"When You Want Her Back..."


Chapter Nine.



With food in one hand and Aprils hand in the other Bret lead the way through the park. The minute Olivia had said he couldn’t get a seat at Pondarosa he had come up with his back up plan. In some ways he figured that maybe the back up plan was better anyway. It was a bit more romantic and maybe seeing as how April was a romance writer she would enjoy the romance herself. Finally reaching the perfect spot he stopped and stared at the lake that was in front of him.

The moon reflected on the lake and most of the stars glistened in the night, there was no one around and Bret knew there wouldn’t be either. New Jersey didn’t have a lot of people who went to the park at night. "This is an amazing spot" April said staring at the lake then looking at the surroundings of it.

Bret grabbed the blanket from April and began to lay it out. "Yeah, I agree. I thought you might enjoy dinner under the stars. It’s a slight better then eating at Pondarosa listening to Olivia's family." he chuckled and she smiled.

"What is up with you and Olivia? I sensed some tension there."

"Really? Where did you sense that? When she said you looked to good for me or when I called her Satan?" Bret shook his head and continued. "I don’t really know. Some where in competing for a job promotion a while back me and her came to grow not very fond of each other. I don’t have any problems with being nice to her. But it just seems that the minute she sees me she just feels it necessary to bother me and start arguments. As long as we don’t end up choking each other I’m fine with it."

"That’s funny in a weird way" April said making a face at her own words not really understanding them. Then she shrugged and sat on the blanket. "Come on lets eat."

Sitting next to April Bret opened the bag with the food in it and removed them separating it by who ordered what. Giving out the forks and spoons he tossed the now empty bag to the side. He had ordered steak and she had ordered a burger and for desert they agreed to enjoy together a very large piece of cheese cake. Opening the take out food carton he inhaled the smell of the steak and realized just how hungry he really was. Looking away from his food he looked at April. She looked so beautiful and he couldn’t help but stare. "So tell me how you got into writing." He said.

April smiled "Well that’s easy. See when I was little I pictured all these lives I wished I could live and imagined all these things that could possibly happen. When I realized you can actually make them happen through writing I tried it out myself. First story I ever wrote was only two pages long but it was a story and I loved the excitement of it. Since then I have been writing more and more. Talking to other writers, publishers. The whole she-bang."

"You talk to other writers? Ever talked to any of the famous ones? Like S. E. Hinton or the Harry potter author?"

"I think all writers are famous don’t you?"

"Never thought about it...” he said putting food into his mouth.

At the very same moment April took a bite of her burger. The burger was to him a very surprising choice of food. Most women her size watched what they ate and counted calories. She had simply chosen a burger with out a doubt of worry about the after effects. He remembered her telling him she was proud of her weight but what he couldn’t recall was her ever mentioning that she cared about her weight.

April in many ways seemed so different from most women or maybe just from Jackie. It seemed every woman he saw he compared to Jackie. He was madly in love with Jackie and the thought of ever meeting another woman like Jackie made him think he should run for his life. Or maybe even just run for his heart.

"I wonder where you go when you think like that...” April said breaking him free of his thoughts of the evil Jackie.

"Excuse me?" he said confused.

"I notice that from time to time you disappear. Thinking about something. Like in your own world. Don’t feel weird. I do it too just usually when I’m doing it I’m actually in a different world, My characters’."

"Oh, yeah. I'm sorry I don’t mean to. I just have a lot to think about I guess."

"Care to share?"

"Now? Well actually it’s a romance killer to talk about. Besides I want to know more about the series you got going."

Shrugging her shoulders she said "It’s not really going actually. And it kills me to think about it. Right now I’m pretty sure my neighbor Connie is reading it and when she’s out of something to read she will yell for me to write more. Only I won’t be able to. My sister’s situation and her daughter are very distracting. No matter how hard I try I just keep thinking about the niece she kept from me."

"I could only imagine" He said lying to her. He could certainly more then just imagine it. He felt it and faced it everyday because Jackie had lied to him and killed his baby. He couldn’t help but think about it all the time. Why she had done this to him he would never figure out. All he knew was that everyday he had to look in the mirror and face the fact that he could have had a child but she took it away.


"So where do you go when you stare like that?" April said bringing him away from the thoughts of his past.

"I think about you" he said lying once more but feeling it was better then the truth would ever be. Leaning in he brushed his lips over hers and drew himself back with a grin on his face. "You taste like strawberry"

"I always did like strawberries"

********************************************

Sighing April put her keys in the lock and opened the door. Walking in she said "Connie?" Closing the door behind her she put her purse and keys on the side table as she did every time she entered her apartment. Walking to the couch she spotted Connie sleeping. Turning off the TV she grabbed a blanket and put it over her friend. A night of "I Love Lucy” was hard on a person and she figured leaving Connie sleeping was best.

Walking away from the living room she headed for her room. So talking about her date wasn’t exactly going to happen. Did it matter? Nodding her head at her own question she entered her room and removed her shoes. The date was amazing and Bret had managed to charm her pants off. Or maybe just charm a piece of her skirt off but either way he was charming. He was an amazing kisser not that April considered herself extremely experienced or could say she had fully enjoyed Bret but she had a taste. That taste was as good as strawberries. Laughing at the word strawberry April changed her clothes and jumped in bed. An amazing night ended, A morning of banter to come.

Early morning and the sun shined through April's window. Turning over she moaned and protested the sun stop shining so bright. A minute later April gave into the demands of the morning and woke her self up. Sitting up in bed she thought about Bret. How could they have known each other for such little time and he is the first thing on her mind in the morning? She needed to spend more time with him. Not wanted but needed because at this point she was in some ways addicted to his sent and to his seductive ways. She was falling as Connie had said but sometimes, she had to admit, it was better just to sit back and enjoy the fall because hitting the ground would hurt like hell.

Getting up she headed straight into the bathroom and brushed her teeth. Finishing she left her bathroom and went to check if Connie was awake. Entering the living room she scratched her head and looked around. Seeing Connie sitting up on the couch she walked around the couch and jumped on to join her. Linking an arm around her friend and leaning her head on her shoulder she said "Morning"

"Morning" Connie replied a smile on her face and tired eyes looking at her.

Whispering for the fact that they both looked sleepy April said "How was your night?"

"Fine but I’m more interested in yours. How was the date?" Connie said whispering right back.

Glancing back at the kitchen she said "Talk about it over coffee?"

"Sure" getting up they walked to the kitchen, April heading to the coffee brewer and Connie straight for the refrigerator for crackers and cheese. Setting the crackers and cheese on the table Connie sat down. "So where'd you guys go?"

"Well it was suppose to be Pondarosa but his friend had the whole place rented out so we went to the park"

"The park?" Connie asked surprised.

Sighing April said "The Park"

"You really like this guy huh?"

"Yes. He’s so amazing and guess what? He distracts me from all this Lena-Hana stuff. I need a distraction."

"Yeah, how is that going?"

"Well I got all the paper work... only I’m still waiting on Jay to tell me the court date."

"Wow" Connie said.

"Yes I do agree. It’s all very wow. “Knocking came from her door and both women jumped.”Are you expecting anyone?"

"No." Walking to the door April looked through the peep hole. "Connie it’s your mother"

Connie opened the door and April returned to her coffee making. Two minutes later Connie and her mother were gone leaving April alone once again. Her mother had said she needed help with the kids and Connie was forced to leave promising they would continue the talk later.

Finishing her coffee she headed for bathroom for a shower. Nothing was like the cool water hitting her skin to wake her up. After a shower she got dressed and decided to give Jay a nice visit before calling Bret and asking him about lunch. Grabbing her purse and her car keys she locked up her apartment and left.

Taking the elevator downstairs she made a mental note to check out Connie later on. Down stairs she left her apartment building and headed straight for the parking lot where she parked her car. Finding the car she opened the door and jumped in.

Twenty minutes later April was in Jay's office discussing the Hana deal. "So they can't find her? They can't find a three year old!"

"Nope" Jay said.

"God, what kind of safety does that put the child in?"

"Look in the mean time just relax. There is nothing you can do right now. It’s all on them and I’m sure you have things you Want to do right?"

"Yeah...” Thinking about Bret once more she felt a little frustration hit her. Couldn’t she get him off her mind? "So I have time to kill. Anything you want me to help you with?"

"Actually, yes."