I uploaded this yesterday but forgot to post it! So sorry! As usual, thank you all for the comments they mean a lot.
Hanssen and Serena reached their cars, parked side by side in the assigned spaces.
'I shall drive.' Henrik said, immediately making his way to the drivers side of his car.
'Shall you?' Serena asked, eyebrows raised, as she remained rooted to the spot.
Hanssen paused. Why wasn't she moving? He nodded his head slightly, indicating for her to get in the passenger side. Serena simply cocked her head stubbornly.
'What is it?' Hanssen asked.
'You! Ordering me about like a child.' Serena told him.
'I am not ordering you about.' He protested.
'You practically dragged me out of the office.'
'Well, if you must be so stubborn all the time…'
'Ha!' Serena scoffed. 'I'm the stubborn one?'
'You're the one causing a fuss and refusing to get in the car because…' Hanssen tilted his head. 'Actually, on what grounds are you refusing to get in the car?'
Serena rolled her eyes and sighed. 'I'd explain but given your apparent density at the moment it could take all night.' She approached Hanssen's car. 'But for future reference – ask, don't tell.' She said huffily and got in.
Hanssen looked baffled. The woman really was unnecessarily contrary sometimes.
Hanssen parked outside his favourite French restaurant.
'Will this suffice or would you rather go somewhere else?' he asked.
'No, I like this place.' Serena said approvingly.
They made their way inside and Hanssen said quietly to the host 'Hanssen. Table for two.'
The host checked the bookings and nodded. 'It'll be one moment Mr Hanssen.'
'You'd already booked!' Serena said accusingly.
Henrik looked mildly guilty. 'It's a busy place. It's always best to ring ahead.'
'Then you must have called before you even came to my office because I've been with you every step since.' Serena said with a sudden look of realisation.
Henrik again looked sheepish. Serena was both surprised and touched.
'What if I'd said I wanted to go somewhere else?' she asked.
'I'd have ordered you in here like a child.' Hanssen replied with a slight twitch of his mouth.
A waiter arrived to show them to their table and they followed quietly. As they reached the table Serena thought she heard Henrik mumble something. A woman at a table opposite theirs looked up and smiled broadly.
'Henrik!'
The man that was with her also turned to look at them as they took their seats and smiled.
'Henrik, good to see you.'
'Derek. Gloria.' Hanssen nodded, giving them both a polite smile in return.
'Haven't seen you properly in ages.' The woman continued.
'No.' was Hanssen's reply.
'We're Henrik's favourite neighbours!' Gloria explained to Serena cheerfully.
Serena tried to hold back a disbelieving laugh as she smiled politely.
'This is Ms Campbell. A work colleague.' Hanssen introduced her. 'Mr and Mrs Cameron are neighbours of mine.'
'Mr and Mrs! He's always so formal. Call us Gloria and Derek.' Gloria said and waited expectantly for Serena to reveal her first name.
'I'm Serena. It's nice to meet you.'
'You been away for a few days Henrik?' Derek asked.
'Yes. We were..' Hanssen immediately regretted his slip up in saying 'we' as he saw Gloria's eyes widen. 'I had to attend a medical conference.'
'You were there together?' Gloria asked. 'That's nice.' She said not waiting for confirmation.
Serena picked up her menu in the hopes of ending this conversation. Derek took the hint.
'We'll stop pestering you and let you get on with your meal.'
The waiter arrived to take their orders and asked if they wanted to order wine.
'I won't have any but you go ahead.' Hanssen told Serena.
'You can't let me drink on my own.' She said.
'I'm driving.'
'That's what taxis are for!' replied Serena, checking the wine menu and ordering a bottle for them both. 'Don't look so disapproving.' She told him, aware of his eyes on her before she looked at him.
'I am not.' He said somewhat sulkily.
'When did you book the table?' she asked casually.
Hanssen shrugged. 'What does it matter?'
Serena gave him a pretend coy look. 'Is this a date?' she teased.
Hanssen gave a short gruff laugh. 'Hardly.' He said dryly.
Serena laughed quietly. After a moment she asked, 'What's the deal with your "favourite neighbours"?' nodding discreetly towards Derek and Gloria.
'They are my neighbours.'
'Yes, I'd rather gathered that much by now.' Serena retorted. 'They seem very fond of you.' She observed.
'Bizarre isn't it?' he asked.
'A little.' She admitted with a smile.
'They are irritatingly helpful but harmless enough.' He said in a bored tone.
'Good neighbours aren't always easy to come by. I'd be lost without mine.' Serena said, thinking of all the times she had asked one of her neighbours to help. 'The number of times Eleanor has locked herself out and been taken in by a neighbour…' she smiled ruefully.
'Yes, well, I don't have a teenager that needs taking in.' Hanssen said glibly.
'No. You have absolutely no use of friendly neighbours. You should move immediately.' Serena said a serious expression.
Hanssen simply quirked an eyebrow in amusement.
Their food arrived and so they fell silent for a while.
'Have you given any more thought to meeting with your son?' Serena tentatively asked after a while.
Hanssen sighed.
'Sorry. It's none of my business.' Serena added quickly.
'I think…' Hanssen began. 'You may have had a point. It would perhaps be better to arrange a meeting now. Get it out of the way.'
Serena smiled gently. 'It might go really well.'
'I think it best not to expect too much of it.' He replied flatly.
Serena went to the ladies room before her dessert arrived and was washing her hands when Gloria walked in.
'Serena! Enjoying your meal? I do love the food here.' She said brightly.
'Yes. It's wonderful.' Serena smiled.
Gloria stood beside her and watched her carefully for a moment. Serena noticed from the corner of her eye and turned with a wary look.
'Tell me if I'm being nosy won't you Serena, but…' Gloria bit her lip for a second. 'Have you and Henrik been…? For long?'
'Been?'
'It's just we've been neighbours of his for years and we've never seen him with a woman. I mean, not with with a woman.' Gloria continued. 'He never has anyone stay over. We've never seen him on a date before. To be honest, Derek thought he might be gay. But I've always said no!'
Gloria shook her head vehemently.
'He's straight. I know because two years ago at our Christmas party my friend Natalie, who had seen Henrik at a few of our bashes over the years and well, she fell for that whole smouldering, loner thing he has going. You know what I mean.'
Serena stared at the woman speechlessly.
'Well anyway, she was a little tipsy and decided 'tonight was the night' and she was going to make her move. Now Natalie is good looking woman, blonde, toned, lots of cleavage – everything a man wants.'
Dear god, is she ever going to stop, Serena wondered.
'Perhaps she didn't go about making her attraction to Henrik known very well. He is nothing if not dignified and classy and well, Natalie was being kind of… slutty. But! Even though he didn't take her up on her offer, I saw the way he looked at her and a gay man does not look at a woman like that!'
Gloria finally paused for breath. Serena moved away from the sink to dry her hands and Gloria followed closely.
'I've always thought that underneath that dignified reserve there must just be a bubbling volcano of desire!' Gloria said almost dreamily.
Serena almost burst into laughter.
'So… I know it's unforgivably rude of me to ask but… What's he like?' Gloria whispered loudly and conspiratorially.
Serena stood open mouthed for a moment.
'Uh… pretty much as you've imagined.' She said. 'A bubbling volcano of desire.' Serena almost choked on the words.
'Really?' Gloria gasped.
'Mm hmm.' Serena nodded, not trusting herself to speak anymore.
Serena returned to the table, her eyes watering from laughter.
'You alright?' Hanssen asked, mildly concerned.
'Yes.' She replied, still barely containing the laughter.
After Serena had explained the incident with Gloria to him, Hanssen looked embarrassed and uncomfortable.
'So, this Natalie… why didn't you take her up on her offer?' Serena purred.
'I did not have the remotest interest in her.' Hanssen answered in a clipped tone.
'But Gloria said you were definitely looking!' Serena continued to tease.
'I can assure you any look I gave was one of distaste.' He said grimly.
Serena burst into laughter again. Hanssen looked mildly annoyed.
'Oh come on!' Serena cajoled. 'It must be flattering to know you are so desirable!'
He simply gave a bored sigh.
Serena continued to tease him until they had finished their meal and made their way outside to find a taxi. They were soon joined by Derek and Gloria.
'You two getting a taxi as well?' Derek asked.
'Yes.' Serena answered, as Hanssen appeared to be pretending he hadn't heard him.
'We may as well share then.' Derek said chirpily. 'You both going back to yours Henrik yea?'
'Actually, Ms Campbell…' Hanssen began.
'Always so formal Henrik!' Serena teased, mocking Gloria's earlier tone. 'Yes, Derek. I'm staying at Henrik's tonight.' Serena linked her arm though Hanssen's and smiled wickedly at him.
Derek turned away to whisper something to his wife.
'Clearly you make a habit of creating situations like this!' Hanssen hissed to Serena. Serena simply smiled.
'Shall we snog like teenagers in the taxi and make absolutely certain he knows you're not gay?' Serena asked, managing to give an innocent look as if she were just trying to be helpful.
Hanssen glared at her.