Work Text:
Nothing could beat the feeling of being close to the top of the world on a partly cloudy day. If it was too sunny, Grant MacLaren would have felt like the whole world was open for him but the clouds dimming the sunlight ever so slightly had him longing for something. There was a rocky lookout on a cliff overlooking the beautiful lake just twenty minutes from the nearest parking lot. Grant had no plans of doing anything except enjoying the tranquility around him. The water was not a gray color but not too bright either, making the calmness really set in. Today, the lake was still and not a soul was in sight. He went to that spot a lot to take a break from everything in his life marvel at the mountains on the other side and everything around and in between.
This time, when he walked up, he noticed a woman standing there all alone. She was looking out too, with her long dark hair flowing in the wind. He noticed her hands clasped together but not in a relaxed manner. He approached her slowly ready to make conversation. He was dressed in a way so no one seeing him would assume he worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He was just in his thick coat with his backpack over one shoulder, his one hand holding the strap. When he was about two feet behind her, he took a deep breath in and smiled before speaking up.
“Beautiful view, isn’t it?”
“Oh God.” There was a moment of fear in her face before she smiled, looked down and put her hand on her heart.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to sneak up on you,” Grant put his other hand in his pocket.
“No. It’s all right. I was just expecting someone. He’s late.”
“Some people are just late people,” Grant replied to make her feel better. He couldn’t stop looking at this beautiful woman, but he realized she was probably taken.
“Almost an hour?”
“Well. I guess not,” he chuckled softly.
“On my birthday, too.” Her smile fell.
“Oh he’s the doghouse,” Grant told her, flashing her a big smile with his teeth showing.
He liked that she laughed at the phrase. “Yes. He is. He’s an artist. He gets caught up in his work.”
“Is he any good?”
“He’s brilliant actually.” He noted the tone in her voice still made it seem like she loved this man but at the same time didn’t know if she should continue or not.
“Maybe he’s painting a portrait of you for your birthday.”
“There are enough of those portraits around the house. Believe me.”
“Ah. Wow.” The response was one of those that Grant would say because he didn’t know what else to talk about but didn’t just want to ignore. It was like an unspoken rule then that the conversation was somewhat done. They both turned their heads to look at the body of water again.
“I love him. He just does this too often,” she said after a minute.
“Then maybe he’s not really right for you.”
“And you are?”
“Yes. I’m Grant MacLaren.” At that moment, Grant didn’t know what would happen from there but all he knew is he was in the most beautiful place on Earth with a woman who had a no-show boyfriend. He was already in his late thirties and needed someone in his life. He had never found anyone his whole life and maybe this was a sign. He did not want to pass this opportunity but of course did not want to steal this lady because morally that did not seem that great.
“I can’t tell if you’re flirting with me or not, Grant MacLaren. I’m Kathryn but people close to me call me Kat.”
“Come with me, Kat,” he said and that was a turning point that changed everything for him. The gears had been set in motion and would not stop now. His heart was racing more with excitement than anxiety and he longed for an adventure with her.
“Alright.” She smiled and took his extended arm as he helped her down the steep rocky path to make sure she didn’t fall.
“Which car is yours?” He asked.
“That one,” she answered, pointing to a small grey sedan.
“If I give you my number, will you to answer when I call you?” Grant pointed to his car which was government-issued black SUV. “This is my ride.”
“How soon will you call?”
“Eager?” He smiled for the hundredth time that hour. He handed her his phone on an open contact page and she did the same as the exchanged information.
“I’ll be waiting, Grant.”
He smiled before getting in his car but he didn’t leave the lot until he watched Kat’s car leave safely.
He arrived home and opened his phone staring at the button that would call her. Should he do it now? She was waiting and he didn’t want it to be one of those types of relationships where they were both standing on opposite sides of the door, but both were scared and waiting to see if the other would open it first. He decided he would turn the knob first so he dialed her number. Ten seconds passed until she finally picked up.
“Remember me?” he teased.
“Hello, Grant.”
“So… any word from your artist partner?”
“Yeah but I told him he lost his chance.”
“Damn. I contributed to that.”
“I find you more exciting,” she explained.
“I hate to be that let down, but I am busy all week with my work but are you willing to meet next Saturday for dinner?”
“What work is this?” she asked.
“I am an FBI agent.”
“Oh I like that. I do interior design. I could meet you. Which place?”
“How about Pierre’s? It’s a small-ish French style café on the corner of Tenth and Spring.”
“I know that place.”
“Good. I’ll see you there, 7pm. I can make the reservations.”
“Can’t wait. Don’t be late,” she teased. He knew she was smiling by the tone of her reply.
002
A funny feeling was nagging at Grant because he never had felt this much love before, and it was an odd feeling. Once someone comes into a person’s life, they can’t stop thinking about the person of the feeling is real. He replayed their little conversation at the lookout in his head and really wondered if she was into him or if he was just in over his head. He made his way to the shooting range to meet his partner, Walt Forbes. It was a tradition that every Monday if there wasn’t a case to follow up on, they would hit the range for half an hour.
Grant walked in and saw his partner there waiting for him.
“Mac! What’s with the grin on your face? A girl in your life?”
“It’s that obvious?”
“Well, considering we failed to save a woman from her husband last weekend, I assumed you would be all glum.”
“Oh. I cleared my mind.” Grant pulled his headphones over his head, took the gun and loaded in the bullets, closing one eye and lining it up with the paper before firing. After he finished, the paper came back to him, and he realized only two shots even hit the paper. Disappointed, he ripped the paper off, crumpled it and threw it to the trash can, not making it in.
Forbes laughed and got ready for his turn.
“Your head is in the clouds, Mac. Tell me about her.”
“The first date is Saturday night.” Grant smiled and thought about what she was doing right now. Was she thinking of him?
“It’s about time.” Forbes fired his shots and did much better than Grant and waved the paper in face.
The whole week leading up the date was very anti-climactic and mostly Grant and his partner just caught up on paperwork and filing. Everyday wasn’t always action packed for him but when it was, he got his adrenaline rush from that. Forbes was definitely right; his head was in the clouds. He would just zone out and fantasize already what their first date would be like. He wondered if he should call her again but he didn’t want to seem to involved yet so he kept things shallow. This was adult life, not some teen fling which was the last time he experienced strong affection, or at least he thought.
Saturday came and the café wasn’t too fancy but he didn’t want to just look slobby either. All he owned were formal clothes mostly so he put on a plaid shirt and jeans.
He made sure he got there twenty minutes early and sat at the table. He had never called her confirming they could still meet so he assumed they still would. He played around with the salt and pepper shakers before reading every ingredient in every cocktail to pass the time.
Just as his watch turned to seven, he looked up and Kat was there in a dress looking all nice and right on time.
Grant got up and was going to go for a handshake but realized this was a date, not a business dinner.
“Lovely to see you,” he said before leading her to the table and pulling out the chair for her. To even continue after this date, he remembered to show his common curtesy. Not many people stuck around with an FBI agent if they weren’t already FBI themselves.
“Would you like to start with some drinks?” the waiter asked promptly.
“Is champagne too much for a first date?” Grant asked her, not removing his eye contact.
“I think that’s all right.”
“That’ll be out soon,” the waiter smiled before leaving to the back of the kitchen.
“I’d love to hear about your week,” she said.
“You sure?”
“Take down any crime syndicates while running away from explosions?”
Grant laughed at the stereotype, but it was a fine question for him to respond to.
“Oh, it’s not nearly as exciting. No action this week. I was thinking of you. Did you know that?”
“Likewise.”
The champagne came and they clinked glasses.
“What have you been working on?” Grant was genuinely interested in her work but also considered the fact that maybe she didn’t want to talk about work. Some people kept work out of their personal lives.
“I was just designing a chair. Thinking of you too.”
As much as he loved her smile, she loved his too and sparks were in both of their eyes. He was certain this would work out for the rest of their lives.
By the end of dinner, there was more champagne and laughter.
“You should’ve have heard his voice. Okay, so I forgot your birthday. It’s one mistake,” Kat mimicked her ex’s voice.
Grant paid the bill even though Kat still insisted split the bill. He was sure she probably made more than him. There was still so much to learn from each other, but Grant told Kat he would contact her very soon.
Work definitely felt like it was life now and Grant knew that being an FBI agent seemed to almost come before family. His partner always said he was aggressive, but Kat thought otherwise. He was nothing but a loving man to her when they were young and in love. Two years of dating can have a huge impact and nothing significant happened in their lives besides 9/11. A catastrophic event that impacts the entire world really took a toll on everyone. People were driven apart while others found unity and safety in each other as a nation. There was a moment in Grant’s life where he had to be in the office more than usual and work was more stressful than ever. It seemed impossible for life to be normal again but the bureau still wanted a Christmas party that year. Grant was near tears at all the work for the nation along with every other employee in the building. This party was supposed to be something happy to close off the year and Grant had invited Kat. This was the first time she had come into his office. When she got to his desk, she stapled a loose sheet of paper and smiled.
“I feel like a spy,” she joked.
Grant s
The main constant in his life never left and Kat was by his side for everything. They both managed to get through the first two years in their relationship and it was enough for Grant to know he wanted to propose to her.