The Pretend Girlfriend

Chapter Twenty Nine~ When Harry Met Sally

When Gwen first proposed the screening, she meant just the two of them in her living room watching her old TV. But Aiden took the idea and ran with it, which, given his reserved nature, was pretty shocking.

"You've really never seen this before?" Gwen said. They both leaned a little to the left as the Town Car made a turn. Through the windows, Gwen could see the tall buildings of downtown Manhattan rising to impossible heights around them. The Town Car was an island of black in a sea of yellow. The sound proofing kept the honks and shouts and the shriek of tires to a minimum. Gwen was just happy she wasn't the one driving.

"No. Why is that so surprising?" Aiden said. When he saw her nerves from the traffic, he took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"It's just... I thought it was just one of those things everyone saw," Gwen replied.

Aiden gave her a sage nod, and said, "Well, soon enough I'll be able to say, definitively, that I have in fact seen When Harry Met Sally."

And they were seeing it in style. It was amazing what some decent press contacts and money could get you. The traffic got a little worse as the big car nosed onto an older street lined with brownstones. They had to be close to that theater by now.

"This is the one that you and Beatrice debate over, isn't it?"Aiden said.

That touched a nerve. B would have loved to see this movie on the big screen. Of course, just about any screen was large compared to the one in her living room. It hurt that she couldn't share this with her closest friend.

"Do you think I should call her again?" Gwen said, pushing a hand into her purse, her fingertips brushing against the cool, smooth cell phone case.

"I could speak with her, if you like. Maybe if I explain things to her..." Aiden started, but Gwen cut him off.

"No, I really think it has to be me. I'm the one who needs to apologize... if only I could figure out how. She called you when I went to see Henry... That means she still cares, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, yeah it must," he said, putting an arm over her shoulders and pulling her closer. She felt the warmth of his body against hers, smelled the clean scent of his aftershave.
For a few moments, she fought with herself. It would be so easy to just sink into him, to just fall into her senses and enjoy being so close. But she also really wanted to get in touch with her friend. It was nice that Aiden offered to help her out, but Gwen could just tell that she needed to do this herself. If only Beatrice would take a call, that is, Gwen thought while she listened to her call go straight to voicemail for the umpteenth time.

"Nothing?" Aiden said, a concerned frown creasing his forehead. She loved the little wrinkle that formed between his eyes.

"Nada... and stop frowning like that! You'll give yourself wrinkles!" Secretly, she loved the thought of spending enough time with him to watch those wrinkles develop, to watch the way they both changed and grew together over the years.
And that was a nice thought, if a somewhat new one. This whole thing with the contract made their relationship seem short-term, able to end at a moment's notice.
Ever since they'd decided to become a real couple, Gwen had let herself begin to wonder if Aiden could be Him. With a capital H. The guy she spent the rest of her life with.

Aiden sucked in a breath through his teeth, then let out a sigh, "I guess it's good I can afford Botox, I suppose."

Then he poked her in the side, right below the ribs, where she was most ticklish. She regretted telling him about that spot. Well, almost regretted it. They laughed while she struggled against the seatbelt and swatted at his hands. The driver, a long-suffering soul, pretended not to notice the tussle in the backseat. The tickle fight devolved into a make out session, each of them holding the other. It was hard to kiss when you were out of breath, Gwen noted. Her burning lungs demanded that she unlock her lips from his and take a few deep breaths, but every other nerve in her body kept telling her to keep going, saying things like how romantic it would be to faint from kissing. It felt so good that Gwen wondered just how far they could go in the back of this big car. The windows are tinted, a devilish voice mentioned. And Aiden, for supposedly being in such great shape, panted for breath when they finally did part. He tugged at the knot of his already loose tie, a flush of heat rising up his neck.