"I had a lovely time tonight," Angela said, giving Peter a quick kiss once they stood outside the restaurant.

"Me, too." He smiled and took her hands, holding onto them tighter than usual as his voice lowered. "A really good time."

The suggestion in his eyes was unmistakable.

Angela took a breath. After her whirlwind romance with Christopher, she decided she needed to reevaluate her relationship with Peter. Things between them had been fairly casual. Lunches, dinners, drinks, the odd social event… Between working together on him and John's new campaign and everything going on with Tony, there was a silent agreement to keep things chaste. Only recently had they started kissing. Now that the campaign was launched and she was on steadier ground with Tony, the resistance was easing, and Peter was ready to take the next step.

Christopher had been her rebound guy she decided after some deliberation. Looking back on her schoolgirl infatuation with him, she felt foolish. Peter was real. He'd been her hero throughout the lonely first weeks of Tony and Kathleen's relationship. Even after her sour moods and distracted dates where she hardly said two words to him, he was still interested. Getting involved with Christopher had been a risky move, but even that he understood.

"Can I ask you something, Angela?" he'd asked after her confession.

"Yes?"

"What's your relationship with Tony?"

With wide eyes, she paused. She'd said Christopher, hadn't she? "Don't you mean…"

"I mean Tony," he clarified. "I've wanted to ask before, but I always felt it was out of the blue. Now seems as good a time as any. Nothing to lose."

They'd been walking through Central Park as they talked, Angela needed air as she came clean to him. Spotting an empty bench, she tugged on his hand and led him to sit. This was a better conversation off her feet.

"It's a complicated answer."

"I had a hunch it might be."

She sighed. "If you're thinking we've ever had an intimate relationship, we haven't."

Peter raised an eyebrow, not quite convinced.

"Really, our friendship has been completely platonic. Okay, well… mostly. We've had our moments over the years but nothing ever came from it."

"How come?"

Not wanting to give the whole truth, she said, "A lot of reasons. The kids, how different we are, and not wanting to lose the friendship we have. It's a big risk to take and we've both been hesitant."

He nodded. "That makes sense."

"You're not upset?"

"Nah, it was pretty obvious. He always acts pretty goofy when I'm over there. Even more so that time his girlfriend was there, too."

A nervous laugh catching in her throat, Angela said, "Yeah… it's been a while since either of us has been in a relationship."

"Oh?"

"I mean… not that we weren't dating people… not exactly."

Things were starting to come together in Peter's mind. "Tony and his girlfriend wouldn't have anything to do with why you were so upset that one night a couple of months ago, would it?"

She kept her eyes cast down, squirming her shoulders as she tried to formulate a response.

"It was," he said.

"Yes," she said softly.

"So, let me get this straight. You and Tony were never a couple, but things were serious enough that you were hurt by him dating someone else."

"I told you it was complicated."

Reaching out and tipping her chin up so she was looking at him, Peter asked, "Do you still love him?"

"I didn't say I loved him."

"But you do."

She shut her eyes, hoping to hide the tears that were forming. "It doesn't matter. We're friends. I love him in that sense. But I don't know if anything more can ever happen with him. Sometimes I feel like he's not as interested in trying to make it work for us. Everything with Kathleen has forced me to take a step back. I'm moving forward." Clearing her throat, she finished, "I hope you're still open to giving me a chance. I enjoy spending time with you, and I think we have something good going."

"I think so, too," he smiled.

"But I guess it's only fair for you to know where I am, and frankly, I don't really know. I don't want to lead you on while I'm so unsure of things."

Taking her hand, he said, "Why don't we just let things settle and see what happens? I know you've been going through a tough time. I'm glad I know why now."

Still trying not to cry, she pursed her lips. "You're terrific."

Squeezing her hand, he leaned in to kiss her.

"Angela? Are you okay?"

Pulled back into the present, Angela's eyes met Peter's again. He was still waiting for an answer to his unspoken question.

"Sorry. I'm fine. It's just… I have a lot to do tomorrow. I might go into the office to catch up on things, and I have a lot of errands I need to run—"

"It's okay, Angela," he said, though his disappointment was evident. "You don't have to make excuses."

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "I'm just not ready."

"I understand."

"I know you do, which makes me wish I could say yes even more."

Peter chuckled. "I can appreciate that, I guess."

"Soon, I hope."

Kissing her cheek before they started walking to the car, he truthfully but sweetly agreed. "Me, too."