never told me what happened to her mom," I realized we've never really gotten into the nitty gritty.

"And I never told Stefani either.. she thinks I have full custody of her as she remains a dependent under my roof but that's not it at all. It worries me that the second she moves out, she'll go on this scavenger hunt for her mom just to find out she's been dead this whole time...." he stared out into the ocean.

"Kent!" I softly gasped and covered my mouth.

"I know, I know... believe me a thousand times, I know. But look at how she fragile she is towards change. just think how much it'll do to her if she were to find out the truth," he slouches into his chair exhausted with the rounds he's gone through with Stefani.

"We'll figure it out... me included," I reached for his and and I looked at the way my engagement ring sparkled in the sunlight.

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AN: just a teaser.

My life is shit right now oh my god😭