APOV
At the market Christian was like a kid in a candy store. He was running around, checking out everything they offered, and he got so many toppings for our sundaes. You would think, going to the store wouldn't be so exciting, but he was seriously out of his element and enjoying every moment of it.
We're back at my apartment now, and I'm just starting on our dinner.
While Christian puts away our ice cream for later, and the many topping choices he picked, I think of how funny it was watching him run around the supermarket in his designer suit. He got nuts as one of his many topping choices. I giggle, thinking the people at the local grocer probably thought he was nuts, literally. I bet it was a sight for them to see indeed.
"What are you giggling about over there?"
"You." I giggle, still thinking about it. "It was very funny watching you shop, Mr. Grey. I can't picture you doing an everyday thing like grocery shopping and couponing. Well, I guess you don't need the coupons." I giggle again as I tease him.
"Funny, but no, I don't usual do that. I have a house manager to do all that stuff for me. I don't go shopping."
"The things us little people take for granted." I tease him again.
"I'm a busy man, Anastasia, I just don't have time for that."
"I imagine you are. I hope I'm not keeping you from anything of importance?"
"No place I'd rather be." My heart melts when he smiles his megawatt smile.
"Good." I breathe.
I turn my attention back to making our dinner.
"May I help?"
"Cool," I didn't think he cooked, but I could use the help. "Here, chop these vegetables."
"What?!"
I laugh at the face he makes.
I guess I was right in assuming he doesn't cook. He probably meant setting the table, not helping with the process of making dinner.
"It's not rocket science, Christian. You're just cutting veggies."
"I can't cook, Anastasia." He warns me. "You don't want to eat anything I've made. I thought maybe I could set the table."
"Ya know, you can call me Ana. We're friends. And I'm not asking you to cook, I'm asking you to chop. Don't worry, you can't mess it up." I hand him the pepper and a knife.
"Alright," He begins to chop the pepper. "But don't blame me if it's not right."
I giggle at his attempt at chopping.
"Like this." I show him, standing next to him as I take his hand with mine. The tingling sensation still there as I hold his hand.
I look up at him, to see if he feels it too, but he is already looking at me, and his eyes are sparkling a silver grey.
"Just like that." I breathe.
I turn around to continue cooking and to break our eye contact.
Is it hot in here?
"Would you like to watch something while we eat?" I ask him, hoping to distract myself.
"I'm not much of a TV watcher, so whatever you want to watch is fine."
"Me neither. I'm more of a reader. We could watch the Mariners game?"
"Okay." He agrees with my suggestion.
~..~..~
It was fun; dinner and watching the baseball game.
We're just starting our sundaes when there's a knock on the door.
I wonder who that could be? I'm not expecting anyone.
My hands are sticky from the ice cream, so I'll ask Christian to answer the door.
"Christian, could you get the door, please."
"Sure."
CPOV
I open the door and there is a guy on the other side.
"May I help you?" I ask him.
"Hey," He grins like we're old friends. "Is Ana here?"
The guy tries to walk in, but I put my hand on the door frame, effectively blocking his path.
"Who are you?" I demand.
I'm unintimidated by his glare and return it with one of my own. He doesn't know who he's messing with.
"José." He answers. "Who are you?"
"José?!" Anastasia comes running over, drying her hands on a dish towel.
"Come in." She says, holding the door open. "What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow."
The man, who I know now as José, comes inside.
I shut the door and follow them to the kitchen.
Who is this fucker? She said she doesn't date so he must be a friend, right. Just friends?
"I thought I would come early since we didn't get to hang out last weekend." He explains, glancing at me. "Where's Kate?"
"She went to Aspen with her new beau." Anastasia explains.
"Then who's this?" He nods towards me.
He thinks I'm with Kavanagh?!
"Oh, I thought you said you knew of Christian Grey, I'm sorry, where are my manners. Christian, this is my friend José Rodríguez. José, Christian Grey. My friend." She smiles at me.
Take that, fucker!
"This is Christian Grey?! Sorry, man." He holds out his hand, our earlier confrontation long forgotten. "I've never seen photographs, but I know of you."
I give him a firm hand shake.
"Nice to meet you."
"Same." My response is very curt.
"We were just making sundaes." Anastasia tells José. "Want one?"
"Sure." Then I hear him whisper to her, "What's going on? Are you-?"
"We're friends." She says quietly yet sternly, giving him a look that says she doesn't want to talk about it.
He looks at me, then back to her, and nods.
I'm pissed I have to share my time with her.
We grab our sundaes and head towards the main room, sitting on the sofa so we can enjoy our treat. I sit right next to My Beauty, showing this fucker she's mine.
"What is it that you do, Mr. Rodríguez?"
"Just José is fine." He tells me. "I'm a mechanic. I came to fix Ana's bug."
"He's also an amazing photographer." She smiles at him.
What the fuck?! Why is she smiling at him like that?!
Anastasia takes a bite of her sundae, dropping chocolate sauce on her chin. I put my bowl down, stopping her when she reaches for a napkin. I turn her to me and wipe the chocolate off, then suck it off my thumb, looking at her the whole time.
Her eyes darken and she's staring at my mouth.
I smirk, not only when Rodríguez purposefully coughs, but because I have such an affect on her.
Anastasia clears her throat and blinks away whatever thought she was thinking.
"It's getting late. I'll see you tomorrow, Christian?" She wants me to leave? Why?!
"Do you need a ride to tomorrow?" I ask, trying to sound unaffected.
"No, thanks for the offer though. José can give me a ride, or I can take Kate's car while he fixes mine."
I want to ask where this José character is sleeping, but I know I can't. As I glance at him, he's looking on with amusement. Fucker!
"I'll walk you out." Anastasia tells me.
I nod, and stand with her.
At her door, I can see Rodríguez trying and failing not to watch us.
"Goodnight, Anastasia." I kiss her cheek, lingering a bit too much.
"Night, Christian." She smiles sweetly, blushing.
She closes her door, and as I make my way to my R8, I call Welch for a background check on the fucker. José Rodríguez.
APOV
"What was that about, Ana?" José asks once I've shut the door.
"What? Nothing." I'm a mumbled, squeaky mess.
Mess. That's it. I'll go clean up our sundae mess.
"Christian Grey?" He asks, following me into the kitchen.
"What about him?" I try to sound uninterested. I know I'm failing to act nonchalantly.
"Last I heard you went on a date with him, now he's in your apartment alone with you."
"We're friends." I shrug. "Just like you and I."
I finish cleaning up and walk back to the living area. I sit on the sofa with José following hot on my trail for the details.
"Looked like more than friends to me." He looks concerned.
"Well, we are just friends." I say getting defensive.
"Okay," He backs off. "I just want to make sure you're okay."
"I'm fine. I wish you and Kate would lay off."
"We were there, Ana, we know what happened and want to make sure you're okay."
"I said I'm fine, José . We're just friends."
"Alright. If you say so."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, just friends." I roll my eyes at his teasing.
"Wanna grab lunch tomorrow?" He asks.
"Sure."
~BUZZ~
My phone goes off with a text alert so I check it and smile when I see it's from Christian.
I had fun tonight, friend. Lunch tomorrow? -C
Damn it! I just agreed to have lunch with José.
I had fun too! Rain check on lunch? -A
Let me know when. I have a lunch meeting Thursday, but I'm free any other day. -C
Let me check my schedule, maybe I can pencil you in. Yup, I'm free any day except tomorrow. :) -A
Very Funny. Friday? -C
Sure. -A
It's a date. -C
You're silly :P -A
"What's got you smiling like that?" Jose says.
Night! -A
"Nothing." I say putting my phone away.
"Christian Grey." He sings teasingly.
"Maybe." I bite my lip.
"I thought you were 'just' friends?"
"We are. Friends text each other."
"Uh huh. Do you smile like that when Kate or I text you?"
"Sometimes." My flushed cheeks are betraying me.
"Liar."
I roll my eyes, get up to go to bed.
"Night, José."
"Night, Ana."
The next morning José takes me to work.
I notice a dark SUV across the street from my apartment, and I know it's not normally there. I only noticed it because it was still running, but it didn't look like anyone was inside.
Hmmm...
We get to work and José says he'll see me for lunch.
"Good morning, Anastasia." I hear Christian say.
I look up and smile when I see him stroll towards the receptionist desk.
"Hey!" Shit! We're at work. "I mean, good morning Mr. Grey."
I smile as he hands me a to-go cup.
"Hot chocolate, Ms. Steele."
"Thanks! I have something for you as well." I hand him a container of food I made for him. "Since you can't cook and all." I giggle remembering his chopping skills.
"Thank you." He smiles brightly.
~..~..~
José walks in at lunch time and whistles loudly as he looks around the main lobby of GEH, impressed.
"She's all fixed." He hands me my keys as he leans against the reception desk.
"Thanks, José! You're the best."
"No problem. Sorry I couldn't get here sooner. Ready for lunch?"
"Yeah, let's go."
As we walk to the deli, José insists on talking about my new 'friend'.
"What's Kate saying?"
"That I should give him a chance."
"You should." I roll my eyes when he agrees with Kate.
"I can't José." I shake my head. "I can't."
"You can!" He encourages me. "You just choose not to. Don't hold what happened to you against him."
We stop talking when we arrive at the deli so we can order our food. We find a table and continue talking.
"I can see he likes you."
"I just don't want to get hurt." I tell him. "What if I get hurt?"
"You might." He nods. See! José agrees with me.
"You might not." José!
"You don't know what will happen unless and until you try, Ana. Not every man is like him, I mean, just look at me. I'm awesome!" He grins.
"Yeah," I giggle. "You are also more like a brother, not my love interest."
"So he's your love interest?" José asks, wiggling his brows.
"I didn-" He cuts me off.
"You did. You said!" He accuses me. "Love! Oh my god! Ana said love! She said it!"
"Shut up, José!" I wave my hand at him to calm down when the patrons of the deli look our way.
We laugh and begin eating now.
"You're not as broken as you'd like to believe, Ana. Give the guy a chance."
"Maybe."
I bite my lip overthinking. Could I? I really do like him.
Okay, what the hell. I'll do it! I will give Christian a chance!
I'll tell him when we have lunch together on Friday.
"Thanks, Jose."
"Anytime," He tells me.
"I can't believe I'm doing this." I murmur.
"Go get your man!" He shouts, causing everyone to look our way again.