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-J.

Part Five.

Luce looked at the calender, today was a Friday. She picked up the canvas and walked it over to the blank space on the wall. She hooked it onto the small metal hanger, and straightened it out so it was level with the other canvases. Cindy Luther was another painter at her gallery, she had many people submitting art. She had a few pieces up herself, She liked all of them too, but they never really seemed to reflect her personality.

She was switching in new art pieces that she painted, and many from her employees. The white walls made the pictures stand out that much more, with a few red accent walls. She had a fairly big area for her gallery, it was placed in a brand new plaza, and she had only had her gallery for about a year now. Sometimes she'd place out her student's art work from the catholic school. Only not for sale.

She had a stylish table with a golden table cloth over top, with art work spread neatly across its surface. She remembered the phone call she had earlier, on the phone with Spencer, around lunch time. She was in her class room in the basement of the old school, and her phone held lightly in her hand. She had already programed Spencer's number in her red blackberry curve, and she pressed the call button.

It was dialling.

The other end picked up, and her ears listening as the other end picked up the sound of breathing.

"Hello?" Spencer said. She gathered her words, and she looked at the sketch in front of her.

"Hey, Spencer. It's Luce, I got your message; and I was wondering what you were up to tonight?" She asked, and she listened into her phone, carefully, hearing back round voices.

"Yeah, um, I, I'm not doing anything. Where would you like to go?" He asked.

"Mmm. I know of a good Italian restaurant, I'll by at my gallery at seven, if you want to meet me there?" She suggested, playing with the bottom of her shirt.

"Okay, That'll be great. I don't think it's that far away from my apartment, I'll see you at seven then," he said,

"Okay, I'll see you then," She replied softly.

She brought her head back to Cindy, who was on the phone. She muttered something about holding, and she turned to look at Luce.

"Hey, Luce. They are having an art festival, and they were wondering if you'd like the gallery to participate," She asked, looking at her.

"Yeah, Cindy that would be great, are they looking for a place to have a starter party?" she asked, moving another painting.

"I'll ask. She picked up the phone again and began to talk.

"Okay, Mmm? Okay, sure. We'll call you soon, okay, Bye!" She said cheerfully. "Okay, the festival is on November fifth, okay? And we scheduled a kick-off drinks party for November first,"

Luce looked at her watch, it was close to six fourty-five, and she heart did a mini-flip in excitement. "Oh, sure thing. I'll plan it further, with the dates when I get back on Monday, okay?" She looked at Cindy. "I have to jet, I have a dinner in a half hour, I'll still be here though. I still have more paintings in the back, I might come back and put them up on Sunday."

"Oh, okay. And you look great in that dress," She informed Luce. She remembered to bring something nice to wear, and changed before she came to the gallery. She thanked Cindy, and walked to the bathroom. Her hair wasn't really in ringlets, more like tight waves. Her skin wasn't that pale today, but the bronze eye shadow added more colour to her face. Her v-neck dress was black, and the top was lace, with a skin colour material underneath so you couldn't see her skin. The bottom was a nice black silk, and it went to her knees. She had black flats on, with a slight heel. Her perfume was a nice brown sugar smell, only it wasn't strong.

She heard the gallery poor open, and a male voice talking to Cindy. She took one last glace before leaving the bathroom. She saw Spencer looking around, eyeing the art. His eyes moved until they fell on Luce.

"Wow, Luce, you look great," he said, looking like her in a way that made her feel like she was a piece of art on the wall.

"I know! That's what I said!" Cindy butted in, smiling and switching glances between the two of them.

"And you look great too, Spencer," She looked at his white button-up and black tie. He had dress pants on, and a sweater. She gave him a smile, and then turned towards Cindy.

"You don't mind locking-up, right?" She asked her. She shook her head, and wished them a good time.

"Your gallery is beautiful, did you paint all those?" He asked, once they reached a car – which was Spencer's, one he used for work anyway.

"Not all, but some. The one in the front window I painted, though," she said, looking at he painting with a white rose on it, it almost looked like a photograph.

"Wow, it's great," he said. He started the car, and Luce gave him the directions. It only took them fifteen minuted to get to Pacifico, a Italian restaurant, she had always loved going to. They entered the parking lot, and opened the car door. His car was extremely clean, almost like a rental car. He had some kind of charm that hung on the mirror, and it had a Chinese symbol for peace on it. He waited for her as she rounded the car, and walked beside him.

"You know, I've never heard of this place," He confessed, a little boy smile held on his face, and he took the occasional glaces at her.

"Well, now you have! I loved going here, it is one of my favourite restaurants," She said, the doors automatically opened, and the waitress served them a seat. They were seated on the second floor, that looked almost balcony-like. There were plants everywhere, and a decorative chandelier.

"Wow, no kidding, it is nice in here. You know, most of the restaurants uses calming colours and dim lighting to relax the people, and to kind of set a mood," he said, looking at her eyes.

"Oh, and what mood do you feel right now?" She asked, laughing.

Before he could respond, the waitress came back, ordering their drinks.

"Would you like some wine or something, because I'm driving," He suggested to Luce. She gave a nod and then looked at the waitress, whose name tag read Elena.

"A glass of red wine, please," She said, avoiding eye contact with the waitress, who was observing her features. Elena switched her eye contact to Spencer.

"And for you, sir?"

"May I just have a Coke, please?" He said, looking at the waitress as she wrote it down.

"Are you ready to order now, or do you want me to come back?" She asked them. Spencer looked at Luce, and she could tell by his face that he was asking her if she was ready. She nodded, automatically.

"May I have your chicken Alfredo?" She asked.

"You got it, and you?"

"Spaghetti and meatballs please," He said, giving a slight smile and handed her the menu, Luce did the same, and she walked away.

"How is your cut?" He asked, looking at the spot where her wound is,

"it's okay, it should start healing now, The doctor wants me to come in again in another two weeks," She told him, and she tapped her knife ever so slightly so that it was in-line with her fork.

"You know, I have to warn you about transference; that you might only like me because I saved you," He confessed.

"My god, why didn't you warn me before?" She joked. "Spencer, I would have liked you before I even knew you worked for the FBI, or that your a genius,"

she watched him grin nervously.

"So, we are, dating, r-right?" He asked, seemingly unsure,

"Yes, if you want," She said, now unsure of herself. I must be contagious she thought, She saw a flash if a grin, and the waitress peaked behind Spencer.

"Coke," She said, lifting the glass from the tray. "And the wine, your food shouldn't be too much longer." She assured them.

"Okay," Luce said, with a smile, and the waitress returned it. She walked off once again, stopping at other tables, most likely asking how the food was. She picked up her wine, and took a little sip. It tasted sweet, with a bitter after taste. She couldn't decide right away if she liked it or not, and then she noticed Spencer observing her. She started laughing, and then set down the glass.

"Bitter?" He asked.

"Yeah, a little."

"You know,The Irish believe that fairies are extremely fond of good wine. The proof of the assertion is that in the olden days royalty would leave a keg of wine out for them at night. Sure enough, it was always gone in the morning." He told her.

"You're too smart. Okay, how many quills are on a porcupine?" she asked.

"30,000 quills, ma'am."

She looked at the waitress who walked by, with a can of 7-up. "When was 7-up invented?" She asked.

"7-UP was created in 1929; "7" was selected because the original containers were 7 ounces. "UP" indicated the direction of the bubbles." He said, now a slight winning grin. "Now I am going to quiz you," he breathed. "The word "Nerd" was first coined by who?"

Luce laughed, seeing it as a kind of joke. "Dr. Seuss, in his book "If I ran The Zoo." I remember reading it when I was little."

"Correct." He said.

"What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?" She asked. She remembered this from some magazine she read, with a trivial section. Spencer thought, and then his face lit up.

"All were invented by women." he said, happy.

XXX

Spencer pulled into the parking lot, just under her apartment. He took her hand, and lead her to the door, where she opened with her key. It opened easily, and he looked around. There was a fresh bouquet of flowers on the table, and a small brass chandelier in the centre of the lobby. She and Spencer took the elevator to her floor, and once inside her home, they kissed. It was soft, and tender. Her heart seemed to flutter when her body was so close to his. His hands cupped her face, and then their kiss was interrupted. Again.

Spencer flipped open his phone, and saw the text.

"I have to go, I'm so sorry." He said, putting away his phone.

"It's okay, Spencer," She said with a smile.

"I love you," He said, and left before she could reply.