Then and Now

Then and Now- Chapter 3

Tiffany watched the clock as if it was the most amusing thing that she has seen in all of her days. 4pm was coming and there was nothing that she could do to slow down the inevitable. Did she really want to? She knew that Gavin would not miss the opportunity to catch up with her after work and the unknown about the meeting was putting butterflies in her stomach.

She put the finishing touches on the document that she was currently working on and clicked save. She sat back in her chair and let out a breathe that served to try and steady her nerves. "Why is this so hard?" She was talking to herself and didn't expect a reponce and when she received one it sent her heart into overdrive.

"What is so hard?" Her newly affirmed friend had propped his perfect body in threshhold of her office door.

"Oh..uh..nothing, " she stumbled over her words trying to come up with an acceptable responce. "...just these darn fiancial agreements. What are you doing here?"

"I told you that I would see you after work." He gave his dazzling smile once again. She glanced at the clock and it was, in fact 'after work'.4:02 to be exact..She glanced back at him and for once his features didn't show that of a confident, undefeated, lust evoking man. He appeared more like a puppy dog waiting to be scolded for peeing on the carpet. It was rather endearing that her opinion of him meant that much.

"Alright then." She had gained a bit of confidence back but also didn't want him to feel dejected."Let's go."

The walk to the parking lot was slightly awkward as they discussed the weather. After a full detailed seven day report was put out there all conversation dropped as neither of them could think of anything to say. They made it to her car and as she was about to thank him for his company he cut her off.

"Have lunch with me tomorrow." It was a question she knew but it sure didn't sound that way. She couldn't believe that after the conversation that they had not even 4 hours ago he would ask her that. She was right to begin with.He was just looking for a way in by offering friendship.

"I thought that we had discussed this." She pulled out her keys and unlocked the door of her car. He opened the door for her to get in but she just turned to face him.

"We did, and I promise I'm not trying to push the limits. Friends have lunch, right?" She gave him a disbelieving look. "We can even go downstairs and eat in the company cafeteria if that would make you feel better." Another winner smile. He sure knew how to use those. She stood there a moment staring at this gorgeous creature while having an inward debate. Finally her curiosity won out. She had to see if he was authentic.

"Ok. Tomorrow. Lunch...in the cafeteria." She threw her own little smirk at him as she climbed in her car and he closed her door.

~*~

Sleeping that night proved be almost impossible. Her mind was cluttered with thoughts of the past, the present and what the future may hold for her. Images of her beloved husband played through her mind like filmstrips. Special times that they had shared with one another were in the forefront. Next, being the times that she just sat back and watched him interact with their children in such a wonderful fatherly way. She had the lingering pang of guilt that always seemed to arise within her whenever she chose to let herself feel anything for another man. Tiffany knew that the guilt was ridiculous and uncalled for. She knew that her husband loved her enough that he would never want her to be alone for the rest of her life. That was t-he kind of man that he was. He always strived to make her happy. Matthew would not be happy right now knowing that this guilt was eating away at her. She knew all of this so why couldn't she just let go? Fear, maybe. Fear that she would never find another man that loved her the way that he did. That was a legitamate fear in her mind. How do you top perfect? Perfect.... just the word made images of her new 'friend', Gavin appear in her mind. The meer thought of him gave her goosebumps. The thought of tomorrow's lunch had her chest aching with anxiety. The only sleep that she ended up with that night was restless and choppy, filled with dreams of those who had been dancing through her head.

~*~

"Wow! That looks really good. What is that?"

"It's the chicken salad." She responded to his obvious question. She peeled the top peice of her bread off and used her fork to cut into her now open faced sandwich.

"So, how is it?" he aked her this question just as she filled her mouth with food so she knew that he would be watching her chew, waiting for an answer. She looked away and grabbed a napkin to wipe her face, just in case.

"It's really good. How's yours?" She responded after she had finished her bite and glanced down at his food. Philly cheese with peppers and onions. Wow, he's brave.

"I've had better." He shrugged as they drifted off into another uncomfortable silence. As they continued to eat you could cut the tension with a knife. It seemed to always come to that end with them. As Tiffany began to ponder why she was even sitting here, she considered that fact that she was extremly shallow and the only thing she saw in him was his rugged good looks. Breaking her out of her contemplation was a very low voice. She could barely hear him but she understood.

"Her comes Alice Cullen." 

"What?" She didn't question him because she couldn't hear him but because it didn't make any sense.

He nodded his head in the direction of the young looking girl walking their way. She glanced at her and giggled a little.

"Why do you call her that?" Tiffany was trying her best to be discrete and in doing so had to lean over the table to talk. He leaned forward also to respond.

"I call her that because she always knows everybody's business and I don't think that have ever seen her mad." Tiffany had to laugh at that. It does kind of sound like Alice. Wait... he's seen Twilight?

'Alice' walked by their table, dragging her fingertips along the top and winked at Gavin.

"I really wish," he started once she had left. "...that she would find her 'Jasper'. Maybe then she would leave me alone." Tiffany laughed at the irony of the situation. Any man in the building would be happy to have her attention and the one she chose to give her attention too didn't want it.

"So," she wanted to change subject because she certainly didn't want to talk about other 'prospects'. "...you've seen Twilight?" He blushed at her question. 'How cute is that?' She thought but waited patiently for an answer.

"Yea, about 600 times...or so it seems. My girls and I have a Twilight marathon at least once a week."

"Really....?"

"Oh, yea. Not my first choice for movie night but I'll watch anything for my girls. Besides," He lets out a small chuckle and his face lights up at the thought of his girls. "...Jenna is team Jacob and Rebecca is team Edward. If the movie doesn't keep my attention, they're arguments certainly do."

"That makes for a peaceful household." Sarcasm dripped from her statement but her eyes sparkled at the possibility that just maybe that they had found their connection. "So, how old are your girls?"

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