What's Past is Prologue (A Tom Hiddleston Fanfiction)

Chapter Nine

I spotted Ben and Sophie sitting at a table in the corner immediately upon entering the restaurant. It's impossible to miss one of the most attractive couples in the world. Benedict was wearing a simple tux and Sophie looked absolutely beautiful in a long green maternity dress. I wondered if I would look half as pretty when I was pregnant. Doubtful. Tom wrapped his arm around my waist as we walked over to greet our friends.

'"Ellie!" Sophie smiled and Benedict stood, ever the gentleman. "Oh, it's so good to see you."

I leaned over to hug her in her seat, not wanting her to have to stand with her belly about to burst. She was due sometime in the coming weeks. "Hello Soph! You look amazing!"

"Thank you, love. Tom! Come here, you. I haven't seen you in ages."

Tom leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Hello, Sophie. El's right. You look beautiful." He shared the compliment so easily. For a second, I felt a little hurt. Tom hadn't commented on my new A-line floral dress at all tonight. Not that I needed him to, I just missed the small flutter I would get in my stomach whenever he noticed how I looked or better yet, when his eyes roamed my body. No, I should not miss something I shouldn't be feeling in the first place.

Benedict walked around the table and gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek. Shaking Tom's hand, he said, "I'll go get drinks? Tom, would you mind helping me carry them back?" I thought Ben gave Tom a look, but I couldn't be sure.

"Of course," Tom muttered, but still managed to pull out the chair next to Sophie for me before walking to the bar.

"So," Sophie leaned in putting her hand on my arm and whispered conspiratorially, "How is it going between you two?"

I blinked. How was what going? "What do you mean?" I asked.

"Oh, come on. You two walk in here like that, and you both look... I dunno. Different I suppose."

Different? I tried to think of what she could have been referring to. Did we look different? Nothing had physically changed between me and Tom. He had always been a bit handsy, so nothing new there. And yet... I guess there was a slight difference. The attraction I felt for Tom when we first met was starting to flare back up. Only this time, I hadn't just gotten out of a multi-year relationship with another man. And this time, Tom and I were friends. Best friends. I really needed to talk it out with another woman.

I glanced over at Tom who seemed to be deep in a conversation with Ben at the bar. This was my chance. "Well, um... look. Can I tell you something if you promise to keep it between us?"

"Of course, you know that." She smiled reassuringly.

"Okay, um. I've sort of developed a crush on Tom. No, crush isn't the right word. It's seems a bit bigger than that." I laughed nervously and Sophie leaned back in her chair, relaxing.

"Is that all? And here I thought it was something bad, like you guys had a row or something."

"No, no fights. We actually had a really nice time at dinner last night. Well, before the food poisoning anyway. And when we got up this morning-"

"We? Oh my god, did you finally sleep with Tom?" She practically shouted that last part.

"Finally?" I asked. What was she expecting?

My face grew hot when I felt a big hand come down to rest on my shoulder. "Oh, I begged her, but she had some excuse about just vomiting or something along those lines." Tom looked down at my red face and winked, and I swore the temperature went up 15 more degrees. He set two glasses of red wine on the table, one for me and one for him. I didn't tell him what to get, he just knew.