Closer to Love 💚

Chapter 7

"Ms. Roberts, can you go get Richard from his trailer?"

Francesca, nodded, sighing as she began to walk to his trailer a few days after her date with Nick. She tried calling Richard, hearing it ring from the other side of the door. She knocked, not hearing anything. She let herself in, finding him asleep on his side on the bed. She chuckled, sitting next to him as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Richard." She brought her hand to his cheek, saying his name once more as she felt him grab her hand.

"My Franny. I fell asleep. I'm sorry."

She shook her head as he smiled at her, keeping his hand on hers on his cheek. "It's okay. They want you though."

He nodded, sitting up next to her, "right." He ran his fingers through her hair as their faces were only inches from each other, "where are we on the friend thing?"

She chuckled, "what would your girlfriend think about that?"

He rolled his eyes, "come on. Don't be difficult love."

She smirked, "love?"

He chuckled, "sorry. Ms. Roberts. And what would your boyfriend say to us hanging out?"

She shrugged, "we're still getting to know each other. I don't want to talk about him. Let's just go."

He sighed, standing up to follow her out of the trailer, "you want to come over to my apartment later? Just to hang out. Pizza. Movie maybe. You're right, we don't really know each other well. I'd like to change that."

Francesca sighed, turning to face him, "fine. But call me Fran. Stop calling me Franny."

He nodded, "because you like it when I say it?"

She giggled, "yes." She smiled as she heard him laugh.

***********************************************************************

Francesca knocked on Richard's door, holding up ice cream when he answered with a smile. "I brought dessert."

He laughed, "great." He took the ice cream to the freezer. He pointed to a pizza box on the coffee table, "want something to drink?"

She hesitated, "a beer? I can't get drunk around you." She watched him smirk before disappearing behind the door of the fridge, pulling out two beers. She accepted hers as he sat down next to her on the couch. "Thanks for having me over Richard."

He nodded, turning to face her as he grabbed a slice of pizza. "Of course. I don't really know anything about you except that you're from Seattle and you're gorgeous. I don't even know how old you are."

She laughed, "well. You put that flirting back into your pocket Mr. Madden." She watched him smirk as she continued, "I'm 26. What do you want to know?"

He shrugged, "your family? First celebrity crush. Guilty pleasure movie."

She nodded, laughing again, "okay. Only child. That girl you saw with me in Scotland is my best friend Maggie. Been friends as long as I can remember. Her family took me in when I was 16 after my parents died in a car accident. Brendan Fraser. And . . . Love Actually. I love it. Now you."

He watched her pick up some pizza, "I'm sorry about your parents Fran."

She sighed, "it's fine. It was a long time ago. I'm okay."

He nodded, "erm. . Well I'm 34. Older sister and a younger sister. Cameron Diaz. And Jurassic Park. Brendan Fraser?"

"I think I was like 10 when I first saw The Mummy. I was smitten right away. And then confused when I watched again when I was like 12, because Rachel Weisz. Come on. Now, Jurassic Park?" She smiled as he laughed and blushed. She leaned forward resting her hand on his arm, "I'm teasing. I love that movie. What else you got?"

"Okay." He laughed, watching her for a moment as she watched him while eating her pizza. "How personal can I get?"

Francesca shrugged, "ask me whatever you want. I can always not answer if I don't want to."

He nodded, "do you believe in fate?"

She chuckled, taken aback by his more serious question. "I don't know. I think it plays only a small part, yeah? People or opportunities are put in your path but it's up to you to decide what you're going to do. Do you take the job?" She hesitated, "do you call the girl?" She shrugged, "it's up to us."

He brought his hand up to his heart, feigning being injured, "you had to say that, didn't you. Man." He shook his head as he heard her laughing at him. "That really hurt. Do you believe in second chances?"

She laughed, "maybe. Can I ask you an incredibly personal question about a rumor about you?"

He chuckled, "sure. Doesn't mean I have to answer."

She shrugged, "of course you don't. Is it true that you're bi?" She saw him turn red, obviously embarrassing him. "You don't have to answer."

He sighed, "it's fine. I don't really like labels. I date predominantly women." He shrugged, "but I have dated a few men, privately. Does that bother you?"

She laughed, "of course not. Why would it? I was only curious."

He nodded, "I don't really like talking about my relationships in general. I don't want to be placed into a box I guess. I don't want anyone to have any preconceived notions when they meet me."

Francesca nodded, "I get that. Well your secret is safe with me."

"I know. Personal questions. How old were you when you lost your virginity?"

She laughed, "um. 16? He was a year ahead of me in school. In his car after prom, very romantic, very cliché ." She smiled as he laughed.

"Do you want to watch a movie?"

She smiled, "Jurassic Park?" She laughed at his excitement.

"Really?"

She nodded, "yeah. Of course."