Designs of Love (TP2)

44 - Alex/ Jen

Alex

Work started on the house in mid-August. He had a large crew working, so the upstairs went on quickly. The hardest part was Jen wanted to see it, but she refused to visit her parents for a weekend. Just before Labor Day, Megan convinced her to come to stay with them.

"How is that going to help?" Alex asked.

"Megan doesn't care if I stay out all night."

"Will your mother mind that you don't stay with her?"

"I hope not."

Alex felt bad because he was relying on Jen to do all the traveling. He promised her he'd come to see her in the fall. He didn't want to think about winter weather and how it could affect them. Never had he been so involved in a relationship as he was with Jen. She was on his mind constantly. He was always having thoughts like, Jen would like this, I can't wait to tell Jen, I wonder what Jen's doing.

When she came on the Friday of Labor Day weekend, he picked her up and brought her to Megan's house. Jen walked up to see her parents and Alex stopped in.

Rick called, "Alex, you're always around now. I like that. Look! Jenny's home for the weekend."

Alex nodded to her, and she said, "I'd like to see what you're doing?"

"Come and I'll show you."

"Mom, I'll see you in the morning." She kissed her father's cheek and Alex felt a stab in his heart, he was a part of the betrayal. Still, he knew Rick and Alice loved him and if they could pick a man for their daughter, he would be in the running if not the top spot.

He watched as she looked at what they had done in three weeks. She had seen pictures, but he hadn't sent any the past week. He took pictures now with her in each one. She was smiling just for him.

"What do you think?"

"You've done so much!"

She continued to walk around and then she walked through the backyard into Megan's backyard. The house was behind Megan's neighbors, but the friends' properties abutted each other. Alex drove around and arrived for poker night - it was the first Friday again. He enjoyed knowing she was there and occasionally he would look up and she'd give him a sexy smile. She was definitely going home with him.

Typically, he was the first one out the door, but he stayed. When it was just Jen with Peter and Megan, he pulled her into him.

Megan said, "Look at them. They belong together!"

Peter had already pulled Alex aside for his 'if you hurt her I'll kill you' threat. Alex assured him he had no intention of doing anything that would hurt her.

Peter said, "Let me make sure Kristi's not walking the dog. I ran into her plenty leaving here."

"Why? Were you two sneaking around?" Jen asked.

"No, we were usually fighting," Megan said.

"You were the one fighting with me," Peter said.

"He's right," Megan agreed.

Alex liked them much better together. He also liked him and Jen together.

He almost finished the ugly house. There were a few touch-ups left, but it looked like a home. John had commented again on how he had improved the neighborhood by fixing up that house. He wished Jen was staying with him all weekend, but he knew it was important she saw her parents. Because of him, she had been away from them again.

"I sleep so much better with you in my bed," he said.

"To think, you once hated me and now you don't hate me." She teased.