I almost had everything I needed from the grocery store I just needed to grab some cereal and the dairy stuff. Everything in this store was ass backwards from what I was used to. Finding the cereal aisle I pushed the cart down the aisle. I grabbed a box each of Avalon's favorites Fruit Loops and Applejacks. Than pushed the cart down farther looking for my cereal. My eyes scanning the shelves looking for it, that I didn't even notice the other person who had come to stand next to me. But I had that feeling someone was watching me

"God dammit," I muttered, finding my cereal on the top shelve, pushed back some.

I walked closer to the shelves and reached up my fingertips barely brushing against the box, making it move back some.

"Shit," another mutter.

Even in my wedge sandles I couldn't reach it. I stood on my tippy-toes in my sandles, once again my fingers brushing against the box making it move back. I scowled up at the box, huffing I pushed my bangs back out of my face. I grabbed onto one of the shelves with a hand and placed my feet on the bottom shelve. Once again going up onto my tippy-toes trying to reach the box of cereal.

Never in my life had I considered myself short, I was more averaged size at five foot six. Although compared to Ryan and Zach, I guess you could say I was short. Even though they both were only a few inches taller, they both towered over me. Sighing I gave one more stretch of my arm for the box, with it slipping through my fingers.

"Nevermind guess I don't need that," I muttered, throwing my head back and looking at the ceiling.

Just as I was about to step down off the shelve and move on from my cereal. I felt a strong yet soft chest pressed flush against my back. One of the persons hands resting on my left hip lightly. While their other long arm reached over my head to grab the box of cereal. I felt their warm breath brush across my right cheek. Causing my skin to tingle in a good way, the hand that was resting on my hip was sending shivers through my body. The male body behind me chuckled, their chest moving against my back. I could feel the movement thoughout my body.

My body slightly moving back into his on it's own accord. I knew who was behind me, I never felt as safe as did at that moment with anyone else. Whenever Ryan would surround my body like that it almost felt claustrophobic. But with Zach it always made me feel safe and protected, as it was doing right now.

"Never took you as the damsel in distress type," he chuckled, lowly in my ear.

"Never took you as the stalker type," I replied back, turning my head slightly to look up at him.

Big mistake there, because evidently he had the same brilliant idea. He turned his head down and to the side slightly so he could look down at me. In the end our mouths were inches from touching, if one of us decided to talk I was sure our lips would brush against each other. I stared into his brown eyes and he stared into my hazel. It seemed as I our eyes were in sync with each other as our eyes both moved down to each others lips. My eyes than traveled down to his Adams apple as I watched it bobbed up and down, as he swallowed loudly.

"Only for you," he muttered quietly, but I still heard him. "I uhhhhhhh...... I see you still go for the cereal that is out of your reach." he said, changing the subject.

"Uh well if they didn't put it up so high I could reach it," I huffed, slightly. Turning around in his arm and facing him.

"Or maybe if you weren't so short than you could reach it," he said, with a smile. His arm slipping around my back, pulling me closer.

"I'm not that short you know. Anyways can I have my cereal, please?" I asked, holding out a hand for the cereal.

He tapped his chin with the edge of the cereal box, like he was thinking about it. "Hmmmmmm nope. I think you need to ask nicely."

"I said please," I replied.

" Ahhhhhhh buts thats not the magic word," he said.

"Pretty please?" I asked.

"Ahhhhh nope," he said, popping the 'p', with amusement in his eyes.

"Zach may I please, pretty pretty please with a cherry on top have my cereal?" I asked, reaching for the box.

"Nooooooo. I think you'll have to do something for me to get this box of cereal," he replied, holding the box above his head.

"Zachary Justin Parise I will do no such thing. Now give me my cereal," I huffed, trying to give him my most serve 'I mean it' look. The one that always has Avalon doing what I wanted.

"Fine than. Your no fun," he sighed dramatically, and handed me the box of cereal.

Grabbing the box I pulled away from his warm body and the grasp of his arm around my back. I walked over and put the box in the cart.

"If you want fun than go ask your wife," I muttered, hopping he didn't hear me but of course he did.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing Zach, nothing." I said, shaking my head and starting to push the cart away.

"Can I ask you something?" he called, from behind me.

"What?" I asked, looking over at him as he walked up next to me.

"So you and Ryan Carter, huh?" he asked.

"Yeah what about us?" I asked.

"How long has that been going on?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What does it matter Zach?" I asked back, furrowing my brows.

"Ok why are you answering my question with a question? Why don't you just answer my question?" he asked, starting to get annoyed.

"We've been together for awhile Zach," I sighed.

He kept looking at me expectantly, like I was going supposed to elaborate on it. But I wasn't going to, it wasn't any of his business anyways. I really did not want to start a fight with Zach in the middle of a grocery store. So sighing I took another look at him and started pushing my cart down the aisle, wanting to get out of the store.

"Is he her father?" he asked, from behind me once again.

"What?" I asked confusidly, turning again to look at him.

"You heard me Maddi. Is Ryan Carter her father?" he snapped lightly.

"I don't think that's any of your business, Zachary." I snapped right back.

"GOD MADDISON," he sighed exasperated, running a hand down his face. "Once just once could you answer the question without a half answer or another question."

"Zach...... " I started.

"Is. Ryan. Carter. Her. Father?" he asked, through gritted teeth and something burning behind his brown eyes.

"Not that it's any of your business, but anyways no he's not. But he's been her father figure since she was born. What's your problem with Ryan anyways?" I answered, now with my hands on my hips.

I watched as his body collapsed back slightly, as if the air was rushed out of his lungs. His face turned slightly pale. A normal passer wouldn't have noticed, but I did since I was watching and knew his body language so well. His eyes darted every where but me a few minutes before they landed back on me. When they did I gasped and took a step back, he looked furious and furious with me.

"I don't have a problem with him. I mean growing up we competed against each other, so I guess we have that competiveness against each other. Or maybe just maybe I don't really like the guy," he said, shrugging his shoulders indifferently.

"Really that's all you have to say?" I asked frustratedly.

"Yup. I got the information I needed," he answered, pushing off the cart he collapsed back on.

"So that's it? That's all you wanted to know was if Ryan was my daughters father?" I snapped, starting to get angry.

"Yes," he replied.

"God your an asshole," I snapped, turning to leave before I slapped him again.

"Why am I the asshole Maddison?" he asked.

"I just don't get you Zach. After all this time that's what you want to ask me. You haven't even asked how I am. But no your worried about things that aren't even your business. I didn't ask you about your and Alisha's business, now did I? No I didn't," I snapped.

"Maybe it is my business, Maddison. Infact with the information you just told me, I know it's my business. Now my question is why didn't you tell me?" He snapped.

"Tell you what?" I asked, raising a eyebrow.

"Wow your going to act like you don't know what I'm talking about?" he asked, glaring at me.

"I have no idea what you talking about," I said, glaring back.

We both stood there glaring at each other until the sound of a cell phone shattered the silence. Zach sighed and pulled his phone out of his pocket and than shoved it back in his pocket.

"That was Alisha," he muttered.

"Ok good, well she's your wife. So she's probably waiting on you. So you should go," I said.

"We're not done discussing this Maddison," he said.

"Discussing what Zach? We have nothing to discuss. As far as I'm concerned we'll stay as far away from each other as we can. Now go home to your wife. You know the one you choose over me," I snapped, trying to walk pass him. But he grasped my upper arm stopping me.

"If I remember correctly Maddison and I know I do. Your the one who left me," he snapped back in my ear.

We glared at each other again before I pulled my arm out of his grasp. Than walked away, I could feel the tears pricking my eyes. I was not going to let him see me cry.

******************************************************************************************

I was finishing bringing in the last of the grocery bags into the house, when I heard my cell phone ringing from inside my purse laying on the counter. I set down the bags and rushed over to my purse.

"Hello?" I said breathlessly, as I answered.

"Hey baby, you ok? You sound out of breath," Ryan's voice answered.

"Oh god Ry," I sighed, leaning back on the counter.

"That would be me," he said, chuckling.

I felt the corners of my mouth tugging up into a smile just from the sound of his chuckling. It felt so good to hear the sound of his voice again. Than I remembered I was a little bit mad with him because I hadn't talked to him or had a text from him recently.

"I have a bone to pick with you Mr," I said.

"What? What'd I do?" he asked, I could still hear the laughter in his voice.

"You haven't answered any of my calls or text messages," I pouted.

"Awww I'm sorry baby. I've been extremely busy. I've been finishing up with the team here and finalizing everything. By the time I would get a moment it would be really late," he explained.

"I guess that will do. Is there anything you wanted to tell me?" I asked.

"Hmmmmmm how about how much I miss you," he answered.

"Anything else?" I asked.

"Like what?" he asked.

"Like a certain someone being here in New Jersey," I said.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Like Zach, Ryan. Zach," I snapped.

"Oh ummmm, well I thought you knew about that babe." he answered.

"You know I didn't Ryan," I said, getting frustrated again.

I heard him sigh on the other end and waited for him to responded. Than I heard voices in the background.

"Look Maddison I don't know what you want me to say. But I got to go, I'll be up there in a couple of days and than we can talk, ok? Got to go bye," he said, hanging up on me.

I pulled my phone from my ear and stared at it dumbly. 'What the fuck was that' I thought to myself. He didn't even let me say goodbye. Sighing I set the phone back in my purse and went to put the grocerys away. My mind wandered to what Zach had said in the store, what did he mean I left him. Shaking my head I would have to figure that out later. Right now I needed to go get Avalon.