Held To Ransome

First Impressions

"No, not a God, not even a Norse one!  I know! Good for off the cuff, eh?" Tom laughed down the phone. He was sitting in a cafe not far from the scene of that morning's fateful meeting, chatting on the phone to Luke.

They'd initially been discussing some upcoming interviews but eventually come round to idle gossip.

"Yeah, she seemed nice, quiet, but really nice. We're meeting for coffee tomorrow. I've a free morning before we do some location visits out at the estuary.  Think I might ask her to come with me. She seems to have an eye for a good landscape." He paused and then burst out laughing, making the rest of the cafe turn and look. "No, Luke, my arse doesn't count as landscape!" He muttered, face flushed and laughter crinkling his eyes.  "Ok, speak soon. Let me know about Graham Norton, ok? He's always a laugh. Bye."

Hanging up the phone, he put it on the table, running his fingers thoughtfully across it before deliberately pulling them away. No, wait until tomorrow, he told himself.

Callie looked up and wished she could just melt into the carpet.

"Hi...I'm Callie, Callie Anderson." She indicated the seat nexr to her "care to join me in my hour of excruciating embarrassment?"

Tom nodded and pulled out a chair. "Thanks. Don't worry, I've heard worse. Far worse love. Someone even told me they were a stripper because of me once!" He shook his head "genuinely... no words!"

Callie smiled and relaxed a little. Seems the stories were true. He really was lovely.  "Did... did I see you... before at the shoreline?" She picked up her coffee and sipped it. More to give her hands something to do other than stroke his arm, something badly wanted to do at that moment.

"Ah, so that WAS you then, eh? Yes, I came to see the sunrise. I'm guessing you did, too.  Is there any particular reason, or are you just an early bird?"

Callie nodded, "Yeah, I'm taking... a sabbatical." He didn't need to hear about flying staplers, not yet anyway. "Decided to move here and take up painting and writing." She shrugged. "Not very good at either, but it keeps me sane. Almost!"

Colin arrived with their breakfasts just as she said that, and he snorted. "Not very good? You're great, Callie. Don't let her kid you, Mr Hiddleston, she's great." With that, he wished them Bon Apetit and walked away.

"You show me yours, and I'll show you mine!" Tom said through a mouthful of pancake, a wicked glint in his eye. Images of cartoon Loki's floated in their shared minds eye.

Callie laughed and inhaled a mouthful of crumbs, making her cough wildly.  Going redder and redder, she tried to catch her breath. Tom put his cutlery down and patted her back,
"In through the nose, out through the mouth love. Slowly. Here..."  he held out a cup to take a sip.

When she calmed a bit, she took the offered cup and sipped.  The warm tea washed away the last of the crumbs.

"Sorry! I'm not making a very good first impression, am I?" She blushed and wiped her mouth, sitting back.

"Oh, I don't know, as first impressions go, it's been memorable!" He crossed his arms and looked at her head to one side.  "Tell me something?"

"Depends - what?" She carefully lifted another mouthful and, this time, managed to swallow it without needing the Heimlich manoeuvre.

"What's a nice girl like you doing hiding in a nice place like this?' He stared into her eyes, daring her to lie.

"Who says I'm hiding?"

"Dont do that - answer a question with a question."

"I do?"

He raised an eyebrow and smirked, making Callie blush.

"Guilty as charged. I am, but not from anyone. Long story. Not for breakfast." She munched, hoping he would let it drop. He looked at her, then nodded.  He didn't. He was fascinated.

"Agreed. Not for breakfast, so meet me for coffee tomorrow? 11am? Little cafe down the street?" He smiled, and her resolve melted.

"Ok, that would be lovely. Thanks."

Her mysterious past put to one side for now, they moved on to more exciting subjects. Why was he here at all?

"Filming a new series. Six parter for tv.  Based on this..." he reached down and pulled out a now dog-eared paperback.

She picked it up and skimmed. She paused and looked up at him. "You the Parson?" He smiled and nodded.

"What makes you say that?" He was intrigued. He could conceivably have been the heroines' other male friend.

"I could tell by your hair!" She laughed, making him snort into his tea. He went quite red, and she had a sudden flash of headlines

"MAD WOMAN KILLS TOM HIDDLESTON WITH LAUGHTER!"

"Oh goodness! You ok, Tom?" She relieved him of his cup as he coughed, eyes screwed shut. He nodded, raising a hand.  Eventually, he stopped and turned to her, noticing the genuine remorse and concern. Any thoughts of teasing her disappeared.

Grasping her hand, he smiled. "Perfectly. Now." He looked at her so intently she thought she might expire.

Instead, she gathered her insides together and stood up.

"Well, I'm sure you're busy, and to be honest, I have a rather uncomfortable conversation with my bank manager this morning, so..." she smiled."See you tomorrow? Tea for two at 11?"

He looked briefly puzzled and then brightened. "Of course! It's called Tea for two! The cafe! Yes, see you then." He smacked his forehead and stood.  Extending his hand, she reached out to take it, and he deftly raised hers to his lips.

Kissing her knuckles softly, she felt herself collapse mentally in a fangirl heap. Physically, she smiled, and as they looked at each other, she said, "Look forward to it."

Neither doubted the other meant it.

She walked out of the pub, and his last glimpse of her through the quaint leaded glass was her waving to him.  He desperately wanted to go to the door and see where she went.  He didn't. That wasn't what friends did. Friends. He barely knew her, but being friends was definitely on the agenda. So far.

He pulled out his phone and pressed a contact while he waited, doodling on the newspaper she'd left behind.

"Luke? Hi! Just checking in. Me? Oh fine. Yes. The locals are very nice. You'll never believe....."