My Step Father's Son

Chapter 5 - Favorite Place

Ava Summer

"Where are you taking me?" I ask him on our way.

"You'll see," He turns his head and winks at me. Gosh, he's so sexy when he does that.

Suddenly, my phone is beeping; it's Emily sending a message.

'Your brother is a hottie! How can you stand by him and do nothing?'

I know, right? But I reply, 'He is my brother; what can I say?' and I give her a wink emoji.

'He is your stepbrother. Not incest if you want to be with each other.' She teases me and sends a squinting face with a tongue emoji.

I take a glance at the handsome face besides me.

"What?" Rhys suddenly asks. He caught me taking a peek at him.

"No, it's nothing." I answer, but he's not buying it. "Emily, send me a message. That's all," I explain briefly.

'No, thank you. I have Joe.' I text Emily as a reply.

"What did she say?" Rhys asks while driving his car.

I look up at him and then go back to my phone again because Emily sent me another text.

'That's too bad. You and Rhys can be a perfect couple' she replies, ending with a wink emoji.

Instead of replying, I exhaled secretly after reading her text.

'By the way, don't forget to send me our pictures. Love ya!' Emily sent me another text, and I replied by saying I love her too.

"She said she is so happy she met you and took pictures with you." I lie, and I hope he buys that.

"I don't believe you." He says instead, and then pulls the car over and stops.

Without warning, Rhys grabs my phone and reads the messages Emily sent me.

"What are you doing? Give it back!" I demand as I try to reach for my phone, but his other hand blocks my hands.

It's hard for me to reach for it, and the seat belt also makes it harder.

"Rhys!" I glare at him, showing my objection to his action, but instead of giving me back my phone, he read it out loud.

"Your brother is a hottie! How can you stand by him and do nothing?"

He smirks proudly at being addressed as a hottie.

"Rhys.." I protest and try to snatch the phone, but I fail.

"He is my brother; what can I say?" He continues to read. "Really Ava?" He raises his brows, questioning my texts.

I feel my cheeks getting warm. Damn it!

"He is your stepbrother. It's not incest if you want to be with each other." Rhys continues to read it, and then suddenly he stops moving.

"Rhys, give me--" I stop talking and stay still when our eyes lock. I gulped.

What is he thinking? I hope he's not considering it as 'I want to be with him, because that's what Emily wrote, not me.

His eyes turn back to my phone. He's reading, but not saying it out loud.

"Give it back, Rhys," I plead, feeling embarrassed and nervous at the same time.

"Here, baby girl." He finally give my phone back.

I sigh in relief and put the phone in my bag right away.

"Sorry, I'm just messing with you." He says, giving a small smile on his face.

I don't answer him, trying to calm myself down.

He clears his throat before saying, "We are here."

He takes off his suit jacket and rolls his sleeves before getting out of the car.

I look outside the window, and I'm taken aback. We are in a parking lot, right in front of my favourite ice cream store. Sweet Ice Creamery.

I can't believe he remembers this place. Our family used to go here when Mom and Edward were just married.

"Come Ava." Suddenly, Rhys opens the car door for me and asks me to go out.

I get out and look around, still in a daze.

I miss this place. It has been a long time since I came here.

The last time I went here was with Rhys, just a few days before Edward kicked him out of the house four years ago.

Back then, after Rhys beat Eric at school, Rhys always picked me up from school, and he would take me here before we went back home.

"Come, Ava," he summons me again, taking my hand in his, and we walk inside the ice cream store.

"Welcome to Sweet Ice Creamery. What can I get you?" The storekeeper welcome us.

"Do you want your usual?" Rhys asks me.

I can't believe I went to this place with him again. I thought we'd never go to this place again together.

"Yea," I answer after giving it some thought.

"One darkside Dutch chocolate and one maple bourbon pecan," Rhys orders.

He still remembers my favorite ice cream flavor. I turn my head and smile at him, and he does the same.

Rhys is paying for our ice cream when an old woman comes from inside the counter and talks to us. "Hey, I remember you two!"

She looked familiar. Where have I met her?

Rhys and I are looking at each other. I think he thinks the same.

"She is the owner," the store keeper informs us.

That is why! We must have met her back then.

"You two used to come here a few years ago. I'm glad you two are still together." She says this, giving a warm smile.

"Ooh-- we are not--" Rhys and I say in unison.

She widens her eyes, can't hide her surprised expression. "You are not...? I'm sorry, I thought you two were dating or something."

"We are not," Rhys says before clearing his throat.

How does she think that we're a couple? Didn't we look like brothers and sisters?

"He is my brother," I tell her.

"Oh, I didn't know that. You two did not look like brothers and sisters." She says this as she observes both of us.

"We are actually step siblings." Rhys corrected my words.

She smiles sweetly. "You know what? My husband and I are also step siblings. But we fell in love with each other. Don't worry, it's happened sometimes."

Okay, it's awkward now.

Rhys cleared his throat before saying, "Good to know that, ma'am." He's just being polite to the old lady.

"Here's your ice cream." It's a good thing that the storekeeper has prepared our ice cream; we're saved from an awkward situation.

Rhys and I find our seats at one of the tables by a window.

Soon enough, I taste my darkside Dutch chocolate ice cream, and I groan, enjoying the flavour that was long gone.

Rhys chuckles. "It tastes really good, hah?"

"Yeah, it has been four years." I admit. I never thought that I'd miss this ice cream so much.

"You've never come here all this time? Why? It's not too far. Only a half hour from our house." He asks curiously.

I shrug. "I just got busy. That's all."

I'm not telling him the truth. The truth is, I didn't want to go here because this place reminded me of him. This is the only place the two of us spend time together, without our parents or friends.

He takes a glance at me and seems not satisfied with my answer.

"Anyway, what do you want to talk about?" I change the subject to the reason why he wants to meet me.

"I need your help," he says while enjoying his maple bourbon pecan.

"You need my help? For what?"

"Yes," he nods, and then puts his ice cream aside.

I wait for his explanation, still enjoying my ice cream.

"Help me handle dad's company," he says with a serious expression.

Rhys wants me to handle one of Edward's companies?

I let out a small laugh unknowingly.

"What is so funny?" he asks, still with a serious tone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh at you. It's just that I can't help you with that." I apologize. "I really don't know anything about running a company."

I never had any ambition to take over Edward's company. I just didn't have the interest in doing such a thing.

"That's what you think. Because you haven't tried." He encourages me enthusiastically.

"Edward already asked me before, and I told him I can't," I explain. I don't want to give him false hope. I don't think I want to do it now either, because it's really not my thing.

"Come on, Ava, I know you can do it. You have the capability. You are smart." He's not giving up.

He turns my face to his and looks me in the eyes. "Don't worry. I'll show you how. I'll teach you." He tries to convince me.

Rhys, teaching me? That sounds... interesting.

"Edward told you to do this?" I want to know why he's doing this. Is it because of Edward?

"No. I want to. I think you can do this, Ava. And I need help." He says, and I think he tell me the truth.

I bit my bottom lips, thinking about his offer.

I helped Edward with his work sometimes. I might know a couple of things, but fully involve in managing a company? I don't think I can do it.

"I tell you what? Come with me next week to the company. We check on Dad's—I mean, Edward's—company together. And then, you can decide. I won't force you." He gives me that look. Expressive and pleading.

"Dont--"

"What? Come on, Ava! Just a few hours a day with me, learning about Edward's companies next week." He appeals. "Please, Ava, consider this." He gives me his puppy eyes.

I admit he's kind of cute doing it, making me hold my smile. .

"Well?" he asks hopefully.

"I don't know Rhys... I don't have enough experience. Besides, I still have to finish my studies first." I tell him.

"How much longer is your study?" He knit his brow, back to serious mode.

"Three months at least." I answer after counting the time until my graduation.

"Three months is not a problem. We can wait until you graduate." He says it nonchalantly.

"I haven't agreed yet." I remind him not to draw conclusions.

He closed his eyes for a moment, expressing his agreement. "Just think about it, Ava," he finally says.

"Anyway, is there anything I could do to make you consider it?" I thought he'd already done, but he's not. He really hopes I can help him.

"Do you have any plans after this?" I ask him.

"Hmm... No? What's your plan?" He looks curious.

"For starters, walk with me," I say as I grin at him.

I stand up and take his hand, leading the way out of the store.

"Where are we going?" he asks while keeping his step in line with mine.

"Around here." I answer shortly.

I take my camera from my bag and start to take some shots.

We're around Elliot Bay, and there are a lot of things I could catch with my camera. Start with him, of course.

"Did you just take my picture?" he complains and stares at me.

"Yup!" I answer nonchalantly, not trying to hide anything. I check my camera screen to see the result. And I admit that he is photogenic.

"Okay, let's do this. I'll be your model this afternoon, and you come with me next week." He says it confidently.

"Who said you were my model?" I deny it and give him a smirk.

"You just took my picture, didn't you?" he accuses me, raising his brow.

"Yeah, for testing my camera." I say it jokingly, holding my amusement.

"I know you are just messing with me," he says and grins, keeping his pace with mine.

We walk side by side at the bay.

We spend the afternoon walking side by side, stopping for awhile every time I see something interesting, and taking some shots. We talk about anything, eat hot dogs, and drink lemonade.

It's really a nice, relaxing afternoon to spend with him.