CHAPTER 14

We all climbed out of the car, the excited chatter of the kids filling the air as they darted ahead, eager to explore the Safari Park. Xavier parked, and we headed to the entrance where we rented a van to drive us through the park. The kids, Martha and Evan, could barely contain their excitement, their little faces pressed against the windows, while baby Cassandra was sitting snugly in Xavier's arms, giggling at every passing tree.

As we drove through, I spotted a particularly energetic monkey swinging from branch to branch, and I couldn't help myself. "Xavier, look at that monkey! It looks just like you," I teased, nudging him playfully.

Xavier turned his head slowly, shooting me an unimpressed look. "Really? A monkey?" he deadpanned, but before he could continue, the monkey leapt onto a branch beside a female monkey and started, well... getting cozy.

I felt my face flush. The situation was beyond awkward now. "Uh..."

Xavier, never missing a beat, leaned over with a smirk. "So, does that make the female monkey you?"

I could feel my face burning with embarrassment. "Shut up, the kids are here!" I hissed, trying to avoid meeting his eyes as Martha and Evan burst into laughter, completely unaware of what Xavier had implied.

We spent the next hour driving through the park, watching lions lounging in the shade, giraffes stretching their long necks toward the treetops, and zebras grazing peacefully. Xavier and I kept exchanging little quips, mostly me teasing him, while he threw in his smooth, sarcastic comebacks. But it felt good, light even. No awkwardness, just the two of us bantering like we always had.

When the van tour ended, we found a large, shady tree near a picnic area. Xavier had baby Cassandra balanced on his shoulders, and she was grabbing fistfuls of his hair, giggling uncontrollably. He didn't seem to mind though. In fact, he looked pretty content.

I couldn't help but smile as I watched them. He looked so natural with her, like he'd been doing this for years.

"Alright, kids! Lunchtime!" I called out, pulling out the sandwiches I had packed earlier. Martha and Evan were already by the tree, too distracted by their game of tag to pay attention.

"Xavier Knight, do you need a personal invitation?" I teased as I handed the kids their food.

He glanced up from where he was sitting with Cassandra, trying to shift her so he could put her down. She immediately began to whine and tug at his shirt, clearly wanting to stay where she was. He sighed, shooting me an apologetic look. "Looks like I'm stuck. I'll eat later."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, please." I grabbed a sandwich, walked over to him, and without any warning, stuffed it into his mouth mid-sentence.

His eyes widened in surprise before narrowing playfully. "You're lucky I didn't bite your fingers off," he mumbled around the sandwich, taking a proper bite as I held it out for him.

"You wouldn't dare," I shot back, smiling as I fed him another bite. Cass was still tugging at his hair, but he barely seemed to notice, too busy staring at me with this strange, intense look that made my heart do a weird flip.

As I fed Xavier, I noticed an elderly couple approaching us. The woman smiled warmly, her eyes twinkling as she looked at Xavier and me. "Oh, you two remind me of when my husband and I first came here with our little ones. You're such a cute couple."

I froze, sandwich halfway to Xavier's mouth. "Oh, we're not—"

But Xavier, ever the opportunist, cut me off with a soft kiss on my cheek. "Thank you so much," he said, smiling at the couple like nothing unusual had happened.

My heart stopped. Did he just—? I blinked, completely flustered. My face heated up instantly, and I was sure I was blushing furiously.

The woman giggled. "Young love is always so sweet. And three kids already! What's your secret, young lady? You look too young to be a mother!"

If I'd been eating or drinking, I would have choked right then and there. I opened my mouth to correct her, but Xavier beat me to it.

"It's my love that keeps her glowing," he said, looking right at me with a teasing glint in his eye.

I stared at him in utter disbelief. He was enjoying this way too much.

The elderly man laughed softly. "Well, whatever you're doing, keep at it. You two are a perfect match."

I forced a smile, awkwardly chuckling. "Uh, thank you. It was nice meeting you!"

As soon as the couple left, I turned to Xavier, my eyes wide with irritation. "Why didn't you correct them?!" I whisper-shouted.

He just shrugged, grinning like the smug jerk he was. "Because it was fun. You looked adorable, all blushing and stammering like that."

I glared at him. "You're impossible."

"I try," he replied with a wink, clearly unbothered.

We finished up our picnic, and after the kids finished their food, we packed everything up and headed back to the car. The second we were inside and buckled up, I punched Xavier on the shoulder.

"Ouch!" He rubbed his arm, feigning injury. "What was that for?"

"For telling them we were a couple!" I huffed, crossing my arms as I turned away from him. "You didn't have to play along with them."

He laughed, clearly amused by my frustration. "Come on, it was harmless. And your tomato face was just too good to resist."

I punched him again, harder this time. "I hate you."

"Sure you do," he said, his voice laced with sarcasm.

The drive back home was quieter, the kids having exhausted themselves from all the excitement of the day. Cass was already fast asleep in the backseat, and Martha and Evan were dozing off as well.

When we finally made it back, I helped the kids get inside and settled on the couch. "Alright, how about a nap for now, and later we can have a pizza party?" I suggested.

"Sounds good," Martha mumbled, already halfway to the guest room.

Xavier yawned, stretching his arms above his head. "I'm wiped out. Mind if I crash for a bit?"

"Go ahead," I said. "I'll wake you up when the pizza arrives."

I headed to my room to check my phone, only to find Xavier already sprawled out on my bed, sound asleep. I rolled my eyes and lay down beside him, scrolling through my phone for a while. Eventually, the exhaustion of the day caught up to me, and before I knew it, I was drifting off to sleep beside him, feeling surprisingly at peace.

After a few hours,

Xavier woke up to find himself holding Ava, who was lying on her side with her back facing him. As he observed her sleeping form, he reflected on the time they'd spent together. The brief moment when the old couple had mistaken them for a couple had left a lasting impression on him. He had felt an unfamiliar, but undeniably strong, emotional pull towards Ava. It was clear to him now that his feelings for her extended beyond a mere crush; he truly wanted her to be a significant part of his life.

He quietly got up from the bed, careful not to disturb her, and grabbed his phone to order pizza for everyone. A few moments later, the doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of their food. Xavier picked up the boxes and set them on the table, then went to wake the kids.

"Hey, guys, wake up," he said gently, tapping Martha and Evan on their shoulders.

"Huh? What time is it?" Martha mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"It's pizza time!" Xavier announced with a grin.

Meanwhile, he approached Ava's bedroom. He knocked softly on the door and said, "Ava, wake up. The pizza's here."

Ava stirred, groaning as she raised her upper body and stretched her arms. She caught Xavier's gaze and a playful smirk crossed her face. "I know I'm hot, but you don't need to stare at me like that," she teased, raising an eyebrow.

Xavier cleared his throat, trying to shake off his momentary distraction. "I was just waiting for you to get up so we can eat."

As everyone gathered in the living room, they eagerly dug into the pizza. The lively chatter filled the room, and laughter echoed as they enjoyed their meal.

A while later,

The doorbell rang again, signaling the arrival of Beth and Ellie.

"Hi Ava," Beth said warmly as she entered. "I hope the kids weren't too much trouble."

"Not at all," Ava replied with a smile. "They're absolute sweethearts."

Martha chimed in, "You sound like an old woman, Ava."

"MARTHA," Beth warned with a chuckle.

Beth smiled at Xavier and Ava. "Thank you so much for taking care of them."

"No problem at all," Ava said as she and Xavier waved them goodbye.

As they left, Ava and Xavier were left alone. Xavier leaned against the doorframe, glancing at Ava. "So..."

Ava, clearly exhausted, said with a yawn, "So nothing. You should head home. It's late, and I need some rest. You've been buzzing around me like a fly all week."

Xavier looked hesitant. "You really want me to leave?"

"You're not a child who's going to be kidnapped, Xavier. Just go. I'm tired," Ava insisted, nudging him toward the door.