A/N: Thanks for your response to Cloud Chasing! I'm honestly glad you enjoyed it! Here's another prompt I was given, this time by Georgie: "or maybe Sara and Max made them go on a double date with them?" So here's your story. I hope you'll enjoy it :)
Matchmaking
"And you're sure that this is really a good idea?" Maxwell asked doubtfully, glancing inside the busy restaurant that they were waiting in front of.
"Yes, just relax." His wife, Sara, re-assured him and took his hands to get his full attention.
"But they seem to hate each other…"
"You just said it yourself," she smiled happily "they seem to hate each other. But I have a feeling that there's a lot more going on."
"I really don't see it, darling." He sighed and his wife chuckled.
"Of course not. You are a man and you're British and let's face it, if I wouldn't have put my intentions so bluntly, you still wouldn't know that I am attracted to you."
"Sssh, Sara," Maxwell whispered, pulled her closer and smiled awkwardly at a group of people who was living the restaurant "not everyone needs to hear that."
"What Max?" she laughed "We're married and we have a daughter. I reckon the cat's already out of the bag!"
"I…I suppose you're right," he stammered "but still…while we're in public."
"Alright, alright," she smiled and placed a chaste kiss on his lips "but I've proved my point. You wouldn't be able to distinguish between hate and passion."
"Even so," he shrugged, still looking somewhat offended "won't they find it strange that we've asked them to join us here tonight?"
"Maybe," Sara replied "but I've come up with good reasons so Niles isn't going anywhere and C.C. will be easily persuaded."
"If you say so," he hummed and glanced up when he saw someone approaching "speaking of which…"
"Chastity!" Sara exclaimed, feigning surprise "What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean what am I doing here?" the brunette frowned "Your husband told me to deliver these contracts…said it was urgent."
"Maxwell!" his wife gasped with such convincing exasperation that he momentarily pondered casting her for his next show "We agreed to have a little us time tonight. I thought we were clear that that didn't include work!"
"Darling…I…." he stammered but she had already turned back to face C.C. "I'm sorry he made you come all the way out here, Chas."
"Good," the brunette muttered "I might be your secretary but that doesn't mean I'm your courier."
"No, absolutely not." Sara smiled and patted her arm in an effort to sooth her "Why don't you join us for dinner, mmh?"
"I thought you said you were both on a date," C.C. pointed out with a frown.
"Yes, well, that's what I thought," Sara paused and sighed dramatically "but seeing as my husband here," she elbowed him in the ribs "has decided that it's okay to bring work along, I've now decided that it's okay to have my best friend there as well."
C.C. frowned and glanced between them suspiciously. "Alright…I suppose I could join you."
"Good…perfect…" Sara smiled broadly and then turned to Max so C.C. couldn't see that she was shooting him an annoyed look.
"Oh…oh yes…" he sputtered to life again "if you invite her, then I'm going to ask Niles to join us."
And as he walked off to find the butler who was reading his newspaper in the limousine, Sara rolled her eyes at his inability to tell a decent lie.
"I guess date night is off the table completely…" C.C. commented dryly but without much compassion.
"Yes and I have no idea when we'll manage it again. Once my parents are out of town we'll struggle to find a babysitter…unless you or Niles would like to do that?"
"I'm sure you can work it into his job description," C.C. replied, her expression remained smooth.
Sara resisted the urge to chuckle and turned around to open the door of the restaurant for her instead. "Let's head inside and tell them we'll need a bigger table. I'm sure the boys will be smart enough to figure out where we are."
"I wouldn't count on it," C.C. muttered and followed her.
They were taken to a table at the centre of the room where they both had to struggle to squeeze themselves into their chairs. C.C. pulled a face but perked up a little when she saw the two men striding towards them. Niles was still wearing his reading glasses and looked decidedly grumpy which was enough to delight her on any given day.
"You didn't mention that she'd be here too," he muttered, reluctantly sinking down next to her.
He had pulled the chair back with such force, that it had slammed into the chair of the table behind them and a wealthy woman had turned her head to frown at him.
C.C. gave her an apologetic smile and then said: "Of course I'm here. It's surprising to me that they'd even let riffraff like you into this place."
"Alright, alright," Sara interrupted them hastily but sternly "you two have done your little bit. Now look at your menus and choose something to eat like civilised people."
They both muttered something under their breath but then obliged. Silence fell over the table for a couple of minutes, the only sound coming from the soft classical music that was playing in the background.
"Today's your lucky day," C.C. finally remarked towards Niles who only narrowed his eyes and refused to take the bait "you can finally start that diet that you've been pushing off because the Waldorf salad is the only thing you'll be able to afford."
The loud cackle that followed drew the attention of most of the other guests in the vicinity and Sara shot her friend a look in an attempt to silence her.
"Don't listen to her, old man," Maxwell chimed in pompously "this dinner is on us, of course. Treat yourself to anything you'd like."
C.C.'s gleeful chuckles continued while Niles dryly replied: "Why thank you, Mr Sheffield. How generous of you."
Sara resisted the urge to give everyone at the table a good slap on the back of the head with her menu and focused on hailing a waiter instead. "I think we're ready to order."
"Of course, Ma'am," the young man smiled politely "what can I get you?"
"I'll have a glass of your Zinfandel," Sara smiled back at him "and what would you like, darling?"
"Oh I think the Zinfandel looks lovely. I'll have a glass as well."
"Certainly, Sir," the waiter nodded and indicated a little bow before turning his attention towards C.C.
"I'll have a glass of your Chianti and pookie here will only have some water," she grinned and leaned across the table to whisper conspiratorially "otherwise he has performance issues."
Niles turned a deep shade of red and swatted her away. "No…I just have to drive still."
"Water it is, Sir," the waiter nodded and gave him an understanding smile that only made Niles bury his face deeper in his hands.
"Really, I cannot take you two anywhere!" Sara scolded them and her husband gave her a look that seemed to ask if she had come to her senses yet.
"With all due respect, Mrs Sheffield," Niles replied "it isn't my fault that Miss Babcock hasn't been potty trained."
"And you'd know all about toilets," C.C. cooed loudly, a playful glint in her eyes that indicated she was beginning to enjoy herself.
Sara gratefully took her glass of wine from the waiter a moment later and emptied it almost instantly.
"Have we decided on any starters and main courses yet?" he inquired formally, clearly choosing to overlook any events at the table.
And while Sara and Maxwell ordered, C.C. scanned the menu once more. "I can't decide between the salmon or the chicken breast with a side of-"
"Go for the salmon, dear," Niles advised her with a grin that slowly began to grow "you know how jealous you get when that chicken breast will be bigger than yours again."
"Okay, that's it!" C.C. exclaimed, standing up so swiftly that she almost knocked over their table "I'm leaving!"
Niles erupted into laughter and stood aside to let her pass while Sara engaged in a few feeble attempts to get her to stay.
"Was that really necessary, Niles?" she then asked when she saw that her friend had left.
"What?" Niles smiled innocently "I had to get her back for that earlier comment!"
"No, you didn't! And especially not here while we're supposed to be on a double date!"
"A double date?" Niles asked, arching an eyebrow before bursting into laughter "With her? Now I'm offended. Mr Sheffield told me you were going to treat me tonight not punish me."
"I just thought…" Sara mumbled, spreading her hands.
"Please, Mrs Sheffield, I've asked you time and time again not to meddle in my love life." He rose to his feet "Please go ahead and enjoy your evening but I'll be going home now. I trust you'll manage to find your own transportation back."
And while Sara looked more than ready for the ground to swallow her up, Maxwell gave him a little nod and smiled.
C.C. had made it a couple of blocks down, when a limousine slowed next to her and somebody called "Need a lift home?".
She turned her head to grin at the butler and then replied: "It's called "a ride". You've been in this country long enough to know."
"Potayto, potahto." He shrugged and grinned "So are you coming or not?"
She rolled her eyes at his impatience and then climbed into the car.
"Took you long enough," she eventually remarked when they were driving down the road again "I was seriously beginning to consider hailing a cab."
"Don't complain," he nudged her "you wanted it to be convincing, didn't you?"
"So she's feeling bad?" C.C. asked and seemed to perk up a little at the idea.
"Yes, very remorseful."
"Good," she cackled "serves her right for wanting to play matchmaker and expecting us not to notice. The least we could do was put on a good show."
"And we did," he nodded "I must admit you surprised me tonight. Did you look up those insults or did you actually think of them yourself?"
"When have I ever not managed to keep up with you?" she challenged, lazily raising one eyebrow.
"A couple of times," he grinned "do I really need to get the list out again to remind you of our score?"
"No need," she rolled her eyes and then frowned when he turned into a side street "where are we going?"
"I still have to pick up something," he told her and expertly maneuvered the limo into a parking spot between two other cars.
"Yes well, I did have some other things planned tonight, you know?" she reminded him tersely.
"You just keep telling yourself that," he grinned and stepped outside and momentarily disappeared into a building from which he re-appeared a couple of minutes later holding two paper bags.
"What's this?" C.C. frowned once more.
"Planning, Babcock, planning." He replied and placed the bags on her lap "I knew that the likelihood of us getting dinner tonight was slim so I called Peppe in advance and ordered a little bit of everything."
He pulled out of the parking spot and drove around the block until they were back on the main street. C.C. glanced over her shoulder and hummed.
"I didn't realise you could order take-out from a restaurant."
"You can't," he shrugged "but you have your connections and I have mine."
"For greasy food…great…" she commented dryly and he gave a mock gasp.
"You'll take that back once you've taken your first bite tonight."
"And then I'll be in awe of you?" she teased with an amused grin.
"Yes and you'll want to date me, after all."
They both chuckled and then fell silent while Niles continued to drive her home.
"Can you believe it?" C.C. asked when her building had come into view "Them thinking we'd make a good couple?"
"Lunacy," Niles replied softer, glancing quickly in her direction and then ahead again, just missing her very same actions.
"Well uh, thanks for a terrible night," C.C. said and placed one of the bags on the floor.
"Any time," he smiled and grasped her wrist before she could leave "that's my bag. This is yours."
And he lifted it off the floor so they could exchange it.
"Goodnight," she cleared her throat but made no attempt to leave.
"Goodnight, C.C.," he smiled again and placed a gentle kiss on the corner of her mouth.