When Selene and Eric had invited Jules and Ivy to their place for lunch, Jules hadn't been thinking clearly then or throughout the entire week. She had woken up that Saturday morning and figured it was like every other Saturday until a text message from Selene which said she and Eric were looking forward to seeing her and Ivy that afternoon with their home address at the end of the text reminded her what she had agreed to. Or rather what that whose-name-shall-not-be-mentioned agreed to on her behalf.

Now she was making him sound like Voldemort.
He might as well be.
Darn, you Voldy!

She and Ivy were set to leave. She had dressed Ivy in a sky blue and baby pink flowery gown while Jules wore a yellow sundress. Not a blind-me yellow.

She placed Ivy in her carrier at the back seat and locked the door. She got into the driver's seat and placed her purse on the passenger's seat. She started the engine and put the address Selene had sent into the GPS before she drove off.

Almost an hour later Jules finally arrived at a huge house which the GPS confirmed it was the Thompson's. The first thought that came to her was: This is where Ceaser grew up. It was big and so beautiful. Jules drove through the wide-open gate but was stopped by a security guard.

"Name?" The angry security guard asked

Was that his normal face or did someone piss him off today?
Jules thought to herself.

"Jules Jenna." She answered the guard.

She expected him to check a book or something but he didn't
"The Thompson's are expecting you."

"I know, that's why I'm here." Jules wanted to say but instead said "Thank you." She drove in, going around the roundabout before she found a safe spot and parked her car. She turned the engine off and picked her purse slinging across her shoulder before she got out of the car. She opened the backseat and picked the carrier, Ivy in it playing with her favourite toy. Ivy smiled when she saw her and Jules smiled back at her as she reached inside to pick the bottle of wine she had purchased on her way. She shut the car door before she made her way to the entrance of the house and the door was pulled open just as soon as she got there. Selene stood there smiling at her.

"Jules, welcome, it's so good to have you here." she said giving Jules a quick hug before she bent and picked up Ivy from the carrier and into her arms "Hey honey." Jules smiled at Selene's lack of subtlety as she watched the older woman kiss a giggling Ivy "Please do come in."

Jules stepped in right behind Selene and shut the door behind them. She turned and gaped at the huge entrance. It had two large staircases on either side and in between the stairs leading to another room in the house. It was so big, bright and beautiful.

"Let's go in honey," Selene said as she led Jules right between the stairs taking them to the other magnificent part of the house – the living room. Jules sighed at the breathtaking view. It had a floor to ceiling glass wall which showed the pool outside and the incredible view of the city.

"Have a seat," Selene said.

"Thank you," Jules said as she took a seat on the couch and placed Ivy's carrier beside the couch.

"Eric, get down here," Selene yelled out.

Jules heard footsteps coming from one of the stairs and Eric appeared at the entrance and entered the living room smiling when he saw her.

"Hello, Eric." Jules greeted him with a smile as she got up with her hand extended.

Eric ignored her hand
"Come here you." He pulled her in for a quick fatherly hug.

They were past the stage of formalities.
Jules thought as she sighed inwardly when Eric hugged her.

"Now where's that cutie?" Eric asked.

Jules made a gesture with her head towards where Selene had gone with Ivy.

Eric smiled and turned to her
"Now don't be a stranger and make yourself comfortable, take a look around," Eric suggested before he turned and went to see Ivy.

Eric couldn't wait to see Jules' daughter. She was the most adorable baby he had seen and the closest thing to a granddaughter. Ceaser hadn't shown signs of getting together with anyone since Bea died until recently when he brought Jules to the Charity function which had surprised him. He was happy for his son but it looked like the both of them already had problems due to his son's uncanny ability to do things without considering the risks. He had lied to the woman and hadn't bothered about what would happen when she found out and then she did and his son didn't know what to do.
"Hey, cutie." Eric's face brightened up when he spotted his wife with Ivy.

He took her from his wife's arms into his and Ivy beamed up at him which made him blink twice.
With that smile on her face, she almost looked like when Ceaser was a child but...that would be impossible.

"I have to set the table," Selene said

"Do you need some help?" Jules had followed Eric into the dining area after he had left.

"Yes please." Selene accepted Jules's leading her into the kitchen which was also, like all the other rooms in the house, beautiful.

Jules just couldn't help herself when she entered the kitchen. It was every woman's dream kitchen, well every woman who could cook.

"Just help me with the dishware, I'll get the dishes," Selene said as she pointed in the cupboard to get them from.

Jules took them out and went to the dining room to set the table while Selene brought the dishes and placed them on the table. They all heard the entrance door shut close and footsteps approached.

"Oh, that must be Ceaser," Selene said

Ceaser?!
No one mentioned anything about Ceaser being here.
Jules thought.

"Honey, Ceaser's around." Jules heard Eric shout from the living room.

"Okay," Selene shouted back as she went back into the kitchen.

Ceaser gave his dad a hug when he walked in as he placed a kiss on Ivy's head and he got rewarded with a big smile.

"Where's...?"

"She's helping your mum set the table," Eric answered before Ceaser could complete his question which made him sigh.

His father knew him well.

Ceaser made his way towards the kitchen passing the hallway and stopping when he saw her in a yellow sundress that made him clench his jaw and his fists.

Oh, he wanted to wrap his arms around that tiny waist of hers and pull down that tiny strap.

She looked so beautiful out of her work clothes even though her work clothes made her look hot, this made her look hotter and he was sure what was underneath would beat both outfits.

Jules' nerves became unsettled for no reason but she ignored it and got back to setting the table when Ceaser walked into the dining room with his gorgeous self holding a bouquet of red roses. Jules swallowed as her throat went dry as she looked at him from head to toe. He looked hot in a suit but he wasn't wearing one. He wore a pair of jeans and a t-shirt which made him look yummy.

Get your mind off of him!
Jules mentally scolded herself and looked away as she tried her best not to make it obvious that his presence affected her in so many ways. Starting with her heart racing and ending with getting her panties in a twist. Or rather a damp twist.

"Hey," Ceaser said with his gaze locked on her which made her want to squirm.

"You said you weren't coming here," Jules said

"No, I didn't." Ceaser said, "I said I don't live here."

"You're so good at forgetting to mention important details," Jules said still not looking at him.

Ceaser looked away and sighed
"If I had told you I was going to be here, would you have come?" He asked

Jules stopped what she was doing and looked at him then looked away.

"So, you see why I didn't tell you. You wouldn't have bothered to show up...and we really need to talk." Ceaser said

"This isn't the right time or place to..."

"So, you do agree that we need to talk." He interrupted her.

"I didn't say..."

"Seeing all you do is avoid me and where this might lead."

Jules placed her palm on her forehead, she was starting to have a headache.

He caught her. She was avoiding whatever he had to say because she was scared.
She was scared about what he wanted to discuss with her. She was scared that she might not like what he had to tell her and that it would hurt like hell and she was also scared that she was going to like what he was going to say because then they could move past everything that had happened. But somewhere deep inside her, she knew she was going to get hurt in the long run.
Either way, getting hurt was inevitable, that's why she'd been avoiding the 'talk' with him.

"I..."

"Ceaser, it's nice to see that for once you can be early for a family lunch." Selene felt the tension the second she walked into the room.

Wait...family lunch?
When Selene had extended the invitation to her, she had specifically said a simple 'lunch', there was no 'family' included.
Besides, since when did Ivy and her qualify as 'family'?

"Hello to you to mum." Ceaser went to kiss Selene's cheek "These are for you." He handed over the bouquet to her.

"Thank you, honey." She smiled taking the flowers from him "I'll go put it in some water." She said before she yelled "Eric get in here!" and went back to the kitchen.

Ceaser returned his gaze to Jules and locked it with hers as they just stood and looked at each other with the tension in the room increasing.

"Whoa!" Eric said when he stepped into the dining room making Ceaser and Jules snap out of the trance "Is it hot in here or is it just the food." He smiled with Ivy in his arms knowing exactly what it was.

Selene entered the dining room too.
"Let's have lunch. I'm starving."

They all sat down, said a short simple prayer and began having lunch. Selene insisted on feeding Ivy which left her with nothing to keep her distracted from the man who sat opposite her next to his father who had given up the head of the table to Ivy who was being fed by Selene who sat next to her. She couldn't concentrate much on the delicious food because a specific person's gaze was drilling holes in her and it took everything in her not to glare at him.

It hadn't been easy getting through lunch but Jules was glad it was finally over. She wanted to take Ivy and speed off but it would be rude to leave immediately after so she held onto the last of her calm as they all moved to the pool outside. Jules had thought she had seen the best of the house but when she stepped outside into the blue sky and open-air, she inhaled, held and released all her emotion in a single breath. The view was even more spectacular from outside.

She was beyond speechless.

"You want to take a dive in?" Eric asked

"No." She said after he snapped her out of her thoughts "I'm okay."

Ceaser joined them with Ivy in his arms asleep and he looked at her which made her look away.

Selene joined them a few moments later and picked a sleeping Ivy from Ceaser.
"Eric?" She called her husband "I need your help with something."

"Excuse me," Eric said and joined his wife who was leaving the pool area.

Jules stared at the view in front of her. Everything was so peaceful from there, no noisy street or sirens. She closed her eyes as the wind picked up which made her wrap her arms around herself as her sundress danced around her. Jules felt him get nearer before he spoke.

"Cold?" He asked, his breath fanning her nape.

She dared not look back.

Jules shook her head because she didn't trust herself with words at that moment. Jules held her breath when she felt his hands on either side of her arm. She stood frozen in her spot as he rubbed her arms pulling her back into him with her back resting on his rock-hard front.

She closed her eyes as the scene in her office that day played out in her head.

"Relax Jules. I'm not going to bite." Ceaser said when he felt her go rigid.

How could she?

Jules released the breath she was holding and tried to adjust to how his body touching hers was affecting her. She wanted to push away from him yet she wanted him to pull her closer.

Something was really wrong with her.

Jules felt herself relax and lean into him when she cleared her thoughts. She wanted to just be without anything stopping her from what she wanted to do.

"That's it," Ceaser said.

Somehow, she felt content. It felt like home.