Almost Home (NG2)

Date

Phoebe vacillated between anger and feeling sorry for herself. She had wanted to eat Chinese food with her friends. Instead, she wouldn't eat anything. Her mother called her stubborn, but Lilli called her a martyr. It didn't matter, because she was angry. Too angry to concentrate on the episode and too stubborn to turn it off, she would have to watch it over.

It wasn't Morgan's fault, but she resented her for being with Phoebe's friends. She, Nash, and the dickwad were a threesome, not in a crude way. She only wanted one man, so she'd die a virgin.

It was so easy to keep watching when episodes popped up one after another. She had watched two or ten or somewhere in between when she heard a door close. She pulled the blanket up to her chin like a cocoon. It provided security in her vulnerable state.

She didn't look from the TV but knew who had invaded her home.

"Pheebs, you don't want to sit here alone all night."

"Maybe I do."

"I came over to talk to you."

She glued her eyes to the TV without comprehending the actor's words. The screen went blank. Robbie had the remote in his hand. She could complain, but felt too weary.

He sat down next to her. "Pheebs, I was wondering if you'll bend your rules?"

"What rules?"

"Since Nash is with Morgan, can we count it as a date?"

She sat up straighter, pulling herself further away from him. "You just want to be done with the ten sooner."

"No, I want you as my date. I'll even pick you up and walk you home."

"You're already here."

"I came to get you, because I want you by my side."

"A real date?"

"I thought they've all been real, including a few others which didn't fit your criteria."

She shook her head. "If they were actual dates, you would have wanted to kiss me."

"Did I ever say I didn't want to?"

"Feels like every day."

"It was never not wanting."

Her chin dropped open. "You want to, but you won't, because I'm too young."

"Maybe I'm wrong and it's something I need to get over."

"Wrong. Over." What was he saying? She felt a jolt kick-starting her heart.

"Earlier, you mentioned the day we spent together when you were sixteen. As great of a day as it was, I felt a lot of guilt."

"Why? Because you hated Grace?"

He chuckled. "I did, but no. All day I wanted what you admitted you were too young to do. It felt like a date, but the guilt stuck with me."

"You didn't even touch me."

"I did in my mind."

"If I'm supposed to feel guilty over all the things that have crossed my mind, I'm in trouble."

"Like what?"

She smiled. "I used to think up ways for the Lilies to get in trouble."

"I could have helped with that."

"You have hardly been around the last six years."

"You're right."

"I also thought about you when you weren't single."

"I kissed you when I wasn't single. I felt guilty about it, but not as much as I had after Splashtown. It was a sign."

"What kind of sign?"

"The kind that told me Cayla might not be my future."

She smiled. She felt a weight lifted. "Because I am."

He laughed. "I was trying to decide if my future was in Nashville or Maine and where Cayla fit in. For a while after I went back, I thought I would stay."

"Until you went to buy a ring."

"That's when I knew for sure, yeah."

"I cried when I heard you were moving. Your dad and Mr. Currier were talking. You were on your way and no one told me."

"You cried because I didn't tell you."

She shook her head. "No, because you were coming for a job, and I always thought you would come home for me."

"I needed a job. Pheebs, I'd love to tell you I came to Maine for you like one of those love stories Lily loves, but the biggest reason was my family."

"Huh? What? I stopped listening at love story."

Robbie laughed. He rubbed her knee hidden by the blanket. "What do you say? Date?"

He stood and pulled the blanket off her. "You're lucky I'm dressed."

"Am I though?"

Phoebe looked up at him. His eyes looked darker, causing her heart to drop and jump back up again.

"Were you joking because you aren't smiling?"

He continued to look at her. As a test, she held out her hand. He grasped it and tugged. At the same time, she swung her legs to the ground. He overestimated his need for force or her weight, because the momentum flung her into his chest.

She was unable to breathe, but not from the impact. He grabbed her around the waist with his free hand to steady her. She tilted her chin and looked up at his face. His eyes had lightened to the color of cocoa.

"Hi," he said through his chuckle. "You never answered me. Will you be my date?"

"Okay. It's a date."

Before he let go and she lost her nerve, she put her lips on his. She may have started the kiss, but he took it over, claiming her lips. It was nothing like the kiss on the beach. His hands were in her hair, holding her head. She'd have to push back to end their kiss, not that she'd ever want to.

After forever, but not long enough. He pulled back. Both panting, his eyes looked like thunderclouds.

After a breath, she said, "I told you it wouldn't take ten dates for you to kiss me."

He smirked. "You kissed me."

"But you hijacked it."

"Sorry." He smiled, making his apology insincere.

"I'm not. It was the best kiss I ever had."

Rob smiled. "They'll think we killed each other if we don't go over."

"Okay, but when you walk me home, will you kiss me goodnight?"

"It's possible."

Again, her heart bounced down before springing back up.