Always There

Chapter Twenty-Six

She opens her mouth to speak, but pauses for a moment as if to take in my words before she asks, "Are you happy right now, Bryce?"

At first I think that this must be a trick question or some shit as I feel that the answer is too damn obvious, but I still respond to her by saying, "Of course I'm happy, baby. I've got the prettiest and sweetest girl in the whole entire world in my arms right now."

🌸🌸🌸

"You're home early," I comment, setting my phone down on the coffee table as I watch my dad walk into the foyer, setting his briefcase down by the stairs.

He smiles as he looks towards me, but his eyes soon widen as he takes in the state of the living room.

"I thought you were just decorating a tree," he states blankly, to which I can only chuckle at.

"Nah. She wanted to decorate the whole living room. It seems that she's tired herself out, though," I reply, gesturing to the sleeping figure in my arms.

My dad grins as he looks at Blossom and I, probably noting the way that she's clinging to me as I hold her. She's been asleep this entire time, not loosening her grip on me one bit.

He always talks about how happy he is that Blossom and I are finally together. He says that he was worried that I would break if I was never able to tell her how much I love her, and so he insisted that that should've been one of the first things I did when we moved back here from Florida.

Perhaps it took me five months to get around to telling her, but better late than never.

"Is Lexi staying for dinner?" Dad asks as he slips off his shoes and hangs up his coat, unbuttoning a few of the top button of his shirt and pushing his sleeves up to his elbows.

I shrug at him, looking down at my girl to see if she's awoken from all the talking around her.

"If she doesn't wake up soon, I'll wake her up and ask," I answer my dad before slowly standing up, Blossom still in my arms.

I carefully lay her back down onto the couch. She lets out a soft mewl before curling up again, nuzzling her cheek against the couch's armrest. I glance up to find my dad watching us intently, but I give him a warning glance as I grab a blanket from the basket next to the couch, draping it across her small body to keep her warm.

"What are we doing for dinner?" I ask as I tuck my phone into my pocket, making my way out of the living room and then following my dad into the kitchen.

"I'm not sure. I was going to ask Elena, but she hasn't texted me back," he replies, leaning against the island. I wait as he gives the other living room a once-over as well, seemingly impressed that we decorated in here too.

I take a seat down on one of the barstools at the island, leaning my elbows on the countertop. "How was work?"

Dad sighs, shrugging his shoulders. "Fine. I had to fire someone today. All I ask for is employees that get shit done on time, but apparently those are impossible to find. I'm still hoping that you'll come to work for me some day."

Before I'm allowed the opportunity to answer, Mateo enters the room. He's carrying a mug in his hand, and he nervously eyes my dad and I before he heads towards the sink, rinsing the mug and then dropping it into the dishwasher.

"Hey, Leo," he says anxiously, and my dad smiles down at him as Mateo awkwardly fiddles with the hem of his sweater.

Our dad, Bryce. You and Mateo have the same father. You've got to wrap your fucking head around it.

"Hi, Mateo," Dad says with a smile before he turns back to me to and raises an eyebrow.

Mateo seems to be interested in whatever conversation our dad and I had been having before he walked in here as he remains exactly where he's standing.

Nosy blond bastard.

Our dad is still staring at me intently as he awaits an answer, and so I briskly tell him, "Don't hold your breath, Dad. If everything works out with Richard, then I'll be making music soon enough."

Dad sighs again, glancing between Mateo and I. He then reaches up to run his fingers through his hair, locking his gaze with mine as he says, "Very well. Just consider it. You haven't signed any papers yet, have you?"

I shake my head at him and he gives me a weak smile. I know that he wants me to be happy but I feel like he just doesn't understand what I want to do with my life. He was convinced for so long that I would work for his company one day, but now I'm planning on doing my completely own thing.

Mateo feels the need to chime into the conversation apparently, as he asks, "Bryce? Don't you already have a job? Where do you make all your money?"

I purse my lips together, turning away from my dad to instead face Mateo. Inhaling deeply, I slowly begin to explain by saying, "It's the damn internet. I have a lot of followers on social media because people like looking at my face and my body and they like to hear me sing. I taught myself guitar and piano and I learnt how to mix music too, but none of it feels like a real job to me. I want to make so much more out of it. I want to do something that doesn't seem so . . . childish. I feel like a fucking idiot going around saying, 'Hey, I make money off of YouTube!' because that sounds fucking stupid."

Mateo's eyebrows raise, and he considers my answer for a moment before asking, "Who's Richard?"

Fuck.

I momentarily consider pretending as though I didn't even hear his question, but figuring that that would make me look dumb as shit, I sigh before sternly stating, "If I tell you this, you have to keep it a secret."

Mateo's brows raise, but he eventually shrugs his shoulders. "Sure."

"He owns a record label that I may be signing on to soon. It's supposed to be a secret until everything is finalised," I say, falling silent to gauge Mateo's reaction.

It seems as though that wasn't the answer that he had anticipated, but nonetheless, he surprises me by replying, "Well, congratulations."

I open my mouth to thank him just as Blossom comes scurrying into the room, a look of panic on her face.

We all turn to stare at her as she pauses in the doorway, and I watch as she seems to calm down as soon as her eyes land on me. She sniffles softly as she makes her way through the kitchen and towards me until there's only a foot or so of space between us.

"You left me and I got worried," she states as she stares directly up at me.

I frown down at her before I reach towards her, wrapping my arms around her waist. I carefully lift her up, setting her down in my lap and holding her close so that her back is pressed right against my chest.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I just came in here to talk to my dad. I didn't want to wake you up," I tell her softly, pressing a careful kiss to her cheek.

She shakes her head at me, a small smile now tugging at the corners of her lips. "It's okay, Bryce," she insists. "I just got scared that something may have happened to you. I don't know why."

I glance up to find my dad watching us closely, Mateo doing the same. I avert my gaze back down to Blossom, who's biting down on her lower lip as she stares down at her feet in embarrassment.

"There's no need to worry about me," I promise her quietly. "I'll be fine. Nothing's going to happen to me."

A/N: Foreshadowing? Perhaps ;)

I'm so sorry for the slow updates. School is making me so freaking busy and I also have lines and music to learn for theatre. I really am trying my best to get you guys chapters out ASAP.

The next chapter is the first Christmas chapter and I am so so so freaking excited! Any guesses as of to what Bryce and Lexi's presents for each other are???