A/N : I am so sorry for the long delay in this chapter. The second part of my summer was busy with interviews for a teaching position. I finally landed one and started a few weeks ago. If there are any teachers reading this, you know how crazy the beginning of the school year can be, especially when you are new to that district. I am finally getting my footing and able to spend some more time writing. I hope, hope, hope, that I won't have a delay like this again in between chapters. This chapter will be short because I wanted to get something out to you all. Thank you for all the love and support. This chapter will just be Ana's point of view. Next chapter will be their date and will be back to both Ana and Christian's views. Happy reading!

Chapter 7:

Ana's POV

After saying goodbye to Phoebe and my dad this morning, I headed to work to get ready for a long day of inventory and getting materials ready for next week's classes. My dad wanted to drop Phoebe off to school and then he was heading back home. With a promise to call him on Sunday and a kiss goodbye, Pheebs dragged him out the door. She was very excited to show off her Papa to her friends at school. Before going to work, I stopped at the local café for tea and coffee for myself and Hannah. They also had these adorable mini cupcakes, so I bought a few dozen for the customers today. I am in high spirits, mostly because of last nights dinner at Christians, but also for tomorrow. I am excited, yet nervous, about my first date. I am sure Christian will make it memorable, whatever we may do. I don't mind if we stay in with the kids. I have fun when I am around him and he makes me feel things that I haven't felt, well, since, ever. I don't think I even felt like this with Paul. We were kids, only beginning to understand what feelings were and how to be with someone else. Growth and maturity has taught me what I want from a man in a relationship. I believe I can find that with Christian.

It is almost 12:30 and I know Kate will be here soon. She is never late, to anything. We are the best of friends. Through thick and thin, we have been there for each other. We have been friends since we were in elementary school and have never left each other's side. We are soul mates. I was there for her when her dad upped and left her family with his young, fresh out of college secretary and she was with me in the delivery room when I had Phoebe. Besides me, she was the first one to hold her. I love my dad, however, he was the last one I wanted in that room with me. When my dad couldn't go to my Lamaze classes, Kate did. When we were out one night for a little girls' night, I was with her when she saw her dad with his bimbo of a new wife. We're sisters, through and through. My dad is her dad, her mom is my mom.

Customers have been in and out all day, the cupcakes are a hit. This is something that I will most likely do again, maybe an every Friday thing. I'll speak to Hannah later about it. The door chime rings and in walks in my gorgeous green eyed, blonde friend. She makes people, both men and women, stop in their tracks when she enters a room. She oozes confidence and has a smile that lights up the darkest corners of the world. She walks right past me and to the cupcake tray. "Hey! Those are for customers, Bug." I pretend to scold her.

"Oh, my miss, I am terribly sorry. Here, I will buy this." She says with a mouth full of cupcakes and glancing around the store to find something to "buy".

"Ha, yeah right. You haven't bought an actual book since college, now you only read what you can on your Ipad. I will let that cupcake slide for now." I say to her as I give her a hug and kiss on the cheek. "You ready, mama?" she asks me.

Hannah knows the drill for the day, so with a reminder to call me if I am needed and that I will be back in an hour for her lunch break, Kate and I are out the door.

We arrive at the Purple Garden café, which is our go to spot for quick lunch dates. We are seated at our table within minutes and glance at the menus. "Um, Ana," Kate starts to say in a hushed tone that makes me look up at her. "Those men at that table over there is staring at us." I turn to look and notice a table of business men peering over at us. I roll my eyes and turn back around to Kate. "They are probably looking at you Kate." I say as I look back down at the menu.

"No, nope, they are looking at both of us, Ana. Oh my… one of them is walking over, and it looks like –"she starts to ramble.

"Fancy meeting you here, Ms. Steele." A deep baritone, smooth voice greets me. I glace up and meet my grey eye guy. "Well, isn't this a lovely surprise, Mr. Grey."

I stand up to greet him. He gives me a swift kiss on the cheek and grasps my hands in his. "Lovely, it is." He breathes.

"What are you doing here?" I ask of him.

"I have a lunch meeting with Ros and a couple of other directors. We wanted to meet out of the office today, and Ros suggested this place. I will definitely have to thank her now." He winks and I blush.

"Hello. I am Kate, Ana's friend." Christian and I finally glance away from each other and turn towards Kate. How can I forgot that she was here? Damn, Grey and his all American smile and velvet voice.

"Oh, I am so sorry Kate. Christian, Kate. Kate, this is Christian Grey. He is the guy I was talking to you about that will be using my bookstore for his authors." She just glances at me and smirks.

"This is also the same Christian Grey that you had dinner with last night AND have a date tomorrow with. Also, this is the Christian that we have yet to discuss, in great, female chit chat, length." She adds while looking at Christian.

Christian doesn't falter at all, if anything, he stands taller, and smirks back at Kate. "It is my pleasure to meet you, Ms. Kavanagh. I just came by to tell this beautiful lady that I can't wait for tomorrow, and that I will be calling her tonight with more details. I didn't want to interrupt too much on your time together. Have fun discussing your female chit chat." He responds to her as he shakes her hand. "It was nice to meet you Kate." Kate says the same and gives us some space as she walks to the restroom.

"You look beautiful, as always." Christian whispers in my ear as he hugs me. "I knew the moment you walked in, my heart beat faster and I felt a surge of energy travel through me." All I can do is shiver in response. How is this man still single, and why would anyone want to leave him?

I pull back from him and give him a shy smile. "You don't look so bad yourself, Mr. Grey." I give him a wink.

"So, as I told Kate, I cannot wait until tomorrow. I've been thinking about being alone with you all morning. Aren't you tired, baby? Running around all day in my mind like that…"

I slap his chest and let out a girlish giggle. What the hell? All of a sudden I was a teenage girl and the captain of the football team flirted with me. "That was one of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard." Oh my God. Swoon.

"Stop it, Christian. I can't wait for tomorrow either. Kate is coming back, I should continue my lunch with her and you, Mister, should get back to your meeting. I will talk to you tonight."

"Okay, baby. I'll speak to you later. Have a good day." With that said, and a quick kiss, he turns on his heels and goes back to his meeting.

"Well, well, well, look who is all hot and bothered!" Kate squeals as she sits back down.

"Shut it, Kate" I smile at her. We spend some time talking about Christian and what we think the date will entail. I tell her that Phoebe will be staying with Teddy and Gail. Kate looks happy for me and her eyes start to glaze.

"Kate?"

"Oh, Ana, I am just so happy for you. I know it's only the first date, but, when he was walking over here, the look in his eyes. Gosh, it was pure admiration. He only had eyes for you."

"Aww, thank you Kate. I am so nervous. I haven't been on a date in years, I don't know how to date."

"You will be fine Ana. Let him lead it. It seems like he has it planned out, and I have no doubt in my mind he has thought of you planning it out." She always puts my mind at ease. My forever soul sister.

"You're right. I know once I find out what he has planned, I will be less nervous. Let's talk about something else, you had something to tell me…."

"Yep. Well, two things. Unfortunately, it's a good news, bad news, sort of thing. Well, I think the good news is good news… I hope you do too."

I stare blankly at her. I don't know if I want the bad news or the good news first. I will let her decide.

"Okay… I'm waiting."

"Okay, good news first. Again, I hope it is good news. Here I go, I really hope you think it is good news, because –"

"Kate, spit it out." Damn, does she always ramble when she is nervous? Wait, has she ever been this nervous before? The last time I saw her like this was when she nominated for prom queen.

"Okay, okay. I needed to go to my mom's place for my old laptop. I wanted to see if a past story was saved on there, I want to add it to my portfolio. Sorry, anyway, I pull into the driveway and guess whose truck was in the driveway?" She actually waits for my answer.

"Kate…."

"Your dad, Ana, YOUR DAD!" All I can to do is look at her. "I went inside and they were sitting on the couch, pretty close, might I add. They both looked up quickly and my mom was blushing, blushing. My mom doesn't blush, Ana."

"So, what did you say? What did they say they were doing?" Knowing Kate, she is blowing it way out of proportion, and my dad was just there to help her fix her furnace. He has gone there plenty of times in the past to help her out.

"I asked them what was going on and my mom said that Ray came over to help her with a plumbing problem with her kitchen sink." She rolls her eyes when she mentioned 'plumbing problem'. I just shrug.

"Ana, you don't get it. She just got new pipes because Ray told her a few months ago that she needed new ones, that the ones she had was ready to burst. A little while after that Ray left saying he needed to pick up Pheebs. Of course it was an awkward goodbye between the two of them. As soon as that door shut, I was questioning my mom like she was a murder suspect. She was all giggly and blushing again! She said she has a 'crush' on him, and right before I walked in …. HE ASKED HER OUT FOR DINNER! And not the kind she makes." With that, my fork drops.

"He asked her out? On a date? He actually did it…."

"Huh? What? You knew he was going to ask her out?"

"No, he told me that I needed to put myself out there and I said, I would, if he would. I just didn't think that he would. I am so proud of him. He deserves to be happy, and be with someone like your mom. OH MY… YOUR MOM!" All of a sudden, it hits me. My dad and my best friend's mom is going on a date!

"I know! I really hope they hit it off. We could actually be sisters! For real." We both laugh. We talk some more about our parents and both agree that we are excited to see where they will go from here. We also say that we will not interfere, too much, and let them come to us first when they want to tell us about their hopefully, blooming relationship.

"Okay, Kate… hit me with your bad news." Her face pales.

"Paul is back in town. He got a job here."