Tea Parties and Feather Boas (Luke Kuechly)

Chapter Three: Moving In

Lydia finished packing the last of her boxes into her car. Most of her things would be going into self-storage and had already been taken from her small apartment.

"That's the last of it," Lydia said to one of her best friends, Paul.

"Good, what's in all the boxes anyway?"

"My stuff," Lydia replied, shutting the trunk and letting out a small sigh of relief that she was all packed and ready to go.

"How much stuff do you have?" Paul asked, teasing her. "You only have one room."

Lydia rolled her eyes. "You can be rather annoying."

"That's exactly what my last girlfriend said right before she broke up with me," Paul chuckled.

"Are you gonna get in the car or just stand there?" Lydia asked, choosing to ignore her friend's last comment. "Cause I need to get going. Luke needs me to start tonight and I'd like to be as settled as possible."

"You're on a first name basis?" Paul asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah," Lydia shrugged. "So?"

"His your employer. "

"And...?"

"That's it, right?"

"Ewe! Paul, you're disgusting," Lydia scrunched up her face, walking around to the drivers' side of the car. "I mean really. He's my boss. B-O-S-S. Boss." She spelled, getting into her car.

"I know how to spell thank you," Paul replied with sarcasm. "But come on Liddy," He emphasized, as he joined her in the car. "You're a very attractive young woman and he's, well, a guy and I know how guys think. He'd have to be blind, gay, or just completely crazy not to be attracted to you."

"What about you... Oh, wait. You're completely crazy," Lydia smirked.

"Must I remind you of the way we met?" Paul said, making her think about the cheesy pickup line he'd used at the college frat party they'd met at.

In the end, they had just become best friends. "There's nothing going on between Luke and I. I've met him like twice," Lydia said as she pulled out of the driveway.

"And he hired you?"

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"It's just he's trusting you with the care of his child and to live in his house and you've only met him twice," Paul said.

"The second time was to drop off my background check if that makes you feel better."

"Because he thought a sweet southern bell like you could a criminal?" Paul said. "I think he just wanted to see you again."

"Just shut up, ok?" Lydia replied. "He was doing what any sensible person would do."

"Whatever you say," Paul surrendered.

Lydia turned up the radio to fill the silence of the 15 minutes drive. She could practically feel Paul coming up with facts to support his case. It was definitely the law student side in him. She turned the volume down on the radio. "I think you need to find a girlfriend to fill up your life instead of trying to create a love life for me."

"I'm working on wooing her right now. She just doesn't know I exist," Paul said.

"Then talk to her," Lydia said.

"It's not that easy."

"You're talking right now," Lydia rolled her eyes. "I'm gonna tell you this and I'm only going to tell you this once. There's nothing a girl wants more than that guy to come and talk to her."

"And if I'm not that guy?"

"Then you eat a tub of ice cream and move on," Lydia shrugged, pulling into Luke's driveway and only getting lost once on the drive over. "Take some risks man."

"That's easy for you to say. I've lost count of all the things you've done that were the least bit risky."

"What I've done isn't risky, it's just stupid," Lydia laughed, getting out of her car.

"But it works out for you."

"Yeah, until it doesn't," Lydia shot back.

Paul let out a low whistle as he examined the outside of the house. While it wasn't huge, that Lydia was grateful for, it still looked impressive.

Isla sat on the porch swing watching her new nanny. "Hi miss Lydia!" She smiled, waving to her.

"Hi, Isla!" Lydia waved back as the small child hopped off the porch swing coming towards them.

"Are you really going to live here?" Isla asked.

"I am indeed," Lydia smiled, touching the smiling child's nose.

"Who is that?" Isla asked, pointing to Paul.

"That's my friend, Paul. He's helping me move into your house."

"Oh, I'm going to tell my daddy you're here," Isla said, running towards the house. "Daddy! Daddy! Miss Lydia is here!"

Paul laughed. "She's full of energy."

Lydia grabbed a box out of the trunk of her car. "That's for sure."

Unfortunately, the box blocked most of Lydia's view. As she rounded the corner of her car she almost ran into Luke. "Woah," he said, sidestepping to avoid collision right in time.

"Sorry," Lydia apologized. "I didn't see you there."

"It's fine," Luke chuckled. "I came out to help you with the boxes."

"Thanks," Lydia smiled, looking into his pretty brown eyes.

"Hey Liddy, where am I supposed to take the box?" Paul asked, coming around the corner.

Luke looked up, surprised to see someone else. "Umm... I'm not sure actually," Lydia laughed. "Oh, Paul, this is Luke, my boss. Luke this is my best friend Paul."

"Nice to meet you," Luke nodded.

"Right back at you. I would shake your hand but my hands are kind of full with this box," Paul replied.

"I guess I should show y'all where to take these," Luke said, getting a box out of the car. "Follow me." He spoke, walking towards the house.

They made their way up a flight of steps before Luke entered a bedroom at the beginning of the hall. He set the box on the floor. "This is your room, I hope it's ok."

Lydia set her box down and scanned the large bedroom. "Yeah, it's more than fine."

"Glad to hear it," Luke grinned. "That door will take you to the bathroom right next door and the other one is the closet."

"Ok," Lydia nodded.

"Isla is right across the hall," Luke continued. "My office is right next to hers and the room at the end of the hall is mine."

"Got it," Lydia replied.

It took three more trips to get all the boxes unloaded. Isla helped as best she could. Lydia would give her small things like her purse to carry up. The four-year-old loved it and Luke liked that Lydia made sure to include the small child.

Lydia took Paul back to her old apartment after they finished unloading her stuff. He, of course, couldn't help but try an make his case that there was something between her and Luke in which she tried to shut down that topic right away. Then went back to her new home and place of employment. She and Isla spent the afternoon unpacking her things.

The little girl was probably the sweetest thing this side of the Mississippi. Lydia enjoyed her company. The woman and the small girl just clicked in a way that was indescribable and Lydia couldn't wait to see what was in store.

A/N

Here It is. Definitely more if a filler chapter but here it is anyways. What do you think of the new cover?