Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters.

Peyton let out a sigh of relief as she pulled her car away from the gym. This last week had been too crazy. Between all the petty fights that she'd had to break up and keeping the girls in after curfew, she was glad to have the weekend to herself. She was also excited about spending some more time with Rich. She didn't want to say it out loud, but she really enjoyed Richard's company. He was pleasant and easy to talk to, and it didn't hurt that he thought her work was fabulous. The last time she had swung by the gallery, he'd suggested that they get together for dinner over the weekend and she'd readily agreed. She hadn't even mentioned it to Lauren, but she was looking forward to spending the evening with him.

The ringing of her phone brought her thoughts away from Richard and back to the present. She felt a surge of guilt as she read Lucas's name on the caller ID.

"Well, hello." She answered, keeping her voice light. The way they had left things before Lucas's tour had given her hope. That hope had dwindled each passing day that he hadn't called.

"Hey Peyton, I was just calling to see how you guys were doing." Lucas asked, his voice sounding soft and tired.

"We're doing fine. How are you? You sound exhausted." Peyton asked, half-listening as she changed lanes.

"I am. They're keeping me busy, that's for sure." He replied. Peyton nodded, knowing he couldn't see her. The silence grew awkward as Peyton fumbled for something to say.

"So, will you be home when we get back?" Peyton finally asked.

"I should be, yes. So far we're staying on schedule." Lucas replied, yawning. Peyton finagled her car into the gallery's small lot. She smoothed down her hair and checked her teeth for lipstick in the mirror.

"Well it was good talking to you. I suppose I'll let you get some rest." Peyton said, as she got out of her car.

"Yeah, I do need to sleep. Bye Peyton." Lucas agreed. Peyton quickly said goodbye and put her phone away. Her smile grew wide as she spotted Rich waiting for her in front of the gallery.

"Peyton, you look lovely." He said, greeting her with a smile.

"Thank you. You don't look half bad yourself." She teased as he bent to kiss her hand. He definitely knew how to make her feel special.

"I pulled a few strings with a friend of mine and managed to get us reservations at one of the cities finest restaurants, and after dinner, I have a surprise planned for you." He informed her, as he took her arm and lead her towards his car. Peyton was pleasantly surprised at the amount of effort Rich had put into this evening for her.

"A surprise? You didn't have to do all that." She said with a smile. Richard held the car door open for her and made sure she was comfortable before he gently shut her door. She forced herself to take a deep, calming breathe before he got in the car. She had to admit that he was setting the bar extremely high especially considering that they were just going out as friends.

"Of course I did, Peyton. I realize we've only known each other for a matter of days, but it feels like I've known you all my life. I'm hoping to give you a reason for more frequent visits to Raleigh, other than just to bring me new work." He admitted with a smile, as he pulled the car onto the road. Peyton bit her lip, nervously. She hadn't told Richard about Lucas. They had discussed their family on the telephone before she and Lucas were recommitted to each other, and the topic hadn't come back up. She felt another pang of guilt as she realized that she hadn't even really thought about Lucas until he'd called earlier.

The restaurant was close by, and they got seated quickly, thanks to Rich's connections. The food was wonderful and their conversation was pleasant. Peyton was having a really good time, even if she did have to keep pushing the guilt away that was slowly creeping in.

"Are you ready for your surprise?" Richard asked as he held out his hand to her. She smiled and placed her hand in his.

"Absolutely." She replied as she followed him out to the car. Richard gave her a wide grin as he held the door for her. He surprised her by guiding her away from the parking lot. She gave him a curious glance, but he only smiled and guided her to the park that neighbored the restaurant they had eaten in.

As they walked down a winding footpath, Peyton could see lights twinkling in the distance. A knowing smile began to form on her face. As they neared, she could hear the soft sounds of classical music. She turned to Richard with an awestruck expression. He had turned a portion of the park into a romantic paradise. He had set up a small table complete with a beautiful bouquet of roses. He had a small radio playing soft music, and the whole area was dimly lit with white lights. It was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her.

"Oh Richard, this is amazing." She gushed as she took in her surroundings. Richard grinned.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked, leading her closer to the music.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say that you were trying to sweep me off of my feet, Mr. Cooper." Peyton teased softly as sank into his arms.

"My dear, that is exactly what I'm trying to do." He replied as his lips found hers.