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"Do you have to be such an idiot?" Ainsley said from the bar stool next to him, stirring her vodka cranberry cocktail with her straw.
"What are you talking about?" Malcolm questioned, finally looking up from his bourbon on the rocks.
"Dani likes you." She stated the obvious.
"No, she doesn't." He retorted.
"Yes. She does." Ainsley stated emphatically.
"How would you know?" Malcolm tossed back. "You've spent all of two minutes with her since we got here."
"And it only took one to see the goo-goo eyes you were giving each other." She assured.
"Look, Ains," He began to argue. "I'll admit I'm attracted to Dani, okay, but there's no way she's attracted to me. I mean, why would she be?"
"Because your hot." Ainsley shrugged. "Or so I've been told by every friend I've ever had... and that medical examiner of yours."
"Gee, thanks." Malcolm replied dryly.
"You're also extremely intelligent, super sweet, and almost kind of funny." She added.
He shook his head, "You just couldn't let me have that one, could you?"
"Nope." She teased, popping the cranberry from her drink into her mouth.
"Well, you forgot to mention that I'm also damaged, nerdy, and obsessed with murder." Malcolm tossed back.
"So, you're not perfect." Ainsley brushed off. "That doesn't mean you're not a good guy."
"I'm not so sure about that." He retorted dejectedly.
"Well, I am." She asserted. "You are a total catch, big bro, and Dani has her glove wide open." Malcolm furrowed his brow and gave a puzzled look to his sister who quickly amended, "Baseball not latex."
"Right." Malcolm humored.
"Whatever," Ainsley went on, waving her previous words away with a swipe of her freshly manicured hand. "What I'm trying to say is she's interested. So, go for it and ask her out already."
"It's not that simple." He claimed. "Were friends... and we work together..."
"Blah, blah, blah." She interrupted. "Ask. Her."
"Why are you pushing this so much?" Malcolm inquired, looking at his sister intently.
"Because, you deserve to be happy, Malcolm." Ainsley told him seriously, placing a hand on his forearm for emphasis. "And it's obvious Dani makes you happy. So, do it. Ask her."
"I don't know..." He wavered, thinking she did make a solid point.
"Do it." She repeated.
Malcolm smirked at her persistence as he responded, "Ains---"
"DO. IT." Ainsley insisted more forcefully.
"Do what?" A voice called out from in-between them.
Both siblings turned to find Dani standing just behind them, back from the restroom and ready for a beer.
Without missing a beat, Ainsley looked to Malcolm and stated matter-of-factly to Dani, "Malcolm has something to ask you." With that, she gulped down the third of her drink she had left like a shot and then snapped her fingers while she called out to the bar tender for a refill.
Meanwhile, Dani turned her gaze to Malcolm and said, "What's up?"
Unable to speak for moment, Malcolm just stared into her warm brown eyes. It took him all of two seconds to realize his sister was right. In life, you need to go after the things that make you happy, and this woman was his happy ever since she punched him in the face. So, downing the rest of his drink for some liquid courage, he stood up, meeting her eyes once more, this time at eye level, and blurted, "I like you, Dani. A lot. You make me feel sane when I'm going crazy, and you make me laugh when I take myself and the world around me too seriously, but, most of all, you make me really, really happy. I think I could make you happy too if given the chance. So... will you? Will you go out with me?"
Dani bit her lip as she processed his words. It was about damn time. She had been waiting for weeks for him to make the first move. Now the ball was in her court, and Dani was ready to go in for a slam dunk.
"What do you think?" She smirked as she moved a step forward and grabbed the lapels of his jacket, pulling him forward slowly and carefully to plant her lips on his. After a good three seconds, Dani pulled back and stared into his electric blue eyes, waiting for a response.
With a pleasantly surprised facial expression, Malcolm licked his lips and said, "I'll take that as a yes."
Dani smiled reassuringly back at him, letting him know his assumption was indeed correct. You know, in case it wasn't obvious. A second later, Ainsley leaned over into their personal bubble of space and smiled knowingly as she taunted, "Told you so!"
Malcolm, like the loving brother he was, simply pushed Ainsley's head back toward the bar and kissed Dani once more. The women in his life were certainly a handful, but he wouldn't have it any other way because, at the end of the day, they made him happy, and happiness... was everything.