Babysitting The Desired

Chapter 7 Reading The Signs Wrong

Rebecca's POV

I pull up to the school with my mind reeling about Tobias. I don't know what has gotten into him, but I honestly have to admit I like it a lot. He is the first man I have actually thought about in more ways than one, and that scares the hell out of me.. he is known to be such a player, but the way he acts around me shows me otherwise, but maybe he is just playing me.. is this what he does with the other girls before he loves them and then leaves them?

I see my kids running over to the car and climbing in.. I first see a smiling Eddie, of course, that's to be expected, but what I didn't expect was a beaming smile on my daughter's face.

"Hey guys, how was your day?" I ask them both as they smile so big, and Eddie says, "You know how my day went!" I nod at that as I stare in my rearview mirror at Katie.

She has a proud look on her face as she announces, "I got asked to the dance by Cody!"

I clap for her as I ask, "Isn't he the cute boy that would sit by us at the football games because his brother is in Eddie's grade?" She nods vigorously as I smile even bigger.

"See, I told you there was nothing to stress about, Kitty! So next weekend we will go get both of your outfits for the dance so you're ready to go!" I say to them as I pull out headed to the store.

"Ok, Kitty, so you and I will hang out and do dinner by ourselves as we chauffeur Eddie and Britney around for their date night tonight. But we are going to get flowers for Britney and a nice shirt if Eddie wants one." I state as they both nod at the plan of attack foe tonight.

We pull up to the mall to check out some stores. Walking in, it's not too busy. We walk up to the only men's warehouse that's in here.. they have nice shirts, ties, and suits. I used to get all of Jeremy's clothes bought and tailored here as well.

"So take a look around and we will see if there is a shirt and maybe jacket you like.. we have to make it perfect for you tonight." I say, patting him on the back as I hear. "Beck?" I turn around to see it's Tobias smiling big at me. My kids have nervous looks on their faces but different kinds of nervous. Eddie looks intimidated, and Katie looks enthralled.

"Hey, this is Toby he is my boss, and Toby, this is.." He steps up, extending his hand to them, saying, "Of course, Eddie and Katie." But this answer suprises me completely.

"You remembered their names?" I ask still in shock. "Yea, of course Beck, we have been working for 5 years together. I listen to you all the time.. Good luck tonight, by the way, Eddie!" He says so sweetly to him as he smiles and nods. "We're here to get him a nice shirt, maybe a jacket if he likes it.. what are you doing here?" I ask curiously.

"This is where you get my suits for me, right?" He asks as I nod, and he says, "I was just looking to see what I would like for the Gala, and I was bored and needed to get out of the house." I'm confused, and I'm sure you can see that on my face.

"It's the weekend Toby, you're not getting into your.... usual antics." I say vaguely since my kids are here. He looks back and forth between us as he gets my hint and replies back.. "No, I'm done with all that.. I found someone that I think is worth the change.. I have thought this for a while now.. but something changed today in me, and I'm finally taking your advice like you gave Eddie here and going to try my best to just jump head first into something. I have been denying myself for a while.. but that someone might help me in the best way possible.. well, more than she already has.. or at least I'm hoping, if she accepts me." He says vaguely but so honestly at the same time I'm not used to hearing him talk like this, so my jaw would be on the floor at this conversation if it could.

"Do I know her?" I ask almost jealous of whoever this woman is, I just hope you couldn't hear the jealousy in my voice of this woman.. but I bet she is amazing if she is turning the one man who hasn't wanted to change for anyone before, not even his father.. I'm an asshole, I should be happy for him, not mad about it. "you know what, I don't need to know, I'm sorry that's probably crossing lines since your my boss and I'm sure I'll see her eventually, if she is already changing your life that much.. you won't even have a use for me soon enough if she keeps going at this rate.. but um.. I'm very happy for you and this lucky lady.. she is very lucky.. I wish you both the best of luck." I say sadly with a forced smile on my face as I finish up. "Ok guys, say goodbye to Toby.. we want him to look nice for his lady and not bother him. Have a good night, Toby." I say sadly as I turn and walk away with my kids in tow.

"But Beck, let me explain." I hear behind me as I turn around and say, "Dont worry about me.. There's nothing to explain. Have a good night, Toby."

I continue watching Eddie look around at the shirts. Katie is right beside me as she asks, "Mom, are you ok?" I nod and respond. "Yes, of course I'm fine. Why?"

"Well, you obviously like your boss. I mean, come on, anyone could see that.. and you could tell you were hurt about the fact that he has a woman.." She says to me as my mouth drops open and I shake my head. "I don't know what you're talking about, Kitty."

"Mom, please.. it's ok for you to like another man besides dad.. it's been 5 years since he died, and you deserve to be happy too." She says as I swallow hard retorting, "I just need you guys." She shakes her head and retorts, "No, you need someone to care for you, giving you the love you deserve, and it's ok if you want to try to move on. I won't be mad, and I'm sure Eddie would be ok with it too.. but he seemed like a nice guy, mom." She says to me as I sigh and say so honestly to her, "You heard him, he found someone new, who is helping him and obviously making him happy so he deserves that.. I can't blame him for making himself happy."

"Where did you get that necklace from?" She asks, staring at it as I gesture with my head. It was Toby he got it for me today for working with him for 5 years." I explain to her as she says, "That's not one of those necklaces.. I bet he likes you.. no one buys an expensive necklace like that for someone they don't like." She explains, and I scoff.. "There is no way he likes me, you should see the girls this guy brings home, they all look like models, I'm not even remotely on the same level as the girls he likes, there is no way it's me. But thanks for being so nice, Kitty." I say sadly to her as she nods at me.

"Mom, I like this, and I think this jacket would look nice with it!" He says with so much excitement in his voice. I take a look at it, and he is right it looks nice.

"That's a great pick Eddie now let's go pay, and we can go get her some flowers, maybe chocolates or something like that." I say as he smiles and we walk to the register. The girl rings us up, and I pull out my credit card as she waves it away and says, "Have a good night ma'am."

"What? I haven't paid yet." I say to her, obviously completely confused. She nods and says, "Oh, I know that, but there was a handsome taller man who was here talking to you before, and he insisted on paying for it.. but thank you. Have a good night." I turn around grabbing the bag as I make my way out of the store and send my card in the store with Eddie and Katie into to grab some things so I can call Tobias.

I pull out my phone and dial his number. It rings once before he picks it up, "Toby, why did you pay for that stuff for my son?" I ask him without even giving him a chance to deny or talk his way out of anything.

"I just wanted to do something nice, Beck.. why does it matter?"He asks as I huff and not really having a reason to be mad but I called him pissed and now that I'm thinking about it, I think it's because I'm mad about him having a lady that isn't me.

"Um.. I.. I'm just not a charity case.. and I don't know.. I'm sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me today.. just ignore me and have a good weekend. Thank you for everything.. You're way too sweet to me.. I'm so sorry for everything today, Toby." I say hanging up my phone, feeling embarrassed at the idiotic jealous asshole I have made myself look like..

I let out a deep breath, sitting down on the bench and running my hands through my hair. Well, let's hope that the rest of the night with the kids goes better than this for them.. Obviously, I'm not a person to give dating advice. I just wait until both my kids make their way out of the store with a couple of bags of snacks, drinks, and flowers. We make our way to the car to get ready for the long night of chauferring and hanging out in the car with my girl.

Tobias' POV

I watch her walk away as I'm left frozen stiff.. I thought I was doing a good job describing our relationship and her, to herself, but I'm pretty sure she thinks it's a different woman and not her..

She looked sad, which sucks because I made her sad but also good because that means she cares about me like I thought she did.. but how am I going to fix this?

Maybe I can do that tomorrow when I go out to meet up with them when their drinking.. I hope so, at least.

I'm sitting in my car thinking as my phone starts to ring. I groan and pull it out of my pocket, looking at the screen. My eyes go wide, and my heart skips a beat at the sight of Beck across my screen.. did she figure it out? I don't know and won't know if I don't pick up the call. I quickly pick up the call, and before I can answer, she says, "Toby, why did you pay for that stuff for my son?" She sounds mad, and I think that means she didn't figure it out.. if this is why she is calling me.

"I just wanted to do something nice, Beck.. why does it matter?" I ask.. I just can't do anything right when it comes to her today. Everything that I have tried to do with her has gone wrong somehow. The trying to tell her how I feel multiple times today and failing, the necklace gift to her when I got punched in the face, the expressing my feelings for her nonchalantly and her thinking it's someone else and lastly the trying to help out by paying for her son's stuff but just somehow pissing her off. I thought she would like all that, and all I have done is piss her off more.

"Um.. I.. I'm just not a charity case.. and I don't know.. I'm sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me today.. just ignore me and have a good weekend. Thank you for everything.. You're way too sweet to me.. I'm so sorry for everything today, Toby." and then hangs up on me.. what is happening? One minute, she is happy with me. The next, she is pissed and the next, she is apologizing.. I have no idea what's going on.. I think she is jealous though of my mysterious woman she doesn't know about, and that alone puts a smile on my face. I just hope I will have the chance to turn this whole situation around explaining everything to her, how it was supposed to be.

I drive to the bar that's nearby, I'm just going to have a drink or two and then head home before I piss her off more.

I pull up and get out, heading in and having a seat at the bar top. I take a quick shot of whiskey and take a sip of my beer.

"Hey man, what's up?" I hear from beside me, so I look, and it's a guy from my company. "Hey Craig, nothing much, what's up, man?" I ask as I take another drink.

"Oh, just trying to get some tail. You know how it is, man.. You don't have a lady yet for tonight?" He asks as I shake my head. "No, I found a good woman, and I'm going to make her mine.. and the first step is getting rid of the ladies." I say to him as he shakes his head at me retorting, "No man! Come on, you shouldn't waste your talent on one woman. You have always been one of the masters at bagging a lady.. keep being the ladies' man you are and get lots and lots of different tail men." He says to me as I shake my head.

"No thanks, man.. I'm done with that." I say to him as he scoffs and says, "Sure, we will see how long that faithfulness lasts when the situation really starts to hit, and you have to spend every day with that spicy little looking vixen of a personal assistant that you have. I wouldn't be able to stay faithful to a woman with her around me every single day.. so tell me, how did you win her over? Nice guy routine?"

"What do you mean?" I ask him, confused about what he is asking. "How did you get her into bed? I want to f*#k the s**t out of her, and everything I use doesn't work." He says to me as I state, "I haven't slept with her."

"How have you not slept with her? Seriously? What a waste of so many moments you could have had her bent over your office desk. Well, your loss, my gain, I'm going to go with a nice guy routine and see if that works then." He says to me, patting my shoulder.

"It won't work on her. She is different." I say to him as he looks at me strange and says, "You act like you actually care about her.. that's sad we both know all she would ever be is just a nice piece of ass for a night." He says pissing me off as I retort, "She is a good, honest woman who needs a good man to help her and take care of her.. she has kids, man."

He shrugs his shoulders, responding, "It's not like it matters. I won't be around long enough to meet her kids.. I just want to f*#k, that hot peice of ass and that's it, I don't want her.. good woman or not, I'm just here to have fun. Have a good night, man.. I think I see my target for the night." He smirks as he leaves me and walks across the room to a couple of girls.

I groan, running my hand through my hair because that was a complete fail. I came here to have a relaxing couple drinks, and all it did was piss me off more.

I slam the rest of my beer and pay the bartender as I make my way out to head back home.. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better.

Rebecca's POV

We have already picked up Brittney and dropped her and Eddie off at the restaurant for dinner. Kitty and I get fast food sitting outside of the restaurant in the parked car and eating our dinner.

"This is fun. I feel like I'm on a stake out." Katie says to me as I smile and laugh, eating the rest of my burrito.

"Thanks for coming with me so I didn't have to sit in the car alone." I said to her as she wiggles her eyebrows and says, "I'm sure there is some tall, dark and handsome guy who wouldn't mind joining you if you would have asked him instead of yelling at him like some crazy jealous girl." She says to me as I roll my eyes at her.

"What? I don't know how to even remotely flirt or do this dating thing, Kitty.. I haven't done this in forever, and I still don't think he likes me he said he found a woman.. so I'm trying to be happy for him.. he deserves this." I say sadly as I take another bite.

"Well, either way, doesn't mean you can't put yourself out there and still try to date even if it isn't him." She states to me as if it's obvious.

I nod and retort, "I'll try a little bit tomorrow night because my girl friends asked me to go out and have some drinks with them.. and they even wanted to pay for pizza for you guys to stay home alone and taken care of with dinner. But I'm so uncomfortable in these types of situations.. it's just nerve-wracking."

She nods with me and pats my shoulder. "Everything will work out. Just try to relax and have fun tomorrow night, and we will be fine at home.. It will be cool to stay at home alone. We have never done that!" She says with excitement as I state, "No parties." She laughs and shakes her head, making me laugh as we both continue to eat our food.

We hang out, having fun talking like girlfriends, and it's really nice.. we did the same thing while they were in the movie, and just after this one night, I already feel closer than ever before to my girl. This was a great bonding night for the both of us.. I really needed this.

We drop Brittney off, and I watch her give a kiss on the cheek to Eddie, and I can't help the "awe" that slips out of my mouth at that.

He gets back into the car as I ask. "So I'm assuming after that goodbye that you have a girlfriend and a date?!" He smiles and nods at me shyly.. I clap and say, "Great job. I knew you could do it!.. Now let's get home. I'm exhausted.. Oh, and I'm going out for a girls' night tomorrow night, so my friend has insisted on paying for pizza for you guys to stay home and be taken care of with dinner.. just so you know, too." I say to him as he smirks and wiggles his eyebrows at me and says, "Ooooh Moms, going to get her some?! From the guy you obviously liked at the store earlier?" He asks as I scoff and say, "No, you heard him he found a woman he likes."

Eddie laughs at me and says, "Mom, he was talking about you.. it was obvious." I shake my head and then start to question it. "Really?"

He nods and then retorts, "I'm not 100% sure, of course.. but it sounded like he was talking about you, and the way he was looking at you made it seem like it was you.. but who knows? I might be wrong.. but I think you are wrong.. which is normal, right?" He says as I smile and laugh..

Maybe they are right, and maybe he does like me. I won't get my hopes up that he was talking about me, but it wouldn't hurt to get myself out there even if it's not with Toby. I'm sure I could find someone else to like, if I tried.

"Let's just get home and get some sleep it's been a long day for all of us." I say as we pull up and climb out of the car to get some much needed and deserved sleep.