Courtship

Part 29

Rafe's eyebrows rose as he looked across at Felicity. He was not about to be maneovered into this. Yes, of course he wanted to spend time with Marina, but he had come to this reception with Felicity and basic gentlemanly conduct dictated that he leave with Felicity. He had a basic code that he adhered to, and bringing one woman to a party and leaving with another was not part of that code.

"See? Now you've gone and done it!" He shook his head at Felicity, but his eyes twinkled. "If you're going I'm going too." His tone brooked no argument. Not that it had much of an effect on Felicity who was determined to get him to change his mind.

Felicity looked disappointed. "I know you think you are doing the right thing, but you really aren't!" His brows rose at that. She huffed. "I have heaps I can be getting on with at home."
"Then why did you agree?"

"I only came because you didn't want to be here without a date and you didn't want to be a no show." She reminded him bluntly. Watching them, Marina realised they bickered like siblings. She wondered exactly how long they had known each other, for they seemed very comfortable being blunt!
"Fliss, you leave. I leave. That's my code." Rafe pointed out. Having grown up with Felicity, she was practically family. She was seeing one of his best friends, and that had simply strengthened the connection. Rafe had no qualms having this disagreement with her, for he knew she would not bear a grudge.

She huffed, narrowed her gaze and chided, "You are being difficult."

"No. You are trying to manage the situation. Or to be more accurate, manage me!"

"I'm being sensible. Practical! You could stay and dance the night away."
"Who says I want to?" Rafe challenged, and only after uttering the words knew that Marina might take it the wrong way. "I doubt either Marina or I are keen to keep Alistair company. And if you go, we will be stuck with him." Rafe threw in hoping to remedy the situation. "So stop trying to ditch me. If you go, I go too. End of story."

"This is the last time I do you a favour." Felicity grumbled loudly. "Talk some sense into him." She turned to plead her case with Marina.

It was then that Marina decided to intervene. Clearly the man was as keen as she was not to be left together! She figured she ought to pull her weight in ensuring they both got what they wanted. "I hate to say this, but I'm with him on this one. It's not good form to turn up with a plus one, and then let the plus one leave while you hang out with another!"

"Everyone knows we aren't a couple." Felicity explained. Well, thought Marina, actually not everyone does. I didn't until recently. "I don't see why both of you are making such a big deal out of this."

Marina smiled, "We aren't. To be honest I was going to give it another ten minutes at the most, hopefully just long enough to see the bridal couple leave, and then I intended to head home too." Marina spoke the truth. She had been thinking about when would be a good time to leave, she just hadn't reached that ten minute mark.

"You were?"

She nodded. "Yes, I like Felicity have a few things that need my attention at home."

"That sounds rather cryptic."

"And if you think I plan on explaining, I'm afraid I don't!" She laughed then frowned. "Actually, my ten minutes might just have turned into ten seconds, here comes Alistair!"

It was just fortunate that at that moment the MC announced that tbe bridal couple were about to depart. Felicity, Rake and Marina joined the chain of well-wishers who formed an arch for the recently married couple. No sooner had the bridal couple left, when Marina made her goodbyes too, and much to Rafe's consternation, she also left.

Felicity stood beside Rafe and then turned to look at him. "You like her." She pointed out.

Understatement, Rafe thought silently. How could he have gone from nought to hundred within the space of an evening. He had always seen her as a competent doctor, albeit one he wasn't sure was professionally engaged in her career. But this evening he saw her as a young woman. Someone who had his heart racing and his brain contemplating asking her out. Two years ago if someone had suggested he would want to date Dr D'Sa he'd have laughed in their face. Now, he thought the laugh just might be on him.

For something had changed. Maybe it had always been there but he hadn't allowed it to surface given the professional relationship they had. Though, to be honest, two years ago he thought her priorities were misplaced. Now, with hindsight he knew he was wrong. The trouble now was whether she would forgive him for rushing to judgment back then.