"Let me get this straight," Marco said, "you have a date with Spinner?"

Paige rolled er eyes. "It's not a date. It's having dinner with an old friend."

"Old friend?" he asked skeptically. "Paige, Spinner was your first love."

She put down the tube of mascara she had been applying as she got reday for dinner and turned to face Marco. "That was high school Marco. Spin and I are long past that. We're friends now."

"Whatever you say." He picked his jacket off the bed and walked to the doorway of her room, throwing a goodbye over his shoulder. She turned back to her mirror and finished putting on her make up. When Marco had shown up an hour ealier she had been really happy to see him. But once he started in on why her 'going out' with Spinner was a bad idea, she just really wanted him to leave.

'Like Spin is planning some big romantic evening in an attempt to woo me.' Paige thought. She laughed at the idea and headed out the door.

"You look beautiful."

Paige had been standing by the bar of Spinner's restaurant, which she now knew was called Mason's, admiring the difference she saw. After dark the lighting was dimmed, there were candles spread all over, and soft jazz was playing over hidden speakers. Very, very romantic. Also very, very crowded. It seemed to be the hot date spot of the moment.

The voice, lower and huskier than the day before, whispered against her ear, startled her and she whirled around. Spinner was standing behind her with a smile playing across his lips that she hadn't seen in years. Her smile. The one he had always saved just for her to let her know how special she was to him. She loved that smile.

Paige shook her head. There was no reason to think things like that. She looked Spinner over and decided she had been right the day before. He had aged very well.

"I don't think I've ever seen you in a suit before." she said, plucking at the dark blue tie he wore. "It suits you. No pun intended."

Spinner recognized the look in Paige's eyes instantly. She was nervous. Which meant he was right and she did think of this as a date. He was instantly glad he had decided on one of the only two suits he owned. There had always been something about Paige that made him want to better for her, even if it was just in terms of his clothes.

"I had the staff save us the best table in the house." he said, putting a hand on her back and directing her towards the back. It became apparent right away why this was considered the best table. For one, it was near the back corner next to a large window with a perfect veiw of the park fountain across the street. They were also partially hidden thanks to the wall and the dim lighting.

"Well, at least we'll have some privacy back here." she said once they were seated. Lame, but it was the only thing she could think of after Spinner had pulled her chair out for her. He'd never done that before.

"That was the idea." he said in that same low voice he had used before. Suddenly, she was struck with the memories of the last two times he'd used that particular tone with her. The night they had kissed at the Dot, and the next in her room. And tonight wasn't suppossed to be anything like those.

"So," she said brightly in an attempt to pull the evening back to it's original intentions, "what have you been doing for the past seven years?"

They talked about his senior year. His family. Cooking school. And finally, the disastrous three year relationship with Darcy.

"What happened with you guys?" she asked.

"During her first year of university, she began talking about marriage. I suggested we we wait until we both had careers before we discussed it." he began.

"Sounds sensible."

"I thought so. But apparently, Darcy wanted to get married and have kids right away. School was just a way to kill time until then."

"So she dumped you because you wanted to wait? Can you say drama queen." Paige remarked.

He smiled at her comment. Exactly the same old Paige. "No." he said. "She dumped me when I told her that I realized while I was thinking it over that I didn't want to marry her. Ever."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. As much as I cared about her...the idea of actually being married to her, for the rest of my life, kinda gave me the hives." he said with a slight shudder.. Paige laughed. She raised her glass up and tipped it toward him. "Well then, here's to brutal honesty." Spinner smiled and clinked his glass against hers.

"What about you? Ever been close to getting married?"

She sighed. "Not unless a two year long distance relationship with a guy whose visits I dreaded counts as 'close.'"

He raised his glass back up. "Here's to answering machines."

"And voice mail." she added with a clink.

They talked about her job. Her life in Montreal. And her dream to woo her firm's biggest clients and then start her own company.

"Do you wanna dance?" Spinner asked suddenly.

"Dance?"

"This is a great song." he said sheepishly. And she had to agree. The sexy, somewhat smoky music wafting throught he hidden speakers were perfect for dancing.

Paige hesitated. It was obvious that Spinner thought this was a date and she so obviously didn't. The look in his eyes was a little too passionate, smoldering too much for her comfort level.

"I won't bite. Promise." he said.

She smiled. It was just one dance after all. What could it hurt?

Taking hold of his extended hand she said, "Only if you promise not to step on my toes this time."

"You have my word."

He led her to the dance floor, placing one hand on the small of her back, pulling her close, and clasping hers in the other. Placing her other around his neck, she snuggled slightly against his chest. "This is nice."

"Yeah," he agreed, "it is."

Another day, with nothing to do
There ain't no way I'm
Gonna make it through
Cause every time I close my eyes
All I see is you

I don't know why I need ya
But every day I'm deeper
Baby why can't I keep ya
Out of my mind

"I've thought about you a lot over the years Paige." he whispered.

"I've thought about you, too." Paige confessed, letting the atmosphere and the proximity pull her into a hazy web. She felt like she used to when Spinner held her like this. Safe and loved and almost innocent. "Especially during the bad times. You mean a lot to me Spin."

Ooh I hate myself
For feeling you
But I can't help
Feeling like I do

I don't know why I need ya
But every day I'm deeper
Baby why can't I keep ya
Out of my mind

"What would you say if I asked you to go on a picnic tomorrow?" he breathed against her ear, his hand sliding up and down her back.

All I see is you

I don't know why I need ya
But every day I'm deeper
Baby why can't I keep ya
Out of my mind
Out of my mind

"I'd say, that if you keep that up a picnic probably wouldn't be too good of an idea." she answered. At once he ceased moving his hand.

"Now will you come?"

She pulled back far enough to smile at him. "You're on."

I don't know why I need ya
But every day I'm deeper
Baby why can't I keep ya
Out of my mind
Out of my mind

"Out of My Mind" by Andrea Lewis