Part 2

"I can smell…lasagne!" Sara opened the door to Sofia's apartment.

"You're right. Vegetarian lasagne." Sofia put a salad bowl on the table. "And it's waiting for you. Like me."

"Good to know. I missed you too." Sara hugged Sofia.

"Did you? I thought there was somebody else making sure you weren't too lonely."

"You are so curious."

"I am, it's my job. Tell me. I want details."

"You could at least wait until we're sitting here with the food if you can't hold back until after dinner."

"I can't. Sit down, I'll get the lasagne."

Sara started laughing. She knew how curious Sofia was.

"Stop laughing and get us something to drink."

"What a service."

"You want service? Go to a restaurant. You came to your best friend, you can help yourself. You know, friends come for dinner, real friends open the fridge and help themselves. You are a real friend."

"Yes Ma'am." Sara got up and took the bottle with the mineral water and poured them some water.

"Careful, hot." Sofia placed the bowl with the lasagne on the table, took Sara's plate and gave her some lasagne.

"And now tell me. He did show up, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"I knew it. And? Don't be so awful slow, tell me everything."

"You cook very well, Sofia."

"Sara!"

"And so much cheese." Sara went on teasing the blonde.

"I'll kill you if you don't cut through the shit and tell me what I want to hear."

"We had breakfast."

"And?"

"Nothing. We talked."

"What about?"

"The job…"

"Oh Sara!"

"You…"

"Sara!"

"He wanted to know if I'm interested in meeting him for dinner one day and I suggested the day after tomorrow."

"That's better. Why so late?"

"Because I wanted to see you tonight and I have some other plans for tomorrow. It's gym night."

"I'm sure he makes some exercises with you if you ask him."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Come on, don't play the saint, I know you."

"I don't want him in my bed so fast."

"Who said something about the bed? Kitchen table, carpet…"

"Get yourself out of the gutter!"

"Sorry."

"You were right, he likes me, it's obvious. The waitress tried to flirt with him and he never noticed that. And this brown eyes, so wonderful to drown in. And his body…I should invite him for a swim."

"Can I come too?"

"No!"

"Pity. You have to take photos for me. Did you guys do nothing more than having breakfast and talking?"

"No. He's a colleague, Sofia."

"Right. Better to test the water first, make sure it can work instead of jumping into the next bed and feel sorry about that a week later. Whatever happens between you and Ryan will effect your work." Sofia was serious now. As much as she wanted Sara to be with her colleague, she knew it was difficult. Love could change to hate and then they had to handle that and keep on being professionals at work.

"But you are interested?"

"Yes I am."

"And so is he. That's a good base. I want you to be happy, Sara."

"I know." Sara smiled. "We'll see what happens. No need to hurry. So, tell me about your morning. Did you stay or did you leave your bartender?"

"Both."

"Both?"

"I left with him."

"I thought so."

"He is cute and…I don't know, he got me. He invited me to breakfast."

"Tequila sunrise on the Stratosphere Tower?"

"No, thanks god. Anyway I doubt the tower is open at that time. He drove us out in the desert, on a mountain to see the sunrise. We got some bagels and coffee on the way. It was really nice but I told him, I was sure I wasn't the first one he showed this and I wasn't impressed with this."

"Ouch."

"No, he took it with humor, said, he would be disappointed if I get so easily impressed and then he impressed me."

"How?"

"That's a crazy story. We talked about flowers, I told him I like orchids, he called me a Jeep, a yellow creature from Africa, I told him I can't make myself disappear and we were both surprised that the other had watched the old Popeye cartoons."

"What is a Jeep? I assume you're not talking about a car."

"It's a creature from Africa, size of a dog, yellow, loves to eat orchids and was in these old Popeye cartoons. Did you not watch them?"

"No."

"Not, they were…oh, sorry." Sofia realized what she was about to say and took Sara's hand. Sara never had a happy childhood with cartoons, how could she forget that? She could slap herself for that.

"It's alright, don't worry. You can't think the whole time what a fucked up childhood I had. Sometimes you have to forget that. I try the same."

"I didn't want to be so…insensitive. I'm sorry, Sara."

"I'm fine." Sara pulled Sofia up and took her with her to the couch. Sitting next to each other, Sara placed her arm around Sofia. "Go on telling."

"We ended up talking about cartoons and he loved the Smurfs. That made me laugh, he wanted me to stop but I couldn't and I kept teasing him so he kissed me to shut up. That worked."

"Wow, he knows how to handle you."

"Yeah. I asked if he thinks it a good that we do that."

"Of course he did."

"Well, he said he can't promise it will be forever but he can promise that he'll never betray me. That's more than most guys do and I mentioned I shoot first and ask then. I think he got the hint."

"You were straight forward."

"Yes. He wanted to bring me home, kiss me good morning and go home."

"A gentleman."

"Yes. I didn't feel like having a gentleman around."

"Did you tell him?"

"Yes." Sofia smiled coy.

"And he understood."

"He did."

"I hope he shakes other things as good as his cocktails."

"Who's the one in the gutter now?"

"Sorry." Sara giggled.

"And I can tell you, he does."

"Okay, I won't ask for details."

"I won't give them to you."

"No need to do so. I'm happy you're happy." Sara kissed Sofia's cheek. "I hope he'll keep his promise and is the one."

"So do I. He works nights, very handy."

"Yes."

"We can have a dinner with our new guys in a few weeks."

"I don't have a new guy."

"Official not, no. We'll overcome this obstacle soon. There are no reasons why you and him shouldn't be a dream couple."

"Let's hope he thinks the same"

"I'm sure he does." Sofia smiled. She wanted Sara happy and then they were both happy in a relationship. Some would consider that as a threat to their friendship but she was sure, their friendship was strong enough and they were close enough to keep their relationship strong.