A/N: Thanks for continuing to read, review, and follow! I appreciate it. Oh, the site was acting really weird the other week, and there seemed to be problems with notifications. I did update this story on May 7th. So if you didn't read chapter 9, you may want to go check it out before reading this one. That being said, I apologize for not posting last week. My whole team came into town from different parts of the country for an offsite, and my manager had me doing some set up for it since it was at my office. While it was good seeing everyone, it was a lot of work organizing everything here, and there were a couple very long days. So while I had most of this written earlier in the week, I didn't have the time to edit. To make up for the delay, you have a nice long chapter! I might have a surprise for you so keep your eyes peeled for notifications if you're following me or just check the site. Please see the Author's Notes at the end. This chapter picks up where the last one left off. Hope you enjoy this update!
/
"Kendall, if you have some time in the next day or two, maybe the two of us could get together and talk some more and get to know each other better? You could include Greenlee in that if you think you think that would be a good idea."
"I'd like that, Marissa, and Greenlee will too. Okay, I've really got to get back before she sends out a search party for her lunch. Good luck with the rest of your lunch with Mom. Although, I think you're doing pretty good so far."
"Thanks. Tell Bianca I said hi and that I can't wait to see her."
Kendall chuckled. She knew the two younger women had it bad for each other. "I'll be happy to. See ya."
"Bye." Marissa sighed as she watched Kendall leave. Once she was gone, the redhead headed back to her table to continue her interrogation by Erica.
/
"Is everything all right?" Erica asked.
"Yes, it is. Where were we?"
"I'd like to hear about your family if don't mind."
Marissa grinned. "I don't mind one bit. They just so happen to be one of my favorite subjects. My Mom is a teacher, and she loves what she does and is really great at it. She is the glue of our family and is a force to be reckoned with. Mom's kind of had to be that way because of Fiona. My Dad is in IT, and he's our family's tech expert. He travels some for work and has also created several popular apps. Dad also tells really bad jokes. I mean as in really cheesy and corny. He thinks they're hilarious though, and the three of us humor him. Fiona is a teaching assistant at Devon Elementary and works with the kindergarteners and first graders. She is a natural, and the kids love Miss Fi." Marissa continued to talk about her family for several more minutes with Erica asking questions every now and then. When she was done, Marissa looked at Erica. "Would you mind telling me about Bianca? She's told me a few things about herself, but I have a feeling she's been pretty modest."
Erica chuckled. "You would be correct. Bianca is very modest. She has never been one to want to draw attention to herself. I suppose a large reason for that is because of me. She is remarkable though, and I am very proud of her. Did she tell you that she is on the Dean's List at PVU and that she has a perfect 4.0?"
"She didn't. I'm not surprised by that though. I can tell she's very smart, and her heart, well her heart and her capacity to care is even more amazing."
"Very true. Bianca takes after my mother in that regard. She is a fighter though."
Marissa rested her chin on her hand as she listened to Erica talk about what had quickly become one of the redhead's favorite subjects.
/
Kendall found her sister and best friend in her office. The two had just high-fived each other as she walked in. "I come bearing lunch for the three of us, and I have a message for you, Binx. I ran into Marissa. She said to tell you hi and that she can't wait to see you."
Bianca smiled brightly hearing the message. "I can't wait either. I hope everything goes okay tonight."
"It's going to go great tonight. Besides, I have a feeling it doesn't matter one way or the other for Red. As long as you're there, she'll think it's perfect."
"Do you really think so, Kendall?"
"Yeah, I really do."
"For what it's worth, I agree with Kendall. In the few times that I've seen Marissa around you, she only has eyes for you." Greenlee added.
"Thanks." Bianca sighed happily. It was nice to hear that she wasn't the only one like that because when she was around the redhead she only saw Marissa. "Wait. I thought she was meeting with Caleb today."
"He had to reschedule. She said something about a deposition with a client. Red didn't seem too broken up about it though. She said it gave her more time to get ready for your date."
"I like that. And I will be able to do the same thing myself, thanks to Greenlee and her valuable assistance."
Greenlee nodded. "You are most certainly welcome."
"You finished the layout?"
"Yep!" Bianca said proudly. "And it's pretty darn good, if I do say so myself."
"And I say so too. Take a look." Greenlee motioned for Kendall to check out the work table.
"Okay. Let's check out this masterpiece."
While Kendall reviewed the layout, Bianca and Greenlee unpacked their lunches.
"Bianca, this is amazing!"
"Yeah?"
"Definitely! This is some of your best work."
"Well, I can't take all the credit. Greenlee helped."
"Oh please! I made one very minor suggestion. That is all you, Bianca. You deserve all the credit."
"Like I said, amazing. I'm proud of you, Binx."
"Thanks, Kendall. That means a lot. Thank you too, Greenlee."
"Work like this definitely deserves a reward. So, you're definitely leaving early today. I'm thinking you can leave whenever you want." Kendall smiled.
"I'm going to take you up on that and leave early, after we finish lunch though."
/
Krystal leaned back in her chair as she waited for Lydia to come back on the line. The two women had been talking for some time, and Krystal had yet to tell her friend about what had happened earlier with Erica and Marissa. She had slowly been working her way up to it and knew that now was the time.
"Hey. Sorry about that."
"No problem. Is Roy okay?"
"Yes, he's fine." Lydia sighed. "You know my husband likes to think that he's handy around the house, but we all know better. He was trying to fix the banister this time. He's lucky he didn't slice a finger off."
Krystal chuckled. "True. The fact that he calls a Phillips head screwdriver a 'plus screwdriver' says it all."
"I know. Fiona just shakes her head at him when he's working on something and asks her to get him that. Roy is such a smart man, but I can't leave him alone with a power tool. Can you imagine what would happen if I did? It would be ugly. Give him a computer though and it's a completely different story."
"Speaking of that, do you think he would mind taking a look at my computer when you all are here?"
"He would be more than happy to."
"Good." Krystal took a breath and began. "So, something else happened at the restaurant earlier that I need to tell you about."
"Okay. What?"
"Erica stopped by and asked about Marissa. She wanted to know more about the woman dating her daughter."
"So, she naturally went to you because you're the only one in Pine Valley that knows Marissa. That makes sense."
"Exactly. What she didn't realize at first however was that Marissa was also there. When she found that out, she went to talk to her."
Lydia was on alert with that last statement. "She didn't do anything to hurt Rissa, did she? Because if she did, she'll be dealing with me, and it will be in less than two weeks. I don't give a damn that she's Erica Kane. She could be the Queen of England, and it wouldn't matter to me."
Krystal knew her friend would react like she currently was. This was about one of her daughters after all. "Lydia."
"What?!"
"Do you honestly believe that I would stand by and do nothing while someone hurt Marissa?"
Lydia sighed. "No, you wouldn't. I'm sorry. So, what happened?"
"Your daughter and that Tasker charm happened."
"Seriously?"
"Yep. I'll admit that there were what appeared to be some intense moments, but Marissa didn't back down and more than held her own. I can't tell you what was said exactly, but by the end of their conversation, they were laughing just like they were old friends and even shared a toast. The whole thing was amazing and a little surreal at the same time. I don't even know how else to describe it."
Lydia laughed. "That's my girl! Oh, I know all about that Tasker charm. Rissa was really okay?"
"Yes, she really was. When Marissa left, she had a big smile on her face and was looking forward to her date tonight with Bianca."
"Good. So, I won't have to drive over there and give Ms. Kane a piece of my mind?"
"No, you won't, not tonight at least. Erica can intimidate people. I'm sure that comes as no surprise. The thing about her is that she respects someone that stands up to her, that doesn't back down, or kiss her ass. I can't see your daughter doing any of those things. She's like her Mom in that regard."
"Well, I want her to be strong and stand up for herself. You know as well I do that just because someone is famous doesn't make them better than anyone else, especially my daughters."
"I do know that, and I couldn't agree with you more. What I really want you to know though is that I think Erica likes Marissa, and I don't think she'll be a problem for Marissa dating Bianca. That is saying something because Erica is just as protective of her daughters as you are of yours. I don't think you're going to have to worry about Erica Kane."
"I can't tell you how good that is to hear. I know Marissa is an adult and more than capable of taking care of herself, but she's my daughter. I can't help but worry about her, and I always will. She's had her heart broken several times when those people couldn't accept Fiona. It changed her some. Rissa isn't as trusting or as open as she was when she was younger. I hate what they did to her."
"I know, and I hate that too. Since she's been in Pine Valley though, I've seen glimpses of that spark, and today, it was on full display. I truly believe that she and Bianca are pretty darn good together, and when you come here, you'll see that for yourself."
"Okay. I'm going to take your word on that, for now. I'll withhold my judgement until I can see for myself."
/
Bianca left work about an hour after her lunch with Kendall and Greenlee and headed straight home. The first thing she did when she got there was confirm her plans for the evening and found that everything was still on track. With that done, she picked up around the house to rid herself of excess energy as well as calm her nerves. Bianca had briefly toyed with the idea of inviting Marissa back to her place later that evening for a drink. She wasn't planning on anything more happening at this point because she still wanted to take things slow. Bianca and Reese had rushed their relationship, and she knew how that had ended. She didn't want to make the same mistakes with Marissa that she with Reese. Bianca knew that Marissa was special. She was starting to believe that she just might have a future with her, and wanted to make sure she did things right this time or as right as she possibly could.
A check of the time told her that she needed to start getting ready. Bianca perused her closet for something to wear. She had picked out an outfit that morning, but now, that she saw it again, she was second guessing it. Bianca shook her head and decided to think about it after her shower.
/
Marissa glanced in the mirror and checked her reflection and was pleased with her hair and makeup. She nodded as she smoothed the non-existent wrinkles in her dress. Marissa had gone back and forth on what to wear several times since she had gotten home before finally deciding on her current outfit. She sighed as she thought about her day thus far. It had started off really good when she saw Bianca. Then, it got interesting and a little scary if she was honest with herself. Finally meeting Bianca's Mom was an experience she would not soon forget. Erica Kane was a force like no other, and Marissa couldn't help but be intimidated by the diva. The redhead was proud of herself however for holding her ground. Marissa refused to let herself be dissuaded by anyone, including Erica and Kendall, from dating Bianca. It had been a long time since she felt this way about anyone, and she would be damned if she let anyone scare her off.
/
Bianca paused outside the door to Marissa's condo and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. I can do this. There's no reason to be nervous. It's Marissa. Tonight is going to be great. Bianca smiled just thinking about the redhead. She suddenly couldn't wait to see her and quickly knocked on the door.
/
Marissa took a deep breath as she waited for Bianca to arrive. She had to admit that she was a little nervous about tonight because she really wanted things to go well. It's Bianca though. I really don't have a reason to be so nervous. Bianca seems to make things better. It just feels right with her.
She was pulled from her thoughts by a knock on her door. Marissa smiled as walked over to it. With a final deep breath, she opened the door.
/
"Hey." Bianca managed to choke out the greeting when she laid eyes on Marissa. Wow!
"Hey yourself." Marissa couldn't believe just how stunning Bianca was. Damn! "You look amazing."
Bianca recovered quickly. "Thank you. You're not so bad yourself, Counselor."
Marissa laughed when she heard the flirtatious tone in Bianca's voice.
"Seriously though, you look incredible."
"Thank you. Would you like to come in? Do we have time?"
"We have a little time before our reservation, and I would love to."
Marissa stepped aside allowing Bianca to enter. "Would you like a tour? From what I saw of your place, the layout of mine is pretty similar, minus the moving boxes."
"I would love a tour. The layouts may be similar, but I'd like to see what you've done here. And don't worry about the boxes. I remember all too well that moving is a daunting task. It looks like you're making pretty good progress though."
"Yeah, I'm getting there, slowly but surely."
Bianca noticed several large stacks of books next to an unassembled bookcase. "What are all of these?"
"Most are law books, but I do have some other books mixed in. Eventually, this will go into a spare room which I'm going to make into a home office."
The brunette read the titles of a few of the books. "You're a fan of Jane Austen?"
"I'm a huge fan. I love her work. You?"
Bianca nodded. "Same. 'Pride and Prejudice' is my all-time favorite book, not just of hers either."
"That's the same with me. I have several copies of it." Marissa said as she picked up the paperback copy she had been reading earlier in the day. "I've had this one since high school."
"It looks like you've read it a few times."
"Yep, more times than I can count. I can't wait to get that bookcase together. Normally, it would already be assembled, but because it's so big, it's more of a two person job. I'm hoping Mom will be up for helping me with it when they get here."
"Not your Dad?"
Marissa laughed. "My Dad is less than handy. He likes to think he's a real handyman, but he's far from it. Any power tools we have belong to Mom, and he's not allowed to use them because he has and would hurt himself. Mom learned from her Dad and has passed on what she knows to me and Fiona."
"If you want to get that assembled before they get here, I'd be more than happy to help you. Living on my own, I've had to learn a few things."
"Yeah? You would do that?"
"I would."
"If you don't mind helping then, that would be great. Maybe we could get together this weekend and work on it. That is if you're not doing anything."
"That sounds perfect, and I'm all yours." Bianca studied the books a little more. "This is a pretty impressive collection. My Uncle Jack has several of these."
Marissa smiled. "This is all from my family. Mom and Dad couldn't help with a lot of my college expenses, but they wanted to do something to show their support and so did Fi. So, they scrimped and saved and researched what were the best law books to get. This is the result. Best graduation present ever."
"Wow. That's amazing. The more you tell me about them, the more I want to meet them. I just hope I make a good impression."
"You will make an incredible impression. Of that, I have absolutely no doubt." Marissa smiled as she led Bianca down the hallway to continue the tour. "The guest bedrooms are here. I just need to get some bedding, and they should be all set then. The guest bathroom is good to go. Here is my bedroom."
"This is great. I love the colors and everything you've done in here."
"Thanks. I wanted to get my room settled first before I started on the others."
"That makes sense. You need to be comfortable. Is this room going to be your home office?" Bianca asked as they continued the tour. She noticed a desk and chair inside.
"Yes, it is. I just bought the bookcase today and needed to take a break before I moved it in here."
"How did you get that in here?"
"As luck would have it, the Bakers got home while I was pondering that exact question in the parking lot. Their two oldest sons were with them, and they offered to bring it inside for me."
"They are so nice and some of the best neighbors I've had since I've been here. That was really sweet of the boys."
"It was. I'd like to get them something to thank them. If you have any ideas, I'd be more than happy to listen."
"I'll think about it, and maybe we can come up with something over dinner."
"That sounds like a good plan."
"Speaking of dinner, we should probably go."
"You mean I finally get to know where we're going."
Bianca laughed. "Yep. For dinner, we're going to my favorite spot, other than Krystal's. It's this cute little bistro, and it has the absolute best French onion soup."
"I love French onion soup."
"You do? I'm glad I picked it then. Everything there is great though."
"I can't wait to try it."
After Marissa locked up her condo, the couple walked to Bianca's car.
Bianca held open the passenger door for Marissa who smiled brightly.
"Thank you!"
"My pleasure." Bianca walked around to the driver's side and got in. Once their seatbelts were fastened, they drove towards the bistro.
/
"I have reservations for Bianca Montgomery."
"Ah yes, Ms. Montgomery. Good evening. Your table is ready. If you will please both follow me, I'll take you to it."
Their server appeared as soon as they were seated. He explained what the specials were that evening, took their drink orders, and left to retrieve the couple's drinks giving them time to study their menus.
Marissa glanced around the restaurant. "I really like this place, and the menu looks amazing."
"Like I said earlier, everything is good. Normally, I would recommend dessert here as well, but I was thinking we could do that after our next stop."
"Sounds good. I am completely in your hands. So, does that mean you're going to tell me what our next stop is now?"
Bianca laughed. "Yes, it does. I don't know if you saw it or not, but there is an art gallery just down the street. A new show is opening tonight, and I got us tickets."
"That sounds fun. Who is the artist?"
"Her name is Rebecca Dermott. She's relatively new, but there is a lot of good buzz surrounding her work."
"Maybe I'll something for the condo. The walls are still a little bare, if you didn't notice."
"Give yourself a break, you haven't been there very long. Who knows? Maybe you will find something. If not, maybe you'll get some ideas."
The waiter delivered their wine and took their orders. Once they were alone again, the couple continued their conversation.
"How was your day?"
"It was actually pretty good. I finished this layout I had been working on for a while. It's pretty good, if I do say so myself. Kendall and Greenlee think so too."
"I have no doubt about that. Maybe you can show me it sometime."
"I'd like that." Bianca smiled, pleased with Marissa's request. It was refreshing to have someone show interest in her work, her day. Reese had never seemed all that interested in what she did at Fusion or her classes. "How was your day? Kendall said she ran into you at Krystal's at lunchtime."
"Yes, she did. She was picking up lunch for you, Greenlee, and herself. Did she say anything else?"
"No. Why?"
Marissa weighed whether or not she should tell Bianca about her conversation with Erica. She didn't want to cause any problems between the mother and daughter, but she also didn't want to keep it from Bianca. Plus, she had a feeling someone else could tell her. If that happened, she knew Bianca would be upset, and Marissa really wouldn't be able to blame her. "When I saw her, I was having lunch … with your Mom."
"What?! You were having lunch with my Mom?! How did that happen? Are you okay? What did she do? Did she say something to you?"
"Bianca, I'm okay."
"You are? You promise?"
"I promise. As to how we ended up having lunch together, that's an interesting story. I was killing time there reading 'Pride and Prejudice' again before I went exploring. The next thing I knew, your Mom introduced herself. Look, I wrestled with telling you, but I didn't want to hide anything from you. I figured if you found out from someone other than me, you'd probably be mad. I know I would be if the situations were reversed."
"I'm glad you told me. You're right. I would've been upset. What did she say?" Bianca cringed as she waited to hear what her Mom did and said. If she was being honest though, she would have to admit that Marissa appeared to be okay.
"Honestly? She didn't say anything that I didn't expect to her say. Erica, your Mom told me to call her Erica."
"She did?"
"Yep. That's a point in my favor, isn't it?"
Bianca nodded. "Yeah, it is. It's a big one."
Marissa grinned. "That's what I thought. Anyway, Erica was worried about you getting hurt and didn't want that to happen. I told her that was something we had in common. I don't want to see you hurt either. I also told her that I wasn't Reese. As I see it, Reese is an idiot, and I am not. I know it's only been a few days, but you are very special. I care a lot about you and want to see where this can go. I know she doesn't know me, but I told her that I would prove myself to you and to her. In the end, we came to an understanding, and ended up having a great lunch."
"Really?" Bianca couldn't help but be stunned hearing what Marissa had said.
"Yeah."
"I want to see where this can go too."
"You do? That's … that's great." Both women smiled brightly knowing they felt the same.
"I told her about Fiona."
"You did?"
"I thought about it after you and I talked, and I decided it was best if she heard about Fiona from me. Your Mom was great. I wasn't really surprised about that because she's your Mom, and you are pretty amazing. Also, I know she supports Special Olympics, and I've read about her involvement with them."
"Mom really does a lot with them, and she loves the kids. I'm not surprised by her reaction, just surprised that you told her so soon."
Marissa shrugged. "She would find out in a couple of weeks when Fiona's here. Plus, you don't have to hide anything from her now. I could tell it was bothering you a little."
"It was, but this isn't about me. It's about you. You need to be comfortable when you tell someone about your sister. I understand that. If you felt pressured in any way because of me, I'm so sorry."
"It's okay. You have nothing to be sorry about. I didn't feel pressured. I told your Mom because I wanted to, and because quite frankly, it felt like the right time. Don't be upset with her. She's your Mom and just wants to protect you. I get it. In all honesty, I wouldn't be surprised if my Mom has a similar conversation with you. So, I do get it."
Bianca sighed. "I just don't want her to ruin anything or scare you off. Mom has a history of doing that, with both Kendall and me."
Marissa reached across the table and took one of Bianca's hands in hers. "Hey, she didn't ruin anything, and she sure as hell didn't scare me off. I'm not going anywhere, not unless you tell me to."
"That's really good to hear because I don't want you to go anywhere. As for your Mom, bring her on. She's not going to scare me off."
"Like you said, that's really good to hear."
"Wait a minute. Did Kendall say something to you?"
"Nothing more than I would say to someone dating Fi, or you would say to someone dating Kendall. I'm good with it. I was thinking of telling Kendall and Greenlee about Fi. What do you think?"
"If you're comfortable telling them and honestly want to, I think it's a good idea. The more people that know before your family comes to Pine Valley, the more people you'll have keeping an eye out for Fiona."
"That's what I was thinking too. Would you mind being there with me when I told them?"
"If you want me there, I'll be there."
"Thank you. Are you okay with your Mom and Kendall? I really don't want you to be upset with them. They were just looking out for you which I completely understand, and I promise you that I'm okay."
It meant a lot to Bianca that not only was Marissa honest with her, but that she also wanted to make sure that her revelation didn't cause problems for the Kane women. "I believe you, and don't worry. While I may have a talk with them about them meddling, I'm not mad at them. I just need to set them straight. It's something I have to do with them from time to time."
"Okay. How about a new topic?"
"Sounds good. I love my family, but right now, I want to focus on you and me, us."
Marissa smiled brightly. "I do like how you think, Doc. I'm in."
"Good. So, what were you like as a kid? An angel, hell on wheels, somewhere in between? What was life like in Devon?"
"I'll you about my childhood if you tell me about yours."
Bianca nodded. "Deal."
/
While the couple enjoyed their meals, they enjoyed their conversation even more. The more they talked, the more they learned about each other, and that made them want to know even more. Neither wanted that part to end, but they were both also excited about the show at the gallery. Since it was just down the street from the bistro, they left Bianca's car where it was parked and walked. After the second time their hands brushed against each other, Marissa reached out and took Bianca's hand in hers.
"Is this okay?" Marissa asked. She didn't want to rush anything, but holding Bianca's hand felt right.
Bianca sighed happily and nodded. "Yeah, it is. It's more than okay. We're here." Bianca held the door open for Marissa, and they went inside.
A server stopped and offered them a glass of wine. With a drink in hand, the couple set off to explore.
/
"I love this piece. The colors are so vibrant, and I love how it makes me feel. I think it would go really well above my fireplace." Marissa said as she studied the landscape painting.
"You have excellent taste. That's my favorite piece." Another woman said. "I didn't want Becca to display it because I knew it would sell, but I didn't want to be selfish and take the sale away from her. She promised to paint me another one just like it."
"You know the artist?" Bianca asked.
"I do. She's my girlfriend." She said proudly. "I'm Sofia Jackson."
"I'm Marissa Tasker, and this is Bianca Montgomery."
"Hello. Her work is amazing. You must be very proud." Bianca said.
"Thank you. I completely agree that it is amazing and I'll also admit that I'm completely biased. I am very proud. Becca has worked very hard to put this show together, and it seems to be going very well."
Marissa nodded as she glanced at the crowd attending the show. "It does. I've never bought a painting at a gallery before. Who do I tell that I want this one?"
"I can definitely help you with that. Stay here. I'll go get the gallery owner." Sofia said before she hurried off.
"I like it, Rissa, and I think you're right. This will go perfectly over your fireplace."
"The price is right too."
"Hi, I'm Rebecca Dermott. Sofia tells me that you're interested in this piece."
"She's right, I am. I'm Marissa Tasker."
"I'm Bianca Montgomery."
"It's nice to meet you both. So …"
"I'll take it."
"You will?! Sorry, I think I'm supposed to be a little cooler about this, but you're my first sale."
"I am? That's hard to believe. Your work is amazing."
"I agree with Marissa. You have a lot of excellent pieces."
"Thank you." Rebecca smiled at compliment.
"Here she is, Kat. Marissa Tasker, this is Kat Beal, the gallery owner."
"It's nice to meet you. Sofia tells me that you are interested in buying this piece."
"I am, and I've made up my mind. I definitely want to buy this painting."
"Excellent! I just need some information from you, and we'll make this happen."
"Could I have it delivered?"
"Yes, that won't be a problem at all."
While Marissa spoke with the gallery owner, Bianca talked with Sofia and Rebecca. "So, you're an artist. What do you do, Sofia, other than make an excellent salesperson for Rebecca?"
Sofia laughed. "I do enjoy that as well as bragging about her artistic brilliance. I'm a lawyer, and a newly minted associate at Thompson, Stevens, Montgomery, and Cortlandt."
"You're kidding me? Wow. So is Rissa."
"Seriously? What are the odds?"
"What are what odds?" Marissa asked as she joined the other women after watching Kat place a 'sold' sticker next to the painting that now belonged to her.
"Sofia works at Thompson, Stevens, Montgomery, and Cortlandt." Bianca said.
"Not yet, technically. I start Monday."
Marissa laughed. "That's when I start. Sofia Jackson. I knew the name sounded familiar. You went to Yale, didn't you?"
"Yes, I did. Okay. I remember the name now. You went to Harvard."
"I did. It looks like we're on the same team now though."
"Yes, it does. I won't feel so nervous on Monday now that I know someone else there, especially someone with excellent taste in art."
"I have to admit that I do have excellent taste." Marissa simply grinned and looked at Bianca causing the brunette to blush.
"I can tell already that the two of you are going to be trouble. Should someone warn the firm?" Bianca teased.
Marissa shook her head. "Nah. Let's surprise them. You are right, Sofia. It will be nice to know someone else there, someone who's going through the same thing."
"Here, here!" Sofia raised her glass and so did Marissa.
"I hate to break this up, but I need to mingle." Rebecca said. "Marissa, thank you so much for being my first sale!"
"You're welcome. It was kind of hard not to buy that painting. Good luck with the rest of your show."
"It was nice meeting you, Rebecca, and good luck. I have a feeling Rissa's sale will be the first of many tonight for you."
"Thank you, Bianca! It was nice meeting you too. The four of us will definitely have to get together. Sofia, make it happen." Rebecca kissed her girlfriend and headed off.
"Yes, ma'am. I should go and put my excellent sales skills to good use. Bianca, it was nice meeting you. Marissa, I'll see you on Monday. We'll set something up with the four of us then."
"Sounds good. See you then."
"Nice meeting you, Sofia."
"Enjoy the show."
/
The couple soon found themselves alone again.
"Do you want to check out some more of the show?" Bianca asked.
"Yeah. I'm having a really good time." Marissa smiled as she took the hand Bianca offered her.
"Me too. Sofia and Rebecca seem really nice."
"They do. I can't believe I'll be working with Sofa and that we met here."
"That is pretty funny, but Pine Valley is a small town so I guess it's not that surprising."
"I suppose so. Do you see anything here you like?"
"I do, several pieces in fact. I should probably narrow it down. Mind helping me out?"
"Not at all. I would love helping you."
/
Bianca ended up finding a painting that she loved which gave Rebecca another sale. The brunette had been right. The show was definitely a success, and the couple was happy to be a part of it.
"So, are you up for some dessert?" Bianca asked as they left the gallery.
"Yeah, I could for something. What do you have in mind?"
"How about some ice cream? We have a really killer ice cream parlor a few doors down. I know it's a little cool out but …"
"Is there ever really a bad time for ice cream?"
Bianca grinned. "Nope! Definitely not."
"I feel the same. Lead on, Doc."
The couple walked hand in hand to the ice cream parlor, and as with the gallery, Bianca opened the door for Marissa.
"Thank you. Very chivalrous. I'm definitely feeling a little spoiled."
"Only a little? I think I need to up my game." Bianca smiled.
"Oh no, your game is just fine."
"I'm glad to hear that."
Marissa's eyes lit up as she read the menu board. "Ooh, I know what I'm getting, black raspberry chip."
"An excellent choice. I'm going to go with the double chocolate chip."
"That sounds good too."
"If you play your cards right, I just might let you have some."
"I'll share some of mine."
"Good answer, Counselor."
The couple placed their orders, took a seat, and happily shared their desserts. The other customers in the parlor faded into the background as they continued to talk, only having eyes for each other.
/
Bianca walked Marissa to her door. While neither wanted the evening to end, they knew that it had to.
"I had a great time tonight."
"I'm glad. I have to admit that I was a little worried someone might crash it."
"You mean Greenlee and/or Kendall, or maybe even your Mom?"
"Exactly. Mom and Kendall kept their word though. I guess I'll take it easy on them."
"Good. I would really hate it if I caused any problems between the three of you."
"Don't worry, you didn't."
"What are you doing tomorrow night?"
"Nothing that I can think of at the moment."
"Well, it's Friday. Would you be interested in doing something with me?"
Bianca grinned. "I would love to."
"Great!" Marissa smiled brightly. "I was thinking maybe dinner and a movie?"
"That sounds perfect. I haven't been to a movie in a while. With work and school, I just haven't had the time to do many fun things. Kendall had to practically twist my arm to get me to go out on St. Patrick's Day."
"You need to make the time. In fact, I'm going to see that you do. Remind me to thank Kendall for twisting your arm. I owe her big for that."
"Yeah, she's pretty proud of herself for how that turned out."
"Do you think she and Greenlee would be up for lunch tomorrow? I could tell them about Fi. Now that I've told a couple of people, I'd like to tell them. That is if you're free as well."
"I am free, and I'll check with them first thing in the morning and let you know."
"Thank you. Maybe you could show me what you worked on. Then, I could see your awesomeness in the workplace."
"I can do that." Bianca sighed. "I guess I should go. I don't want to but …"
"I know. I really did have a wonderful time. Thank you."
"It was my pleasure." Bianca paused for a moment and then leaned in to kiss Marissa.
When they finally separated, both women had blinding smiles on their faces.
"I'll … uh … talk to you tomorrow. Good night, Rissa." Bianca said as she took a step backwards and stumbled into a nearby planter.
Marissa bit her lip to stop from laughing. In that moment, Bianca was absolutely adorable to her. "Good night, Bianca." Marissa waited in her doorway until she saw that Bianca had safely made to her home.
Once there, Bianca turned and waved. Marissa returned the gesture, and both women reluctantly parted ways. Each was already looking forward to the next day.
/
A/N: I'm going to be going to Toronto, Canada in July. If anyone is familiar with the area and has some suggestions of things to do while I'm there, I would really appreciate it! See you soon!