"Why are they building gardens when we need beds?" Jacob asked with a frown.
Connie turned to walk away, but not before adding a sarcastic reply.
"To make the wait more pleasant?" She smirked as she headed back into the hospital.
Jacob followed her with his eyes and a smile crept onto his lips. He was surprised at the humoured tone in her voice, things hadn't been so relaxed between the two recently. But in that moment, it almost felt like nothing had changed between them, like both had forgotten that things were no longer the same between them.
Jacob turned back to the sight in front of him, the smile still formed on his lips.
It had been a month now, since Connie had told him it was over between them, but the time apart hadn't lessened his feelings for her at all. He had accepted now, that they could never be together because of Grace, but it was the unfriendly atmosphere between them that he despised. He hated the awkward eye contact when they passed each other, and the emotionless tone in her voice when they were working together.
At least now, the hostility seemed to be easing between them, he was pleased that perhaps at least, they could get along as friends.
A slight smile still played on Connie's lips as she re-entered the department.
She had missed feeling comfortable around Jacob. It was nice that for once, their encounter wasn't awkward, in fact, that short encounter had been pleasant.
She sighed as she was handed some files and headed towards her office. She was pleased, that things were friendly between them now, but she was regretful, because she knew that was all they could be: friends.
"Oh sorry!" Jacob exclaimed as he rounded the corner and walked into Connie, who was travelling in the opposite direction.
The files that she was holding had been knocked out of her hands, now lay scattered and disorganised on the corridor floor.
Connie immediately bent down retrieve the papers, giving him a tight smile. "It's fine, Jacob."
Jacob sighed and crouched down to assist her, he hadn't been looking were he was going, his mind, as had often been for the last month, was elsewhere.
The pair tidied the dropped files in a somewhat awkward silence.
Jacob picked up the last of the sheets and looked up to meet Connie's gaze, holding his hand out for her to take them.
Their eyes locked and Connie paused for a moment, before taking them from him. "Er, thanks." She said quietly.
"No problem." Jacob smiled.
It was a few seconds before either made any move to rise from their crouched positions on the floor, but eventually, Connie looked away, giving a nervous cough as she shuffled the papers and stood up.
"Right, I better be going...need to sort these files." Connie muttered, before giving him a friendly smile and striding away.
Connie had just entered her office when she heard those familiar heavy footsteps approaching.
Jacob stood hesitantly in the doorway, a sheet of paper in his hands.
"We er, forgot to pick this one up." He smiled sheepishly.
Connie couldn't help but smile. "Thank you."
Connie didn't seem to be making any move to come and collect the document from him, so Jacob began to make his way into the room, holding the paper at arms length.
"I don't bite." Connie raised an eyebrow at Jacob's tentative behaviour.
Jacob dropped his hand and the pair chuckled together. Connie took a few steps towards him to close the gap and took the document from his hand.
Jacob studied her face. Those eyes which shone the most beautiful colour. The freckles which scattered delicately across her upper cheeks. Those lips, a soft shade of pink.
He found himself being drawn to her, his lips gravitating towards hers.
Connie's breath caught in her throat. What was he doing? This couldn't happen between them, things were over, they both knew that.
But her body made no attempt to move away, just allowed his lips to grace her lips, as her eyelids closed.
She didn't realise how much she had missed it until she experienced the gentle caress of his mouth on hers.
She willed her face to move away from him, but she couldn't escape. He hands automatically moved to his face, before finding their familiar place at the back of his neck.
But her mouth was soon deprived of his touch. She opened her eyes, and loosened her grip on his neck, letting her hands fall gently to his upper back.
Jacob lifted a hand, letting it linger close to her cheek, but not letting it touch her skin. "I..." He began. He took a deep breath and shook his head as he looked down, away from her gaze.
He shouldn't have done that. What was he thinking?
Connie exhaled before gripping his hovering hand in hers, pulling it towards her cheek, where he had intended it to be placed.
Jacob looked up and frowned at her manoeuvre. "But-" he started, unsure of what was happening between them.
Connie stroked her thumb along the top of his hand which she still held gently against her face. "I... I love you Jacob." She whispered. She blinked back the tears and gave him a small smile. "I don't want to lose you. I can't do this anymore."
Jacob moved his other hand to meet her face, cupping it delicately in his hold.
"I love you, sweetcheeks." He whispered, before leaning into to replace his lips.
