House Swap

"Oh, no. I've already overstayed my welcome. Thank you though, Chance. That was very thoughtful of you."

"At least stay until Stephanie wakes up, okay? She'll be very disappointed if she doesn't get to see you before you leave."

"Okay, that sounds reasonable. But you'll take me home...er, back to your uncle's place right after breakfast?"

"Scout's honor," he told her.

Meredith finished her coffee then decided to hold off on the shower until she had a chance to see her favorite new little girl for a few minutes.

"You're still here!" Meredith heard from a little-but-loud voice behind her.

"Oh, hi there, sweetie! How did you sleep?"

"Fine," she said. "Are you leaving now?"

"Oh, um...not until after breakfast. But yes, I do have to go home."

"But you're staying at my Uncle Gregg's house," she corrected her. "Actually, he's my great uncle. Do you know what that means?"

"Yes, I do," Meredith told her.

Without looking at her, Stephanie said, "He had a birthday so he's 51 now. He's old. Not like you and Daddy."

Chance just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "See what I mean," he said as Stephanie drug her off to the kitchen.

"I usually eat cereal but sometimes Daddy makes pancakes or waffles. Do you like waffles? I like them with whipped cream, but Daddy says..."

"Okay, hunny-bunny. Let's give Mrs. Lancaster a chance to relax for a little bit."

"It's fine, Chance. She really is adorable," Meredith said as she put her hand on Stephanie's cheek. "I wish I could put you in my bag and take you home to Florida with me."

"Okay!" Stephanie said ready to give it a try.

"But then your daddy would be too sad, so maybe you should stay here with him. Is that okay?"

"Well...he could come with us!" she said. "Or...or you could just live here. With us. Right, Daddy?" she said nodding her head to encourage the 'correct' answer.

"I don't know about that just yet, sweetie, but why don't you see if you can talk her into having dinner with us here tonight." He looked at Meredith and smiled then said, "Unless, of course, she has too much to do at Uncle Gregg's house."

Meredith narrowed her eyes and pretended to be giving him the business, but she was already dreading a spending the entire day alone let alone the night. She didn't know another soul in the area so the possibility of breaking up the day seemed very appealing.

"Do you have too much stuff to do?" Stephanie asked. "Can you come over for dinner tonight? Can you? Can you—pleeease?"

"Oh, I don't know, honey. Your daddy has to be pretty tired of me by now."

"He's not tired of you at all," Chance quipped. "Got any other excuses? Unless I'm sorely mistaken, your dance card should be wide open." He got serious then said, "We'd love for you to join us for dinner. Will you please consider it?"

She looked at Chance then at Stephanie then back at Chance. "You know what? That sounds very nice. Okay. Sure. I'd love to."

"Yes!" Stephanie said and once again did the fist pump thing. "May I sit on your lap?" she asked sweetly.

"Why, yes you may!" Meredith told her as she pulled her up. "So what do you want for breakfast?"

"Um...Lucky Charms!" she said.

"You don't want my world-famous pancakes this morning?"

"No, that's okay. It takes too long," she said matter of factly.

"Can't argue with that," Chance said. Two minutes later, Stephanie was munching on green clovers.

"I have an idea," Chance said. "Would you mind terribly staying with Stephanie for maybe 15 minutes?"

"No, not at all," Meredith said. "Are you leaving?"

"There's a place not far from here that makes the best croissants ever. I can pick up a couple and be back in no time. What do you think?"

"I think that sounds...heavenly."

"Great. I'll be right back. Oh, just one question. Jam, butter, or honey? Or all of the above?"

"All of the above?" she said with raised eyebrows.

"I like the way you think," Chance said. "Stephanie? Can you take care of Mrs. Lancaster for a few minutes?"

Milk dribbled down her chin as she pulled the spoon back too quickly. "Of course I can," she told him.

"Okay. See you in a few minutes then!"

Chance hadn't even taken them out of the bag when Meredith said, "Oh, my heavens! What is that wonderful aroma?"

They were still warm and Meredith noticed they were also flaky and a light, golden brown.

"You've gotta try this honey-butter stuff they make. I can't find anywhere else."

"Honey-butter?" she asked as he handed her a pack.

"It's the best," he told her as he squirted some on his croissant.

Meredith did the same while Chance waited for her to take a first bite

"Go ahead," he said smiling at her.

"Yes. Ladies first!" Stephanie said her bowl set aside with some milk and cereal still in it.

Meredith hadn't even started chewing when she said—with her mouth full—"Oh, my gosh. Oh...my...gosh! These are so good!"

"Told ya!" Chance said taking a first bite of his own. "Oh, man. I could eat these every day."

"I don't even want to know how much butter and fat are in these," Meredith said taking a second bite.

"No, you don't. Not if you want to keep that girlish figure of yours."

Meredith laughed and nearly choked as she reached for her coffee to wash it down. "You are a very funny man!" she said recovering from the mild incident.

"True," he said pretending to brag. "But you do have an incredible figure. I'm guessing you workout and I'm gonna go with...Zumba. You look a Zumba kind of girl."

"Close," she said holding off on a third bit. "I've tried it, but I tend to stick with plain old aerobics and spinning. Swimming is my real passion, though."

"Then let's go for a swim. Have you seen our pool yet?" he asked.

"No, as a matter of fact I haven't."

"Well, finish up your croissant, and we'll take you out back and show you."

After using her fingers and thumb to get every flake off her plate, Meredith took a final sip of coffee and said, "That was the best croissant I've ever had. Thank you, Chance."

"Come on! We're gonna go swimming!" Stephanie said. She grabbed Meredith's hand and pulled her along.

"Oh, wow!" she said when she saw it. "It looks like it's Olympic size."

"Not quite," he told her. "It's a little shorter and not quite that wide. Do you have a bathing suit in one of those bags?"

"Actually I do, but I don't know, Chance."

"You love to swim, we have a pool, we've all got bathing suits, so...why not?"

"Yeah! Let's go change! Come on, Mrs. Lancaster. Let's go swimming!"

Stephanie was pulling back into the house and Meredith called out, "Okay. I guess we'll be right back!"

Chance ran upstairs and changed, too, then managed to beat the girls back down to the pool. Meredith came out just in time to see him do a flip off the diving board and before plunging into the water.

"Let's go down the slide!" Stephanie said excitedly, Meredith still in tow.

"It feels great in here!" Chance called out as Stephanie waited for Meredith to go first.

She shrieked as she slid down the long, winding slide then gracefully entered the water. "It's perfect!" she said coming up for air.

"Watch me!" Stephanie called out as she began her descent. She hit the water, turned over and swam underwater to Meredith. "Did you see me?" she asked as she tread water.

"I did! That was great. Can you show me again?"

"Yes, I can!" she said scrambling out of the pool and back onto the slide. Meredith was holding the edge of the pool and focused on Stephanie when she felt something on her hips. She yelped and spun her head around and saw Chance's smiling face.

"I must look really scary. That's three times already," he said.

"You did scare me—again," she said. Chance slid his arms around her waist and Meredith didn't resist as they watched Stephanie show off her skills again.

"Ohhh! Nice!" her dad called out when she popped up. Meredith had taken her arm off the edge and placed in on top of Chance's as they both cheered on the little swimmer.

"Watch me swim!" she said taking off for the deep end.

"She's really good," Meredith said as Stephanie freestyled.

"She loves the water," Chance said in her ear. "And for the record, you have an amazing figure. Not that I was checking you out in your white, one-piece bathing suit on anything."

"Oh, okay," she said leaning back slightly. "Then I don't feel so bad for noticing how good you looked in your red trunks." She laughed then said, "Okay, this is the ultimate cliche, but since it applies...do you work out?"

"I do. I have a home gym I make sure to get into 4-5 days a week."

"Ah-hah. That explains the um...very nice view."

"Speaking of very nice views," he said as he softly kissed her neck. He moved his head to the other side then said, "Oh, look. The view from here is just as nice." He kissed that side, too.

"Chance? What are you doing?" she said almost playfully.

"What I wish I'd done last night," he said before kissing the lobe of her ear.

"That's very nice, but I'm not sure you should do that," she told him quietly.

"Because you don't like it?"

"Oh, I like it. I like it very much. But...but I'm only going to be here for a few days and..." She stopped talking and moaned softly as he kissed her neck in a way that sent chills through her even in the warm water.

"You were saying?" he said.

"I was?" she replied. "Oh, right. I was. I'm only going to be here a few days then we'll never see each other again. I...I don't think this is a very good idea."

"Meredith, I haven't been attracted to anyone since Kathy died," he said kissing the other side of her neck again.

"Are you saying you're attracted to...me?"

"Very much," he whispered in her ear.

Stephanie reached the other end then hollered out, "Did you see me?"

"Yes, we did!" Chance called out. "Swim back to the other end, okay?"

"Okay! Here I go!" she said pushing off and picking up the breast stroke.

"She's a really good swimmer!"

"And you're really beautiful," he said.

Meredith pushed back against his lower body and when she felt him, she moaned softly again. "Mmmm," was all she said.

Chance pushed back slightly and felt Meredith do the same. "Mmmm," she moaned again. "If I don't move away now, there won't be any moving."

"Then don't move away," he said.

"You have no idea how badly I don't want to move, but..." With that, she gently pushed his arm away and swam off toward Stephanie. She finished the half lap with her, told her how awesome she was, then began swimming laps until she was too tired to think about Chance and...and his...feelings...for her.

Neither of them said much after they dried off and went inside. All Meredith said was, "Would you mind taking me back now?"

"Did you want to take a shower first?" Chance asked.

"No, I'll do that at your uncle's place," she said without really looking at him.

Because Stephanie was in the car with them, Meredith didn't ask any questions, but she had several on her mind. Then again, the easiest, best, and probably the smartest way to answer them was to not see him again.

"So what time can we pick you up tonight?" he asked when he helped her out of the car.

"Maybe that's not such a good idea, Chance," she said.

He looked at Stephanie in the back and said, "I'm gonna walk Mrs. Lancaster to the door. Can you be a big girl and wait for me in your car seat?"

"I am a big girl," she informed him.

"Okay, then I'll be right back," he promised knowing she'd be able to see him the entire time.

"Do you really not want to come back for dinner or is there something...deeper that's bothering you?" he asked on their way to the front door. Chance set her things down and waited for her reply.

"Chance? I'm kind of old fashioned when it comes to relationships. I've never had an affair or a fling. I've never even 'hooked up' or whatever kids call having sex with no commitment. But this would be nothing but a fling. No, we're not married anymore so it's not an affair, but it can't go anywhere. It can't...lead to anything. And it doesn't seem fair to start something knowing it has to end so soon."

"I've never had an affair, either. I did hook up in college a few times, and I did have a fling. Once."

"You did?" she asked.

"Yes. I had an economics professor who thought I was as attractive to her as she was to me. I was 19 and she was...40. And although it only lasted a couple of months, it was one of the best experiences of my life."

"You didn't have any regrets?" she asked having a hard believing that could be possible.

"None. That was before I met Kathy and although I loved my wife completely, I have those amazing memories of that beautiful, slightly-older woman..." He had to smile before continuing, "forever. I cherish those memories and I wouldn't trade them for anything."

"So...are you saying you want to create more memories like that?" she asked finally looking into his eyes.

He put his hands on her shoulders and said, "In a word, yes. But with you...with us...it's not the same, Meredith."

"No? How so? I'm almost 20 years older than you and there's no real future in this. So...how is this different, Chance?"

"At 19, I'd never truly loved someone. I just wanted to have new experiences. There was no possibility that professor and I could ever have anything more than a physical relationship. At the time, that was fine." He brushed the back of his hand along her cheek then said, "But you and I have both known what love is. We've had that special someone. And while we live a continent apart, if we were to find something more than the purely physical, that can be changed quite easily. But if we don't find out, we'll never know and while I can't speak for you, never knowing would bother me the rest of my life."

Meredith looked down as she stood there in a sweatshirt, her hair still damp from the pool. "I'd made up my mind when I got out of the pool that I wasn't going to see you again."

"And now?" he asked still softly touching her pretty face.

"And now...I'm confused." She looked back up at him and said, "Chance, when you were born, I was graduating from high school. Doesn't that bother you?"

He smiled at her then said calmly and quietly, "No. Not at all. Should it?"

"Well...it just seems...I don't know. It seems...very...strange."

"Do you mean different?" he asked. "Things that are different or new to us can often feel strange or odd. They can even make us uncomfortable. But we're both adults, Meredith, and unless I've completely lost touch with reality, you're at least somewhat interested in me and I am very interested in you."

"So this would just be physical?" she said trying to understand.

"It could be, but something tells me that won't be the case."

"Exactly and that's what scares me, Chance. I'm afraid I might have real feelings for you and..."

He leaned down and kissed her while she was speaking and after a very brief moment of her eyes opening wide and a noise of some kind coming from her, she closed her eyes and kissed him back.

"Eeewww!" they heard Stephanie holler from the car.

Meredith pulled back and smiled and then laughed. "I think we're in trouble."

"I'll accept whatever punishment that comes my way because that kiss was so worth it," he told her.

"It was pretty amazing, wasn't it?" she said sweetly.

"So what time can I come pick you up?"

"Anytime?" she offered.

"I'll be here at six then, if that's okay," he told her without taking his eyes off of hers.

"Then I'll be ready," she replied. She smiled at him, put her arms around his neck then said, "I'm willing to risk extra punishment if you are."

"In for a penny..." he said before putting his arms around her and really kissing her for the first time.

"You guuuyssss!!" Stephanie called out.

Both of them laughed before Chance said, "You really do look just as beautiful in the morning, you know."

"Oh, you're good," she said. "You definitely haven't lost your touch."

She kissed him quickly one more time then said, "Okay, see you tonight."

Chance was smiling all the way to the car and forgot about Stephanie's comments as he got back in.

"Are you in love with Mrs. Lancaster?" she said innocently.

"No. We're not in love, honey," he told her.

"Then why did you kiss her like that with your arms all tight around her if you don't love her?" There was no accusation in her voice. Just curiosity.

"Well, because I like her."

"You do?" she asked.

"Yes. I like her very much," he said as he drove off.

"I like her, too. Maybe she could stay with us instead of at Uncle Gregg's house. She could stay in her own room just like me."

"That's true," he said. "But I'm not sure Mrs. Lancaster wants to do that."

"Oh," she said. She looked out the window then told her father, "Well, you could just ask her and maybe she will say 'yes'."

Chance just smiled and said, "You're right, honey. I could just ask her."

And as crazy as that sounded, there was a part of him that couldn't help but think how nice that would be. The practical side won out by the time he got home, though. He knew he'd need to get to know this woman and see if they had anything but physical attraction in common. And yet he'd already gotten through the worst part of dating. He'd met her and he hadn't had to put on any kind of social mask. He'd just been himself and from what he could tell, so had Meredith. And from what little he knew, he liked what he'd seen very, very much.

Chance tried to stay busy doing things with Stephanie, but the hours dragged on until he could see her again. Around five, he told his daughter he was going to take a shower and change clothes so they could go back and pick up Mrs. Lancaster.

"Can I wear my pretty white dress?" she asked.

"Sure. If you want to. But that means you'll have to wash your hair, take a shower, and let me comb you out. If you want to do that, you better scoot."

Stephanie shot up the stairs and was in the shower less than a minute later. Chance just chuckled as he went to get in the shower in his bathroom. Sure enough, by the time he'd finished and gotten dressed, Stephanie was waiting for him wearing her dress, her wet her a mess.

"You need to let me dry it for you a little better next time before you get dressed, okay?" he asked.

"Okay. I'm just really excited," she said.

It slowed him down a lot, but he finally got it combed out then helped her blow dry it as best he could. This was when he not only missed Kathy but needed her. He did his best to help out and understand 'girly' things, but the end result was often less than ideal. Tonight, other than the large wet mess in the middle of her back—which he knew would dry out—she looked very pretty so he didn't beat himself up too badly for once.

"You look so much like your mom, honey," he told Stephanie with a smile.

"Thank you!" she said with a happy smile of her own. "Can we go get Mrs. Lancaster now?"

"Definitely," he said. He hated being late and it was already ten after but he couldn't let Stephanie leave with a tangled mess. The good thing was he was sure Meredith wouldn't mind.

The Andrews walked up to the door together holding hands, Stephanie in her white dress with ankle socks and white shoes looking like she was ready for Easter, and her dad wearing a dark-blue blazer with a light-blue shirt and a pair of jeans.

Meredith had to have been watching because she opened the door just as Stephanie went to ring the bell.

"Look at you!" Meredith said. "You look like a beautiful princess!"

"Thank you. This is my special dress and Daddy said I could wear it."

"It is special," she told her. She looked at Chance then said, "Hi," in an almost shy kind of voice. "Speaking of looking nice...wow. Very handsome."

"Well, thank you, but speaking of...wow." He looked at her while she locked the door and told her, "You look amazing."