Cal's dinner plans hit a snag at about 5 o'clock that evening when another phone call from Zoe popped up on his phone. He contemplated not answering it at all but then concluded that maybe it was something to do with Emily.

"What now?" he asked, not even bothering to hide his irritation. Once the usual niceties had been exchanged, Zoe informed Cal that she had to make a last minute trip to New York and that he would have to take Emily tonight. He nodded as he listened, as if she could see it. He was about to mention the fact that she'd phoned him four times in two days but decided that he would only end up on the phone to her for longer then so he didn't bother. He simply told her that he, of course, would take Emily.

OXOXOXOXOXO

As Cal and Gillian left the office that evening, the arranged dinner. Cal was assigned food collector and they settled on Chinese as the choice of cuisine. When Cal had informed Gillian that he had Emily for the night she hesitated and suggested that they leave it for another night but he refused. He told her that Emily was more than likely going out which would give them plenty of time to talk.

OXOXOXOXOXO

Gillian got to Cal's house first and Emily let her in, delighted to have some other female company.

"Your dad's gone to pick up food." Gillian informed her, dropping her bag inside the living room door and shrugging off her coat onto the back of the couch. Emily picked it up instinctively and placed it into the closet by the door so it wouldn't get wrinkled.

"Do you want a drink?" Emily asked, a little unsure as to what to offer. Gillian shook her head.

"I'm fine thanks Emily. How's school?" Emily shrugged.

"It's ok I guess. Doing driver's Ed at the moment so that's cool but I can't get Dad to bring me out in the car." Gillian smiled, thinking back to when she was learning to drive. Her mother had taught her.

"Just keep bugging him. Sooner or later he'll give in."

"He thinks I'm going to crash the car." Gillian swallowed hard. It was the mentality of most parents. It was completely justified on her mother's part because first time out she had run into a fire hydrant. On a busy intersection. At rush hour. Sometimes Gillian wondered how she'd ever lived with the humiliation of it. She glanced back at Emily.

"I'm sure you'll be fine." Emily shrugged and sat down at the kitchen table, remarking that she was hungry. Gillian laughed and sat down opposite her.

"How's Rick?" she asked, curious as to how the 16 year old's love life was faring out. Emily's eye lit up momentarily and Gillian smiled to herself. She knew that look – it was that 'first love' look. In her case it preceded divorce by a few years but that was just her new, cynic's way of looking at things.

"He's great. I'm meeting him tonight after dinner. I hope you guys don't mind me shooting off?" Gillian shook her head, a little too vigorously as it turned out.

"No, no, go have fun." Emily frowned slightly at her enthusiasm and apparent wish to get rid of her.

"Am I….Is this….Are you guys on a date?" she finally spat it out and Gillian swallowed hard again before shaking her head. She didn't think Cal would want Emily knowing anything yet. Especially seeing as Gillian's words to him in the office today could well have killed any chance a relationship might have had.

"No, we're just having dinner. And discussing how to keep the company afloat. Any ideas?" She raised her eyebrows, hoping she had lied well enough to fool Emily.

"I don't know. Get Dad to be nicer to clients?" Gillian smirked. Her lie had worked and Emily had, in actual fact, made a valid point.

"Yes, that one would actually work. Except it's pretty much impossible to make it happen." Both girls laughed and were still chuckling when the door opened to the sound of rustling backs and, Gillian noted, the clink of glass. Emily wandered out to the hall to take a bag from him and he followed her through to the kitchen. Gillian stood up to help get plates.

"Cal, your daughter's just come up with a great idea to bring in more clients." He caught the smirk on Gillian's face and he looked at Emily.

"Has she now? Well come on then, let's hear." He caught Emily in a playful headlock while Gillian dished out food onto plates, watching the father and daughter wrestle. She smirked to herself and felt quite privileged to be witness to it.

OXOXOXOXO

Dinner was very pleasant though Gillian did catch Emily directing knowing glances at her and Cal when they spoke or laughed or joked with one another. At one point Gillian had laughed so hard mid-bite that she managed to get curry sauce on her nose. Wiping it off and shaking her head at the childishness of it all she caught Cal staring at her.

"What?"

"You've got sauce…there." He tried pointing but she put her hand in three wrong places before finally he leaned over and wiped it off with his thumb. She smirked and thanked him. Then, perhaps he forgot Emily was there he stuck his thumb up to his mouth and tasted the curry sauce, cleaning off his finger as he did.

"That's nice, that is." Gillian couldn't help but catch the double entendre. At the other side of the table Emily's head was about to explode.

OXOXOXOXO

While Emily went upstairs to get ready to go out with Rick, Cal and Gillian cleaned up the plates and glasses, choosing to dump them in the sink rather than actually wash them.

"That was a hell of a stunt you pulled at dinner." Gillian said smugly and he gave her a quizzical look. Gillian imitated his method of removing curry sauce stains and he grinned, stepping in close to her.

"I wanted to see how good it tasted." She smiled at the suggestiveness in his voice. She felt his hands move to her hips and she glanced down.

"Cal, Emily's just upstairs…" Despite this fact she parted her lips for him as the kiss landed.

"So?" he said between the first and second kiss. Gillian let her hands slide onto his chest.

"So she might walk in…" She felt the small of her back make contact with the island as he gently pushed her back against it.

"And?" She chuckled into his kiss, before finally giving in and letting herself melt into the kiss, tilting her head slightly to kiss him back properly. No sooner had their tongues made contact when a squeal from the doorway broke them apart. Turning their heads, they were met with Emily and a curious expression on her face. Neither needed to consult to other to know that it was delight.

OXOXOXOXO

"So how long?" Emily asked as she applied her mascara in the mirror in the sitting room. Cal was watching her as she did. Gillian was delving through Emily's make up bag, seeing what was what and pushing certain things to the side for Emily to use. Cal watched Gillian as she helped Emily. Gillian stole a glance at Cal after Emily's question.

"Not long." Emily turned and looked at him. He shrugged.

"Seriously Em, not long. You don't have to know everything you know." Emily turned back to the mirror and finished off applying the last of her make up. Then turning to Gillian she asked how she looked.

"Gorgeous Emily. You'll give him a heart attack." She smirked and Emily smiled. Cal raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah and I'll give him worse than that if he so much as…" Gillian shot him a disapproving look and he stopped in his tracks. Emily tidied her makeup back into her bag and checked herself once more in the mirror.

"Ok. I'm ready to go." She smiled as Gillian moved to sit on the couch next to Cal, a decent distance between them. Cal sat forward.

"You need money?" he asked Emily, reaching into his pocket for his wallet. Emily shook her head.

"No, Rick's treating me." Cal tucked his bottom lip over his top, deep in thought then nodded.

"Ok. Home by eleven." Emily raised an eyebrow.

"I thought it was ten."

"I had to lie to your mother the other night so from now on it's eleven with me. Don't give me a reason to make it nine eh?" Emily smiled and gave her father a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks Dad. Bye Gillian." With that she trotted out the door, the excitement reverberating around the room with the clip clop of her heels, the sound of young love, Gillian mused. Cal slouched back on the couch.

"You know, I kind of wish they didn't have to grow up," he said thoughtfully and Gillian placed her hand on his thigh reassuringly.

"She's a good kid Cal." He nodded and turned her head to face her. He lifted an arm.

"Come here." She scooted closer to him on the couch and let her face fall against his chest, his hand rubbing circles on her arm where he held her close to him. He placed a soft kiss on her head and for a moment neither of them said anything. Then, from out of the blue, Cal muttered,

"I think we should take Clara's offer."