Alex took a long time to get ready for her dinner with Bobby. She tried to tell herself it didn't matter what she looked like, that it was just Bobby and he would take her out in sweats if that's what she wanted. But Alex wanted to look her best for this date. Okay, so it wasn't really a date- but it was as close as she was ever going to get to a real date with Bobby and she planned to make the best out of it as she could.
She chose a modest knee length, black, silk dress. It had a v-neck, but not too low. It was form fitting at the top, and the was slightly gathered as it moved down her body, so it 'swished' a little when she moved. She paired it with black heels and simple earrings. She pulled her hair up away from her face and fastened it with a diamond studded clip, a gift passed down to her when her grandmother passed away. She spent a little extra time on her makeup, sprayed a touch of perfume, and was done surprisingly early. She thought she looked good, but not overdone. She didn't want him thinking she wanted it to be a date. Alex would never do anything to risk losing his partnership and friendship. But still, she couldn't get rid of the excited butterflies in her stomach.
--
Bobby couldn't shake the nervousness he felt while he walked up to Alex's apartment. He had bought her a bouquet of gardenias, hoping she wouldn't know the special meaning behind them. He reached her apartment and stared dumbly at the door for a moment, wondering if he should knock or use the key Alex had given him like he usually did. Before Bobby could decide which would be appropriate, Alex opened the door and grinned at him.
"Are you going to just stand out there?" she said sarcastically, smiling up at Bobby's handsome -and clean shaven- face.
Bobby stared at his petite partner. He had always been beautiful to him, but tonight he was completely speechless. She looked gorgeous in her simple, yet elegant dress. He loved how she had done her hair, pulled up from her face. And the amount of makeup was just right to accent her naturally beautiful face.
Alex studied her partner as he so obviously studied her. He looked casual compared to the expensive suits and ties she was used to seeing him in. But he was definitely still dressed up. He looked even more handsome than usual in his casual black flannel shirt with no tie, with the top two buttons undone, and a black suit jacket unbuttoned over it. He had on a pair of dark jeans and his customary black dress shoes. He had shaven the stubble off his handsome face and was staring at her with his dreamy brown eyes and a smile on his face. Her heart jumped to her throat. Yes, her partner fit the definition "tall, dark and handsome" to a tee.
Bobby suddenly realized that he must look like he'd never seen a beautiful woman before. Then again, he never had seen a woman as beautiful as Alex looked at that moment. He looked down at his hands and saw that he still held the flowers he had bought her. Before he let his mind wander again, he extended them to her. "For you." was all he could say.
Alex smiled sweetly and smelled the large bunch of flowers. Gardenias if she wasn't mistaken. "They're beautiful. Thank you, Bobby." she said. "Come in, and I'll find a vase for them. Sit down. Well, if you want I mean. Are you thirsty? Can I get you something to drink?" Alex asked quickly and then stopped when she realized that she sounded like a nervous school girl. This was her partner for goodness sakes, he had been here too many times to count and she was acting like he was a first time guest. She hurried to kitchen in search of a vase, to save herself from further embarrassment.
When she returned a few minutes later, Bobby was across the room studying a picture of the two of them on her mantle. Alex watched him in silence.
"I don't remember this picture." Bobby said without turning around. It was as if he could feel her eyes on him. She came up behind him and looked. It was a photo of them a few years earlier, at her nephew's birthday party. In it, Bobby and Alex were sitting on a porch swing and Bobby was smiling and saying something, at which Alex was laughing. The picture captured a rare moment of the two of them being carefree and having fun together outside of work. Although there was no doubt they were the other's best friend, there were very few times they could really relax and just be silly and have fun together. Which made them cherish those moments even more.
"My sister took it when we weren't paying attention. She gave me a copy when they were developed." Alex said.
"Oh." Bobby said simply. "I like it." He turned to face Alex. "You ready to go?"