Safe Haven
Chapter 5
It had been a week since Cristiano had asked Avery to take a chance on him, and she still hadn't given him an answer. A part of her wanted to give him a chance, but a bigger part of her didn't want to take the risk. She hadn't told Maria or Angel about that night because she knew they would be in her ear telling her to climb him like a tree. Since Avery didn't have an answer for Cristiano, she had been avoiding him. She was ignoring his calls and avoiding him at the daycare. She knew she was probably irritating him, but she needed time to think. But something happened that wound up forcing her hand. She had been at the grocery store when she ran in to Junior. "Avery!" He cried out as he wrapped his arms around her legs and rested his head on her stomach. Avery placed her hand on his back, "Hey Junior. Where's your daddy?" Before Junior could answer, a tall leggy brunette came rounding the aisle. "Junior! There you are, you know better than that! Your father is going crazy looking for you. I'm so sorry miss. I hope he didn't bother you." Avery shook her head, "No. He was no bother. But if you don't mind me asking, who are you?" The brunette didn't get a chance to answer as Junior spoke up, "She's daddy's girlfriend." Just then, Cristiano rounded the corner and stopped in his tracks as he saw Avery standing there with a shocked look on her face that quickly turned to one of hurt as she saw him. "Avery-" Cristiano started before Avery shook her head and turned, walking away from the man who had just broken her heart.
Later that night, after Avery had put Charlie to bed, she opened a bottle of red wine, popped some popcorn and sat down on the couch to watch a horror movie and forget all about Cristiano. She was really getting in to the movie when there was a knock at the door. Pausing the movie, she got up and opened the door. "What are you doing here? I have nothing to say to you, so you're wasting your time." Avery told Cristiano as he stood there with a bouquet of White lilies and light blue tulips. "I know, but can I please come in? I need to explain." Against her better judgement, Avery opened the door wider. After shutting the door behind him, Avery waited for Cristiano to speak, but before he got the chance, Avery unleashed, "A week. It's only been a week and you've already got a girlfriend? You couldn't wait for an answer, so you moved on? Or were you already with her and I was just going to be your little bit on the side? God I can't believe I actually thought you were different. But you're just like every other man in the world; an ass!" Cristiano waited until she was done before he began speaking, "Irina isn't my girlfriend. Well she is, but not really. She's only my girlfriend for the press." Avery raised an eyebrow at that, so Cristiano thought he should explain further. "I've known Irina since I was 18. She's one of my best friends. 2 years ago, we started this fake relationship when she started to become more famous. We did this so the world wouldn't find out about her and her girlfriend. It was actually her girlfriend's idea. As you know, it's a crime to be gay in Russia. This is for her." Avery looked at him in disbelief, "Then why didn't Maria or Angel tell me about her?" "It's been a while since the two of us were photographed together. They probably thought we broke up. But I swear Avery, meant what I said. I want to be with you. I want to protect you." "Why should I believe you?" "Because I would never lie to you. I don't lie to the people I care about. Look, I'm having a dinner party at my house on Saturday. My family is going to be there and so is Irina and her girlfriend. Please Avery, let me prove to that I'm being sincere. Come to the party, and bring Charlie with you." Avery found herself not being able to say no to him, "Alright, I'll go." Cristiano smiled at her. "This doesn't mean I believe you, it just means that I want to find out if you're full of crap or not." Cristiano nodded his head in understanding, "I know. But by the end of Saturday, I'll finally have you as mine." Avery smirked at him, "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."
On Saturday night, Avery found herself standing in front of her closet in nothing but her undergarments and curlers. She had no idea what to wear! Charlie was already dressed and ready to go in her Mod Medina Swing Dress and Toke Mary Janes. Avery needed help. "Charlie can you come in here please?" Charlie came bounding in and sat down on the bed. "Alright bug, I need your help. Which dress should I wear?" She held out three choices; an Embellished Skater Dress, a Lipsy Skater Dress with Lace Trim and an Elise Ryan Skater Dress with Scallop Lace V Neck. "That one!" Charlie told her, pointing to the Lipsy Skater Dress. "Alright, looks like we have a winner. Why don't you go watch cartoons while mommy finishes getting ready?" After Charlie left the room, Avery got back to getting dressed. Cristiano would be here in 45 minutes to get them and she didn't want to be rushing. Once she had her dress on, she went to finish her hair and make up before going back to her closet and pulling out a pair of Faith Barber Embellished Satin Ivory Heeled Shoes. To finish her look, she went to her dresser and grabbed the locket necklace that was lying on top. It was the necklace her mother had given her on her 17th birthday; the last birthday she ever spent with her parents. She had just finished spraying on some perfume when there was a knock on the door. Walking out of her bedroom, she opened the door to find Cristiano on the other side. His eyes went wide when he saw her. It made her realize that he had never seen her in anything other than jeans and jogging pants before. She knew she had great legs, and apparently Cristiano thought so as well by the way he was staring at them. "Hey buddy, eyes up here." Avery joked. Cristiano quickly snapped his head up. "Sorry. I just didn't realize that you have really amazing legs." Avery smirked, "I know. So, you done looking at my legs, or can we go?" Cristiano laughed, "I'll never be done looking at your legs." Avery rolled her eyes as she turned back to Charlie, "Alright bug, TV off. Let's go." Once the TV was off, Avery locked the apartment up and the 3 of them headed out.
When they arrived at the party, Elma pulled her in to a hug and whispered that she was so sorry. Avery stared at her confused until she realized that Elma must have heard about her ex. Avery just smiled at her before Cristiano ushered her in to the dining area where everybody else was. She was introduced to his brother and his brother in laws as well as his mother's boyfriend. Finally, Avery was introduced to the woman that she'd seen in the grocery store. This was where Avery would find out it Cristiano was lying or not. "It's so good to meet you Avery. Cristiano hasn't been able to stop talking about you since he met you. And I'm sorry about the store. I wish we didn't have to meet like that." Avery shook her head with a smile, "It's OK. It's nice to meet you." Avery wanted to dislike Irina, but she just couldn't bring herself to do so. "Oh, this is my girlfriend Ashley." When Avery saw the way Irina was looking at Ashley, she knew in that moment that Cristiano was telling the truth. The love that shown in Irina's eye's could not have been fake. Nobody was that good of an actress.
When the party was over and Avery and Charlie had said goodbye to everybody, Cristiano took them home. After putting Charlie to bed, Avery walked back out to the living room where Cristiano was still waiting for her. "So, do you believe me." Instead of answering him, Avery pulled him in to a heated kiss. When they pulled away, Cristiano kept his eyes closed, "Wow. I guess you do believe me." Avery laughed as she pulled him in to yet another kiss. Boy could she get used to this!
Later that night, after Avery had put Charlie to bed, she opened a bottle of red wine, popped some popcorn and sat down on the couch to watch a horror movie and forget all about Cristiano. She was really getting in to the movie when there was a knock at the door. Pausing the movie, she got up and opened the door. "What are you doing here? I have nothing to say to you, so you're wasting your time." Avery told Cristiano as he stood there with a bouquet of White lilies and light blue tulips. "I know, but can I please come in? I need to explain." Against her better judgement, Avery opened the door wider. After shutting the door behind him, Avery waited for Cristiano to speak, but before he got the chance, Avery unleashed, "A week. It's only been a week and you've already got a girlfriend? You couldn't wait for an answer, so you moved on? Or were you already with her and I was just going to be your little bit on the side? God I can't believe I actually thought you were different. But you're just like every other man in the world; an ass!" Cristiano waited until she was done before he began speaking, "Irina isn't my girlfriend. Well she is, but not really. She's only my girlfriend for the press." Avery raised an eyebrow at that, so Cristiano thought he should explain further. "I've known Irina since I was 18. She's one of my best friends. 2 years ago, we started this fake relationship when she started to become more famous. We did this so the world wouldn't find out about her and her girlfriend. It was actually her girlfriend's idea. As you know, it's a crime to be gay in Russia. This is for her." Avery looked at him in disbelief, "Then why didn't Maria or Angel tell me about her?" "It's been a while since the two of us were photographed together. They probably thought we broke up. But I swear Avery, meant what I said. I want to be with you. I want to protect you." "Why should I believe you?" "Because I would never lie to you. I don't lie to the people I care about. Look, I'm having a dinner party at my house on Saturday. My family is going to be there and so is Irina and her girlfriend. Please Avery, let me prove to that I'm being sincere. Come to the party, and bring Charlie with you." Avery found herself not being able to say no to him, "Alright, I'll go." Cristiano smiled at her. "This doesn't mean I believe you, it just means that I want to find out if you're full of crap or not." Cristiano nodded his head in understanding, "I know. But by the end of Saturday, I'll finally have you as mine." Avery smirked at him, "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."
On Saturday night, Avery found herself standing in front of her closet in nothing but her undergarments and curlers. She had no idea what to wear! Charlie was already dressed and ready to go in her Mod Medina Swing Dress and Toke Mary Janes. Avery needed help. "Charlie can you come in here please?" Charlie came bounding in and sat down on the bed. "Alright bug, I need your help. Which dress should I wear?" She held out three choices; an Embellished Skater Dress, a Lipsy Skater Dress with Lace Trim and an Elise Ryan Skater Dress with Scallop Lace V Neck. "That one!" Charlie told her, pointing to the Lipsy Skater Dress. "Alright, looks like we have a winner. Why don't you go watch cartoons while mommy finishes getting ready?" After Charlie left the room, Avery got back to getting dressed. Cristiano would be here in 45 minutes to get them and she didn't want to be rushing. Once she had her dress on, she went to finish her hair and make up before going back to her closet and pulling out a pair of Faith Barber Embellished Satin Ivory Heeled Shoes. To finish her look, she went to her dresser and grabbed the locket necklace that was lying on top. It was the necklace her mother had given her on her 17th birthday; the last birthday she ever spent with her parents. She had just finished spraying on some perfume when there was a knock on the door. Walking out of her bedroom, she opened the door to find Cristiano on the other side. His eyes went wide when he saw her. It made her realize that he had never seen her in anything other than jeans and jogging pants before. She knew she had great legs, and apparently Cristiano thought so as well by the way he was staring at them. "Hey buddy, eyes up here." Avery joked. Cristiano quickly snapped his head up. "Sorry. I just didn't realize that you have really amazing legs." Avery smirked, "I know. So, you done looking at my legs, or can we go?" Cristiano laughed, "I'll never be done looking at your legs." Avery rolled her eyes as she turned back to Charlie, "Alright bug, TV off. Let's go." Once the TV was off, Avery locked the apartment up and the 3 of them headed out.
When they arrived at the party, Elma pulled her in to a hug and whispered that she was so sorry. Avery stared at her confused until she realized that Elma must have heard about her ex. Avery just smiled at her before Cristiano ushered her in to the dining area where everybody else was. She was introduced to his brother and his brother in laws as well as his mother's boyfriend. Finally, Avery was introduced to the woman that she'd seen in the grocery store. This was where Avery would find out it Cristiano was lying or not. "It's so good to meet you Avery. Cristiano hasn't been able to stop talking about you since he met you. And I'm sorry about the store. I wish we didn't have to meet like that." Avery shook her head with a smile, "It's OK. It's nice to meet you." Avery wanted to dislike Irina, but she just couldn't bring herself to do so. "Oh, this is my girlfriend Ashley." When Avery saw the way Irina was looking at Ashley, she knew in that moment that Cristiano was telling the truth. The love that shown in Irina's eye's could not have been fake. Nobody was that good of an actress.
When the party was over and Avery and Charlie had said goodbye to everybody, Cristiano took them home. After putting Charlie to bed, Avery walked back out to the living room where Cristiano was still waiting for her. "So, do you believe me." Instead of answering him, Avery pulled him in to a heated kiss. When they pulled away, Cristiano kept his eyes closed, "Wow. I guess you do believe me." Avery laughed as she pulled him in to yet another kiss. Boy could she get used to this!