Part Eleven

Waking up that next morning, glad that Cindy was in agreement with him last night that what happened between them was a one-time thing, Peter got ready and made his way downstairs and into the dining room where he found Asa already sitting down at the table and feeling awkward at how their 'date' ended and guilty at what had happened between him and Asa's daughter, Peter sat himself down in silence, avoiding looking at the blonde and hoping to avoid any conversation, however it seemed as though Asa didn't feel the same way.

"Can I say something before the girls come down?" Asa asked Peter.

"Uh... Yeah... Of course." Peter said as he looked up at Asa.

"I want to apologise. Things got a little heated between us last night and I overeacted," Asa admitted. "The truth is you're doing what you think is right by you and Phoebe and I can't fault you for that."

"Thank you and since we're talking," Peter said. "I want to say sorry too. I should have told you that I was planning to move once the girls graduated. You deserved to know as does Phoebe and Cindy, just let me do it, when the time is right, please?"

"Of course." Asa said in agreement.

"And," Peter quickly added. "I'm sorry that I ruined our date with that news."

"I think it was for the best," Asa told Peter. ""We're friends. Best friends. We have never once saw each other in that way, so why ruin our friendship because of what everyone else thinks?"

"That's true," Peter said with a smile as his phone buzzed with a message, causing Asa to glance at it on the table and saw that the message was from Wendy Sears.

"Lemme guess, work? Wendy causing another crisis?" Asa wondered.

"The opposite actually," Peter found himself admitting. "She's kind of been wanting to go out with me?"

"Like on a date?" Asa said with an undertone of jealousy that surprised the blonde and quickly realising that, Asa added. "So, why don't you?"

"Same reason as you." Peter said, causing Asa to laugh. "I'm moving in a few months remember?"

"Wendy and I are two very different people. You and I, deep down, we both know it could be long-term," Asa pointed out. "Wendy on the other hand, is the flakist girl I know and we're friends with Emily Michaels. If you think it could you give some temporary happiness while you're still in town, go for it."

"So should you," Peter told her. "Actual happiness though, not a temporary one. Hollie would want you to find someone, she would want you to move on and if it isn't going to be me then it should be someone else," Peter told Asa. "You deserve to be happy, Asa."

"Yeah, I do." Asa said with a smile as she found herself thinking about Martin Harris and the card he gave her.

Feeling like a totally new woman that morning, Cindy made her way across the manor, heading towards Phoebe's bedroom, knocking on the door before entering where she found the blonde trying to decide what clothes she wanted to wear.

"You're going to the office, not a fashion show in Milan." Cindy sarcastically spoke as she made her way over to the blonde who was trying to decide between two blouses.

"I got to look my best regardless." Phoebe responded, although part of the reason of why she wanted to was impress and persuade Asa that they should hook-up again, despite the older woman's insistence that what happened was a one time encounter, something she didn't want to admit to Asa's daughter.

"You always look the best." Cindy reminded Phoebe.

"And this is why. I take my time," Phoebe proudly spoke. "So, what's up with you? You seem like you're on cloud nine?"

"I..." Cindy paused, realising she couldn't exactly spill to Phoebe she had lost her virginity to Phoebe's father. "It's nothing."

"I highly doubt that," Phoebe said as she set down the blouse she wanted to wear before looking at Cindy curiously. "You're on cloud nine and are hiding something from me... Wait... You didn't get laid, did you?"

"I..." Cindy awkwardly said, surprised that Phoebe was able to figure it out rather quickly.

"You did! When? With who?" Phoebe excitedly said. "Why haven't you told me sooner?"

"I was going..." Cindy began to explain however she was interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing and picking her phone, Phoebe took one look at the caller, sighed in annoyance before tossing the phone on her bed allowing Cindy to see the caller as Naomi Witter, Phoebe's mother. "Is that your Mom?"

"Yeah, she's been trying to text me all night, guess she's graduated to phone calls now." Phoebe said.

"Why don't you answer? It might be important." Cindy told Phoebe.

"So's her daughter but she doesn't seem to care about me unless it suits her," Phoebe shrugged. "So, who cares?"

"She's still your mother, maybe now that you're graduating and moving on she's realised what she's missed out on..." Cindy tried to guess.

"Well, she can keep missing out," Phoebe spoke. "The last thing I need ever is to see or hear from Naomi."