A slightly longer chapter than usual, couldn't bear to split this one in half! Time for the long-awaited date with the parents... I know they're having a bit of an easy ride so far, but I really enjoyed writing a coming together with limited obstacles. Rest assured, they'll be put through their paces soon enough. Till then, thanks for R - your interactions with my stories really are superfood. Enjoy :)
Chapter 6 - familiarisation / falling
Two lunches and two hundred text messages later, Elizabeth waited impatiently with Jane outside their flat for their male counterparts to arrive. It was the evening of the promised meal with the parents, and every part of her was nervous for the upcoming trial. Both for herself, and for William. She and Jane had both dressed with slightly more care than usual for a family dinner, though neither were sure whether the extra care had been an outlet for their nerves or because they wanted to appear at their best for their pseudo-boyfriends.
William had offered himself as chauffeur, and his immaculate Mercedes Benz as their ride. The other three had all gratefully accepted the lift. It beat getting the long and often busy last train home at eleven thirty on a Friday night.
The gentlemen both got out of the car upon arriving at the Bennets' flat, and Lizzy felt a gentle wave of desire settle in the pit of her stomach at William's smart-casual attire. Or at least what he considered smart-casual. He was wearing an extraordinarily well-fitted patterned shirt, the top button undone and revealing the pale skin of his collarbone. It was tucked into dark trousers which themselves ended at perfectly white leather trainers. He carried a jacket over his arm, and the whole picture could be a pristine advert for the Hugo Boss spring/summer collection.
Aware she was staring to see him so removed from the work-sona she had begun to become accustomed to, she made to hug both men and to thank them for coming. If she lingered slightly longer in the scent of William's cologne, she would not admit it.
He smiled brightly at her when she pulled back.
"So, are you both ready?" She asked.
"Should we be worried?" Charles answered jovially.
"Oh you are in for it," she replied with a throaty laugh.
"Perhaps you can expand upon that when we are in motion," he said in his usual swallowed-the-dictionary manner. He looked at her apologetically, adding "I am parked on a double yellow, and I would prefer not to get a ticket."
"Of course, let's load up," Lizzy said decisively. She climbed into the backseat on the far side to him, so she would not be tempted to distract him whilst he was driving. It was no mean feat, crawling in beside an obscenely large bouquet of flowers and two bottle bags at her feet. The car itself was unsurprisingly slick and classy, with clean leather seats and blue stitching which matched the shiny paint job on the exterior. The few personal effects were the only indication that it had not arrived from the shop floor that evening. He had a well-stocked footwell full of cold drinks, and an air freshener in the shape of a keyboard. She filed that one away for later.
"What's all this for?" She asked.
She saw the tips of William's ears pinken from behind, and thought it was just about the cutest thing she had ever seen.
"I thought, well…" he struggled. "It is customary when one meets the parents, is it not, to bring some flowers for the mother and some wine for the table?"
"That is very kind, thank you William," Jane cut in, saving her sister the embarrassment of admitting her suddenly constricted throat at the thoughtful acts of this man who she was so tentatively involved with. She took a quick peek in the bottle bags and was unsurprised yet touched to see two of the bottles they had discussed at their very first lunch. She said a silent thank you when their eyes met in his rearview mirror. A tentative smile was exchanged which made her feel warm all over. It was understated, but also full of unspoken words and silent promises.
"It's one surefire way to our mother's heart," Lizzy said, in lieu of a proper thank you.
"Any grandiose display of gratitude, you mean?" Jane laughed, and soon they were all chuckling.
When they had recovered, a moment later, Charles asked what they were to expect from dinner and the conversation picked up easily.
About halfway into the pleasant hour-long drive, Lizzy commented on the soundtrack to their DJ in the front seat, who had made a show of connecting his phone when they had first set off.
"Impeccable playlist, Charles," she complimented him with a smile. "Just the sort of stuff I used to listen to at uni."
"Yes, it's my nostalgia hits," he said genially. "Jane complimented it the other evening." Lizzy watched happily as he shared a knowing glance with her sister. "She said the two of you used to dance around the flat to similar stuff when you first moved in?'
His tone suggested it was a question, but his cheeky smile let her know she had been found out.
William's chest felt tight at the picture his friend had painted of the lovely Bennet sisters dancing to a small set of speakers in their living room. He wondered what their flat looked like, and decided to ignore the part of him that wished to be invited there to see for himself.
She snorted, refusing to be embarrassed.
"She did, did she?" She asked, throwing her sister a fond look.
"It's ok, Lizzy," she said. "I didn't tell him about the pole you installed in the lounge… yet."
"Hey!" She feigned indignance. "So much for sibling loyalty…" She gave her sister a warning look and smirked as she spoke again. "You love it just as much as I do."
"That is true," she admitted happily.
"So you both pole dance?" Charles asked, interested. The temperature in the car seemed to have risen a couple of degrees since Lizzy had addressed Charles about the music.
"Yeah, I have been for a while now," Lizzy explained. "It's good for your core strength. I forced Jane to join me when I put the pole up at home, so I guess…. Jane's been going for around two years now?"
Her sister nodded, and then verbalised her yes for the benefit of their driver. William tipped his head to thank her for including him, though his eyes remained trained on the road.
"I imagine you must be quite skilled, then?" Charles asked of them both.
"Yeah, passably decent," Lizzy replied demurely.
"She's being polite. You should see her, she's really great at it," Jane smiled, and squeezed her sister's leg. It was quite a bit more difficult than it should have been, for she had to navigate a jungle of stems.
"We would love to come and see you dance," William interjected. "Do you ever perform?" He snuck a quick look at Elizabeth in his rearview, and she was eyeing him with a quizzical brow.
"Only for the neighbours, or when forced," Lizzy chuckled back at him.
"Ah," he replied curtly. "Then perhaps not."
He was surprised at how disappointed he was. A small and traitorous voice in the back of his mind whispered that she had a pole in the comfort of her living room, and that part of him that longed to be invited over was back in full force.
"Is it just the pole, or do you enjoy other forms of dance?" Charles asked to the backseat. Lizzy could tell it was really aimed at her sister, and allowed her to answer.
"Not really, we did Zumba for a bit when we first moved in, but nothing else that really stuck."
"There never seems to be enough time to do all of the things I want to do, either," Charles replied with understanding.
"Exactly," Jane said happily. She thought for a moment. "Though Lizzy's never been shy of performing, particularly when it comes to karaoke."
"Jane," her sister said indignantly. "Am I not allowed any secrets?"
"I don't think you have made any of your hobbies a secret, Lizzy," Jane reminded her gently.
"What can I say?" She teased. "I am an open book."
William thought it was charming that she was so honest and forthright. Jane gave him a conspiratorial look in the rearview mirror, and he was disarmed against her next words.
"One thing you should know, William, is that my sister is one of those frustrating people who is so blooming good at everything she tries her hand at. And yet she is so wonderful and kind that you can't really hate her for it."
"Noted," he said tightly. It felt like someone had sat on his chest. He was glad for the excuse of driving to keep his eyes on the road and away from a rather beautiful pole dancer in the back seat. And just like that he was thinking about her singing and dancing for him, as he looked at the car in front and tried to appear as though he wasn't.
"I think it's really cool," Charles gushed towards Jane, covering the awkward silence. "That you pole dance I mean. It looks like a very hard skill to master."
"It takes quite a lot of strength," Jane replied, beginning a back-and-forth about hobbies that lasted most of the rest of the journey.
~.~
Mrs Fran Bennet was almost inconsolable with excitement at the opportunity to meet her two eldest daughters' boyfriends at the same time. It had been a number of months since she had had a young man to fawn over, and in this case she had two. Her husband had been busy in the kitchen, preparing a fresh pie and vegetables for the occasion, which he awaited with a sense of curiosity and a touch of trepidation.
He was alerted by the arrival of his daughters by the yelping sounds of his wife at the window.
"They're here, Thomas," she called for him at the top of her voice. "They're heeere!"
He reluctantly downed tools and came to greet their guests, bristling slightly at the thought of meeting two gentlemen come for his daughters. It was not as though it was the first time, but the protective paternal instinct was to send them running. He swallowed it, and tried to be as friendly as he was able.
When Mrs Bennet saw her daughters and their men emerge from the car, she was not sure whether to focus on the exciting new men on her daughters' arms, or the ginormous bouquet of flowers that hid her second daughter from view. The tall, elegant chap on Lizzy's arm took the flowers from her easily, and Fran swooned slightly. The eager man with Jane was similarly laden with bottle bags, and she was delighted to see that her daughters had somehow managed to ensnare two of the most handsome men she had ever seen.
She welcomed them effusively at the threshold, thanking them for the flowers and the wines about five times over. It was endearing and embarrassing in equal parts, but anyone could tell that she meant well. She took the flowers from him and made for the kitchen to find a vase that would suffice. They could hear her from the entryway clattering about and humming merrily to herself. Mr Bennet gave them a wry yet affectionate smile.
William was glad for his own forethought at buying such a large bouquet as it gave them a neat excuse to avoid the awkwardness of whether to hug or give her mother a handshake. And as it was, he and Lizzy had only tentatively hugged twice at their lunches, and he couldn't really get a read on what they were to each other since there was all the extra pretense of the wedding and the fake dating added to the usual uncertainty of these things.
"Good evening sir," he had said politely when he shook Mr Bennet's hand. The elder's grip was firm, and William bore the display of protectiveness with grace. "It is very generous of you to allow us two interlopers into your family dinner."
"Good evening," he replied curtly. "I would thank you for the wines, but I think my wife has more than shared our mutual gratitude." His eyes were sparkling and merry at the light tease of his absent wife. Lizzy scrunched her nose at her father's attempt at humour, and stepped between him and William to give her father a hug. Stepping back, she realised that they had missed the first dinner party formality.
"Papa, let me introduce you all. We met William and Charles a few weeks ago at the tennis courts, and they have become somewhat of a fixture since then." She had gestured to them both in turn and bestowed upon William such a warm smile he felt it settle onto his cheeks like sunshine.
"I do enjoy tennis," he said wistfully. "But I never seem to find the time to play as much as I would like to."
"And with such beautiful green spaces around you - it's almost criminal." The playful tease had come from Charles, and it was met with hearty laughter from the older man.
"I think I'm going to like this one, Jane," he said with a twinkle in his eye. His daughters groaned in synchronisation.
"Let me take your coats," Jane said kindly, searching for a distraction.
With outdoor layers safely dispatched of, they made their way into the living room. It was delightfully busy, with so many pictures it could have been a museum, and bright patterns wherever you looked. It wasn't really William's taste, but he supposed it was charming. He voiced his compliment to Mr Bennet, just as the matriarch of the family re-entered the room. They thanked him for his kind words, and they all settled onto a mishmash of settees and chairs as Mr Bennet shared how they had come to settle in the lovely farmhouse on the outskirts of Hertford.
William realised belatedly that it was quite different to any other front room he had been in recently, more than anything because it felt lived-in. There was something so cosy about the space that was brimming over with the evidence of a family so lively and busy that they had trinkets and memories strewn all over the exposed surfaces. When he reflected on his own childhood, he had been fortunate to have been born to parents with multiple houses, all elegantly furnished and well-equipped, but there had been little space for chaos. It had rendered his childhood rather sombre. He found that whist it should have thrown him off, he instead felt surprisingly comfortable sitting on one corner of the worn sofa. If the weight of a hand on his leg had anything to do with his current level of comfort, he only realised it when she stood to offer a round of drinks to them all.
He offered to help, more for fear of being left to the wolves than from his trained politeness. She gladly accepted the offer of an extra pair of hands.
"Don't be too long out there, Elizabeth," her father cautioned. William could tell by his tone that there was a joke coming, and he prepared for it. "Or we'll have to come and pry the two of you away from one another."
"Dad!" She admonished, blushing a delightful shade of bright pink as she sent an apologetic look towards him. "It's not-" she paused, flustered. She seemed to struggle to finish her sentence, and instead settled on a quick "we won't be too long."
When they had gained the privacy of the kitchen she did not, in fact, launch herself at him. Instead, she grabbed him by the arm and apologised profusely for her father's presumptuousness. Her touch was still new enough that it arrested him, and he found himself wishing that her father had been right, and there was a reason to be concerned that they would walk in on them getting amorous on the kitchen counters. How did she have him feeling like such a teenager again?
He shook his head. He had no idea what he was thinking. It was all still so new, and everything about her left him so uncertain he was convinced she was a mirage.
"I am sorry for them," she said quietly, gesturing back from where they had come. "And I am sorry if they make you uncomfortable at any point this evening."
"Do not worry yourself, Lizzy. I am sure we will have a great time," he said kindly.
"Well, either way. Thank you for doing this," she said. He almost asked her to elaborate on this, but nerves crept in at the last moment. He was fairly certain his heart wanted more than the promised fake-dating-for-a-wedding arrangement they had, but he didn't want to rock the boat when it was going so well. He had never met anyone who he so readily got on with, or who made him feel so instantly at ease.
"It is my pleasure," he nodded. He pulled out one of the bottles from where Charles had placed them on the countertop. "Now, shall we see if the Angèle Sauvignon is as good as you remember?"
"I might need my personal wine taster to help discern the quality of this particular vintage," she joked.
He held up his car keys with a wry smile, and said, "I don't drink at all if I am driving, so you'll have to take the lead on this one."
"Of course," she said kindly, and he was glad that she did not push it. "I am sure my Dad will have a word or two to share on it. He likes to have an opinion."
"I've noticed. I can see where you get your sense of humour from."
"God, I hope I'm funnier than he thinks he is," she said with a dry chuckle.
"Definitely," he reassured her.
Her answering smile made his breath catch.
The invitation to tarry was on the tip of his tongue. Not wanting to get ahead of himself, he instead helped her to fill five glasses with the wine he had bought and one with a non-alcoholic beer for himself. He then took them, two by two, back to her family.
~.~
The evening passed about as well as any member of the party could have expected. Mr Bennet continued to tease his daughters, who bore it as well as they could. His wife talked almost non-stop about her daughters and how happy she was that they had at long last found such wonderful men to bring home. In the natural breaks in her conversation, when she had to eat or breathe, Mr Bennet peppered the two gentlemen with questions about their work, hobbies, responsibilities and families.
When the topic of work came up, Lizzy gave him a reassuring smile across the table, settling the churning in his stomach for a small moment. And so when Mr Bennet asked what he did for a living, for the first time since taking the reins at Pemberley, he was confident and assured in his response. He knew there could be eyebrows raised at his youth and apparent lack of experience, even here, but basking in the glow of Elizabeth's kind eyes, he did not mind what her family thought of him.
"I took over as CEO of Pemberley Digital three years ago now," he said simply. It was a surprise to both Bennet parents, who indeed thought him quite young for the position. "My great-grandfather founded the company about a hundred years ago, and we're now on the FTSE 250."
"Wow, William," Mr Bennet exhaled. "That sounds impressive."
"It is a privilege and a responsibility which I do not take lightly. I am very proud of what we have achieved as a company since I became chair."
Lizzy's eyes were still sparkling when she spoke again. "I heard great things from Rebecca about Pemberley's in-house canteen last time she was working there."
"Ah - the chief of all my achievements! I am glad it has resonated with our clients," he seemed on the verge of laughter. When Mrs Bennet chuckled at his comment, he gladly joined her, surprising himself with his own sincerity.
"All joking aside - I am sure you all can understand-" he cast a glance around his companions at the table. "I am fortunate to be surrounded by an excellent team who make my job a lot easier."
He paused for a moment to general noises of agreement from around the table. "Not that I would call my job easy."
"In that we have found common ground," Mr Bennet agreed, and they had an interesting conversation about mutual workplace challenges, the state of affairs and troublesome coworkers.
Lizzy was amazed at how relaxed her father was, and at how animated William was in the company of her parents and sister. She thought idly that whilst he could not be called exuberant in the same way as Charles and her mother, his cheerful energy this evening accentuated his handsomeness and softened him to her. With his best features enhanced by his good mood, she thought she was in real danger of admitting she fancied him for real.
She would have been surprised to know how similar his thoughts were.
~.~
His good humour was put to the test shortly after a scrumptious dessert to round out their feast. He had not eaten such a hearty meal in quite a while, in spite of fairly regular lunches or dinners out. He usually opted for somewhere classy, which usually meant the portion sizes were not extremely generous.
There had been a piano teasing the party all evening, and when they were enjoying a coffee and letting their food go down, Charles had decided he could not hold it in any more.
"I couldn't help but notice the piano, Fran. Do any of you play, or is it just decorative?" His voice had such feigned ignorance that William groaned, knowing what was coming next.
"Our middle daughter, Mary, took all of the ABRSM grades. She's quite talented at it."
As an afterthought, she added. "Oh- and Lizzy can play quite well also. Though she never had it in her to practise much as a child, she does have ever such a good ear for it."
"Told you so," Jane muttered in William's ear. He laughed heartily.
"Another one of your great many accomplishments, Lizzy?" His laughter had not completely left his voice, and she swooned at the edge it gave him.
"Accomplishment is probably putting too fine a point on it," she said. "I play so that I can sing along." She gave her mother a look that said for goodness sake, woman.
Surprisingly, it was Charles who saved her mother from Lizzy's wrath, though not in the way she expected.
"Well it seems you two are made for each other," he teased. "Will is an excellent pianist."
Their eyes met, and both were fizzing with irritation at their secret-sharers, as well as open curiosity at each other's surprise musical talent.
"I haven't played in a while," he warned.
"I am sure it is just like riding a bike," Charles challenged. William stared grumpily at him. He did not like performing for strangers, not least beautiful ones who he may or may not have an embarrassing crush on.
"Well it seems we are due a duet," Mrs Bennet said enthusiastically. Lizzy hoped her mother's attempt to push the two of them closer would not have the opposite effect by mistake.
The pair in question hummed and haaahed and dragged their feet for a few minutes, but Elizabeth had forewarned him of her mother's tenacity and strong mindedness, and he found her to be correct on that front.
"I think perhaps a piano duet would be asking too much of our mutual coordination - perhaps you could play and I could sing?" She asked, tentatively.
"I would love to hear you sing," he replied good naturedly. "I don't usually perform… well, that is… I can't remember the last time I played in front of people with whom I am so ill-acquainted."
"It is ok, they have heard me bash away at the keys many times over. If they had any taste at all it has now gone."
He thanked her with his eyes and asked what she would like to sing.
"Do you know any Adele?" She asked, and he was thrilled to say that he did know a few. They picked Turning Tables, and he sat down to play. He sat with such gravitas, hands poised over the keys. She admired his broad shoulders from behind as she looked over him at the tiny sheet music he had pulled up on his phone.
The two performed as if they had always played together, her rich voice blending perfectly with his expert playing. He seemed to know exactly when to slow the pace for effect, when to play soft or hard, and when to allow her to sing almost unaccompanied. He took great pleasure in listening to her sing, and in catching her eyes when she did so.
The room erupted in raucous applause when they finished, and he was slightly breathless when she leaned in to thank him for accompanying her, placing a small hand on his shoulder that carried the weight of her.
There were cries of "encore" from her mother and his friend, but they decided not to push their luck.
"Perhaps we should practice together sometime," he murmured before he could stop himself.
"Perhaps, indeed," she said, and he was wrapped in the promise of a future evening, he hoped not too far away, when it was just the two of them and Georgiana huddled around his grand piano singing and playing until the small hours of the morning. He could not wait.
~.~
They ended up staying relatively late, so it was just as well that William had driven rather than relying on the late and slow trains to see them safely back to town. Jane had requested a seat in the back with Charles, and her sister had gladly accepted her space in the front of the car. The conversation naturally broke into two, William playing the radio loud enough to give Jane and Charles a sense of privacy. He felt the music may as well be on its lowest volume for all he would have been able to focus on their conversation whilst Elizabeth was so close to him.
If they were dating for real, this would be the moment where he pulled her hand onto his leg, just as it had been during their interlude on the worn sofa earlier. The words were there, and he wanted to ask them, but she made him feel so unsure of himself - like he might wake up tomorrow and it had all been a dream.
"Thank you for making such an effort to talk to them," she said quietly.
"So you noticed," he blushed. He had been putting his best executive foot forwards, channelling his most charming self to ensure that the evening went without a hitch. "I thought that was the name of the game, to charm the parents?"
"Yes… I suppose you are right. They loved you," she said. Her tone was laced with sadness, and he couldn't place the reason.
"Elizabeth, I did not mean to overstep."
She knew her sadness was irrational. It had accompanied a thought about the next poor person who she hauled up in front of her parents and how hard a time they would have comparing to her tall and charming suitor. And then she had realised the danger she was in.
"It is ok - please don't worry. I had a really nice time tonight, which is rare for one of these."
"I can't think why you wouldn't - we had good food, good conversation - so they try to embarrass you a little. So what? I can't think of the last time that I was teased by anyone apart from you or my sister. I quite enjoyed it."
She felt her lips twinge with something akin to pity, and her heart clenched.
"I am so bloody insensitive," she apologised.
"Hey," he smiled, in a tone that had her lips twitching at the corners. "It's been a long time since family dinners meant anything more than takeout with Georgie, or my cousin Fitz if we're lucky. And honestly, I loved my parents but even when they were alive, our family dinners were nowhere near as fun as that."
"It sounds like we need to petition Georgie to throw you some parties, Will," she breathed.
"I promise my life is much less tragic than I just painted it out to be. But yeah, a party or two wouldn't hurt." It was on the tip of his tongue. It was…
"Maybe I could throw you one? When's your birthday?" There it was. He hadn't expected her to offer, but it might prolong whatever this was, and he jumped at the proposition.
"Actually, it's in a few months. About six weeks after the wedding. June second, to be precise."
"Excellent. You do realise you've just offered up an evening of Georgie's time to help me to plan?" She said assertively.
"I am sure she will be thrilled," he said without a hint of jest in his tone. He did not mention how thrilled he was. The six week extension of the eventual end date of their casual dating made him glad he had the excuse of driving to prevent him saying something he could come to regret. It was the first real sign that she could be interested in more, just as he so desperately was.
"Then it's a date," she said cheerily.
"What's a date?" Jane asked from the back, mischief in her voice.
"William's birthday - second of June. It's going to be a night to remember… or perhaps one that you won't be able to."
"Sounds fun, I'm in," said Charles in his usual up-for-anything manner.
They chatted for a while about mutual birthdays and parties they had been to of late. It was clear that Jane and Charles had a lot in common from their mutual love of a good time. Elizabeth found herself compelled to pull the delightful man next to her out of his shell, and the party seemed to be a perfect excuse.
~.~
Shortly before arriving back, Jane and Charles had fallen asleep across the back seat, the picture of innocence.
"I really enjoyed hearing you talk about work earlier, William," she said softly so as to not disturb the occupants of the rear seats.
"Hmmmm?" His deep hum had the same effect as it had on their very first date, and she was slightly dazed at the sound.
"Well, it is clear from the way that you speak how much you care for Pemberley," she smiled. "And I know you are very respected for it."
"I do indeed, and I am reassured to hear it." He paused, deep in thought. "All a man has is his reputation, and I work quite hard to maintain mine."
"I know what you mean," she said, her tone understanding. "It is an empire which takes years to build, and can all be gone in an instant."
"Yes. I know an ex-colleague, he's a brilliant man. About two years ago, he was involved in an affair with a female assistant. It was a bit of a grey area, I'm not saying he was totally innocent, but his entire career evapourated almost overnight."
"Christ," she breathed. "I mean, I know you hear those horror stories. But it's easy to vilify the men as nasty strangers. You don't really stop to think about their side."
"I think in cases of workplace dalliance, it is usually at least somewhat mutual. But someone has to be the fall guy," he chanced a look to his left and saw her taut expression. "The fall person," he corrected.
"I guess you are right… It's impossible though. There's never any evidence, and it's so damaging to dismiss the supposed victim's claims without inspection."
"A fair challenge," he admitted. "Still, I think if I'm really honest with myself, it's part of the reason I've been single for such a long time. I can't afford for anyone to use me for their advantage. It would kill me if I somehow ruined the Darcy name, or put Pemberley in jeopardy. So I usually only date friends of friends or the like - apps are too risky."
She felt the guilt settle in her stomach at what she had asked of him.
"I understand," she said after a while. "You do know, you don't have to do this if you are worried. But I would never-"
"I know,' he interrupted. He knew her to be decent enough that he was at least not in danger from that standpoint. But she did have an extraordinary amount of power over him, and he did fear for himself - aside from his reputation - if this did not end well.
In the quiet seriousness of the front seats, he decided to let the matter sit between them, and instead moved on to happier topics. He knew she had understood his very real vulnerability, and she had appreciated his candour. It was endearing that he was able to let his guard down with her, and she felt extraordinarily at ease in dropping her defences also.
She considered asking if she could kiss his hand, but decided against it. He was driving, and she didn't want to distract him. Still, the thought lingered on her lips and she struggled to refrain from doing so when they had arrived at their flat and he had wrapped her in a tight hug when they disembarked.
"I meant what I said," she said by way of farewell. "I had a really nice time tonight."
"Me too," he breathed.
They stood awkwardly, halfway between kissing and goodbye. She was the one to break the standoff with a cheery, "Safe journey. Text me when you get home." It was not fifteen minutes' drive from here, but the unspoken I care for you in her gentle question settled like honey in his throat and he couldn't voice a reply. He nodded so she knew he had heard.
"And I'll see you Thursday, at our usual spot?" She followed up.
"Naturally," he replied with a smile. "I can't wait."
He fell asleep with the same smile on his lips, after firing a text to her and crawling into his bed, grateful that he did not have an early start in the morning.
WD: Home safely. Hope you sleep well.
EB: Glad to hear it.
EB: Thanks again for putting up with my parents
EB: I owe ya one ;P
EB: xxx
He stared at the three kisses and the suggestive emoji for longer than he was willing to admit. He was smitten, there was no denying it. He stayed awake for a short while longer, contemplating his happiness after a drought of some years, and fell asleep with a smile on his face.