A/N - Better late than never! I'm sorry this is late, but I did warn you of that last time, I think? Anyway, back to Friday updates. Hope you enjoy this one please let me know what you think. Also, check out my profile page for a poll for a new story, the sequel to my other fic Misery Business. Thanks!


Vanessa's POV

I loved being in Raleigh with Matt and Jeff. It really felt like a proper vacation for me, as opposed to going home for a couple of days. Although it would've been nice to have some family time, the in-laws really didn't take very well to my outlook on life. Especially when it came to guys. My parents had always been understanding that I worked with a lot of guys, had a lot of guy friends and never pushed me when it came to telling them about my relationships. Or lack of them. But that all changed around the time of the wedding planning. I took Jeff to the engagement party, he went on Charlie's Stag Night, and he came to the wedding. They just presumed that we were a couple. So when it came to light that we weren't, it came as a shock to them. Sandra tried to make them understand that Jeff and I were the best of friends, so it wasn't weird that we shared a bed, or finished each others sentences, but ever since they found out, it was just very awkward. So I avoided them at all costs.

Matt and Jeff had gone to spend some time with Gil, so I lazed around for most of the day, enjoying the sunshine, doing some washing and fixing up something for dinner. The boys always joked that I would be the perfect housewife, because I didn't mind doing all these things – it was the least I could for Matt and Jeff considering they had rescued me from what would've pretty much been hell.

"I can smell food! Ness? Did you cook?" I heard Jeff before I could see him.

"I was possessed by the kitchen fairy, she made me do washing too," I laughed, "Where's Matt?" I asked.

"He's helping Dad out with a few things. I don't think he'll be back for dinner though."

The look in Jeff's eye made me think he was up to something, but I chose to ignore it. It would be nice to have some time, just me and Jeff, without the endless teasing of Matt that we were usually subjected too. Although he only did that because he knew it annoyed me and would lead to a playfight. Boys will be boys.

"I'm sure you'll manage to eat most of it, and Matt can always reheat whatever you don't eat?" I suggested. "Well, I was gonna change for dinner. Pick me up at 7?" I laughed,

"It's a date."

The 'd' word stuck in my head as I changed for dinner. I changed from my shorts into a denim skirt and pulled on a clean black tank top. Pinning my hair back, I started to wonder if Jeff meant anything by the 'd' word or whether he was joking. Like, when I had said he was to pick me up at seven. Maybe it was a Freudian slip aswell as it being a joke. It was one of things that I say without thinking but then worry about afterwards. I was notorious for worrying. I just couldn't help it. It was almost a compulsion. I had to worry, about something. Usually it was work, and that whenever someone had something planned, I would prepare for them to botch and injure themselves, their opponent or both. I worried about being the only girl, and what the boys were thinking and saying about me. Jeff always told me that it didn't matter what people said, or what people thought, but it didn't stop me worrying about it. I didn't have to worry much longer though, it was almost seven.

"Ness, y'ready?" Jeff called.

I was in two minds whether or not that I was grateful that he wasn't standing outside the spare room, picking me up. I was only joking, afterall. Maybe the 'd' word was just another joke too? It wouldn't be the first time that Jeff and I got our wires crossed. We had been the victims of miscommunication numerous times, mostly because I wouldn't say what I really wanted to because I was too scared of the damage it could do to our friendship. Just because we flirted, got on really well together and could talk or sit in silence for hours didn't mean anything more than we were best friends. That is how it's always been, and that's too much to risk.

Before I was able to shout back, there was a knock at the door. He was coming to pick me up afterall. "Ness? C'mon, I'm hungry."

"Okay, okay, I'm co-" I pulled the door open but stepped back, surprised to find Jeff standing holding a bunch of flowers, "Who are they for?"

Jeff's POV

Sometimes my best friend would leave my speechless, whether it be something that she said, or did. Most of the time it was because she had said or done something so funny or stupid that I just didn't know what to say in fear of her hitting me. Then there were times like this when she would leave me speechless because she had been completely amazing and had no idea just how amazing she had been.

As she got changed for dinner, I walked around the house which she had tidied completely. Dinner was in the oven and it smelled awesome. She did it because that was just the type of person that she was. I had spent the whole day talking things over with Matt and Dad (who congratulated me on finally acknowledging something he had apparently spotted the first time we had introduced him to Vanessa). It was his idea that Matt stayed out of the way for the night to give me and Vanessa some time alone together, properly. Normally, it wouldn't matter that Matt was there, we'd still be our usual flirty selves but the word around the locker room before we left was that Phil wasn't going to hang around long when Vanessa got back before making a move on her himself.

Phil was becoming a great opponent in the ring. He was a brilliant heel, and he could cut a pretty damn good promo. Worst of all, outside of the ring, he was the nicest of guys. Which only made it more difficult to know that he liked Vanessa. If I didn't, Phil would be the type of guy I would want her to go out with. He would take care of her, treat her right, make her happy. But I wanted to be the one to do that, I was sure of that the moment I walked into the house after leaving Matt and Dad. It had been obvious to them for so long, but I just couldn't see it.

I went back out to my car and looked at the bunch of flowers in the back seat that Dad had insisted I bring home with me, because apparently nothing worked better to make a girl smile than give her a bunch of flowers. I wasn't even sure that Vanessa even liked flowers, but I would be about to learn whether or not my Dad was even more of a genius than I already thought he was. My cell rang as I walked back into the house, "Does she like the flowers?" Matt asked, not bothering with the usual hello like everyone else would,

"I haven't given her them yet, she's just changing for dinner. Which she made. And she tidied. She tidied the whole place. And I don't even know if she likes flowers?"

Matt sighed, "Y'know, if you don't go out with her, can I? Once my place is finished being decorated and I move back in, she can clean there too," he laughed, "Just let me know when it's safe to come back. Or if I have to stay here tonight..."

"Okay Matt. Bye." I placed my phone back in my pocket and called to see if Vanessa was ready, "Ness, y'ready?" She didn't answer, so I picked up the flowers and sprinted up the stairs and towards the spare room. I knocked on the door, she still hadn't said anything. "Ness? C'mon, I'm hungry."

"Okay, okay I'm co-" she stopped as she opened the door, looking at the flowers questioningly, "Who are they for?"

I handed the bunch to her and she grinned, "After cleaning and making dinner, I just thought you might like them?"

She hugged me but shook her head at me as she started walking downstairs, "You didn't know I'd cooked and cleaned before you got back. And I didn't hear the car and you had no time to run off and get these. So what's going on Jeffro?"

I sighed. Speechless again because she'd caught me out. She checked the cupboards in the kitchen for something to put the flowers in, making do with a tall glass. I remained silent as she plated up the food. She looked at me expectantly before she placed the plate in front of me, "I'm still waiting for an explanation Jeff. And seeing as no one has ever bought me flowers before, you must've either done something really bad that might upset me?" I shook my head. Vanessa screwed her face up, puzzled. "Or you want a really really big favour? Bigger than me cleaning up your house and cooking for you?" I shook my head again in reply to her question. I didn't know what to say. She might hate me. My cell buzzed in my pocket, a message from Matt saying How's the date? When can I come home for leftovers? I sighed, he had given me the answer, the words I was looking for, the explanation. "So?"

"It's a date," I said, before starting to eat.

Vanessa stood up from her seat and walked over to the fridge without saying a word. I guess now was her time to be speechless. "Do you want a beer? I need a beer," she spoke into the fridge. It was endearing, although I was worried that I had embarrassed her and she was going to hit me over the head with the bottle of beer. She elbowed the fridge door closed and turned to me, a shy smile on her face, "I don't usually go into a date without sinking a beer or two first. And if this is a proper date and not just Hardy Show stunt, then I really need a beer."

"Ness, I promise you this isn't a stunt. Although, it is a pretty good idea. I should tell Matt."

As the night went on, thankfully things became less awkward. Things were almost normal, apart from occasional peck Vanessa would give me for no apparent reason every so often. Not that I was complaining. It just felt natural. We were completely at ease with one another and there was nothing we didn't already know. None of the awkward first date questions. "Jeff? I dunno how to say this without it sounding wrong, so I'm just going to say it. But don't freak out, you have to let me explain, okay?" I nodded, gesturing for her to continue.

"Y'know the stuff that went around the locker room about me and Phil hooking up? Well, it wasn't all lies. But we weren't together and I'm only telling you this because someone would tell you and make it sound worse than it really was," she stopped talking, probably to give me a chance to take that information in.

Speechless again. I didn't know why she had chosen now to tell me, or what I was meant to say in reply. We weren't even together, so it shouldn't matter, but we both knew it did. Matt was right, it was only a matter of time before someone else had taken a shot with her, in fact, they already had.

"And I know it probably seems odd that I'm telling you this, but y'know how Phil is. He'd think he was being funny, when he's not. I came back with you here because I wasn't to spend time with you Jeff. Just us, y'know what I mean?"

I nodded and put my arm around her, still unsure of what to say. "So I guess I owe you pretty big for cooking dinner?"

She smiled, clearly relieved after telling me about Phil, "Well you bought me flowers, so I guess a little something else would be us even. Maybe you could just sit here with me for a while and I'll fall asleep on you? Cause I'm pretty tired," she sighed, kissing my cheek before leaning her head on my shoulder.