by Mj Fields
At one thirty, Audrianna pulled in with Alexandra and Ally. They were beautiful, with big green eyes and caramel hair, dressed in matching pink dresses and white shoes. Their hair was in pigtails with ribbons tied perfectly around them. They looked a lot like Lucas.
���Hello, Audri,��� Lucas said, smiling at the girls. ���They are beautiful.���
���How are you, Lucas? Ally and Alexandra, this is your big brother, Lucas. Do you remember him, girls?��� Audrianna asked.
They both shook their heads and smiled shyly. Lucas knelt down. ���I���m going to hang out with you guys for a few hours before I have to go meet Dad for his meeting. What would you like to do?���
Audri answered her phone. ���Hello���Oh, ok���I���ll see what I can do���no, I understand���see you soon. Damn it,��� she mumbled under her breath as she hung up. ���Ashley,��� she called, waving her sister to come in.
���Is that your aunt?��� Lucas asked the girls and smiled.
���Yes,��� they answered giggling.
���Good, I need to talk to her. Audri do you mind?��� Lucas asked.
���You���re asking permission?��� Audri replied.
���Look what went on between us was a long time ago. But yeah I guess I am.���
���She���s happy, Lucas,��� Audri cautioned.
���Good, I am too��� Lucas said. ���Is it alright?���
���Go ahead, Lucas,��� Audri said.
He walked to the car and opened the door for Ashley. ���Hey Ash, can we take a walk?���
Ashley���s eyes widened. ���Lucas��� I don���t think that���s a good idea,��� she said looking toward the girls, ���and I am… seeing someone.���
���Me too, Ash,��� Lucas smiled. ���I just want to apologize for some things.���
���Okay then,��� Ashley said as she got out.
They only walked a few feet away, but he did his normal spiel. She hugged him and he hugged her back. Ashley was a great person. They had a different relationship than he did with the girls back home. It was fun, no strings tossed in with some mutual respect mixed with a bit of alcohol- fueled sex, a great distraction from his father���s nonsense.
���So we are good, right?��� Ashley asked.
���I hope so,��� Lucas said, smiling.
They walked back to the house and his phone chimed. Ashley saw the picture ID. ���She���s pretty, Lucas,��� Ashley smiled. ���Are you being good to her?���
���I���m trying. She just��� I don���t know. She���s just different than of the other girls back home.���
Audrianna smiled. ���It is so nice to see you happy, Lucas, I don���t think I have ever seen you like this.���
���I know. Things are changing,��� Lucas smiled as he looked at his two sisters.
* * *
Audrianna had always felt sorry for the life he lived. Her soon to be ex was too busy with work or trying to be the man she thought she had married, to pay any attention to Lucas. She knew his mother had major substance abuse issues and that he had been the one to deal with her. And now that she was a Mom she saw him differently. She wished she had pushed more for Landon to be a better father than he was to Lucas. She wished she could have not been jealous or wrapped up in her own dream world to see that the troubled, obnoxious, hormone filled boy really had a sad, angry life and he just needed guidance.
* * *
���I am so glad, Lucas, I really am. You deserved better than you were dealt, and I should have tried to help. I���m sorry,��� Audri said.
���I���m fine, doing better every day. And whatever I���ve said or done in the past to make your life harder, I apologize. Oh, and thank you for giving me these two. I think we will be great pals,��� he said. They giggled.
���So Ashley, we���re going to have to change our plans. The sitter is going to be about an hour late,��� Audrianna said.
���No way, I got this. We can have fun together, can���t we, girls?��� Lucas asked, swooping them up and spinning them in a circle.
���Oh no, Lucas you don���t have to,��� Audri said, looking a bit nervous.
���Please, Mommy,��� the girls said in unison.
Lucas smiled. ���Audri, I promise they will be fine. I won���t break them.���
���He���ll be okay,��� Ashley said, reassuring Audrianna.
Audrianna reluctantly agreed, and she and Ashley left.
The girls took him out back and showed him the tree fort their father had built for them.
���Wow, this is so cool,��� Lucas said, climbing up behind them. It was very low to the ground, so Lucas felt that it was safe for them.
They played Princess for an hour. He of course was the prince and had to marry both of them.
���Okay, but only because it���s pretend. When you grow up, its only one prince for each of you. And he better be really good to you, because if he isn���t, do you know what���ll happen?��� Lucas asked in a deep voice. Their eyes widened, and he threw his hands in the air making them appear like giant claws. ���Your brother will turn into a dragon and gobble them up.��� He picked them up and pretended to chew their ears as they laughed.
He heard someone laugh from behind him. ���That���s cute.��� ���Leah,��� the girls yelled and ran to her.
���Hey Leah, what���s going on?���
���She���s here to watch us, but she doesn���t have to; now we have you!��� Alexandra ran to Lucas and jumped in his arms. So this is how it feels, he thought, this is what family is all about. Lucas had always felt that they were the competition. He didn���t realize that they could be so much more.
Lucas hugged her tight. ���I have to meet Dad for a couple hours, and then I will be back. Are you spending the night?���
���We don���t spend the night, silly,��� she laughed.
���Well maybe tonight you can, should we call your Mom and ask?���
���Yeah,��� they both said.
Leah gave Lucas Adrianna���s phone number. Lucas called and asked her if the girls could stay. She was reluctant but agreed that it was alright if Leah could stay as well. They all agreed and the girls went crazy.
Lucas asked Leah to take a picture of them in the entry before he left. He messaged Tessa.
- hanging out with two beautiful girls, they are spending the night! Hope you don���t mind���LYA Lucas
Lucas attached the picture and sent it to her.
Tessa���s phone chimed. Her heart sank until the picture downloaded. Then she smiled. Another text came through.
- This is Ally and Alexandra, my sisters!...LYA Lucas
- They���re beautiful Lucas. You seem happy!!! Much better than last night���s text��� your friend���Tessa
- Like you���have to go with Dad for two hours, then back here, this will be their first overnight since their Mom left���Hope he doesn���t get mad when I tell him, lol���LYA Lucas
* * *
Tessa spent the evening training Chewy on the invisible fence. Chewy hated the beeping noise he heard when he got too close to his fenceless boundaries, but he was a quick learner.
John had bought a hot tub since they couldn���t use the pond now that it was cold. Tessa loved the thought of relaxing in the hot tub after practices but cringed when she thought about Lucas with Sadi. She was an idiot. She had to keep this thing between them strictly friends. How the hell will I do that? Whenever she saw
him she needed to touch him, to kiss him. She loved him. Time to get tough, she thought, God help me, please, she thought, or let him change. I love him.
* * *
Lucas rode home with Landon from the meeting, happy that his dad hadn���t freaked out about the girls staying over. He was annoyed that he left his car at the country club, but his Dad kept buying drinks and his new investors seemed to like the fact his son was allowed to drink. How that impressed them was beyond him. John Ross wouldn���t be impressed he was sure of that.
* * *
The girls ran to Lucas when he got out of the car. Lucas picked them up and spun them around. Damn he thought, a bit tipsy. ���Okay girl���s; hot tub time!���
They raced to change, then jumped in the twelve person tub that sat overlooking the lake. His Dad joined them. ���Hey Leah, could you grab my phone and take a picture of us?��� Lucas asked.
Landon smiled. ���They have really taken to you, Lucas.���
���They are great, Dad. They really have never spent the night?���
���I���m a very busy man,��� Landon reminded him.
Of course you are, Lucas thought. ���Alright, little princesses,��� Lucas said. ���Time to get ready for bed. It���s getting late. Leah, could you wash the chlorine off them and get them in their PJ���s?���
���No,��� Ally said stomping her foot. ���We want to stay with you!���
���Okay, why don���t we all sleep in my room, pillows and blankets on the floor? It���ll be like we���re camping,��� Lucas suggested.
The girls jumped up and down clapping their hands. They were excited. Lucas showered, washed his face, and brushed his teeth. He pulled on his pajama pants. He grabbed his phone and sent Tessa the picture of his father, sisters and him in the hot tub.
* * *
Her phone chimed and she smiled
- Day 6 without Tessa Ross has been enlightening. From her I have been able to see what family is supposed to be. I have two sisters that are amazing and we are going to ���Camp Out��� on my floor tonight. Without her light shining through me I would have never been able to or have the desire to see how precious love is. ��� LYA Lucas
- I hope you have a great time, I miss you, and BTW you made me cry���Love���Your friend���Tessa
- I���m sorry Tessa that wasn���t my intention���LYA Lucas
- Happy tears Lucas, thank you. Go have fun with those beautiful girls (never thought I���d ever think that, lol)��� Love!!!..Your friend���Tessa
* * *
���Hey Lucas, the girls got carried away with the water. Do you have a shirt I can wear?��� Leah asked, soaked to the skin.
He chuckled and tossed her an extra shirt.
The girls ran in and jumped on Lucas���s bed. ���Hey can I jump too?���
Leah stood on his large wooden bed with the mirrored wall behind it and snapped shots of them all jumping. The girls were laughing and so was he. Landon walked in and watched his three children with a smile.
���I think it���s bedtime, you four,��� he raised his eyebrows and winked at Lucas.
���Go give Dad a hug, girls,��� Lucas whispered.
He grabbed his phone and sent a picture to Tessa of them jumping, all their feet were raised behind them in the air and they were smiling. Perfect he thought.
- Having fun���LYA���Lucas.
Lucas threw his phone on the bed and tucked them in; they insisted he be in the middle. He said prayers with them, which he had not done in years.
���Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord our souls to keep, the angels watch us through the night and keep us in their blessed sight. This we ask in Jesus name, AMEN,��� Ally and Alexandra said together.
Ally and Alexandra each kissed Lucas, hugged him, and fell asleep. Lucas was awake and had to use the bathroom. He was still tipsy. He tucked the girls in and grabbed a pillow and put it at the foot of the bed telling himself that he would be back down there when they woke. He missed Tessa and in less than a day he would see her. He fell asleep and dreamt of the girl he loved.
Leah left the girls bedroom and walked into Lucas���s room. He was asleep on his back, shirtless and hot as hell. She climbed up next to him and rubbed his stomach. He smiled. She kissed his lips. She took his hand and placed it under the shirt that still smelled like him. He took a deep breath, and she kissed his lips. She sat on him, unbuttoning the shirt and laying her naked breasts on his chest. She slowly began to grind into him. He moaned. She kissed him, and he kissed her back. Lucas rolled on top of her and kissed her deeply. She spoke his name. ���I want you, Lucas. Take me again.���
���Oh God, Leah! No, no, no,��� he whispered as he sat up.
���We���ve already done it once. You seemed to really like it. Let���s do it again, Lucas,��� Leah said, bending to kiss him.
He moved away and his phone fell to the floor. ���Shit Leah,��� he whispered. ���The girls are sleeping right there, and I already told you I was sorry about the first time. I was different then.���
Leah stood up. ���Sorry I just thought…��� She began to tear up.
���Leah…��� he interrupted, ���Okay just… let���s forget this happened, okay? Just go back to bed.���
Leah left and Lucas laid in bed thinking about what could have just happened and how it would have ruined everything he had been trying to accomplish over the past few days. When he had calmed down he went and used the bathroom and then laid down with his sisters and fell back to sleep.
* * *
Tessa woke up and smiled. She turned off the humidifier and grabbed her phone; she had a missed call from Lucas. Damn, I wonder what time he called. she grabbed her clothes and headed for the door. She would listen to the message in the bathroom. She was so excited that she was going to hear his voice.
���I want you Lucas, take me again,��� she heard a woman���s voice say. ���Oh God, Leah! No no no,��� she heard Lucas whisper. ���We���ve already done it once. You seemed to really like it,. Let���s do it again Lucas,��� the woman said. ���Shit Leah, the girls are sleeping right there,��� she heard Lucas say right before the message ended.
Tessa was in shock. She played it again. She felt the blood drain from her face and sat on the toilet lid. Oh no, you don���t, Tessa Ross. That���s enough. He���s a player. She ignored her head and grabbed her phone. She started to text him and stopped, then put the phone down and jumped in the shower. As she got ready for school, she heard the song ���I Will Survive��� in her head. She started laughing. Done, you asshole. I am officially done. Two months is nothing. I���ll be fine.
* * *
Lucas woke to two giggling girls staring at him. ���Well good morning, my gorgeous, intelligent princesses. How did you sleep?���
���It was wonderful, my prince,��� Alexandra said.
���I felt a pea under my mattress,��� Ally said.
���Well, we mustn���t have that,��� Lucas said, pretending to be annoyed.
Lucas sat them on his bed and threw the blankets to the side, grabbing the imaginary pea. ���I���ve found the culprit, my lady. I shall banish it from the kingdom.��� He went into the bathroom and flushed the toilet. ���Pea belongs in the potty.���
The girls laughed hysterically.
After breakfast, Audrianna came to pick them up. ���No Mommy, we want to stay with Lucas,��� they pleaded.
���Well, my fair maidens, I must return to my kingdom far away. I have dragons to slay on Friday night,��� Lucas beamed.
��
��We want to watch,��� they begged.
���Then I shall send you a video,��� he replied with a smile.
Lucas watched Landon standing in the doorway of the kitchen, obviously amused by the interaction between his three children. He looked at Audrianna and smiled. She blushed and looked down. She was Lucas���s favorite step monster.
Landon smiled. ���Well, ya know, I���m considering driving up tomorrow to see Lucas, to um��� slay the dragons. Maybe you three could come with me?���
���I���m not sure that���s a good idea.��� Audrianna said apprehensively.
���Lucas, could you take the girls to get their things?��� Landon asked.
Lucas paused listening to the conversation from the hallway.
���Audri, we can go together,��� Landon said ���As a family, no pressure. He seems to really enjoy them, I have never seen him happier and they adore him. Please I know that it would be too much for me to ask to take them alone, but will you go with us?���
���Landon, this is for the kids, all three of them, do you understand?���
���Sure.���
���And what about your girlfriend?���
���I think this is more important right now, she will have to deal with it or not, it���s really not a big deal to me.���
Lucas took the girls to get their things.
���Okay, the princesses are ready,��� Lucas said, carrying one of the girls under each arm.
���Well, my fair ladies,��� Landon said, ���we are all going to watch Lucas slay the dragons tomorrow.���
They clapped and hugged their father. ���Mommy, too?��� Ally asked.
���Yes, Mommy, too,��� he said, smiling at her.
Lucas sent a message to Tessa.
- I���m leaving in about an hour, should be home at around one, I���m going to come in so that I can make practice and see you!!! Guess what? My Dad and sisters will be coming to the game tomorrow night. The girls can���t wait to meet you, and please excuse anything my father may say, most of my bad habits, of the past, come from him���LYA.. Lucas