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Chapter Twenty One: Moondances and Talks

Haley couldn’t help but laugh at her husband’s reaction to her telling him. Jenny was having her first crush. Lucas looked like he was either going to faint or kill the poor boy who was simply having a nice conversation with their daughter. Fearing it would most likely be the latter Haley placed a comforting hand on her husband’s shoulder and guided him over to a vacant table so they could sit down and talk about Jenny’s first crush.

“Okay Luke calm down. This is something happens to everyone sooner or later our little girls were bound to develop first crushes anytime now. Of course they’re late bloomers compared to me,” Haley muses smiling, “So you should be thankful for that. I had my first crush at five.”

“Really? Five, huh?” Lucas asked confused.

“Yeah, I was five years old and this kid and his Mom moved down the street from my family and me. I thought he was so cute with his messy blonde hair and big blue eyes and he was always so nice to me. We used to spend hours on end reading our favorite books and trading with each other on weekends,” Haley remembers fondly, “And his Mom made the best chocolate chip cookies ever, and she even would make the food of the Gods, also known as maccaroni and cheese especially for me when I would come over.”

Lucas shared Haley’s smile when he realized she was talking about him and remembering the times they shared when he was little. He still couldn’t believe he was her first crush.

“I was your first crush?”

“Yeah, you were. I just thought you were the greatest.” Haley giggles feeling herself blush.

“I always thought you were the greatest, Hales.” Lucas replies thoughtfully leaning over the table to softly kiss his wife on the lips.

As they broke apart music began to fill the room and both Haley and Lucas immediately recognized the song; it was Moondance by Van Morrison. This was the song they had danced to at the River Court the night Lucas had proposed and they used it as there wedding song as well. Moondance would soon turn out to not only be special for her parents but for Jenny as well, it was the song that was playing in the maternity ward at Charlotte Municipal Women’s Hospital where she was born and now it would be the song she and her first crush would dance to.

Jenny looked around for Troy when she heard the music begin to play, after circling the room twice she finally found him at the refreshment table eating a finger sandwich while he drank a glass of water. He looked so hot standing there, leaning against the table sandwich in one hand, glass of water in the other.

You’ve definitely got it bad, Scott if you think he looks hot holding a sandwich and a glass of water was Jenny’s last thought as she walked over to him and tapped him on the shoulder as he turned around she asked shyly, “Did you still want me to save you that dance, Troy?”

“Of course I did, Jenny I wouldn’t have asked you if I didn’t mean it.” He replied reassuringly.

Taking her hand he lead her out onto the floor which was slowly filling up with couples including Jenny’s parents and Troy’s parents. She wrapped her arms around his neck while he wrapped his around her waist, his hands resting comfortably on her hips as they swayed to the music. Jenny could feel her pulse beating faster and faster as her dance with Troy continued, looking up into his big blue eyes she couldn’t help but feel so nervous and jittery yet she was also strangely calm and she knew it was because of him. He made her feel so many new and exciting things and she wondered if he felt the same way.

Troy slowly pulled Jenny’s body closer to his own as the song went on and she was now pressed softly against his chest, her head resting directly underneath his chin, leaning closer he placed his chin on top of her head inhaling the sweet strawberry smelling shampoo she used. As they continued to sway to the music, he couldn’t help but want to get to know her more. Seeing as everyone in the room was practically dancing, he decided when the song ended he’d ask for her to go outside with him so they could talk, hopefully she’d say yes.

The last note of the song played and Troy pulled away from Jenny saying, “Hey you um wanna go outside and talk for a little bit. There’s a garden outside on the balcony along with a bench.”

“Sure, we can go outside. Just let me grab my purse.”

Troy watched as Jenny went and grabbed her purse thinking to himself, Bale you are one lucky guy. Jenny’s just so amazing. How did I get so lucky? As those thoughts were running through his head Troy didn’t pay much attention to the person that had stepped into the spot next to him until they said something about Jenny.

“So I see you’ve taken quite a liking to my daughter.” Lucas said stepping up next to Troy.

Troy turned around to see the Democratic Nominee for the presidency Lucas Scott standing next to him looking like he was going to murder him. Suddenly troy could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest like it was about to burst out any second while his hands became cold and clammy while shaking with nervousness and he began to feel sweaty and gross.

“Jenny’s very nice.” Troy managed to say his voice coming out high and squeaky.

As Lucas was about to say something Haley stepped in and immediately fixed her husband a steely glare when she found the practically petrified young boy standing next to him looking like he was either going to faint or turn it to stone. Shaking her head she moved in front of Lucas and offered Troy a warm polite smile as she held out her hand saying, “I’m Haley James-Scott, Jenny’s Mom. It’s very nice that you two found someone your own age to converse with and I want to apologize if my idiot of a husband made you feel uncomfortable.”

Troy shook the woman’s hand and as he looked at her he realized where Jenny got her looks from. Haley was beautiful. They shared the same height, figure type, long auburn hair, huge brown eyes and their breathtaking warm smiles could warm even the coldest hearts. After letting go of her hand Troy felt more at ease and desperately tried not to look in Jenny’s direction so her Dad wouldn’t break every bone in his body or worse actually kill him.

“It’s nice to meet you too, Mrs. James-Scott. I’m Troy Bale Simon and Rachel-Olivia Bale’s son and you don’t have to apologize for Mr. Scott my Mom can get very protective of me as well. Although I do like Jenny very much and if it’s okay with both of you,” Troy says, “I’d like to show her the small botanical garden that’s on the balcony there’s a bench for us to sit on and everything. Do you think she could come outside for just a few minutes?”

“As long as you bring Jenny back here in ten minutes in one piece go ahead. I’m sure she’ll enjoy the gardens very much and you make sure she stays where Lucas and I can see her, okay Troy? And you also make sure your parents know where you’re going to be, okay?”

“Sure, I’ll go tell them right now. Thanks Mrs. James-Scott you’re the best.”

“If we run into him or his parents again, Lucas Eugene Scott I want you to be nice. All Troy and Jenny are going to do is talk, okay? You have absolutely nothing to worry about. As you can see clearly, you scare him half to death every time you look at him.” Haley reminded smiling.

“Well, at least I have that going for me.” Lucas said.

“Lucas!”

“All right, all right I’ll be nice.” He gave in knowing he had no choice or will power when it came to his wife.

“Good, now come on I believe you owe our little girl a dance. Let’s make tracks, cowboy.”

Lucas smiled and wrapped his arm around Haley’s waist, drifting his fingers lower he grabbed her butt and squeezed making her squeal slightly.

Turning around she glared up at her husband saying, “I thought I told you to be nice about a few milliseconds ago, Lucas.”

“You told me to be nice to Bale’s son, you never said I had to be nice to you.”

Haley just smiled and stood on her tip toes and kissed Lucas.