Thank you for the reviews.

So another line from the song that this fic is named after... And definitely a chapter that will make your Wednesday so much better...

Chapter Seventeen
I Think I Might Push My Luck With You

Rachel knew that the longer she left it, the more likely her sister was going to wear Eddie down and that more likely Melissa would get her wish and start dating Eddie. For her, she needed to know that the chance of that happening was nil and as much as Eddie said that he could wait until she was ready, she knew that she had to take the next step, mainly for her own peace of mind.

With an unusual amount of confidence, she pushed herself out of her chair to find her deputy. She had memorised his timetable now and knew that he was on a free period, probably either catching up with some marking or making sure that his lessons were planned out or preparing for the interviews they had the next day.

She was glad that he was in his classroom as she didn't think that she would have had the same confidence if she had to call him out into the corridor from the staff room.

She watched him for a few moments as he wrote up the questions that she assumed was for his next class. Rachel thought that the longer she stood there for, the less likely she was going to do what she had planned to do. In reality, she became more annoyed at herself for not disturbing him sooner.

"Rachel?" He said when he spotted her.

"What are you doing tonight?"

Eddie's lips curled up as they both realised that those were the same words that he had used at the end of the school year.

"Nothing. It's a school night."

"Didn't know if you might have had Micheal."

"Alison will only allow me to have him at weekends during term time. I think she thinks that I will get him out of his bedtime routine."

"Good. Because I am taking you out for dinner tonight."

"Right."

She shook her head. "I want to properly thank you for everything you have done for me over the last few months." She paused for a moment. "And before you get all macho on me, I am paying."

"Miss Mason, are you asking me out?"

"I wouldn't really say asking. More like telling you."

"I suppose. Never one for convention are you?"

"Does that mean you are coming?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Do you not want to go out for dinner with me?"

She didn't worry when he didn't say anything straight away. She knew that it was part of the way that they were with each other now. He was just teasing her by not answering straight away, knowing it would drive her mental.

"Rach, I would love to go out for dinner with you tonight."

"Good."

"And even though it seems like you have everything sorted, is there anything you would like me to do?"

"Other than turn up?" She waited for him to nod. "Wear something smart. So no jeans or trainers. You must own some smart trousers and shoes. Although don't worry, I'm not going to make you wear a tie. And book a taxi to get to mine for half six."

"It's a date."

She watched his face as it dropped slightly as he realised what he had said. She bit her lip to try and stop herself from smiling.

"It sure is."

After getting home at six and rushing around, trying to have a shower, dry her hair, do her makeup and get changed, Rachel was glad that when she looked out of the window to her bedroom, the taxi pulled up and her phone buzzed. She picked it up and quickly read the text, knowing that it was Eddie telling her that he was outside.

Philip gave her a look as she passed him on the stairs and before Melissa had even said anything to her, Rachel was out the door. At least that part of her plan worked. No awkward questions until the morning.

She was grateful that Eddie hadn't got out of the taxi, making who she was going out with even more of a secret from her sister.

"Hey." She said as she slid into the seat next to him.

"Hey."

She gave the driver the name of the place where they were going before she settled back and gave a sigh of relief.

"That went better than planned."

"What did?"

"Avoiding my sister." She turned to him. "What is that look for?"

"You look amazing Rach."

She wasn't great at taking compliments and it reminded her of the compliment that he tried to give her on her first day back, even though he had seen her. She realised that even though she dressed smartly for work, this was the first time that it was a more casual smart.

"Thanks. You don't scrub up bad either."

It wasn't long before they had arrived at the restaurant and sat down at their table. They started to look through the menu, even though Rachel already knew what she was going to order, having been to this restaurant a few times since she had arrived in Rochdale.

"Someone is out to impress," Eddie said.

"Maybe I am."

"Rachel, you already impress me."

"Do I?"

"I mean, how couldn't you after everything that you have been through? You are still here, fighting for what you want."

She wanted to reply to him. She wanted to think of something sweet to say to him, but her mind went blank as all she could think about how she really needed to hear that off him. All the doubts in her mind vanished and she felt like an idiot for not letting herself get to this stage sooner.

"Miss?"

"Sarah?" Rachel said as she turned to the young girl at the end of their table, notebook in hand.

"How are you?"

"I'm good. You? How is your mum?"

She could tell by Eddie's smile that he had guessed that this was an ex-pupil of hers. An ex-pupil that she had obviously helped and made an impression on.

"I got into university. Doing hospitality at MMU. Mum is better than she was, still never going to be back to full health. But we are managing it better. Thanks to you. I applied for all these grants and we have someone to help look after mum while I am away."

"Good for you." Rachel could see Sarah's eyes flicking over to Eddie. "This is Eddie Lawson. My new deputy."

"How long have you been working with her?" Sarah asked.

"Just under a year," Eddie said.

"So you know that she likes to get herself into a bit of trouble."

"A bit?"

Rachel almost kicked him underneath the table but thought better of it. The childish way that they were at school wasn't suitable for the more sophisticated atmosphere that she had chosen. Made her wish that she had chosen somewhere different but then she wouldn't have bumped into Sarah.

"As bad as some of the pupils. Just stick with her. She is one of the good ones. What can I get you to drink?"

They ordered their drinks before taking another quick look at the menu and ordering their food. Rachel found herself with a massive smile on her face.

"My other deputies didn't always see eye to eye with me and would usually not see the vision that I was going for." She said after Sarah had left.

"Although she is right. You are one of the good ones. I've… I've never worked with someone like you before. She is right about the trouble part as well."

"I… I've never had anyone to care about other than myself. And no one has seemed to care about me. Until you. And you have done things that I would never have expected and… you haven't asked me any questions either."

"Maybe because I realised that I was never going to get the answer out of you if I asked."

Her eyes flicked between him and the table as their drinks arrived. Rachel knew that she had to find the same confidence that she found earlier.

"The kiss?" She said. "It felt like a now or never moment."

"It was the only thing that kept me going sometimes as I sat by you. I wanted you to pull through so that we could share that moment again. Maybe just with better timing."

"Better timing? What's that?"

"We will deal with Melissa."

"I can't let you go, Eddie." She whispered. "Not when you are the best thing to happen to me."

"Don't worry Rach. I don't plan on letting you go."

As their food arrived, the conversation changed to things that they had yet to find out about each other. Rachel did find it weird that they had almost spent a year together and they knew each other but didn't at the same time. It probably had something to do with the events that forced them to be closer together. She enjoyed getting to know Eddie, something that she had never felt about another person before.

She could tell that he was going to argue about who was going to pay but he backed down after she gave him a glare. This was meant to be her treat after all.

Eddie called for a taxi while she paid and she couldn't feel happier as she felt his hand on her back as they walked through the restaurant and out to the cool early November evening. She knew that they could have waited inside for the taxi and maybe had another drink but she wanted Eddie away from the noise and everyone else.

"What are we going to do now?" He asked.

She hesitated. She knew what he was asking. Was this the end of their night?

"Okay, let me rephrase that. Do you want to go back to mine or do you want to go home to the million questions that Melissa is going to have for you?"

She knew that he was seeing how far she was going. He was seeing how far he could push his luck. She had done it earlier by telling him that they were going out for dinner. It was only fair that he could try the same thing.

The taxi pulled up and she knew that Eddie felt less sure of her decision. She took his hand and pulled him towards the taxi.

It was strange how his address rolled off her tongue so easily, like she had given it over many times before. She hadn't but had memorised it just in case she ever found herself needing a safe place with someone that she felt safe with.

The look he gave her made her certain of her choice and the gap closed between them, bringing them into a passionate kiss that lasted most of the journey to his. Once they were inside, she could tell that he didn't know how far he could push his luck again. She knew that she would have to make the decision for him, show him that what he wanted was what she wanted as well.

She pulled on his jacket as they kissed, placing herself against the wall while trying to minimise the distance between them. His hands started to roam around her waist and hips while hers took their place on the back of his neck and in his hair.

"Are you sure?" He asked as they rested their foreheads together.

"I have never been more sure of anything. I am always sure when I am with you."

He didn't need any more encouragement than that as he pulled her away from the front door and up the stairs. She always knew that he would be different to anyone that she had been with before. They undressed each other slowly and he made sure that she was alright after he took her top off, revealing her scar to him properly. The way that he kissed around it made her not hate it for once. Everything was taken at her pace and he fully kept his promise about giving her all the love she had missed out on.

If she felt like she couldn't fall in love with Eddie Lawson any more, she just had and falling asleep with her head resting on his shoulder was just the perfect way to end the most perfect date with the most perfect man. And he was hers.