Just Another Cinderella

Chapter 4

Jasper's POV

 Amelia Rose Watts, I never though I would me so mesmerized by someone let alone her. She is just something else and Max loves her. He was talking about how he wanted to marry her, but when I told he was too young for her he just said that he will marry someone just like her. It made my heart hurt that he has connected more to Amelia than his own mother. I couldn't sleep so I left Max in the apartment with on of the security guards looking out for him. I went and worked out in the gym on the first floor, I took a shower when I got back and made Max his lunch to eat while he was at head start. I dropped him off at school and I when straight to my office.

 I was there a little earlier than normal so my assistant wasn't here yet. I started to look out the layout the photographers had prepared for the weekly paper. I had gone through two lay outs writing what I wanted edited out of the photos I wanted change. I was about to start reading the articles when I heard a knock on my door.

"Come in, Janet." I call through the door.

"You're here early, Mr. Avery!" She says setting my coffee down along with a manila envelope. 

I took a drink of my coffee as she left, once my door had closed I open the envelope and anger filled me. That self serving b***h of an ex wife of mine just served me  custody papers. Papers that was giving me complete and full custody of our son Max. I was so enraged I picked up my cup of pens on my desk and throw them at the wall. I quickly picked up my phone and dialed my ex wife, Bethany." 

After three rings she picked up, "What the Hell!!!" I shout through the phone.

"I see you got the custody papers." She says calmly only fueling my anger.

"Yeah, I got the f*****g papers, and what the hell. Do not want to be Max's mother? Is it really that f*****g hard to be in his life, or do you still regret having him?" I rant

"No, Jasper. I love Max and I know at one point I regretted having him, but I thought this is what would be best for him. I'm living in Paris now and Max and you are welcome to come see me or I come see him. I just want him to have you as his primary parent and me to have very little to do that will effect his life." She explains. 

I felt my anger leaving me, "Ok, I understand. I just don't know what I'm doing any more, Bethany. Max is my whole world."

"I know he is and that is what makes you the best dad he could have. Now, I have to go, you know with the whole time difference thing." 

"Oh, yeah. Night, Bethany." I say softer.

"Morning, Jasper. And Jasper, let her in, she something different and you need her. She is good for you." She says before hanging up and I know exactly who she is talking about. 

 I tried to get at least some work done, but with no luck. I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes, Bethany words rang in my head. Why does she always seem to be right about everything. I heard my door open and his heavy footsteps following with the door closing. The sound of a file landing on my desk, I open my eyes to see a tall and tan, blond haired Mick. Mick is the best reporter I ever known, but I may be bias because he is also my best friend. 

 I open the file and looked at him in question, the file was filled with this weeks stories and they were just fillers. Is there really no events to report on this week.

"Your kidding me right, we have no stories this week. No celebrity f**k up, no natural disasters, nothing." I say.

"Not really what we do have are fluff pieces about thing like celebrities dating fans, art gallery openings, and thing like that." He shrugs.

"f**k me." I say rubbing my face.

"Uh, no thanks boss." He says sitting in one of the chairs in front of my desk.

"Smart ass, I want you to go out into the projects and write a piece over the new LBGQ+ shelter."

 He nods and leaves my office ready to chase that story. After a few hours of work Max came running in with his nanny, Evie, hot on his heels.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Avery, he is just so fast. " She says winded.

"It's ok Evie, are you still able to watch him tonight?" I ask.

"Yes, I'll be there around 7. If that is ok?"

"That's fine." I say.

 After she left I gave Janet so of the work that needed to be done before 4 today, it is already almost one. I strapped max into his seat in the backseat, I drove us to Elizabeth's and before I had fully turned off the car he had already unbuckled. I open the door for him since I learned how to put the child safety look on it. We had lunch like normal but today it was really busy giving me no time to get to talk to Amelia. We were on our way out when Amelia bumped into me.

"I'm so sorry." She said

"It's fine, Amelia." I say.

"Oh, Jasper, sorry I've been running around this place like my butt is on fire." She explains.

I rub the back of my neck, "Yeah, I see that, but I wanted to see if you had any plans for tonight?" I ask

"I'm pretty sure I have a date."

Disappointment filled me, "Oh, well have fun." I say walking with Max to the door.

"I'll see you here tonight at 8 for our date." She smiles.

 That little minx, I just smirk and nod, leaving with Max back to the office. When we got to my office I let Max free to play in the corner of my office. I had set up a play mat with all the different kind of toys he likes and even a mini bed for him to sleep on if I have to stay late. Max played and I worked for a few more hours. It was almost 6 when I had Max in the car so I could get him home. I stopped and got him his favorite ham and cheese sub and myself the same.

 I let him eat in the car, he is a really clean kid to be honest. By the time I got home Max was a sleep, I carried him to his room and changed him into his pj's. Evie showed up a few minutes later, and I left after Max was fully asleep again. It took me a while to get to the restaurant  and park my car somewhere. I found Amelia wearing a white and pink spring dress that went just above her knees. The dress highlighted all of her curves in a mouth watering way.

"Amelia!" I call out.

 She turns around with the brightest smile on her face, I walked over to her. I didn't want to tell her where we were going, we walked for a few blocks to a huge building. I took her hand in mine, her hand was so tiny compared to my larger one. She didn't pull away from me, her hand in mine just felt right in a way. I led her towards the things I wanted to show her, it was walls of painting by famous artist of different part of the world. France, Germany, London, Russia, Asia, and Italy.

 I watch her face light up at one painting of Lazio, Italy. I just watch her as her face showed show much love and pain. I didn't know what to say or ask her.

"I lived there for so many years of my childhood, that is where my papa met my mama. They feel in love there and where my mama died. This painting does show the real beauty of the city. I remember the celebrations and the festivals with all the life in the world. I miss it there."

 We continued to look at painting after painting, I explained the ones I knew to her and she did the same. It was almost 10 and I was hungry. I took her around the corner to a park with the best BBQ grilled chicken in the world. We ate and talked more, I wanted to drop her off at her house but she said that she wasn't comfortable with that so I dropped her off at the restaurant.

"I will see you again, Amelia." I say.

 I kissed the top of her hand before forcing myself to leaving her.