A Flight's Desire

Chapter 44: A Certain Approach

Robin and Ben were both very happy. They had gotten out of their shells and let someone know who they really were. They had gotten over their fears to open up to someone that they trusted, and it was for the best that it was with each other.

In the morning, Ben found out that he wasn't needed on set because they were shooting other scenes. They were going to wrap up the shooting that day, which was timed perfectly as Ben was going to be leaving in two days. He was going to plan somewhat of another escape for him and Robin like he had during the wedding and had a quick idea. "Well Miss Hale, would you care to accompany me on our first date?"

Robin was so glad that she hadn't been drinking anything when he said that. "Why, Mr. Summers? Are you so sure that you haven't asked me out before?" Ben's eyebrows furrowed. "I am out with you Ben?"

He laughed at that memory. "That may have been our first unofficial date. Both of us were brooding in our feelings....I hope it was both of us."

It was her turn to laugh. "I didn't know what to feel then because you are my friend and we were planning the wedding and you have your work and I have mine and...." She took a deep breath to stop herself from rambling, but Ben found it to be really cute, because he was admiring her. "Oh stop it!" She blocked her eyes. "You can't use your eye-acting with me! It's not fair!"

Ben shrugged at that. "I have no idea what you are talking about!"

In the end, the two of them got dressed and this time, Robin once again let Ben take her to wherever he had planned their date to be. It turned out that they were heading towards the park in the city.

When the two of them came in front of the lake, Ben let go of her hand and beckoned at it with utmost enthusiasm. "Ta da!"

Robin raised her eyebrows at him. "You want to go boating?"

"That's one of the things I've planned for today."

She shrugged. "Hey, as long as you don't have to go to work, I'm up for it."

And so, the two of them hired a boat and went rowing. Robin had bought sandwiches that they ate almost in the middle of the lake. Ben found it strange because the boat was wobbling for a bit and was laughed at for it, because Robin found it completely normal. "The lake isn't that deep, by the way."

He stared at her wide-eyed. "That is not helping."

Ben took the oars one way and Robin took them while returning back to the shop. The rule of being equals was unwritten between the two of them. They always split the money that they had to pay. It helped them look at themselves as the other's equal, which is how they realised that they had feelings for the other more than the boundaries of friendship.

Ben took her to an ice-cream shop next. It was evident that he was recreating the night they went to the carousel. That may have been their first date if they had only opened up about how they felt. But for the two of them, the other's company is what mattered.

Once they got their ice-creams, they started walking the boundary of the lake hand in hand. They talked about their work for a while and he finally understood what effect his eye-acting had on Robin, because she started to tear up when he did it once more. "Oh no, Robin!" He hugged her and she hit his arm playfully.

"I told you not to do it for a reason!" Her phone buzzed in the pocket of her coat. "Oh, um....this is from my library. I need to take this. I'm so sorry." Ben told her to go ahead and she accepted the call. "Hello?....Wait, really? Can't I do it over the phone?....Oh alright, I'll be there."

Robin dropped the phone back in her pocket. "All okay?"

"That was my library," she said, but still felt sad when the realisation of Mendoza Library not being her library anymore hit her. "Apparently they forgot to get my signatures on a paper to cancel my membership and I need to go across the bridge to get it done." She looked at him and tried to imitate his eye-acting. "I feel so bad that our date has gotten interrupted, but I have to go before they close."

Ben laughed at her attempt. He stood up and held out his hand at her. "Come on. The date is not over, Hale."

Robin's eyebrows knitted together at that, but she gave him her hand and the two of them caught a taxi to cross the bridge. They continued to share music during the ride, which brought them closer than ever.

Robin entered the library in a hurry once she paid the taxi fare. Closing time was nearing and she was just glad that she had reached in time. Ben was beside her the entire time. While she dealt with the paper, he found himself walking around and browsing through the endless shelves of books.

He found himself looking back at Robin seated at the counter by the entrance. He wondered how he had been so lucky to find the person that he was looking for in one of his best friends. She was the kindest and most genuine person that he had ever met. Shaking his head at himself, he continued to look at the books that were arranged by genre. He came to the fantasy section and he picked up a really famous book. He read through the blurb on the backside of the book and made a note to add it to his TBR.

"Alright. I'm done," announced Robin as she walked over to him. "I see that you have seen why I love this library more than life itself."

He smirked, finally understanding what she had meant by calling Mendoza Library hers. "I certainly do. There are so many diverse books here and the suggestion and mystery pouches in the front are brilliant. I thought only Barnes & Nobles did that."

"That's what I love about this place. Mr. Mendoza comes up with new ways to make people read different books. I can't believe that I have to leave this place."

Ben consoled her. "I promise to take you around B&N in LA once you are settled in. You can buy any book that you want."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "You are going to regret this. Don't make promises that you won't be able to keep, Summers."

But Ben Summers had managed to make Robin Hale smile through her sorrow that day. Little did both of them know what awaited them the next morning.