Chapter Text
Anthony bit back a growl of frustration as he watched Penelope giggle behind her hand across the room at something that his brother Colin said. Her cheeks were pink and her blue eyes sparkled as she sat in rapt attention next to Colin as he regaled the table of people with a story from his latest work trip to America. His brother was eating up the attention that he was getting and yet was completely oblivious to how Pen hung on his every word. His brother was an idiot. He had an amazing woman who was clearly interested in him and he only saw her as a friend. He loved his brother, really he did but he was a wandering soul who wasn’t ready to settle down at the age of 25 and sweet Penelope was wasting her time waiting for him. Why couldn’t she see that he wasn’t the right one for her? Anthony’s brooding was interrupted by his brother Benedict sidling up to him at the bar with an empty glass in hand. Ben nodded at the bartender for another ale and sat down on the stool next to Anthony.
“Over here brooding, Ant?” Benedict grinned at him after taking a swallow of his new beer.
“No. I am not brooding,” Anthony huffed and then took a swig of his own beer.
“Could’ve fooled me, bro,” Benedict continued to grin at his brother and Anthony found himself getting annoyed at the knowing look on his younger brother’s face.
“What’s that look about, Ben? Just say what you clearly want to say to me,” Anthony growled.
Benedict glanced over at the table where Colin, Penelope and some friends were sitting, “You’re mooning over Penelope again, aren’t you?”
Anthony stopped picking at the napkin that sat on the bar top in front of him and sat up straighter, “What are you talking about, Ben? How many of those have you had tonight?”
“This is my second one, Ant,” Benedict replied sardonically. “And stop avoiding the question. You’re 28 years old, not a teenager.”
“Why can’t she see that he’s not the one for her? He’s always off travelling and is blind to how wonderful she is…she should be with someone who appreciates her, who will listen to her and not just try to make everything about him,” Anthony frustratingly replied.
“Let me guess, you want to be that someone?” Ben smiled knowingly.
“Yes, Ben, you know I do. We’ve already had this discussion before,” Anthony sipped his beer and looked over at Penelope again. His eyes softened when he looked at her. “She has no idea how special she is and I want to be the one to show her. But she’s so hung up on Colin.”
“It is unfortunate that she’s got stars in her eyes when it comes to Colin. And that he’s a blind idiot who can’t see what’s right under his nose,” Benedict agreed. “But let me ask you this, have you done anything to show her she’s special? Asked her to spend time with you?”
Anthony snorted, “If I ask her out, it’s going to blow up in my face. She’ll say no and then it will be incredibly awkward between us. I don’t want that.”
Ben’s eyebrows raised at his brother’s gruff tone, “You need to build up to that point of asking her out, bro. Obviously if you marched over there right now and asked her it would blow up in your face. I’m saying that you start spending more time with her as friends.”
“We spend time together,” Anthony interrupted defensively.
“You do, but mostly in group settings like tonight,” Ben pointed out. “I’m saying that you need to start seeking her out for one-on-one time together. You build the friendship, you invest in it and then maybe she’ll be ready to say yes to a date.”
“You really think so?” Anthony asked hopefully.
“It worked for me with Sophie. She wanted nothing to do with me at the beginning you know that.”
Anthony grinned, “Yes she definitely made you work for it, didn’t she?”
Ben chuckled, “She did, but she was worth it. Just like Penelope is worth it, right?”
Anthony looked over at Penelope for what seemed like the thousandth time that night. His eyes never strayed from her for very long when she was around him. The pub provided the perfect cover for him to be able to observe her without her realizing it. Her gorgeous red hair was piled on top of her head in a bun and tendrils hung down to frame her face. Her face was lit up with happiness as she laughed at something that Eloise was saying from her seat next to her boyfriend, Philip. He wanted to make her face light up like that, and wanted her beautiful smiles directed at him. She glanced over at him and Benedict as he was watching her and smiled fully at them before giving her attention back to Eloise.
That smile made his heart race and he breathed, “She’s worth everything, Ben.”
“Then start wooing her. Ask her to do something with just you and put your words of making her feel special into action, Ant. You won’t be sorry that you did,” Ben said wisely.
“What if it doesn’t work out and she wants to stay friends?” Anthony asked anxiously.
“That’s a risk you have to take,” Ben answered. “But you did just say she’s worth everything, so is she worth the risk of possibly breaking your heart? Or are you going to continue to hurt yourself by pining after her and not knowing what could be?”
“You’re right. I’d rather try than continue to wallow in having unreciprocated feelings.”
“I love hearing when I’m right!” Benedict crowed. He patted his brother on the shoulder to show he was kidding after Anthony gave him a thunderous look, “You won’t regret doing something about it, believe me. It’s better to know than to be stuck in the unknown. I speak from experience.”
“Alright, I’m gonna do it,” Anthony said with determination.
“That’s the spirit, bro!” Benedict said encouragingly. “Best to get on with it,” he gestured with his thumb over his shoulder towards the table.
“Now?” Anthony looked nervously past Ben’s shoulder at Penelope.
“No time like the present,” Ben grinned at him and took his beer out of his hand.
Anthony stood up and brushed his hands on his jeans, “Here goes,” he said and started to walk over to the table.