Captured The Billionaire!

Chapter 3

Brenda

"Love is a balance"

Things were going fairly well being back home again. My new job was at least enjoyable. Mrs. Hanson was showing me the ropes before she left for her trip out to see her daughter. I did not mind making cupcakes.

Taking orders for weddings and baby showers there in Heaven Creek. My new coworker was around my age. She had grown up over in River Crest right next to us. She moved over here to be with her boyfriend when they found out they were having a baby on the way.

I was redoing my whole room. First, I was taking down all my old posters. And then I was taking down all the old nerdy high school mementos that I saved that reminded me of Aaron.

Out of sight and out of mind as one might say. I sigh as I take down the last item on my wall. I tossed it all in a box because my mother was a pack rat who wanted to keep it all. God only knew why! I shake my head.

There was an old photo of Aaron I forgot that Melody had taken of us. I knew this night clearly. Aaron came over before Halloween. He rented movies for us to watch because I was having to miss out on a date to babysit the pain in the butt Melody. He even went out of his way to rent Melody's favorite movie to that night....

♥☆♥☆♥

Flash Back.....

"Aaron is here mom! I ordered the pizza!" I call out to mother as I let Aaron inside. He beams a smile as he pushes up his dark Clark Kent type of glasses.

"Alright we will be out awhile. Are you sure you are going to be safe?" worries mother.

"Mom I have watched Melody a dozen times before. What makes tonight any different?" I ask her. She smiles.

"You girls are so grown up these days! You do not need your old mom any more" laughs mother as a tear shines in her eyes.

"Mom do not be silly! I do need you! Besides who else will do my laundry?" I joke with her. She groans as she shakes her head.

"Good to see you Aaron! Look out for my best girls" dad tells Aaron as he slaps his arm a little to hard. Aaron had just got back from homework.

I could tell. He had his pencil behind his ear. His curly black hair stuck up all over the place. His old faithful jean jacket with a plain black shirt. Jeans. Tennis shoes. He never was one to dress up. Not that I minded at that time.

"Have fun kids! Brenda, you know where to call me!" mom calls out once dad was dragging her out the door.

"You would think I am going to burn the house down or something" I crack a joke. Aaron chuckles with that adorable grin on his face that won my heart.

"So, Winters what movies did you rent?" I ask him.

He digs movies out of his back pack. He hands them over to me.

Before I could read what, they were Melody and her annoying friend Tina come in and grab them.

"BEACH BLANKET BUNNIES!" she squeals with joy. I groan. That cheesy movie??

"Aaron! You know this is my fav!" she exclaims. She had a crush on Aaron to. She hugs him. I roll my eyes as Aaron shrugs' his shoulders at me after the hug.

"What else did he get?" I ask her as I scowl at her.

"The Phantom Of The Opera" she tells me.

"Boring" Tina laughs.

"My sister is a nerd. She maybe a cheerleader but she is a secret nerd" jokes Melody.

"Shut up Mel!" I yell at her.

The doorbell rings. I dig out the pizza money mom left for us.

"I better get that" I tell Aaron.

"I will put on the movie" he replies. I nod. He grins. I smile back. He remembered my favorite movie. That had to mean something right??

I go to the door. Open it. There stands Stan Cravis.

"Hey doll that is ten dollars" he tells me. "Brenda home on a Friday night?" he laughs.

"Shut it. I am babysitting" I sigh. "My kid sister"

"Gotcha, darn shame. We are going to have a party over at Sarah Fergisons tonight" he tells me.

"Been there. They are always the same with the same people" I sigh.

I hand him the money.

"Hi there Stan" greets Aaron.

"Hey Winters, is here? Why not have him babysit. I am off work in a half an hr. I can pick you up we can go to the party" offers Stan. Stan was on the football team. He did not like to do anything but party.

"No thanks!!" I say with a smile. "Thank you for the offer though. My sister, my responsibility" I reply. I take the pizza from Stan.

"Come on! Ask Winters! I am sure he would do it" begs Stan.

"Night Stan the man" I sigh as I shut the door on him.

I lead the way into the kitchen. I set the pizza's down on the table.

"You can go to the party if you really want. I will stay here with Melody and her friend" offers Aaron shyly.

"I am sure Melody would love to have you all to herself. But no, I did not want to go anyway" I promise Aaron as I get a Dr. Pepper out of the fridge for him. And I get me a diet. I toss him the drinks.

"You sure?" he asks me as he cracks a smile my way.

"I would rather be here with you any night. After all you rented my favorite movie! How can I pass that up?" I ask him. He finally smiles at me again causing my heart to beat faster. He nods shyly. Sometimes he could be really shy. If I ended up not having a date for a dance, he would go to the dance at school with me to make sure I had one. He was the greatest friend I ever could hope to have.

We take the food together in the other room. My sister already had the movie playing. She knew all the songs by heart. So, did her friend. She was showing off for Aaron.

He looked embarrassed a few times by her parading in front of him. Then later on Melody and her friend went to bed for the night. I knew they would be chatting away all night that night. But mom told her to go to bed at her normal time.

Aaron and I had the movie playing. I was chilly. So, I grab a blanket. Fling it over Aaron and me. I hated this. I could get any guy at school I wanted. Any guy begging to date me. Not Aaron. I never understood it.

But he never wanted me as much as I wanted to be with him. I tried to focus on the movie. I was noticing how we both inched closer to sitting near each other. Then his arm rested draping over my shoulder. I lean into him.

Like I belonged there that night....

Then the phone rings.

I groan. I answer it.

"Hello?!"

"Are you sure you do not want to go to the party? Everyone is asking about you?" asks Stan on the other line.

"No Stan! For the last time no!" I repeat myself. I hang up on him. Then Aaron was focused on the movie. I lean back into him. Placing his arm back around my shoulder. I wished he would make the moves on me like all the other boys had tried to do.

But that night he did not. We just sat there cuddling. Watching movies together.

Then a camera flashed in our faces.

"What the heck?" I scream as I am blinded. I hear giggling.

My sister had taken our photo there as we sat cuddling. The Kodak camera was on the floor with the photo. I sigh as I wait for the image to appear on the photo. I shake it like you do. Then there was Aaron and I looking cozy as could be.

"You better burn that. Otherwise everyone at school will know you were hanging out with a dork" he warns me with a joke.

"Aaron, I could care less what they all think of me hanging out with you" I promise him with a smile.

He grins at me. I feel him inch closer to me. His gaze falls to my lips. My lips are aching for a kiss. So badly did I want it that night. His head leans closer as mine does to meet his. We are about to kiss, and my mother comes in for the night....

End Of Flashback....

♥☆♥☆♥

"That ended that night" I sigh as I look at the old photo. I throw it in the box of memories.

My throat feels a lump in it. Tears water in my eyes.

"BRENDA!" I hear mother yelling at me.

"What?" I call back.

"Something is over at the Winters.... someone! Dad is over at uncle Roy's! You need to go over there! Make sure their home is safe if not call the cops" mother demands.

"Me? Why not you?" I demand.

"You know the home better than I do!" she exclaims. "They are out on a cruise. They are not back yet! Here is their key! Mrs. Winters gave it to me long ago to check on her plants in the kitchen"

Mother places the key in my hands. I nod. I sigh.

"Sure mother. I will check on the place" I mutter.

I glance over at the Winters home. The blinds were all closed. I see a light come on in one room. Then off. Then in another room the light flickers on.

"Did you see that? See?" mother demands to me.

"I see it. I will find out what is going on" I vow.

♥☆♥☆♥

She nods. I head over to the Winters home. I let myself inside. With the key mother gave me. I do not turn on the lights yet. I have my phone in my hands if I needed to call someone.

The mail was all over the floor from being thrown in the mail slot. I pick it all up. Then set it on the table there by the window. I look around. Mr. Winters had Aaron's old baseball bat by the front door in the umbrella stand. I grab it.

I hear a shower going upstairs. I gasp. Someone was in the house!!

I look around me before going upstairs. Then head to where I heard the shower running. It was coming from Aaron's bathroom. He had a room and bathroom combined. He had always been spoiled.

I had to share a bathroom with Melody. The light was on in Aaron's old room. My heart begins to pound faster. Maybe there was a robber who knew how wealthy Aaron was now. Maybe he came to find things. Why run a shower???

I sneak closer to the bedroom. Then go inside.

I wait for them to come out of the bathroom. I stand by the doorway. With the bat up in my hands.

"WHO ARE YOU?" I squeal demanding to know as they come out drying their hair with a towel.

I gasp nearly falling to the floor when I back up along a computer chair at Aaron's old desk.

"Aaron?!"

"Brenda, what are you doing back home here in Heaven Creek?" he demands to know.

"I was just going to ask you the same thing" I question. I nearly fall losing my cool. My balance.

♥☆♥☆♥

He catches me as he drops the towel he had in hands. My hand lands on his chest. He had the chest of a warrior or one of those hunky wrestlers on tv. You know the type. He was so much taller. Our eyes lock on each other. Surprised by the meet up. I was at a loss for words. His normally curly dark long hair was cut and trim short on his head. His brown eyes focused on me.

My lip trembles.

His head is inching closer to mine. His eyes fall to my lips. I was in a bit of a trance being in his embrace like this. So close to the man who once broke my heart into pieces.

My phone rings.

"Mother.... yes, I am in the Winters home. Everything is fine. Aaron is here" I stammer as I break free from his embrace to answer my phone.

"What is Aaron doing there?" she wonders.

"Say hi mother if you do not believe me, he is here" I tell her as I place her on speaker phone. "Mother thought someone was breaking in. So, she sent me over to check on the house" I explain to Aaron. He nods.

"I am fine Mrs. Vance. I am sorry I did not get a chance to email you and tell you I was going to be in town" he tells mother.

Mom and Aaron keep emails with each other???

"No worries dear! Good to have you home" mother rambles on.

"Bye mother" I sigh as I hang up on her.

"What are you doing back in town?" he wants to know. "Last I heard you were off to change your life in New York?" he remarks bitterly.

"I was. I am back home. Things did not work out was all" I sigh.

"Too bad. See you around. You can see yourself out the door" he snaps at me.

What was his issue? With me being home? He was the one who hardly ever came home.

"Have a nice life WINTERS" I snap as I charge out of the room leaving him there.