Sugar-Coated Lies

26: Appetize

Scott

As I opened the door to my house I heard Emily coming down.

She looked at me strangely.

"Where were you? Do you know how late it is?"

"Emily...we have to talk."

She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned.

"About what? It's late we can do this tomorrow."

"Emily, we can't do this tomorrow, we've lately been drifting apart, I know it's mostly my fault because of the things that were happening lately but we...we can't keep doing this, acting like things are great when we hardly see each other and when we do it's the one fight after the other. You don't really love me."

"What do you mean, we see each other often enough. Of course, I love you. I think you need to get some sleep before you make some rash decision."

"Emily, I know what your true intentions are, you don't want me you want my money. I thought when we decided to be a couple that somehow we would learn to love each other rather than just enjoy each other but I can see that it isn't happening. I was a fool to think I could change you and that I could escape what I really wanted for temporary happiness. I know about all the men you see late at night when I was working, I just ignored it for years but I can't keep lying to myself about you."

She looked at me shocked, but soon enough her shocked state turned into a glare.

"How did you know about that?"

"I know a lot about someone when they mean the world to me. The chefs I work with may have some badass cooking skills but they also have some dirty mouths, hearing a few of them talking about the conquest of the boss's girlfriend isn't appetizing." Her face turned into a sad pensive look.

"I'm sorry."

"It's too late for sorry now."

Just as I was settling into bed I sent Iris a message, I invited her and Anna to the restaurant so that I could cook them dinner. I knew that I just broke up with Emily and Iris just ended her relationship with James and we were rushing into things but I had this gut feeling (the one that I've had for these past few years) that it was always going to be her, no matter with who I am or who I think I needed to be with it was always going to be her, I was always going to love her and want to be with her.

Now was my chance.

It sounded insane, even to me but it was what it was.

I never planned on falling so hard for Iris, in fact, I only thought of her as a student to teach in the beginning but things changed dramatically, somehow all the kisses we shared and all the light touches and the lips gliding over her skin turned into more.

Unfortunately, she was too right when she said this was complicated, we both had to pay the price for each other. Though I don't think I was the cause of her ending her relationship with James, I still felt a little guilty about what happened. We both had to lie to the people we loved about what we were to each other.

I still haven't decided on a name and the opening was in about three weeks so I had to decide once and for all. The restaurant was mostly done, there were still about three different inspections that need to be done before we could officially open. That didn't stop me however from having Anna and Iris over for a dinner. I'm just not entirely sure what children Anna's age eat, our dinner could be fish sticks for all I know. I probably need to ask Iris that.

I still couldn't believe that I had a child. It felt as if I was in some surreal bubble when Iris told me.

Any man in my situation I am sure would feel angry if they found out that the woman they love kept their child from them for five years. I wasn't angry at her, not even a little bit, I knew that my past was more than what anyone could handle, and she knew what happened with me and my father.

I had more than just a questionable past, it bordered on the dark and she didn't know more than an ounce of what happened.

I think it's time that I told her what happened, everything. It was the time that we let it all out, she deserved to know who I was inside and out.

After five years I could finally face myself in the mirror and not think about all the wrongs I've had to deal with. I could finally breathe knowing that my past was a part of me and I couldn't change it, it's always going to follow me around, but that day when Iris left I realized a few things. I realized that being caught up in the past was only ruining my present and future, I had to let it go. I figured out that there was more to love than just touch, she showed me that I had an ounce of romance inside of me that day in the bathtub.

I've never forgotten that day, in fact, I've yearned to have one of those connections again.

I smiled at the thought of Iris making the foam beard on my face and how we would talk about the future. It was a simple gesture but it had so much meaning, I don't know how I couldn't see that she loved me, maybe I was too blinded by all the things I thought was wrong with me, by all the secrets I had to keep.

All I was doing was creating monsters in my mind, that's why I never could embrace love.

Recently I talked to my brother again, it's been years and when I finally contacted him again I was expecting the worst, but it wasn't as bad as I made it out to be. We reconnected and finally saw each other again, I forgot how much family meant until I saw them again.

I sat on my bed thinking about it for a few moments, I think I just instantly got my own little family with Iris and Anna. I knew it would take a long time for Anna to accept me and accept that I am in their lives, it's just one of those road bumps ahead but I was willing to wait for that.

The last thing I thought about before I went to sleep was my little girl.

A/N Don't worry a sexy scene will be back, three more chapters and it's the end :'( another one of my babies all grown up.