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"Chips on the quay would have been fine darling..." Ellie chuckled to herself as Alec cursed at the price of the Malbec and the Baked Camembert.
"No, god no, i promised you a slap up meal and that's what we are having" Alec was determined that Ellie would have the best first date ever. "Plus I couldn't expect you to spend the whole evening down the beach in that beautiful dress" Alec continued.
"Who says we would spend the whole eve down the beach?" Ellie smiled and winked, she was actually proper flirting, like genuinely showing some sort of affection, to her Scottish Twat Boss.
"Point taken, I suppose there's also nothing to say you will be staying in that dress all evening either, is there?"
Ellie nearly choked on the complimentary olives she was eating, whilst Alec realised just how long it had been since he had made a sexual joke like that towards a love interest.
Falling in love, had never been on the agenda for Ellie, 20 years ago or right now, she remembers her first date with joe, he had bought her flowers and she froze, not knowing what to do or say. She had never been comfortable with men, and since joes departure, she struggled even more.
She was struggling now, what she had planned to be a lovely evening, was to be ruined by her fucked up visions and scares. The only thing Ellie wanted right now was some space and air.
"I just need a minute..." she smiled falsely at Alec as she got up and left.
Minutes passed and Alec, sat at the table delaying the waitress, his mind going at a 100mph, was it something I did? Was that joke too far?
Meanwhile, Ellie had taken to the garden, mid November meant it was particularly empty, she fumbled for her phone.
Scrolling through she hit ring....
"Beth... It's El"
"Hey, he dropped you off early didn't he... Or are we back at his"
She could hear the lightness in Beth's voice but somehow she needed more than witty banter.
"El... You okay?" Beth continued, more concerned now.
"I'm scared Beth."
"Oh sweetheart, of course you're scared, no one goes to a first date feeling like Beyoncé,"
Ellie let out a long sigh.
"It's not just that, I haven't been with anyone physically since that one night stand after I went out with Clare. I don't want that with Alec, if I wanted a quick shag, I would have downloaded Twinder or whatever it is."
"El, do you really think Alec, wants a quickie in the office, it doesn't sound like him really?"
"I know your right, but the problem is..." Before Ellie could find the right phrase, Beth jumped in.
"You're falling for him aren't you?" Beth asked calmly.
However, Ellie's reply never came, the call ended promptly, with Beth putting it down to difficult questions rather than lack of signal.
Ellie shoved her phone in her bag, not wanting to deal with Beth's ridiculous but well thought out questions.
"Was it something I said?" Came from a voice behind her.
"What? Alec, no, not at all, it's me" Ellie smiled more genuinely now as Alec walked towards her, he could tell she had been crying.
"Look, I think we are a bit too old for 'it's not you its me sayings' so I'm gonna cut to the chase" he took both her hands. "I'm not going to make some half hearted promise that we are gonna be together forever, because I can't garauntee that. But I'm not a dick, this isn't gonna be a cheap shag and then that's it. I want this, I want us to be something special. The gossip and stares are gonna be shit, and God knows what Tom and Daiz will think, but what I can promise is that I will not hurt you. I am on your side, through anything. I've got you Ellie, if you will let me."
Unable to use words, she used the power of actions and pulled him down for a kiss. This was deeper and more loving than there pub snog, with their tongues exploring and the passion raging.
Ellie pulled away reluctantly, and replied, "I will let you."
Alec stroked her cheek, "this isn't us, the whole slap up meal and dodgy fish courses"
Ellie wiped the tears as she giggled,
"What is us then?"
Alec smiled... "Chips?"
He took her hand as she smiled, he held it the whole way to the towns best chippy. When Alec went to order, Ellie sat on one of the metal chairs and got her phone out. She found Beth's number, and simply typed...
"To answer your questions, yes I am. :-) x"