Thorne thanked the vendor as he balanced the hot dogs, fries and drinks to the table where Cress was already sitting, writing something vigorously on her tablet. Thorne knew how much she loved her job, but even he was surprised by how she seriously took it. Whereas Thorne had been fine with taking a relatively slow start to their partnership, Cress had thrown herself into the work, calling printing shops, the venue and a few of Thorne's connections to discuss Kai and Cinder's wedding. She seemed, though she was polite and patient during her calls, almost obsessed. Granted, Thorne admired her work ethic and enjoyed that he could lay back a little since Cress seemed capable of handling quite a bit on her own (though Thorne's suggestions secured them more than one sweet discount from the official price). Still, Cress seemed almost on edge the whole time despite their quick progress.

But enough was enough, Thorne decided. They already managed more than he had expected for the day so it was time for a well-deserved break. "Here, the best hot dogs you'll find in L.A." He handed Cress her avocado-topped hot dog (a combination that he was sure would give him nightmares), fries and soft drinks for both of them before he took a seat across from her. "I know it doesn't look like much"—he pointed to the shabby exterior and the furniture which had definitely seen better days— "but trust me, Kufra's Korner is a secret tip."

To her credit, Cress didn't seem displeased about the place itself. "And the view is amazing, too." She pointed to the ocean.

Kufra's Korner was indeed close to the beach, but then again that wasn't anything special for a city that was located at the coast. But Thorne probably took it for granted, unlike Cress who lived in Burlington. "That too, of course," he conceded amiably before he took a bite of his chili cheese dog. He realized how hungry he had been, having had nothing more than a coffee and toast for breakfast, and it had been several hours since then. By the way Cress gobbled down her own hot dog, he figured she didn't have much more than that either.

"How did you find this place?" Cress asked, licking some spilled over sauce from her fingers. He enjoyed that she didn't seem too particular about manners.

"I went on a few dates with a food blogger. One time, we ended up here on her suggestion."

"Ah." She cocked her head to the side. "Did you meet her at one of the weddings you organized?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I'll let you know that I don't meet women exclusively at weddings, nor do I plan it every time I happen to work at one." Otherwise it would seem like he was too lazy to actually go out and meet someone which was an image that didn't sit well with Thorne. He knew how to have a good time wherever he went, but he was also good at seizing opportunities if they presented themselves. And his weddings were full of such opportunities.

"Okay. But in this case?"

"In this case, Miss Aren't-We-Nosy, yes, we met at one of my weddings. Easily the one with the best food for obvious reasons."

"Why didn't it work out?" Cress asked between bites.

He shrugged. "I don't remember. Probably wanted different things." Which was the most convenient explanation to end relationships, Thorne found. They wanted commitment, he didn't, so they both wanted different things. End of story. "But I found this place at least, so there's that." He focused on finishing his hot dog, not interested in the conversation at hand. Cress seemed to get the hint - at least, she didn't ask any further.

They wrapped up their meal in silence but stayed seated. Thorne was happy to put off the wedding stuff for a bit longer. Cress too looked longingly at the beach, for the first time not engrossed in anything wedding-related.

"You know, it's not as if you have to spend every moment of your time planning Cinder and Kai's wedding, Cress." When Cress blinked at him, he elaborated. "We made great progress today. You might as well enjoy some free time while you're in L.A. And I'm pretty sure we'll have everything ready on the big day," he said with a wink.

He had to admit that organizing the wedding with over three-hundred guests in less than two months seemed cutting it short before. He now felt having Cress at his side was actually a relief. Cress was competent and eager and while he had previously shaken his head at the way she gave her job her all, he now knew he could count on her. He was sure she would do just fine and take over the wedding while he was Kai's best man. That would give him some time to focus on some other events and weddings in the meantime. For Cress, splitting their work would give her some free time too.

But Cress shook her head. "No thank you. I want to make sure that everything is perfect. There's still a lot to do. We have to pick a menu and invitations, order the linens and tableware, discuss the lightning with the venue, order the flowers Émilie suggested, as well as finalize—"

"Woah, slow down, darling. " Thorne quickly stopped her rambling as she ticked off one task after the other. "Don't worry, I know the plan and promise we'll do just fine ... even if you take a few breaks now and then to hit the ocean or flirt with some bartenders over a mojito," he said jokingly before wagging his finger at her. "Don't overdo it though or you'll end up doing another round of singing and dancing like before."

Cress cringed. "I didn't come here to relax. And I need to have something to do." There was a long silence, only interrupted by Cress's fingers drumming nervously on the table. "And I can't swim."

She couldn't swim? "Aren't there any lakes or pools in Vermont?"

Squirming in her seat, Cress answered, "I guess. But I never learned as a kid, so it's a bit embarrassing to take classes as an adult."

"Huh." Always having lived by the beach, Thorne doubted he ever met a person who couldn't swim.

"I just didn't have any opportunity as a kid," Cress hurried to explain.

Thorne leaned forward, making sure to give her his full attention. "Why not?"

She stared at the ocean again, her face almost hidden by her long hair. Thorne never liked when he couldn't read someone else's expression. "I stayed in hospitals during most of my childhood. Not many opportunities for any outdoor activities," she explained with a shrug.

Now it was Thorne's turn to squirm. He had never been good with anything serious. He rather enjoyed breezing through life without ever getting too concerned about anything, happy in his world without responsibilities and attachments. Heavy feelings never factored into that, a reason why he and Ze'ev had a fallout a few years prior after the death of Ze'ev's father. And while they made up since, Thorne doubted he got one bit better at approaching serious subjects.

But it's not like he could just leave it be and be done with it, he knew. He felt the silence become overbearing as he tried to think of things to say without seeming like he meant to pry. "How come?" he asked lamely.

"I had a specific type of cancer that affected the kidneys. Or one kidney at first. It's rare in adults but not unusual in children. About five hundred children are diagnosed in the US every year. I was one of them." She shrugged. "It took a while for my parents to get me to the doctor. My mom thought I was just being fussy and thought getting me to the doctor would be giving into my antics. It wasn't until there was blood in my urine that my dad got alarmed and—" Cress stopped, probably noticing the way he grimaced at the mention of blood. "Sorry, that was probably too graphic."

While Thorne, if he was honest with himself, was in fact very squeamish, he couldn't let Cress—or anyone—know that. "No, just ... wow, your mom sounds terrible." He quickly caught himself. "I mean, in this situation at least."

"No, I think 'terrible' is probably right. She thought for the longest time that I was faking my pain, that I was trying to make things hard on her. She had high expectations of me following in her footsteps. She's a renowned scientist in bioengineering. Both my parents are," Cress elaborated. "She thought I tried to get out of my studies."

"Wait, how old were you then?" He had thought Cress had been a small child, but if her mother had been set upon her studies, she must have been older.

"Four."

Thorne guffawed. "Four? In which universe does a kid of four have to learn about bioengineering?"

Cress chuckled and he was relieved when he didn't detect anything forced about it. "Well, that wasn't what my studies were about. But she was really strict about me being able to read, write and calculate early on and had all those learning programs for gifted preschoolers. She knew I could do them but thought I was just too lazy so I invented some random symptoms to have an excuse."

"Were you? Gifted, I mean." Thorne remembered from his school how many parents thoughts their kids were gifted, sometimes to excuse their lazy attitude in school, sometimes to put them under extra stress to learn.

"Yeah, I guess. I can't say I knew it then, but since I couldn't do much in hospital but read, I noticed that I had little trouble with books and work sheets that the other kids my age struggled with. I even got really good with programming early on. But then it was something to spend my time with, and I had fun designing websites for all sorts of things. Saved me quite a bit of money when I designed my own website for 'Crescent Moon Weddings'."

"Wait, you designed your own website?" Thorne remembered being impressed by the professional-looking site. He whistled. "Remind me to hire you next time around."

She smiled, showing off the dimples in her cheeks. "Noted. But maybe my price is too high for you?"

"Maybe. But I'm pretty sure you'll give me a friend's discount." He gave her his best smile in return.

"Hmm," Cress considered, tapping a finger playfully on her chin. "If I remember correctly you called me a 'friend of my friends' at Regolith Décor."

Thorne waved at her. "That was days ago. Now we're best buddies who give each other gracious discounts." He was pleased when she laughed and agreed, much more comfortable with a few friendly quips.

It was certainly easier than following Cress's tale about running from doctor to doctor, a long list of medications and, when nothing worked, a year-long stay at the hospital that included all sorts of cancer treatment, chemo, radiation and finally, the removal of her cancerous kidneys when her father turned out to be a match that could donate his own kidney.

There was a silence, but for once Thorne didn't need feel the need to fill it with some incessant chatting. It was hard to imagine everything Cress had gone through at such a young age. If he was honest with himself, he rather didn't imagine.

He still had a question though. "And are you ... you know, okay now?"

Her hands flew to her long hair, her fingers brushing through the strands. "Yes, thank goodness. I mean there is always a chance that something else comes up ... but no, I'm okay now." She smiled gently, her fingers still grasping at her hair.

It was an odd gesture which prompted Thorne's next question. "Did you lose your hair? That's what happens during chemo, right?"

More twirling of her blonde strands. "Yeah. It was horrible. Not the first time around, strangely enough. Just when it had grown back just a little bit and they had to do a second round, I lost it all over again." As if suddenly aware of her fidgeting. "I know. It's a bad habit. Especially since my hair is so long now."

"You never cut it?"

"Not since the last chemo, no." Cress smiled at him, not sad but in a way that made her look both young and old at the same time. Something at the sight made his insides twist uncomfortably. "I know it's silly, but it makes me feel ... healthy. It's like a proof that everything is in the past, and I can look forward now."

"That's a good mindset," he agreed. "But do you need your hair to feel that way?"

"You think I should cut it?"

He quickly waved his hands. "Not if you don't want to. I just wonder ... I mean, it's good if it reminds you to look forward. But maybe you don't need it." He shrugged. "But really, that's none of my business."

Cress considered. "I thought about it. A few times, to be honest."

"Then why don't you? It's just hair. It grows back."

"I don't know if I have the face for it."

Thorne guffawed until he realized she was serious. "Wait, what? Why would you think that?"

The faintest trace of a blush. "I was told a few times that I should be glad my hair grew back because that was at least pretty. And guys like girls with long hair," she added so quickly he almost didn't catch it.

Ah. "Well, those guys shouldn't factor into anything if you ask me. You're pretty either way." He leaned back in his chair. "Show me."

"What?"

"Show me. Like pull up your hair. I saw you with a bun the last few days but pull up those bangs too."

There was an uncomfortable silence for a few seconds during which Thorne thought Cress would argue or just downright refuse it. But then, she slowly raised up one hand to gather her hair in it. With the other one, she hesitated before slowly brushing her bangs away from her forehead.

Thorne hadn't seen that much of Cress's face so far. Yes, he had scrutinized her at the airport and just today when he had tried to figure out the right flower for her. But with all her hair away from her face for the first time, he was ...

... captivated.

If anyone were to ask him at that moment why exactly, he wouldn't be able to tell. But there was something about Cress letting him see her without her hair distracting him. The big blue eyes he had noticed earlier were now a wonderful focus for her face, drawing his gaze in. The fine eyebrows, always hidden by her bangs were expressive and with her sweet mouth and dimples, the freckles and heart-shaped face ...

"As I said," Thorne said, "you're pretty either way."

Cress let her hair drop down her shoulders again, but a happy smile grazed her lips. "You always know what to say around women, don't you?"

"Always, yes," Thorne agreed with a wink. Suddenly something occurred to him. "Is that why you don't have a personal picture with your resume?" He had wondered about that for awhile. Maybe if she were unhappy with her hair, he doubted she would like to put a photo of herself online. But that was part of their job, presenting themselves and their work.

"Hm? Oh, on my website, you mean?" She considered but then shook her head. "No, not really. I just wanted my work to speak for me. And I guess I want the weddings and the brides to be the focus, rather than myself. "

He leaned forward, catching her eyes. "But it's your website. Potential brides want to know who is behind Crescent Moon Weddings. They should have a face that goes along with all those amazing weddings."

A small smile formed on her lips. "You think?"

"Sure. Except, they might have reconsider once they see you, in fear their grooms would want to run away with you. "He made a funny face so she would know he was joking, pleased when she laughed.

"That's terrible! And would never happen."

He wiggled his finger at her. "Ah, never say never. The things that happened on my weddings would make you question everything you believed impossible." He took a glance at his watch. "I have to meet with clients tonight and still need to prepare. You think we can call it a day?"

"Sure. But tonight?"

"Yeah. Special arrangement for a special couple," Thorne said with an annoyed huff. "So not looking forward to it." Sybil Mira, the bride-to-be, would be one of Thorne's particularly difficult clients, he was sure. She was business-like which he appreciated, but in a very clipped and almost rude manner that had made him almost decline the job. But if he could land the Mira-Park wedding, then it would be in his top five of his most lucrative weddings to date. It wasn't an opportunity he could miss.

"Oh, could I join you and help?" Cress surprised him by asking.

"What?"

"I mean we're such a good team now. I can help you with phone calls and everything when we're not working on Kai and Cinder's wedding."

He felt his jaw slack in disbelief before he caught himself. "You're kidding."

"Why would I?" Pulling up her tablet, Cress looked way too excited about the prospect for Thorne's taste. "As you said, I have free time when I'm not planning our friends' wedding."

"Yes. Free time. For fun stuff that isn't job-related." He stood up and nudged her good-naturedly. "Believe me, you need that break. Relax a little—it's good for the soul."

Cress seemed very unhappy but didn't argue.

By now, Thorne would be an idiot if he didn't understand that Cress lived for her job and loved it more than anything. But the way she focused everything on Cinder and Kai's wedding and even tried to spend her free time to help him with his new one just now, he wondered if there wasn't more to it. No one could love their job that much.

Unless you were a spaceship captain, probably.

A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the long wait but you know how it is. ;) A big thanks this time to kanouchi who is from now on betareading my fics and she's already doing an amazing job with it. Thank you! ^.^