John wasn't sure that Evangeline would be welcoming, but when he found out that she was working from home, he decided he'd try. He ordered lunch from the diner and made his way to her door. As he knocked dressed in jeans and a blue t-shirt, he attempted to come up with something witty to say. Nothing came. When she opened the door, his breath caught. She was absolutely beautiful in jeans and a close fitting t-shirt with her hair up in a ponytail; she looked about 18 and surprise covered her features.
"Hey," he said when he was finally able to take a breath.
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
"I brought lunch." He held up the takeout bag as proof that he was telling the truth.
"John…"
"Just lunch. I just wanted to see you. I miss you Evangeline."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really. Can I come in?"
"Sure, I'm sorry. Come on in."
"When I called your office, they told me you were working from home. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, I'm just working on Cris' case. I'm helping his attorney get the sentencing overturned. I think we have a good chance of making that happen. Either way, he's going to see a psychiatrist to see if some of his memories can be retrieved so that we can find out who brainwashed him."
Upon hearing Evangeline mention working on Cris' case, John had become apprehensive. Maybe this wasn't the best idea he'd had after all. The last thing he wanted was to remind her of the whole Cris debacle.
"John, it's okay. I'm not mad at you anymore."
"Really? Were you going to tell me?"
"Someday," she joked. "I'm actually frustrated with me. I expect you to be more like me and I forget that you're not. I want you to feel comfortable enough to share the tough stuff with me."
"Evangeline, I do feel comfortable sharing the tough stuff with you. It's not that. I guess I just feel like there's some stuff I need to deal with alone, but you are the only one I'd share it with."
She smiled at him then and took the bag, going to the kitchen for plates and silverware. John followed her and smiled for the first time in weeks. He was exactly where he wanted to be; with the woman he loved more than life itself. He couldn't be happier.
They spent lunch talking about everything and nothing. John was just happy to be with her.
"Don't you have to go to work?" Evangeline glanced over her shoulder as she put the dishes in the dishwasher.
"No, I took the day off."
"Really? Why?" Evangeline turned around and looked at him while he spoke.
"I just needed to be away from the station." He didn't look at her as he spoke. Something had to be going on. When John was dealing with something, normally the place he turned was work, unless something at work was causing the issue.
"John?"
"Okay, I wanted to get away from Bo and Natalie and everybody else. I just wanted to be with you." He glanced at her. She was sure it was to gage her reaction. She smiled in response to his comment.
"Even, if I was still mad at you?"
"Yeah, even then."
"Well, it's a good thing that I'm not mad anymore, because you wouldn't have even gotten in here." She placed her hand on her hip and cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Is that right?" he asked as he moved to stand in front of her trapping her between him and the counter.
"That's right." She nodded in confirmation.
"I think I still could have gotten in." He smirked at her as he placed his hands on the counter on either side of her.
"Oh, really?"
"You know I'm irresistible." He placed a kiss on her neck and lingered there.
"Is that right?" She held herself still even though she wanted to lean into him.
"Totally."
"John, you do realize that you're pushing it, right?"
"Am I gonna get it?"
She laughed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders for a hug. He could be such a flirt sometimes, but he was her flirt. John wrapped his arms around Evangeline and buried his face in her neck breathing her in. He had missed this. The times he could just be and nothing more was expected. John thought back to the ring in his drawer and smiled. He could hardly wait to put that ring on her finger so the whole world would know that she was his and his alone. It was only a matter of time before he shared vows with her. That was a promise he'd have absolutely no problem keeping.
