Love At First Text ✔️

Him

Sebastian had just over a week to convince Eden to allow him to take her out.

Sure, he'd tried his hardest to convince her that it wouldn't be a date, but realistically, it would be. And a good one.

See, on Sunday night, after a heavy session drinking with Nat, they'd had a chat. Sat in the booth of The Late GarDen, the pair had got to talking. Seb had divulged his recent unearthing of his hatred for his tedious routine. He'd explained to Nat that Charlotte had advised he find a hobby, something that he enjoyed to spice up his life. Following that, in secrecy, he confided in Nat that he wasn't sure what that could be.

He'd always liked cars and bikes, but that was why he had taken to working at the garage. Was it much of a hobby if it was just an extension of his career, which he was quickly growing tired of enduring every day? He'd never had the opportunity to explore other avenues of interests, and other than dating, there was nothing he enjoyed.

At the time, he hadn't really considered what Nat had said, but then, amidst his conversation with Eden, it dawned on him. Nat had said he needed to go out and experience new things, be it with company or alone, and find something that he liked. Nat had also said 'this Eden' he was talking to seemed to have about four billion hobbies, and to maybe take some advice from her.

She wasn't wrong. She was always doing new things with Zoya or exploring her career with a different task every day. She was constantly watching new movies, or reading books, or talking about the animals she'd seen on the walk she'd taken. His friend hadn't given him much else to go on, for she'd quickly returned to her previous topic of choice – the girl Zee, and if he thought she could have been lesbian or bisexual. As the pair tried – and failed – to draw up a conclusion, Seb had forgotten about his dilemma.

Then, while talking with Eden, he'd had an epiphany. Sure, he'd talked about avoiding dating until he'd found something to juggle among his routine, but what if he didn't? What if he considered hammering two tasks with one stone?

Eden was against dating, and though she stubbornly refused to change her decision, it was clear to Seb that she was lonely, and craved nothing more than company. Her history of bad dates had scarred her, and her views on romance needed to be fixed. And who better to do that, than Seb? He was well versed in the art of dating, how to make them special and unique, how to pull a laugh from even the shyest of women or meet the thrill of those that sought adrenaline. He could show her what a good date looked like.

And while he did that, he could explore all of Eden's interests, and see if one stuck with him too. He's see if he enjoyed hiking for miles to relish in the view, or enjoyed the satisfaction of pulling a dessert from the oven when hours earlier it had only been a collection of ingredients. Until he had one, he had Eden for company, he had something new in his routine, and he was helping her too.

Obviously, he wouldn't tell her all of this. Eden was stubborn and would downright refuse to his brilliant idea, especially considering she already seemed exceptionally nervous at the mere idea of meeting Seb. He didn't want her to think he was exploiting her either, using her only to find entertainment in his own life. It was his own secret plan, and it would take considerable use of his charm and charisma to kick start it.

That was why he had messaged her today and asked if she was free for a phone call. He assured her it was nothing sinister, and that he simply wanted to chat.

It was Saturday, so he was off work, but Eden wasn't. She's put in extra hours at the florist, ensuring that everything was ready to be delivered for the wedding she was due to trim up tomorrow. Still, her replies were prompt, and when she had free workspace, she had told him he was free to call her and keep her company while she sorted the table centrepieces.