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As the doorbell rang, Tessa jumped over the couch picking up stray items off the floor and tables.

" Jennica! Get over here right now!" yelled Tessa as she stuffed everything into the coat closet by the front door. Jennica ran into the foyer. Tessa turned towards her.

" Next time you play with your friends from school, make sure they help you clean up babe." Jennica nodded her head looking to the floor. The doorbell rang again. Tessa yelled for them to wait a second.

" All right." Tessa kneeled down next to her daughter to be at the same level. " This man is very nice. You have to be really polite to him, have real good manners with him too. Don't be burping at the dinner table later, and now running around the house with his dog." Jennica's eyes widened.

" He's bringing a dog?!" she half whispered very excited. Tessa smiled.

" Yes." then her face turned serious again. " Just...just be good okay. I think you'll really like him." Jennica smiled.

" Is this the man that was here before? The one that bought me my rabbit?" Tessa smiled at her daughter and nodded her head. She opened the door.

" Hey Pete."

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After introducing Pete to Jennica, the tears had started to flow for Tessa. At first, she tried to be strong, holding them back, but that was almost impossible. The look in her eyes when Tessa explained that he was her daddy was beyond happiness. It brought memories back from when Tessa and her father had had a good relationship. He had taken her fishing, taught her how to catch a ball. He didn't want a high maintenence helpless daughter. But he didn't mind having that in a woman, since that's what he left her mother for.

" Mommy...daddy's cute." whispered Jennica as Tessa was pouring the drinks at the table, Pete having gone to the bathroom. Tessa smiled.

" Yes..he's very cute."

" Who's cute?" asked Pete as he walked in. Tessa turned around quickly and smiled.

" Hem..Jennica loves him."

" No...I didn't say Hem's cute. Hem's ugly-" Pete smiled and swooped onto Jennica, tickling her sides. Tessa smiled fondly at them and brought the dessert out of the freezer to let it defrost. Pete licked his lips as he sat down looking at the food. Jennica and Tessa sat down on either side of Pete who was the head of the table. They were about to dig into dinner when the phone rang. Jennica immiedatley jumped up and ran over to the foyer where the cordless phone was. Pete smiled at Tessa.

" She's great Tess. You're doing a good job raising her...you know...being a single mother and all." Tessa couldn't help but blush.

" Well, you two seemed to have really hit it off. She really likes you Pete. I thought it really courageous yesterday when you gave me the option of kicking you in the balls. I'd give you ten points." a wide grin spread over his face.

" Well, what choice did I have? But for real...this is so great," he put a hand on hers."...it's exactly what-"

" Mommy!! Ivan's on the phone!" Jennica ran into the room. Tessa quickly took her hand away from Pete who had a surprised look on his face. Tessa got up and walked into the other room with the phone.

- Pete's POV -

Jennica sat down next to me at the table and began eating her mashed potatoes. A nagging feeling was poking me in my stomach. Something I couldn't explain. I heard Tessa's voice coming from the other room, slightly raised. Jennica didn't seem to notice.

" Jen..can I call you that?" I asked suddenly aware that I felt like a stranger calling Jennica her whole name. She nodded her consent and smiled.

" Who'se mommy talking to?" I asked trying not to seem to curious.

" Ivan." she said simply taking a sip of her sprite from her Disney Princess cup. The nagging feeling increased.

" Who's Ivan?" I asked.

" Mommy's boyfriend. He told me he was going to be my new daddy." Jennica looked down at her plate. Pete stared at her for a moment..something was wrong.

" Sweety..what's wrong?" I asked. The nagging feeling wasn't going away.

" I don't want him to be my new daddy." she whispered, I could barely hear her, but was able to anyway.

" Why?"

" Ivan's a bad man...I don't want him to be my daddy." she looked up into my eyes, her eyes were sparkling, " I want you to be my daddy..mommy says you're my real daddy..will you be my daddy?" those big brown eyes pulled my heart right out of my chest and next to hers. I was completely hooked on being her father now. I wasn't going anywhere...not like I had anywhere to go anyway.

" I'll be your new daddy," Tessa walked in. Her cheeks flushed. " If you're mommy says it's okay." Tessa looked over at Pete. Jennica jumped up from her chair and ran over to her mom, attaching herself onto her right leg.

" Mommy!! Peter wants to be my daddy! Can he?! Can I call him daddy now?!" Jennica's eyes were shining with happiness as she looked up at Tessa. She looked over at me..and I knew something was troubling her, through her fake smile and all.

" Of course."

- Regular POV -

The little family finished their dinner and Jennica went to play with Hemingway in the foyer while Tessa and Pete sat in the living room. Pete knew something was bothering Tessa, but he wouldn't ask just yet. It wasn't his business. They were still strangers.

" So..Pete, where are you staying right now?" Tessa asked as she traced her finger over her cup of coffee. Pete looked at her.

" At the motel downtown. I was going to stay with my parents, but they have company right now...well my other brothers are there and it's kinda crowded. All my buds went back to Cali for a few weeks.." Pete looked back down at his cup.

" Well, I was thinking...and I hope this doesn't seem awkward..or make you feel uncomfortable or anything. But I think Jennica would really like it if you stayed here...for...a while..to get to know her better." Tessa still watched her finger trace her cup. Pete's head shot up and saw a blush rising in Tessa's cheeks. He reached out and grabbed her hand. She looked at him shyly.

" That would be fucking awsome." he whispered. Tessa let out a relieved sigh. At that moment Jennica walked back into the room with out Hem.

" Daddy, Hem's being a lazy butt...he's no fun anymore." she waddled over and crashed on the couch.

" Maybe you should go to bed Jen?" suggested Pete. She just shook her head and gave her parents a lazy look. The tiniest of smiles spread over her face as she closed her eyes and fell asleep. Tessa shook her head and looked back at Pete.

For some reason her stomach seemed to flip inside her as he stared back. She felt her cheeks growing hot, and suddenly she was aware that she was still holding his hand. She let go and stood up.

" Wanna help me put her to bed?" she asked. Pete smiled.

" Can I say no?" Tessa cocked a brow and Pete gave her a toothy grin. Another flip to the stomach.


I think you can guess that he caught her.
So I know the chapters are kinda dull, not much is happening, but drama will insue!
two new chapters will be up by tomorrow, nothing before eight for sure.
one will reveal what Ivan and Tessa talked about, and the other will involve why Jennica thinks Ivan is a bad man.
One shocker will be involved as well. Hope this will keep you hooked.