Chapter 20

                                    

                                          
I felt my face turn red. "I don't know why he put so many extras in there! All I did was smile!"
                          


                          
"Sometimes baby, that's all it takes!" Jake said still laughing.
                          
"Oh, well, I should get started on dinner. It's getting late." I said to them feeling flustered and hoping to change the subject.
                          


                          
"No you don't have to. I ordered pizza and it should be here soon." said Preston and patted the seat next to him. "So just sit down with us and relax." 
                          
I did and slipped off my shoes.
                          
"Are your feet sore from all the walking today?" Chase asked me. 
                          
"No, I just usually don't wear shoes in the house that much." I replied.
                          
"Take off your socks and let me see your feet."
                          
I looked at him like he was crazy.
                          
"I don't have a foot fetish or anything. I just see that your shoes are wearing out in certain spots and I just want to check them. This is strictly from a medical standpoint." Chase assured me.
                          
I took my socks off and hoped to God that my feet didn't stink. 
                          
Chase sat on the coffee table in front of me and picked up one foot. He carefully examined the top of my foot, then my toes. 
                          
"A few of these toes look like they might have been broken before."
                          
"Probably." I said with a shrug. "I used to do ballet and ballerinas aren't too nice to their feet. I also taught it for a a couple of years but I didn't have health insurance to get them checked out." 
                          
Chase frowned and put down that foot and picked up the other and looked at the bottom of it. 
                          
"Your arches look a little weak. You might need more support there. I know a podiatrist so I'll ask him to see you."
                          
"Can it wait until I get a job and health insurance?"
                          
All the guys exchanged glances.
                          
Chase cleared his throat and said, "Sure, we can wait until then."
                          
"So....can I have my foot back?" I said with a smile.
                          
"Yes, sorry." Chase apologized and let go. 
                          
There was a buzzing sound and Preston got up and went to the front door. A few minutes later he came back with stack of pizza boxes and set them on the dining room table. The guys started to stand up and I guess the flurry of activity woke Lexine up. Brady picked her up. "Are you hungry baby bird?" he asked her and she nodded yes.
                          
"We need to wash our hands first." I told Brady and he nodded and took her into the kitchen and helped her do that. I washed my hands next and followed them to the table. The guys were waiting for us with plates already set out and bottles of water and soda with a juice for Lexine. We sat down and Preston said, "We didn't know what kind of pizza you liked so we got a few different ones."
                          
"Oh, Lexine likes just plain cheese and I'm usually happy with a combination." 
                          
The guys served Lexine first, then me and then started to fill their plates. They were always so thoughtful! As we ate, I heard an alert from my phone that I had in my pocket. I pulled it out to see that I had a new email. I opened it up and smiled. 
                          
"I have an interview for a job!" I announced to them. 
                          
Preston frowned and said to me, "I wasn't aware that you had sent any resumes out yet."
                          
"I only sent it to a couple of places last night before I went to bed. I wasn't expecting to hear back so soon."
                          
"When is the interview?" Jake asked.
                          
"I don't know yet. I have to call and set one up tomorrow." 
                          
"OK Delphine, let us know when and where the interview will be at. One of us will take you." Preston told me in a firm tone. 
                          
Brady gave him a look and Preston seemed to realize something and said in a much softer tone, "It's easy to get lost in a new town and we just want to make sure that this job will be in a safe neighborhood. Besides, someone will have to watch Lexine during your interview." I nodded my agreement and conversation went back to normal.
                          
"So Delphine, have you ever played football?" Jake asked me.
                          
"Uh, no. Why?"
                          
"Could have fooled me the way you tackled Wyatt and took him down!" 
                          
Wyatt groaned. "Am I never going to live this down?" 
                          
"Nope, not while there is video proof!"
                          
"You know what Jake? Take a good look at the video again. Slow motion. Trust me. You will be jealous."
                          
Jake whipped out his phone to watch the video again. "You lucky sun of a gun!"
                          
That's when I realized that Wyatt had full frontal contact with me. That had to be what they were talking about. Right here. In front of me. Hello? I do understand sexual innuendos! I cleared my throat and that got their attention. I gave them a look and they both had the grace to look a little ashamed. Brady and Chase started laughing and Preston was grinning and said, "Gentlemen, I do believe that she just gave you both the "mom" look. Well, done Delphine. Well done."
                          
I just smiled and shrugged. 
                          


                          
"That reminds me..." Chase spoke up. "Lexine please wait here for a second. I have something for you." He got up and left the dining room. He came back a minute later holding something.
                          
"Here you go." he said and handed her a package. Her eyes got big and she tried to open it right away. Preston was sitting next to her and helped her. It was a little white doctors coat and a plastic medical kit. "You can be my assistant at home." Chase said with a smile. She immediately put on the coat and took her new doctors kit to her big dog to practice on him.
                          
"Thank you Chase. That was very nice of you!" I said to him. 
                          
"You're welcome." He continued to smile at me so I looked at him questioningly. 
                          
"Did you need something from me?"
                          
"Yes, in fact I do. The hospital is having a fundraiser next week and I'm required to go. Dinner and dancing and talking to the same people I see every day. I get bored. Plus all the single nurses seem to think that this event is a meat market for them. They are like piranhas! There is one in particular..." 
                          
"You need me to go and pretend to be your date?"
                          
"Who said it was pretend?"