Hi! Sorry for the delay, I seem to be lacking inspiration. This chapter is short, but…Read on! :D
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She got a text message from Cal just as she was slipping under the covers. He was thanking her for the paella, which he called a lifesaver, and telling how he had taken Emily back to Zoe's and was now going to bed. She started texting him back but then changed her mind and called him instead.
"Hello there" he greeted her.
"Hey"
"So, how was your date?"
She laughed, liking that he never beat around the bush. "I was wondering how long it would be before you asked."
"You know you're only calling to tell me about it."
"I'm not" she defended, only partly lying.
"You are. So, how did it go?"
She let out a sigh: "It was nice"
"Nice? Is that good or bad?"
"Good"
"But?"
She laughed again, a little nervously this time.
"What?" he asked urgently, and she thought she could hear worry in his voice.
"Nothing. I mean it, it was nice. The food was wonderful and he's a great guy. We talked and it was nice" she finished, knowing how little convincing she sounded.
" Great guy huh?"
"Oh yes" she gushed. That part was true. "Very handsome. And actually quite funny, for an insurance broker. And he picked up on a number of things. Very smart."
"Sounds like he could be the next Mister Foster" he said darkly, not bothering to cover up his jealousy anymore.
"In a perfect world, he'd be perfect" she sighed, not picking up on his somber tone, thinking that in a really perfect world, her and Cal would be in the same bed right now.
At this, Cal was filled with a new hope. "What's wrong with him?" He hoped she was going to tell him about a nasty habit of his, something which would definitely write him off.
"There's nothing wrong with him." Gillian said simply.
"So, he's too perfect?" he asked.
She didn't answer.
" Or is it that he's not me?" he asked again." Which would mean that I'm not perfect" he realized.
She laughed. "Good night Cal" she said sleepily.
"Oi, you haven't answered me!"
"No, I thought I'd let you work that one out."
"Well, which is it?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes, it does! It's kind of the heart of the matter!"
"Don't I know it" she sighed.
Silence settled as Cal was thinking and Gillian was slowly starting to fall asleep.
"You know I'm going to ask you to marry me one day, right?" he asked, seemingly out of the blue for her, but in keeping with his own thoughts.
Needless to say, his words jolted Gillian awake. Her heart skipped a few beats, but she managed to keep her voice under control and breezily asked "Yes?"
"Yes. And we'll buy a house, probably in the Hampshires– if we don't go broke before that–, and we'll grow old together."
Gillian's heart was now racing, the perfect picture forming in her mind. Thankful for her abilities to hide her emotions, she put on that breezy tone again and asked: "So when's that going to happen?"
"I see. A little impatient are we, Doctor Foster?" he answered full of humor, trying to deflect the crucial question.
"I'm just trying to find out how many Johns I'm going to have to go through before you make up your mind."
"Don't rush me, woman!" He paused. "Besides, what do you mean by "go through"?" he asked shrewdly.
"Cal! You can't expect me to wait for you. We only get one chance at happiness, and I don't want to let my life fly by waiting for it."
He didn't say anything.
"Ugh! This is getting old. Good night Cal." She sighed.
A few seconds went by before he answered "Good night, Gillian."
They hung up.