It turned out to be much more difficult to make lunch plans than they thought it would be, when Abby was free, Wade had meetings, when Wade was free, Abby had to eat lunch at her desk and catch up on emails and memo writing. Finally, one full week later, Fred barged into her office at 11:45 and looked her up and down shaking his head disapprovingly.

"You are going to wear that to lunch with Tall, Dark and British?!"

"Jeebus, Freddy, you are worse than my mother," Abby said not looking up from her computer. She was wearing dark wash jeans, wedge sandals to give her a little bit of extra height and simple blue tunic. "We see each other every day at the café, he is fully aware of my boring wardrobe."

"Well, at least you managed not to spill anything else on him," Fred said shaking his head, "Now, go brush your teeth, fix your hair and put some lip gloss on, you have to leave in 10 minutes."

Wade was waiting outside the café 10 minutes early, he wanted to be a gentleman and pick Abby up at her office, but she insisted on meeting him outside the coffee shop. There were dozens of nicer places, there was an Italian Bistro a block away, a sandwich place, a diner, he could go on and on, but Abby said the café was just fine, with its prepackaged sandwiches and small tables. At exactly noon, he looked up and saw Abby jogging across the street, he switched his phone to vibrate and slid it in his jacket pocket as she approached him.

"Am I late? I'm so sorry," she said a little breathlessly.

"Not at all, you are exactly on time," he said holding the door open for her, appreciating the way those jeans hugged her ass.

Abby felt her cheeks flush as soon as Wade smiled at her, of course he was wearing one of his pricey suits, she noticed that he didn't wear a white shirt this time, she assumed he was playing it safe. She felt a little out of place in her jeans and knit top standing next to him in his designer suit that was likely custom made. They placed their orders and sat down at a small table near the windows where they stared at each other in awkward silence.

"So… he we are," she said fiddling with the paper wrapper from her straw.

"Yeah, here we are," he echoed. "So… how was your morning?"

"Quiet, thankfully, was catching up on emails and returning phone calls. Finally crossing things off my to-do list. You?"

"Yeah, prepping for a big meeting tomorrow. My brother will do most of the speaking, I'm just there to look pretty," he said winking at her.

She laughed, "Ha! I wish I that was my role, I have Fred for that."

He was about to say something about how he thought she was gorgeous when the server appeared with their sandwiches, by the time their food was served, the moment had passed. They munched in silence for a few moments until Abby blurted out, "They have good bread here."

He nodded, "Yeah. They do."

They finished their lunch with minimal talking, when Wade checked his watch and sighed, "Well, love, I need to be getting back."

"Yeah, of course, big meeting tomorrow. Ummm, thanks for lunch," she smiled and stood up, grabbing her giant purse from the back of her chair and bumping the edge of the table, making everything fall over. Her mouth formed a perfect O as she watched her sparkling water tumble over and land right in Wade's lap. "Oh. My. God. Wade. I am so sorry. I just, I'm not normally so…" she stuttered and handed him napkins as everyone in the café turned to stare at them. Abby just kept rambling on apologizing when Wade finally took her shaking hand in his.

"Relax, Abby. Its just water," he kissed the back of her hand, "next time, we'll do something that doesn't involve liquids, huh?"

"Next time," she said in a whisper, "Are you sure?"

He squeezed her hand and looked in her big brown eyes, "Absolutely."

Wade walked back to his office and smiled to himself, that was the most awkward lunch date he had ever been on. He was a smart man, he should quit before she ruined anymore of his clothes, but there was something about Abby that he couldn't resist.

"Mr. Barrett?" Their receptionist interrupted his thoughts, "You have three messages and your brother has been looking for you."

"Thanks Cynthia, please, call me Wade, this Mr. Barrett stuff is too formal."

"Yes, of course, and sir, why are your pants all wet?"

"Wade, call me Wade. You can call Harvey 'sir' and 'Mr. Barrett' if you so desire. And my pants are wet because my date is the clumsiest woman I have ever met in my life," he replied as he walked into his brother's office, "Really, Harv, can't I have one lunch hour without you pestering me?"

"Wade! Finally! I just accepted an invitation to a cocktail party for next Friday night. You need a tuxedo and a date."

"Harvey, this is hardly a catastrophe, it could have waited," he said draping himself in his brother's guest chair, "And it's really about time you got a more comfortable chair for me to sit in while I watch you have a yet another mental breakdown."

"You have less than two weeks to find a date, the client demands that we bring our significant others. Marci is booking the babysitter as we speak. We can't risk pissing off this client, Wade. I suppose you can always bring Cynthia…."

"Relax, big brother, take a deep breath and drink some green tea. You do remember that you forced me to buy a tux a few months ago?"

Harvey popped a few antacids and chewed them before sipping his tea, "Yes. But a date. You need a date. I'll tell Cynthia to clear her schedule, I'm sure her husband won't mind."

"Harv, you are going to give yourself an ulcer," he stood up and strolled out of his brother's office, "I know exactly who I can ask."

"And maybe you should switch to chamomile," he added as he settled down in his own office, he chuckled when he heard Cynthia attempt to cover up a laugh as a cough. "Even our ultra-professional assistant agrees."

"Well?" Fred demanded as Abby walked past him and plopped down in her desk chair with a dramatic sigh. She kicked off her sandals and slipped her feet into the cozy moccasins she kept under her desk. "I screwed it up," she said, "I'm going to be single forever. I'll be the crazy old aunt that buys everyone slippers for Christmas and has Kleenex shoved up her sleeves." She folded her arms on her desk and put her head down.

"Please tell me you didn't spill anything on him…"

She groaned and banged her head on her desk, "Maybe I should get a cat."

"Abs, no. What was it this time?"

"Sparkling water. Lemon. His crotch will smell like lemon for the rest of the day," she wailed.

"Well, at least you didn't scald the bat and balls this time," Fred said stifling a laugh.

"You're fired," she said, "Again."

"Whatever you say Abs," he said walking out, "Don't forget the Wesson conference call at 2:30."

Abby banged her head on her desk one last time before getting back to work.

The next morning Wade caught up with Abby as she was leaving the coffee shop, "Good morning, love."

She gripped her coffee with both hands, "Don't get too close…"

He chuckled, "Can I walk you to your office?"

"Ummm… OK. I thought you had some big meeting today."

"Its not until the afternoon, its better to let my brother freak out in his office alone," he looked down at her and laughed at the concern that clouded her pretty brown eyes, "Relax, he'll be alright, I bought him a brand new bottle of TUMS."

They stopped at the corner to wait for the light to change and Wade blurted out his question, "So, I have a cocktail party to attend next Friday night, would you do me the honor of being my date?"

Abby flushed, "I would love to, but I have a cocktail party too. What are the odds? Where is yours?"

"Downtown Marriott…"

"Penthouse ballroom…" she said nodding her head. "Are you sure you want to go to a formal event with me?"

Wade laughed and Abby couldn't help but laugh too, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled melted her to the core, "Champagne doesn't stain, and besides those champagne flutes are so small anyway."

She smirked, "So, you're telling me that you fully expect me to spill champagne on you and you are willing to get a small stain on your tux?"

They had stopped walking outside Abby's office, "Something like that love," he said as he leaned down and gently brushed his lips against hers. "See you tomorrow."

Abby's jaw fell as she watched Wade strut away, she was going to need Fred's help picking out a cocktail dress, her standard black sleeveless sheath wasn't going to cut it this time.