That Night in Paris

Chapter Fifteen: Granddaughter/Niece

Chapter Fifteen: Granddaughter/Niece
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I noticed Jared's strained relationship with his father almost immediately. Something was off between the two, but I didn't understand what it was. His father, who had said to call him Leo, was currently talking to Camille, asking her tons of different questions about her life. 

I was sitting on the couch with Jared beside me, his eye also on his father and daughter. But he seemed worried, like something bad was going to happen. I stretch up, kissing his cheek, gaining his attention. "You alright?"

He nods slowly. "I'm alright, just making sure he doesn't do anything to terrible."

I bump his shoulder. "I'm sure everything will be fine." I cup his cheek and kiss him lightly on the mouth. He responds, but keeps it as innocent as possible. I'm sure we'd have time for more of that tonight. A blush broke out across my cheeks, I couldn't believe I'd done it again. But this time, thankfully, was different, this time he stuck around. The sex was even different, caring even. I liked it a whole lot more than I did back in Paris. 

The front door opened and my eyes widened when I saw Mackenzie stroll into the living room. Her eyes met mine and she raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing here?" She asks, looking at her brother and I curled up on the couch. Her gaze fell to Camille and her father on the floor and she crossed her arms over her chest. "What's going on here?" 

I stand from the couch and gesture to the kitchen. "Care to join me for a moment?" 

She follows without a word and slams her purse on the table. "I thought you didn't care to know my brother."

I sigh. "I need to tell you something." She just stares at me. I continue. "I do know your brother, but I didn't know him when we first spoke about him. We slept together once about six years ago. He's the father of my five year old daughter."

Her eyes widen. "What?"

I sigh and sit down at the kitchen table, she joins a second later. A look of surprise and confusion on her face. "I was in Paris for a fashion debut about six years ago, it went amazingly and I went to the bar to have a drink." I take a deep breath. "I also just got out of a relationship with a man who had been cheating on me the whole time we were dating, so I guess I was subconsciously looking for someone to comfort me. Jared came up to me at the bar and started hitting on me, it was really bad, but it was also on purpose. And, I don't know, there was just something oddly charming about him and he talked to me all night, walked me back to my room, and I invited him inside." I fiddle with my hands, staring at them. "I didn't know he'd leave without so much as a goodbye. I never even got his name, a month or so later, I found out I was pregnant." Her eyes widen and she just stares at me, mouth agape. I take another deep breath.

"Camille is your niece and Jared is her father." I admit, crossing my arms over my chest. "He only found out recently he was and he deserves to know his daughter. So before I really introduced them, we started dating and here we are."

She looks at me blankly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Jared deserved to know first." I shrug, feeling slightly guilty. "I didn't cut you out, I just was getting comfortable with Jared. And I wanted to call you, I just was afraid you'd hate me."

She nods, doesn't respond to the comment, then looks back into the living room. "And our dad?"

"Only found out today." 

She's still staring, at Camille I presume. "Can I introduce myself?"

"Of course, I'm sure she'd love that." I say honestly, walking back with Mac beside me. I join Jared on the couch and watch Mac and his father interact with our daughter. He wraps an arm around me, kissing my temple. A gesture I could get used to.

"Everything okay?" He whispers, I nod, smiling.  

"Everything's fine."

Mac and Leo didn't stay long after, Mac coaxed her father into leaving when he wanted to talk 'business' with Jared. So he settled for setting up a night when they could get together to discuss company things. I tuned out of most of that conversation, not wanting to intrude. But when Leo included me, I whip my head toward him.

"Pardon?" I ask, turning my attention to Jared and his father. Jared smirks at me, looking at the floor for a moment, while Leo raises a brow.

"I was inviting you to dinner with Jared and I this week. I would like to get to know you better." He says, his tone formal and bored.

I blush. "Of course, I would love to." 

"Good, then I'll be seeing you both later on in the week." He nods. "Come Mackenzie, I'll give you a ride home."

"Sure dad," She waves at us, giving Camille a little hug the same with Jared, when she approaches me, she whispers in my ear, "I don't hate you." With a firm squeeze to my shoulders, she leaves with her father, sending one last wave our way.

Jared lets out a long breath, running his hands through his hair. "That man doesn't ever just 'stop by.' It always has to be something to do with work."

I place my hand on his bicep. "I'm sure he's excited about dinner this week."

Jared snorts. "Please, he just wants to talk business. He only invited you along because he wants to know of your background, he doesn't really care about getting to know you." 

I huff and cross my arms over my chest. "Do you care about me?" 

He looks at me perplexed. "Of course I do, why would you ask that?" 

"Because," I wrap my arms around his neck and smile. "as long as you care, nothing else is supposed to matter, right?"

He sighs and kisses me lightly on the mouth. "Right." With his hands on my hips, he pulls me closer to him, our noses rubbing together. There was something about being with Jared that was so easy, like being teenagers again. He makes me stomach flutter nervously, knees weak, a smile breaks across my face when I hear his voice. I loved the feeling, I love him.