My Accidental Luna

Chapter 5

Adaline's POV

As I sat looking in my mirror, checking my makeup and hair for the tenth time, I just kept replaying my afternoon over and over again. Why did I tell these random people these things? Most confusing is why Barrett? What made me open up to him the way I did? Why did I agree to go out with them? WHY was I so interested in Barrett? Knock Knock "Come in" I called to my roommate Rebecka, since I knew James was already asleep. I turned and saw her sleek black hair peek around first, then her tiny fair-skinned face. I giggled "I said you could come in, Beck. Why are you being so shy?" She hesitated but then stepped in. Beck was tiny in frame, with almost porcelain skin, her hair was raven black, but her most amazing feature was her eyes. They are steel silver that I swear sometimes glow. She never needed to wear makeup as she was absolutely naturally beautiful, but she always had the perfect wing liner and ruby red lips. They were her signature look. I met Beck at Sweets. She owns and is a baker there. We got on one day when Sebastian my husband was first deployed, and I went in with my tiny 6-month-old James for coffee and anything sugary to keep me going. She noticed me struggling with James fussing. I was a complete mess, a long shirt covered in baby food, leggings and the typical mom bun. She walked over, scooped him up, stared into his little eyes, and he instantly quieted and fell asleep. I was blown away, thankful and slightly confused. We started talking about life and our love of baking. She practically hired me on the spot. She was the one to help me find a daycare, one her friends owned, and when I got the news of Sebastian she was there to pick up the pieces. She literally took care of everything; James, me, the planning and calling to tell everyone. She is into herbal medicine, so she came up with something that helped me sleep because I had constant nightmares. For the last time Sebastian and I spoke, followed by the two men in uniform walking up to the door. She took me and James to her house. She takes care of us like a mom does, but she's only 6 years older than me. I am so thankful for everything she has done for us in the last year.

"I'm sorry Ad but I thought maybe when you texted me to watch James tonight that you were having an episode and needed some of my tea." she cautioned her way in, but then took in the state I was in. " Wait does my Ad have a date?" she looked at me shocked. "It's not a date" I blushed hard thinking about Barrett and that drew her in more. "Spill" she practically squealed. "So at work today for my last table there was a group of four that came in and had reservations, I was already impressed as they all were extremely attractive but almost looked like they couldn't be real" I paused to check her face, and I was right she was waiting very impatiently for me to finish. "I sat them down and brought them their water, when I say unreal looking I meant it, the three guys were huge, the two who I am assuming are related as their facial features are almost identical except their hair color, they are built like the biggest linebackers. The muscles and tattoos on these two are out of this world, neither of them are below 6 feet, I swear, chiseled cheeks and piercing blue eyes. The third guy was shorter but just as muscular and handsome, but his wife, my goodness, the woman around here have this strange natural beauty to them, her curls put mine to SHAME" I laughed out. I proceeded to explain what had happened next and how Barrett had walked into the office to find me and invite me out, and how it was all so very strange to me that I opened up like that. I noticed she stiffened a bit and her eyes seemed to glow ever so slightly. She shook her head fast, then smiled at me wide "Okay, okay and you're going to wear that out?" she looked at me with her eyebrows raised high. I looked in the mirror at myself. I thought I looked fine, I mean I had my auburn hair down with my natural curls flowing, I had picked a cute top and some leather pants. I mean I wasn't trying to impress anyone. "Yeah, why what's wrong with it" I asked her. I heard her sigh big "Ad listen, this is the first time you've had adult interaction outside myself and work in almost two years". She called from my closet, "Here put this dress on, and no complaints understood" as she walked out with a spaghetti strapped, just above my knee tight black dress. "I" I started to argue as I did not feel quite comfortable in that and the group wasn't wearing anything like this when I last saw them, they were all in shirts and jeans aside from the woman, who I remember Barrett called Heather, she wore a tight tank. "Do it Ad I'm serious about this" she scolded and put the dress with a pair of black pumps on the bed. As I got dressed I still complained "but they were all in shirts and jeans". As I turned to her, she had this look of seriously on her face. "You really think the woman didn't bring a dress for later?" "Alright, come here, let me do your makeup real quick" she held up her hand "I promise just liner and lips, shouts honor" I rolled my eyes and giggled. When she was done, I looked in the mirror and barely recognized myself. I hadn't dressed up in a very long time.

The doorbell rang not 5 minutes later, I checked my phone it was almost 8:30 with 3 missed text and 1 voicemail. "s**t I didn't realize it was so late already" I rushed to the door with Beck hot on my heels, I swung the door open "Barrett I am so SORRY, after I texted my address I put my phone down and took care of James and lost all track of time and I didn't hear my phone go off" I felt Becks hand on my shoulder to help calm me down, "Ad relax by the look of his face I don't think he heard you or cares honestly" I looked at him, and he looked awestruck. "Wow" he finally said, I think I turned 8 different shades of red. "Ahem" I heard Beck behind me. "Oh Barrett I'm sorry this is Beck, oops I mean Rebecka" I was really the only one to call her Beck. "Nice to see you again Beck" he said in an almost shocked but upset tone as well. "Barrett" was all she got out. "Wait you two know each other, I mean I know it's a small place, but I didn't think it was that small" I questioned. "I have helped his pa" she stopped her self. "I mean family with my herbal remedies many times before" she finished. "Oh okay that makes sense I mean they do wonders for me and James, so I guess they would help others as well" "James, is he still awake?" Barrett asked, "No he just went down about 20 minutes ago. "Oh okay" he sounded almost sad "Well you look absolutely amazing, are you ready to go?" before I could answer Beck practically shoved us out the door "You guys have fun, don't worry about James you know he's happy to have Beck time, call if you need me okay?" "I will thanks again Beck I really appreciate it" she smiled and shut the door behind us.

You know I hate it when Beck is right. After a short drive in Barrets car, which was chauffeured by two very large men. What are these guys royalty or something? I thought along the ride. We arrived at the club Wolfs Den and sat in VIP was the other two. Sam and the others. I have yet to learn his name, and Heather who, of course, was now in a strapless-skin tight black dress. Barrett ushered me into the VIP booth, his hand never leaving the small of my back, which felt super warm. "Hey guys, thanks again for letting me tag along". I smiled at each and every one of them "hey HOT MOMMA, you look amazing", Heather shouted, and I again turned red. "Thanks, my roommate made me change out of a shirt and pants". I laughed out, "Well, thanks to her, then as you said you needed mom time and this is a club", she wiggled her eyes at me and the two other guys laughed and in unison said "yeah". I swear I heard a growl come from Barrett after that as the drinks arrived to the table, and they all looked down. I turned to Barrett to ask if he was okay, and he started before I could speak, "Okay, let's all have a drink". I let it slide, we held up the shot glasses, cheered each other and downed them. "Whew that's strong" I coughed out "I haven't had a drink in a long time" I took one more for the liquid courage, "Okay I want to get the sad out of the way, if were all going to have fun I want to clear the air about earlier and at least explain myself and my situation." "You don't have to, we understand" Barrett spoke quietly. "I do, and I want to, again for some strange reason I want to get this out."

I sat down between Barrett and the one that looked just like him but blonde and across from Sam and Heather. I turned to the one I yet know and asked his name. "Sorry you're just the only one I don't know formally and I'm also assuming you are related to Barrett here but just have different hair" he laughed. "Yes Barrett is my older brother and my name is Holden", "It's nice to meet you Holden, that was actually in the running for my sons name, but my husband just couldn't get on board"I giggled at that memory of arguing over names. I looked at Holden and he smiled wide. "Are you single Holden?" I couldn't help but ask, again I swear I heard Barrett growl. "No I actually am married and have a baby on the way" "Oh that's amazing, congratulations!" I all but squealed. "okay back on track."

"So my husband's name was Sebastian, we were high school sweethearts and got married right out of high school as he signed up for the Air Force. We were inseparable, from the moment we started dating, where I was, he was, and vice versa. At 18 we left home and moved to Germany for three years, where we traveled to all the countries around and just had fun together. I found out I was pregnant there on my 22nd birthday. I was around 3 months at that time, and we were leaving shortly after for a base in Virginia. James was born 6 months later. A few months after my 23rd birthday, we got orders here in New York. We were only in Virginia for 6 months. 2 weeks after we got here, he got orders to deploy. I was devastated, as we had never been through a deployment yet, and I had a baby to take care of now. Sebastian shipped out 3 weeks later and after 2 weeks I got the news. My world shattered around me. Nothing prepares you for that kind of hurt, that pain. Thankfully, I had already met Beck, and she was an absolute godsend as she wrangled my son, myself and everything that needed to be done. She took us in at her house that way she could always keep an eye on us. I was already working with her, but I took on the waitress position to help with daycare costs for James. He is two and a half and, thankfully, he doesn't quite understand enough to ask about his daddy yet, because I know that will be the hardest conversation of my life." I huffed out. They all looked at me with tears in their eyes, "Hey no none of that, I wanted to get that all off my chest that way. There was no tiptoeing later on!" They all seemed to lighten a bit, all except Barrett. I placed my hand on his shoulder, there was that warmth again. "Hey, it's okay, I promise". I let him know. "Okay, Let's do this. Heather". She perked up and looked at me. "You, me and that dance floor now!"