Sorry for not posting on Saturday, I was busy with a few book sales that I attended. As always please read and review.
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At the next meeting Graham, who is tired from regular dance lessons, arrives late to the meeting. "Stop fretting Ace, he is here," Tegan points out to her friend. The brunette tries to hold back looking relieved. "What does he have your not-so-secret stash of beef sticks?"
"Tegan stop it."
"Nope, not until you tell me the truth that you like meat, well meat sticks whether it is the one you eat or the one you," Tegan doesn't finish her sentence as Graham walks up to them.
"Good afternoon ladies, is Nyssa coming today," Graham asks quickly, looking at Tegan before smiling at Ace.
"No, she isn't telling me why though, what about Ryan?"
"He still isn't home," Ace reaches out wanting to rub his arm but when her friend raises her eyebrow, she stops. "His return home date has been pushed back again."
"Oh Graham, I know how much you miss him, do you want to spend time with me?"
"I always like spending time with you," Tegan watches the two, "you make me happy, and at times forget the fact that I don't know when I am going to see Ryan again."
"What are you two doing that makes you forget, making out?"
"Tegan," her longtime friend groans as Graham watches Ace's lips move.
"No, we talk, go see a play or just enjoy each other's company."
"No lips touching."
"Tegan, you need to butt out if something between Graham and I, then it's our life. Not yours." Ace moves away from the two.
"Are you going to tell her how you feel," Tegan asks him, hands moving to her hips.
"I have a plan in motion. I will need your help with it though."
"How?" Tegan is more than happy to help.
"Later," Graham moves to sit next to Ace and Tegan watches as he slips something into her bag. Ace also notices it and smiles at the man who is doing more than any partner she has ever had to make her happy.
After the meeting is over Tegan goes home to Nyssa and Graham and Ace go back to her place for dinner. As Ace is changing into her favorite pair of sweats and an oversized shirt; Graham runs out to his car and grabs the bag of Landjaeger he bought last night and goes to her fridge. Ace comes down to see him in the fridge?" She knows while she loves the dance they have been doing this past month, she is ready for it to be over.
"Trying to find something to eat," the bag falls out.
"We ordered remember," Ace comes closer to him and can smell his scent. She bends down, "thank you for these by the way. Just please don't put any in my bags."
"Why?"
"I don't need Tegan finding more, and if she finds out who else can.
"If someone you don't trust finds out; you can say it's for your friend Graham who eats more than most people. If he doesn't eat he gets unbearable."
"You must be my crazy then."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Graham," she picks up the bag, "I love spending time with you. Even when you haven't eaten in a few hours." She opens the unsealed bag and eats one, moaning slightly at the smokey taste of it. Graham tries to hold back a reaction to that.
"I will stop that, so you know you can eat whatever you want around me. If you want to keep it a secret even better, I can pick you up here and then we can go back to mine, and I can make us some food or we can order."
"Are you sure about that?"
"I am; it will also help my flat not to be so quiet."
"I can help with that. We can make it the loudest one," Ace knows that could have a double meaning, "I mean by playing music."
"We can do what we do here. It is just lonely there sometimes. I have been trying to keep myself busy."
"With what?"
"A few activities?"
"Are you seeing someone?"
"No, I'm not. You?"
Ace smiles, which she realizes that was bad to do with Graham's dejected reaction, "no. my freetime has been with you or Tegan and Nyssa."
"Me?"
"We are having dinner right now Graham. You brought a book right?"
"I did, I brought it in when I grabbed the bag."
"How far are you into it?"
"Just started it."
"Good, we have a few hours together." Ace wants to reach out to touch Graham but the door opens.
"Who could that be?"
"Pick up the bag and hide it please," Ace says with wide eyes.
"I will eat some so she thinks it's mine and that you keep a few snacks for me here." Ace watches as Graham takes one from the bag and eats it.
"Ace," they hear the voice of Tegan coming in, "did I see Graham's car."
"You did," Graham replies from his position. Ace moves away as Graham winks at her as he eats another.
"Someone can't wait for dinner to arrive so he took out a snack that he keeps here."
"You have snacks here for him," Tegan enters the kitchen followed by a smiling Nyssa. "He's here that often?"
"What he's my mate."
"So are we, and we never had snacks here."
"I am also rather lonely lately, and Ace has been helping me not feel lonely. After I came back from traveling with the Doc; my mates weren't happy that I couldn't tell them where I had been."
"Likely story and what will they say when the news reports that you have been seen with Dorothy McShane."
"I don't know, all I know is I am glad that you lot have become my best mates. I am going to wait for our meal." After Graham walks out Ace's two best friends turn and face her.
"We didn't order enough for four."
"Just enough for you and your date," Tegan teases. "Though it seems he couldn't wait. Why didn't he just eat your face?"
"Tegan, he doesn't even feel for me like that; sure he has sent a few looks to me."
"You have seen how he looks at you."
"A few times," Graham comes back in with their food. Tegan and Nyssa watch how the two smile at each other.
"So," Nyssa who has been quietly observing everything. "When are the two of you going to kiss?"
"What?" Both Ace and Graham say in unison.
"You are forgetting I see the most of you two together and how much you two flirt. It is getting tiring." Graham looks at Ace than Tegan who now knows what he wanted her help with by that look.