Oh. My. God.

Oh. My. God.

I can't believe the night I had.

I can't believe was almost 3 in the morning when I got home.

And before everyone starts flipping out, it's not what you think!

So like we discussed Chris came by my apartment at 6, Alexis and I were so ready to go...we were actually ready to go since 5:30 but there was no way I was going to tell him that. I told him to hold on I just had to grab a jacket and zip Alexis into her seat and he told me there was no need. My heart fell, I thought he was cancelling on me so I tried to act all nonchalant saying it was no big deal as I tried to close the door but he stopped me. "Amber, it's snowing like crazy out there still. My truck got stuck in the parking lot when I went to the store earlier, there's no way I'm taking Alexis and you out in that." He paused and gave me a smile. "I was hoping that you wouldn't object to a slight change in plans."

"What kind of change?"

"If you don't mind, I'd like to request that you and Alexis join me for a little home cooked meal in the comfort of my apartment." When I hesitated he quickly jumped in with, "Or I can bring it over here, the choice is yours."

With one look at Alexis waiting in her seat for the night out of the apartment that I promised her, I agreed to go over to his place for dinner.

Chris' apartment is set up exactly like mine is, if it was on the opposite side of the building that is. At first it was a little weird for me and I think Alexis was a little disoriented when I set her down; she started to crawl then sat up and looked around and after she didn't see what she was looking for, she wanted up again. I quickly excused us and ran back to my apartment to grab some of the bigger toys that she loved to play with and set her on the floor with those; she was fine after that. Of course I had to keep a closer eye of her at his place than at mine because his wasn't baby proof and he wasn't done unpacking but he did seem to move everything off into one corner which I thought was kind of nice.

He still had some last minute things to take care of with dinner and he refused my offer to help so I was on the floor playing with Alexis for the first ten minutes or so; he would occasionally say something from the kitchen, or walk in and sit for a second but he was mostly looking into one pot or another or looking in the oven. I'm actually not sure what he was doing but I know that the scents coming from the kitchen were sending my stomach into a growling frenzy.

At one point he came into the living room and told me that he didn't know what babies Alexis' age ate, so he called his sister but she was no help because she didn't believe that he was actually cooking for a woman. "So I'm hoping that something on the menu pleases her," he then told me that we were having baked chicken with baby potatoes, baby carrots, stuffing and gravy. "If I didn't ruin it that is, I'm not that great of a chef."

I hated to disappoint him but I had to tell him that Alexis wasn't past eating cereal yet, she just didn't really seem to interested in anything else I tried to give her. Me on the other hand, I didn't really care if the food tasted like rubber, just the fact that he went through all the trouble of taking the time to make something that didn't involve just tossing it in the oven was enough for me.

Dinner was a amazing, Chris was a lot better cook than he gave himself credit for. And Alexis? She wanted to make a liar out of me and grabbed one of the baby carrots off my plate as I was feeding her and myself at the same time. Chris saw this and started to make jokes about me just trying to defend Alexis from his terrible cooking. It was so easy to talk with him, I felt more comfortable than I did earlier that's for sure.

After dinner was finished, I tried to help him clean up but he made me go sit in the living room while he did the dishes. It was so strange having someone doing things for me after having to do everything for myself in the past year and a half.

When he was finally done in the kitchen, he came into the living room and joined me on his couch. "Somebody is sleepy," he whispered as he lifted his hand to Alexis' back.

I looked down at my daughter and smiled as she rubbed her eyes in a feeble attempt to fight the sleep. "Yeah, I'm afraid this means we'll have to be going."

He sighed, "Are you sure? We didn't even get to talk."

I laughed, "Chris we talked all through dinner."

He nodded and leaned towards me. "But that was just dinner conversation, not the real getting to know you stuff that should happen now."

"I'm sorry but Alexis is my first priority." Chris didn't argue with me, instead he nodded again and helped me up off the couch and then he gathered up Alexis' things for me.

"Lead the way," he said as he held the door opened for me and made the two steps it took him to cross the hall between our doors.

I was sort of disappointed, I kind of wanted him to at least pretend to want me to stick around a little longer. He could've offered to let her rest on his bed for a while, I thought as I fumbled with the lock for a couple minutes before he took my key and opened my door for me. "I guess this is good night," I said, not really wanting to go into my apartment.

"I guess so." He looked past me and then looked over his shoulder. "Ok I really don't want to say goodnight right now. Can I come in? Or can you come back to my place and put Alexis down somewhere to sleep?"

"Well I probably should put her down in her crib..."

"How about I drag the crib over here?"

I laughed, "Or you could just come in here."

"I could." I don't know how we ended up at his place again. I contemplated for a while putting Alexis in her crib and bringing the baby monitor over to his place but I was too paranoid that something could go wrong, so in the end I put her down on his bed and made sure there was no way she could roll off. "Damn it looked like a tiny prison," Chris said of my handy work and I told him that was the idea.

We settled on his couch and talked about everything from growing up to where we are in our lives right now. I found out at 24, he is the youngest child in a family of three, he has an older brother and sister, both of whom were married; his sister had three children, all boys and his brother hadn't reproduced at this point. He told me he grew up on a ranch about 20 miles from town but he decided that he didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps so he went to work on the rigs where he runs a steamer full time. He spoke about his plans of buying his own trucks and running his own business by the time he's 30. When I asked him why he rented instead of bought a house, he told me that he got out of a serious relationship just over 6 months ago, they were engaged and already had started their life together but things went to crap while he had the job he had before this one because he was working all the time and they barely saw each other. "I'm not working so many hours now but I still make about the same so it all worked out."

And then we started on me. Chris asked about my family and why we weren't close, he wanted to know about Alexis - how I felt when I found out about her and our lives since she's been born and finally he asked about her father and if he was still in the picture. "If you would have asked me a week ago, I would have to say no."

"But something has changed since then?"

I nodded and shrugged at the same time, "We went back home for my parents anniversary and suddenly everyone wants something to do with us. For the past 16 months, no one bothered to call and ask about Alexis or to see how we were doing but now they all want to be in her life." I shook my head, "I know my daughter is pretty and sweet but I think there's something up."

"Are you sure they just didn't realize how stupid they were being?" I told him I was sure of that. And then he asked me the one question I didn't have a final answer for. "Do you still have feelings for her father?"

I stared at him, not sure exactly how much I should admit to him. I knew that telling him I ended up in bed with him and he left me before the sun came up wasn't a good idea but could I really tell him that I didn't feel anything for Reed? He took my silence as my answer, "It's ok if you do. I would imagine there's some feeling for the man who helped you create such a wonderful little girl."

I chuckled, "Complimenting me on my daughter is a great way to stay in my good books."

He grinned, "I was hoping it was."

We talked for a little more and then decided to watch a movie. I'm not exactly sure what he put in, it was some comedy and it was good but I wasn't really paying that much attention. Somewhere in the middle of the movie we ended up laying on the couch and not even ten minutes after that, I fell asleep.

I woke up with a start when I heard Alexis crying. I managed to fall off the couch as I tried to untangle myself from Chris' long limbs but thankfully I didn't hurt myself. I went into his room and he was so close behind me. As I knelt on his bed to pick Alexis up, he crawled onto his bed and laid there watching me as I rocked her gently in my arms, whispering words of comfort to her until she fell back to sleep. When I glanced at Chris he just smiled and patted the bed beside him. "Lets play sentry. Put Alexis back in her 'prison', I'll stay here and you can lie down on that side and she'll never escape."

I smiled at the thought but told him it was time for us to go home.

Chris walked us to our door again, "I had a good time tonight."

"I did too."

"Do you think you'd want to do it again sometime?"

"Yes," I grinned. "I would love that."

He leaned down, kissed Alexis forehead and then brushed his lips against my cheek. "I'll give you a call tomorrow? Or maybe I'll stop by seeing you are in the neighbourhood."

I told him that either would be great and then retreated into my apartment. I stood against my closed door until I heard the lock slide into place on his door and then I did a little happy dance as I made my way to Alexis room to put her in her crib.

About ten minutes later I crawled into my bed and grinned. The night may not have been anyone else's idea of a good time but it's been so long that a guy had asked me out. I drifted off to sleep, looking forward to the few hours I would get.

My few hours only made it to one, I was woke up by my phone ringing and in my sleepy state I answered it before I checked who was calling. "'lo?"

"Where the hell were you? I've been calling all night!"

I groaned, "Reed I'm sleeping. Good night."

"Don't you hang up on me AmberLynn! Where were you? Do you have any idea what time it is? I've been worried sick about you and Alexis. I've called every hospital in that stupid town!"

"I don't owe you any explanations Reed. Good night!"

"Amber wait!" My hand stopped in mid hang up mode. "What?" I growled into the phone.

"Who is he?"

"Who is who?"

"The guy Amber! Who were you out with all this time? Who is he?"

I stared at the phone, "Who the hell do you think you are? Calling me at," I looked at the time. "5 in the morning and asking me questions that you have no right to ask! What I do is my own business Reed! And if you haven't been paying attention, I don't want to talk to you. You are a self centered prick and I regret the day I ever met you!" I didn't give him a chance to say anything else, I slammed the phone down.

Jumping out of bed, I ran through my apartment and unplugged my phones so that I wouldn't be distrubed anymore tonight.

That was an hour ago. Now I can't sleep because I'm worried that I might have over reacted.

Why should I care what he thinks? Why should I have to explain my actions to him?

Why do I feel that I should call him back and apologize?