Sugar-Coated Lies

27: Me

Iris

Anna sat beside me as I drove to the restaurant, I think my heart was going to beat out of my chest the way it was beating. I was extremely nervous, I don't know why. It may be because this was going to be the first time that Anna and Scott officially spend time together.

I'm not sure why I expected the worst either, I mean he wasn't even mad at me when I told him about Anna, he was shocked, yes, but there wasn't an ounce of anger. He understood that I had my doubts about his past but he also knew that it wasn't going to stop me from seeing him again. I think he also knew what I was going through every time I tried to call him or write to him, it was agony.

It was bittersweet to me, I would always play the scenarios in my mind, sometimes they wouldn't end up as great as the other times, that's what has been holding me back-all the what ifs and the maybes.

"Where are we going, mommy?" She looked at me and then looked out of the window eagerly, I'm sure she could feel my anxiousness too.

"We are going to that man you met the other day's restaurant, the one you told me you saw on the television." Her curious frown broke into a wide smile, she is certainly pleased about that. I, on the other hand, was a bit on the fence. She would either love him or hate him, there was just no in between with Anna Shepherd.

I stopped at the restaurant , I saw Scott coming out just as I pulled into the parking lot. For a moment I scanned over him, he hasn't changed much in five years, he had a few smile lines starting to show but his body, I must say five years haven't changed his well-shaped body one bit, in fact it only did him good. I shook off my impure thoughts about his body to see him coming closer, I got out and walked to the other side to open the door for her to get out , thank goodness for a child lock or else I'd have Anna bouncing around the parking lot already.

I helped her out and held onto her hand as we met Scott halfway to the parking lot, the way he looked at us made my heart gallop, even more, I didn't think that was possible but I was not complaining, it's been a while since I felt like this over someone, with James it was more of a love of convenience.

"Hi," He said a bit breathlessly with a cheesy smile.

"Hi, I see you still haven't found a name." I gestured to the nameless board on the front.

"Hopefully before the opening, I'll be able to decide. You can come in, Hi there Anna." She held onto her plush toy as he bent down to her level. She narrowed her eyes looking him up and down, she then giggled.

"You have a stubbly face." My mouth went agape.

"Anna! He just said hi, you should say hi too."

"But I know him." I shook my head, that's a four and a half-year-old for you.

"You know Anna, I do need a shave but I was just so excited to see you that I forgot." She covered her face with the toy in shyness.

With that we walked into the restaurant together, he held open the door for us and followed behind. There wasn't anyone in the restaurant since it wasn't open yet. There was a table set for us in the middle at a booth.

He showed us to the table where the drinks were already set, he anxiously called me this morning asking what Anna could eat and if she was allergic to anything.

I handed Anna her juice and Scott poured us some wine.

"You know it feels like we've never been apart, last night I was thinking about us and the bubble bath." That thought has crossed my mind numerous times.