"Whenever you are in doubt, trust your instincts. If you really pay attention, you will know what the right course of action is, at that particular moment, for you. Sure, sometimes it may get you into trouble, but every experience makes you grow as a person. So who cares, live your life! However, remember that nothing good ever came out of doing nothing. Indecisiveness and passivity are the worst you can opt for!"

This was the longest speech Ted had ever heard from Beard. What prompted his best friend, (well second best now, let's be honest, Ted told himself, as the first place was held by Rebecca), he had no idea, but he was sure as hell glad that he had been the recipient of it. Especially just one day before having the chance to experience this so-called "divine inspiration", which happened on Monday morning, during Biscuits with the Boss, exactly when Rebecca handed him his coffee and accidentally brushed his hand.

"How can you know that it is not your head messing with you, making up all sorts of silly hypotheses and suggesting crazy ideas? Easy-peasy. This kind of impulse always takes you by surprise. You might never had allowed yourself to even think about it, it was so out of reach, or so you thought. Maybe, it was just not the right time until then."

The combination of their hands touching, their eyes locking and the lingering smile on her face after his rather bad joke had this exact effect on Ted:

'Oh my God! How could I have been so blind? This is the person I want to share my life with. She is the most important person to me, besides Henry of course. I want to kiss her and hug her so badly. Her eyes are so expressive, but why is she looking at me like that? Oh shit, she was just telling me something and I missed everything…'

" …, so I'm really not looking forward to spend the evening with a smile plastered on my face and listening to all the bullshit they are spouting. It would be so much better if I had at least a da… Earth to Ted, are you listening to me?"- she asked him with an amused smile.

"Sorry, sorry, Boss. I just had a long night with Beard. Don't worry, it wasn't the alcohol-fuelled type, I'm not hungover. We just had an interesting conversation that got me thinking. Anyway, what were you saying?"-he said sheepishly.

"Would you like to accompany me to a business dinner this Friday? It will be boring, no doubt, but with good company, it might be fun. So, are you up for it? It will be a bit fancy. You will have to dress up, wear a suit, but I'm sure the food will be delicious, of course I can understand if you already have plans, with Beard, or like a date…I didn't even think about that, Ted, forget I asked you…"

As she started to ramble, Ted's initial thought was 'wow, she's so adorable', but then to his great shock he heard her withdraw her invitation.

'How can she think that I would say no to her invitation? Doesn't she know that my favourite parts of the day are the ones that I get to spend with her? No, she doesn't, because you haven't told her!' -he argued with himself.

It was now or never. With a determination and clairvoyance that he had never experienced before, Ted grabbed the bull by its horn:

"Rebecca, it's ok, it's ok, I don't have any plans, but if I did, I would gladly cancel them. It would be an honour for me to accept your invitation. I love spending time with you."-he said earnestly without hesitation.

She was clearly surprised and moved by his response based on her eyes growing wide and her tentative smile getting wider by the second. Although the latter died off her face instantly hearing his next words.

"However, I'm afraid we have a problem now."

"Problem? What problem?"-she asked tentatively.

"I won't be able to attend as your friend, I mean, if I'm there only as your friend. I can't put myself through that."

Afraid that he hadn't been clear enough, he decided to spell it out:

"Rebecca, you are my best friend. You're also so much more than that. It's like you're my other half. Someone who accepts me for who I am and who makes me a better man at the same time. We have come such a long way since my first day here. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world than right here, beside you."

Emboldened by her silence and attention she was giving him he continued:

"My biggest regret for a long time was to be away from Henry. Now, I know that I was unhappy in Kansas, and the happier I am, the better father I can be, the bigger support I can provide to Henry, even if it's during only his school breaks or through FaceTime. When I'm with you, that's when I'm the happiest. So, … what do you say, would you have dinner with me tonight?"-he asked with a timid smile.

She seemed to be at loss for words.

'Great, I rendered her speechless, that's a first. She clearly doesn't reciprocate my feelings. What was I thinking?! No, think positively, BELIEVE, Ted! You had to try. It was the only way to move forward.'

Finally after a few seconds she managed to utter a question, interrupting his inner monologue, but she did it so faintly, Ted had to take a step closer to hear her.

"You mean like a date?"

He didn't want to beat around the bush:

"Yes, exactly like a date."

"This is quite unexpected. I mean, Ted, are you sure? We are best friends, as you said. You don't want things to become complicated between us. And I can't bear the thought of losing this relationship that I have with you, Biscuits with the Boss, and everything that comes with it."

"Nothing would break our friendship apart. Trust me, you can't get rid of me that easily."- he winked at her, finally feeling a sliver of hope blossom in his chest.

Taking her hands into his hands he added:

"I want to be the man with whom you share every little thing, your breakfast, your dinner, your thoughts. I want to be the one with whom you cuddle, who can lend you a shoulder to cry on, who takes care of you when you're under the weather, with whom you share a bed. I want to be your everything, just as you're already mine."

"What if you get tired of me or you realize that you deserve someone nicer, kinder?"-she asked with a slight fear in her eyes, her insecurities from her marriage resurfacing.

"Tired? Of you? Never, believe me. And you are the person who has been the kindest, the most attentive to me in my whole life. Becca, don't think for a second, that just because you are a strong-willed and determined woman who sets boundaries, you're not a kind and wonderful person. Keeley, Nora, Roy, Higgins, heck, the whole team would back me up on this. Trust me."

She still seemed shocked and was clearly processing all he had to say to her.

"Also, the way I see it is that nobody's perfect and there isn't a single relationship, romantic nor platonic, that is always working in perfect harmony. The point is to solve the problems together and to evolve in these partnerships. I want to do that work, to go on that journey with you, if you let me."

'Even if she doesn't feel the same, I can say that I tried and got it off my chest' -he thought to himself.

Lowering his eyes he added:

"I understand if this is too much to hear in one go, and don't be afraid to hurt my feelings if you don't want this between us to become more. I respect your wishes, whatever they are, and you will always have me as your friend. But I had to be honest with you, I can't go on living a lie, that I am not in love with you."

"Ted."

When she said nothing else, he looked up, right into her eyes, which were full of tears.

"I am in love with you, too."

And then, suddenly, her lips were on his.

Needless to say, she accepted his dinner invitation and he was her date on Friday at the dinner party.