Steve arrived at J.S. Antiques a few minutes early, he could see that a light was on in the back but apart from that the windows and front of the store were in darkness. It was still quite light in the city, the summer months basking the buildings and streets in a humid glow. Checking his watch he stepped towards the door and knocked against the glass three times. He saw Verity appear near the back of the store, give him a quick anxious wave and then disappear again. Steve laughed to himself and then creased his brow, wondering where she'd gone and for a split second whether or not she would actually come back. Watching her appear again and scurry towards him Steve smiled as she came to a stop and pointed to the 'Sorry We're Closed' sign that hung in the middle of the window.

"What time do you open?" he asked through the glass, recalling straightaway how her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm at everything.

"Nine O'clock tomorrow morning!" Verity replied as she pretended to look apologetic.

"Can you make an exception? I really need a…" Steve looked at the display to his right and squinted. "A vase?" he told her not entirely convinced that what he was looking at was in fact a vase. Verity peered into the window and snorted with laughter, unlocking the door she swung it open and told him to come in. Steve did as he was told and walked by Verity who was still laughing.

"That's a chamber pot but I guess you could put flowers in it!" she told him before they both settled into a silence.

"How are you?" Verity and Steve asked the other in unison.

"I'm well," Verity answered blushing as Steve answered as well.

"I'm good, thank you!" Verity brought her hand up and covered her mouth as she chuckled.

"If we carry on like this we'll be done talking in half an hour!" she said and Steve shook his head and took a breath, he was glad to see that Verity was seemingly just as nervous as he was but the way she laughed made him think she didn't take herself or anyone else for that matter too seriously. He noticed her hair was pinned on each side by two delicate combs and the rosy red dress she wore had a small white collar.

"No apron?" he asked and Verity looked down at herself as she brushed out the imaginary creases on the skirt of her dress.

"No," she answered laughing. "No apron," just as Steve was about to compliment her Verity took a sharp intake of breath and raised her brows at him. "Do I have time to show you something, before we go?" she asked excitedly. "If you want to that is?"

"Sure," Steve answered bemused. Beckoning him to follow her Verity started to walk towards the back of the shop.

"It came in yesterday," she told him as he followed her. "It's in really good condition for its age!" turning back round to him Verity held the Ventriloquist's Dummy up and cringed. "Super creepy right?!" she laughed as Steve took in the eerie face of the small wooden puppet.

"That wasn't what I was expecting," he said slowly as he felt the fabric of the Dummy's black suit. Verity grinned and made the Dummy look at Steve.

"And what's your name little boy?" she asked trying but failing miserably to not move her lips. Steve laughed and held up his hand in front of the Dummy's face.

"That is strange," he told her again as Verity put the Dummy down.

"I'll grab my coat and then we can go?" Verity asked and Steve nodded his head. "Just give me a minute alright," as Verity went off in search of her coat Steve stood and looked around him. In the darkness there was plenty of ornaments, trinkets and strange looking things to cast even stranger looking shadows over the dark walls of the old store. As Verity reappeared in front of him Steve asked her if she ever felt scared being in the shop on her own. "Oh all the time!" she answered him as they made their way to the front door and when Verity got one of her arms caught in her coat Steve instinctively held it out for her. "Thank you," she said as his fingers naturally smoothed down the collar and accidently grazed against her cheek. Verity lost her train of thought as she looked up at Steve but a second later remembered what he'd said and blurted out her answer, a little too loud and frantic for it not to go unnoticed by Steve. "The amount of times I've jumped out of my skin or screamed because of a fur coat hanging on a hook or a wind-up toy making a ticking noise all of a sudden when it never had done before!" As Verity locked the door Steve stood beside her, popping the key in her purse and giving him a quick smile they stepped out onto the sidewalk and started down the street.

"You don't mind walking?" he asked, suddenly aware that perhaps he'd made a grievous error.

"No of course not! I walk everywhere." Verity told him, craning her neck to look up at him. "You?" she asked in response happy that they weren't walking in silence.

"I have a bike," he told her. "A motorbike," he clarified and Verity laughed.

"Oh that's a shame, I was just picturing you riding a bicycle, you know, the ones with a basket at the front?" Steve saw that she was teasing him and smirked. "So, where are we going?" she asked him. Steve tried to slow his pace down when he noticed Verity was taking two steps for his one, her bag sat in the crook of her arm and she had a funny habit of skipping over cracks in the pavement. When they came to a crosswalk Verity pressed the button and even though there was no traffic in sight Steve waited patiently until the green man appeared and Verity seemed confident enough to cross.

"There's an old dance hall," he told her pointing ahead of them.

"There is? I never knew that!" Verity said shocked. "Have you been before?"

"A long time ago, it's been there for a while. I noticed it was still open a couple of weeks ago and couldn't believe it, every street seems to be lined with coffee shops these days." Steve internally chastised himself for sounding like an old man.

"I know what you mean, there are a few hidden gems left here and there. The old cinema is still open and there's a deli that has been open for fifty years!" Steve felt the first raindrop fall onto his cheek and looking down he noticed Verity look up to the sky angrily. Massive fat droplets of rain started to come down thick and fast and Verity held her bag over her head.

"I haven't got an umbrella!" she told him.

"Neither have I!" Steve replied rather angry at himself for the oversight. Looking up and down the street and not seeing any cabs Verity turned back to Steve.

"How far is it?" she asked him just as a massive bolt of lightning cracked through the sky above them and the sound of thunder filled their ears a moment later. "Never mind, come on!" As the heavens opened the pair began to run back to the shop. Steve hooked his arm through Verity's as she ran as fast as she could. A couple of times her heeled feet smacked into large puddles and we a shriek and a laugh Verity would try to side step the next as Steve steered them onwards. Seeing a large, covered doorway of a department store Steve pulled them in the direction of it. Crashing into the doorway the pair of them huffed and puffed as Steve brushed his hands through his hair and Verity just held her arms aloft and laughed.

"It didn't say it was going to rain today!" Steve exclaimed as Verity patted her cheeks and nose dry with the cuff of her coat.

"They definitely didn't!" Verity agreed, cringing when she felt her hair plastered to her forehead. As far as Steve was concerned Verity looked utterly charming and the fact that she was laughing about the whole thing made him like her even more. "Do you want to make another run for it?" she asked him as she slipped her shoes off her feet. The very idea than any woman could run in heels effectively was codswallop as far as Verity was concerned! Steve's eyes widened in surprise as she held her shoes in one hand, her bag in the other and gave him a determined look.

"Ready when you are," he answered as Verity let out a determined huff before running towards her store. Finally making it back Verity fished in her purse for the key as Steve held his jacket over his head whilst also trying to protect Verity from the squall. Tumbling in Steve stomped his feet on the doormat and looked at Verity irritated.

"I'm really sorry Verity, I should have called a cab beforehand or something…" Verity could see Steve was beating himself up.

"Don't apologise!" she told him quickly. "You're not responsible for the weather Steve," she told him as she smiled hoping it would ease his guilt.

"Do you want to, re-arrange…?" Steve fumbled over his words, he was pretty certain he'd blown any chance he had with Verity Clements. They both stood dripping wet, leaving puddles where they stood as Verity gingerly pulled off her coat.

"Do you have to leave?" Verity asked him suddenly upset.

"No? But I mean…"

"Then stay here for a while, I have some clean dry towels in the back, I have a record player and tea and biscuits. Not what we planned but I think we can still make the best of it yes?" Looking at him hopefully Verity saw his eyes glisten with interest.

"Make do and mend?" he said flippantly.

"Exactly!" Verity beamed. Looking around she spotted two old wooden chairs and went to grab them, seeing Steve stood behind her she handed him the chairs and then flicked on some of the lamps dotted around the store. "I'll go get the towels and make the tea, you can pick the music, if you want?" she asked him keenly and Steve nodded.

"Sounds great," he told her as she gave him a quick smile before disappearing into the back of the shop. Quickly dumping her things on the floor she looked in the little mirror that hung on the wall. Her hair was dripping wet! Throwing her head over and grabbing one of the towels she roughly dried her hair and threw her head back up. Verity had bobbles, combs and pins everywhere so it didn't take her long to find a large clip and stick it all up. Rubbing the rest of herself down she got on with the tea and when she returned with a pot of tea in one hand and two cups and saucers in the other Verity stopped in her tracks and sucked in a breath. Steve had managed to find a small table and laid it with a delicate white tablecloth and placed a small lamp in the middle. With the two wooden chairs on either side it looked like it belonged in some small quaint jazz bar somewhere. The music was playing and he'd put on her favourite record, the one that had been playing when he first came in. Blushing and looking up at him Verity smiled.

"You remembered?" she said as she put the pot of tea down on the table and Steve took the cups from her. Steve watched Verity closely as her hand fluttered to her throat, obviously something she did when she was nervous. She kept giving him quick nervous smiles and he found the way she would grin at him from time to time utterly endearing. "Oh, let me take your jacket and shoes. I have a heater in the back, I don't want you catching a cold!" Steve reluctantly gave Verity his jacket and shoes.

"Thank you Verity," he replied quietly. Verity didn't say anything as she quickly went to set them in front of the heater in the back. When she returned Steve graciously pulled out one of the seats for her to sit down, thanking him quietly Verity watched as he rounded the table and took the other opposite her. The ridiculousness of it all seemed to register with them both at the same time because the quiet store, save for the music was filled with loud laughter from both Steve and Verity.

"Shall I pour the tea?!" she asked him and Steve grinned back, thoroughly enjoying himself and feeling more and more relaxed.

"Please," he told her. "This wasn't what I had planned," he started again.

"Don't worry yourself, this is perfect." She told him and Steve's heart began to beat faster when she had told him it was perfect! "Have you had a chance to look at the photo albums?" she asked and instantly regretted her question. The photo with him in it was near the back of one of those albums and Verity realised that if he had seen it he would know she knew who he was. Would that be a problem? Would he be angry? Would he think she was being deceitful by not addressing it? Verity watched him carefully as he began to shake his head.

"I haven't," Steve answered and Verity sighed with relief. "I'm afraid I've been busy and…"

"No problem!" she said interrupting him. "Would you like some more tea?!" she asked him rather ferociously and Steve found himself laughing at her.

"No thank you, Verity is there something wrong?" he had to ask, she seemed to be berating herself for something and he couldn't tell what had happened.

"I err, no?" she answered as she shoved a whole biscuit into her mouth.

"Was that a question?" Steve asked.

"No, it was no, no." Verity clarified, her left cheek full of biscuit. Picking up the tin she shoved it under his nose and asked if he wanted one, Steve laughed as he took a wafer and thanked her.

"You said the previous owner, Mister…?"

"Suchorezewski," Verity answered thankful he was changing the subject.

"Yes, that he left you the shop?"

"He did," Verity played with the small teaspoon that sat on her saucer as they talked.

"How did you end up working here in the first place?" Steve asked.

"Wholly by accident! I was walking by one day and there isn't an antique shop in the world I wouldn't be able to not go in. I instantly fell in love with the place and when I met Mister Suchorezewski I couldn't have imagined a gentler, caring and funny man. I never actually asked for a job here and Mister Suchorezewski never offered me one but as the weeks went by and I found myself coming to the shop and helping out it just became routine that I would help, serve customers and make cups of tea."

"And you said you worked in a museum?" Verity nodded again.

"I left home at eighteen, my parents were… practical people and expected me to make my own way in the world as an adult. Which I didn't disagree with mind you, so, I very quickly realised I needed to get a job!" Verity raised her brows comically. "I'd always had a Saturday job, washing pots in a coffee shop and whathaveyou but…"

"Something more substantial," Steve commented.

"Indeed! So that's what I did, I went to the museum and asked."

"If you could have a job?" Steve asked bemused.

"That's where I wanted to work," Verity answered modestly. "I had naivety on my side remember. A very large, very beautiful woman in her fifties called Tammy Heyer took an instant liking to me and offered me a job."

"Just like that?" Verity shrugged in response.

"It wasn't the most exciting job, I spent the next nine months cataloguing every book the museum had, which was a lot and entered them onto a new computer system that Tammy had no idea how to work! But the fact that I could walk round the museum when I wanted, follow the tour guides and just be surrounded by so much history everyday was enough for me."

"And then you were given the store?" Steve asked, enjoying the easy way with which Verity could tell a story and keep him entertained with her expressions of shock or disappointment or absurdity.

"I miss that old man, he would always tell me that I reminded him of his Wife. I think that's why he kept me around!" Verity gave herself a moment to calm her emotions, thoughts of her old friend and the impact he'd had on her life swirling around inside her.

"You seem to have a way with people!" Steve commented and Verity immediately shook her head.

"Oh no, I don't think so. I just got lucky with two of them. People I mean, I'm fine with customers but I don't really have many friends…" She answered and instantly cringed. Even to her own ears she sounded lonesome.

"Would you change anything?" he asked her.

"Not a thing, I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I don't believe in fate, I mean, I believe we're in charge of our own destiny but I don't think we can plan out the rest or our lives. We have to take one day at a time, make our own opportunities and take opportunities as they come, does that make sense?" she asked him as she searched his eyes for any clues as to what he was thinking.

"More than you know," Steve answered. Verity felt like she was blushing and had said far more than she had planned to, it was a failing of hers she'd struggled with all her life. Too fast to trust.

"I'm an only child!" she laughed. "Too much time with my own thoughts!" she laughed by way of an explanation.

"Me too," Steve replied.

"You are?" Verity smiled at him warmly before an ornament behind him caught her eye. "Oh, have you seen one of these before?" she asked as she stood and pulled the ornament from the shelf beside Steve. Steve watched as Verity placed it on their makeshift table and pulled a candle from a candlestick nearby. Lighting a match and then the candle Steve was transfixed at the way Verity delicately blew the flame out on the match and carefully spun the surrounding metal sphere that encased the candle. As if by magic stars and moons were projected into the shop, the candlelight reflecting off of crystal, glass and mirrors. Verity turned to see Steve looking around him. "Beautiful isn't it?" she asked absentmindedly and missed the look Steve gave her.

"Can I make a confession?" Steve asked after taking a sip of his tea.

"Of course!" Verity answered looking at him intrigued all the while her mind racing with the infinite number of potential things he could be about to tell her.

"I've been walking by this shop for a while now and the other day, well, I wanted to meet the woman I'd seen in the shop window so many times before."

"Me?!" Verity asked as her hand came up to her chest in response to the honesty Steve was displaying

"Yeah, you'd be in the window or you'd be helping a customer or writing on the board outside. Well, I…" Steve became conscious that he was basically telling this woman sat in front of him that he'd been watching her without her knowing.

"That's…" Verity paused and Steve wasn't sure how she was going to react. "You know, when you smiled back?" she started nervously. "When I was putting the notice up in the window and you smiled back? Well that was one of my favourite days," she told him quietly and Steve looked at her wide eyed.

"You remember that?" he asked astonished.

"I remembered you," she told him quietly before drinking her tea, her hand shaking as she placed the cup back on the saucer. Steve just watched her avidly, his mind reeling. Suddenly shifting her weight and sitting up Verity cleared her throat, the air was thick between them.

"I said we were going dancing didn't I?" Steve said quietly.

"Pardon me?" Verity looked at him as Steve stood up and listening to the music change from a quick melody to a slow, romantic one held out his hand towards Verity.

"May I have this dance?" he asked and Verity gave him the smallest of smiles.

"Yes," she whispered as she took his hand and they began to slowly move around the narrow aisle way. Neither felt the need to make small talk and if both of them were being honest, however much they enjoyed holding or being held their minds were filled with their own thoughts. Memories, questions, both of them felt distracted by other things. Steve however was acutely aware of how well Verity seemed to fit his frame, her small hand was enveloped by his and now that she was so close he could see she had the faintest of scars on her cheek. Instinctively he brushed his thumb over the white skin and Verity smiled at him.

"I fell down the steps of the school bus," she told him.

"Verity?"

"Yes Steve," she answered looking back up at him.

"I need to… tell you something." Verity looked at him softly.

"I know," she told him.

"You do?" Steve creased his brow in confusion.

"Yeah,"

"Is that…?"

"It isn't," she interrupted him and Steve found himself nodding mutely as Verity leant her head against his shoulder. The soft cotton of his shirt felt warm against her cheek and Verity closed her eyes at the sensation. When he heard her giggling against his chest he peered down at her.

"What's funny?" he asked.

"Well, I was just imagining us chatting again, neither one of us ever finishing a sentence."

"We'll be talking again?" Steve asked and Verity found her throat suddenly dry.

"I would like too," she whispered. "I've given you my life story, I think it only far that you tell me yours. And I have a feeling yours will be a little more interesting than working in an antique's shop."

"Fair point," Steve answered as they carried on dancing. "When did you…?"

"There's a picture of you, in one of the albums you have. I saw it as I was wrapping it up for you." The needle on the record player fell off and the pair came to a stop.

"You didn't know before?" Steve asked and Verity shook her head.

"No, is that…?"

"It isn't," Steve answered and Verity smirked. Realisation suddenly dawned on Verity and letting her head loll back she let out a pained groan. "What is it?" Steve asked concerned. Verity jutted her head towards a tin bucket filled with old-fashioned umbrellas.

"I completely forgot," she told him rolling her eyes.

"I don't mind, I think this worked out quite well don't you?" Verity beamed at him and nodded.

"Unquestionably 'quite well'," she answered.