Courtship

Part 35

A week later, Rafe and Marina met each other in the foyer of a local theatre.

"Are you following me?" Rafe grinned at her delighted to see her. He was building up to asking her out, he just hadn't decided where to take her. He wanted it to be special. Their first date. But in the meantime he intended to see her, albeit, 'accidentally'. That however had proved to be harder than he had thought. The woman was wily!

"Yeah, right." She laughed. Though she had expected him to contact her. After that look at the party, she thought he had promised her, albeit silently, that he was coming for her! As the days had passed, she had gradually accepted the fact that she had imagined that look. He knew where she lived. If he was serious he would have been in touch.

"We keep bumping into each other on a regular basis." He teased. This meeting was no fluke. But it wasn't the time to tell her that. Slowly, slowly, he reminded himself.

"I've been going to these things for years. And we have been at the same things for years!" Marina reminded him. Though over the years they might have been at the same events they had steered clear of each other. Now they were at the same events and either Fate was making up for all of those missed opportunities or destiny was showing her that she could run but she could not hide!

Rafe grinned. "And you tend to avoid me!"

"Me?" Marina shook her head. "You avoid me!"

"Not true." He tapped her gently on the nose, "You, Dr D'Sa have spent the last few weeks ducking and diving to avoid talking to me."

"That's so not true!" She crossed her fingers behind her back to nullify the lie. "And the party last week confirms it! Remember we talked. Nearly danced! Some avoidance strategy." She inched back when he went to tap her nose again. "Give me credit, if I wanted to avoid you, I would make sure I did."

His lips kicked up at the corners. "Yeah, I know. As I said, the last few weeks..."

Marina interrupted with a casual finger jab to his chest, "You. Are. Mistaken." He clasped her hand against his chest. She felt the steady thump of his heart beat and thought it felt as if it was escalating. Their gazes locked. Marina's breath caught.

"Rina." Isabelle hadn't noticed Rafe behind the column and potted plant. "Oh sorry Mr Harlington." Marina and Rafe shot apart. Isabelle nearly kicked herself.

"Rafe, please." He said smoothly as he straightened up and smiled at Marina's sister.

"Rafe, sorry. I didn't realise Marina was talking to someone."

"So you thought I was talking to the plant?" Marina asked her sister. Marina willed her heart to stop racing.

"No, Marina." Isabelle rolled her eyes at her sister, recognising Marina's ploy to reestablish her equilibrium. They were close as sisters, and it was obvious to Isabelle that she had interrupted a special moment, even if Marina was trying to make light of it. Isabelle looked at Rafe and offered an apology, "Anyway, sorry to interrupt. I was just stopping to say I'm heading off, now."

"Oh, right." Marina glanced at her watch. Isabelle was on duty tonight. This is why she could not afford to get involved with him. They had secrets in the Sojour D'Sa family, secrets that were not her own to share.

"I'll leave you the car, ok?" Isabelle asked, and hoped that Marina understood what she was asking. She needed Marina to collect her early tomorrow morning.

Marina smiled, "Thanks. That's perfect. See you in the morning." Both sisters nodded.

Rafe watched the exchange and wondered what he was missing.

"Ok, well, sorry to interrupt Mr, er, Rafe." Isabelle smiled again. She leaned in, brushed her sister's cheek with her lips and stepped back. "Night then." She smiled at Rafe, "Goodnight Rafe."

"Goodnight." He replied just before she left them.

"Is she ok? " He tracked Isabelle as she made her way to the exit.

"Yes, why'd 'you ask?"

"Is she leaving because she's not well?"

"Isabelle doesn't stay long at these after events."

"And you do."

"Sometimes."

Rafe hesitated for a second before asking, "Would you like to go for a coffee?" He had to laugh at her look of complete bafflement. "You aren't going to tell me you don't get asked out to coffee?"

"No, I do. But, well, you're probably the last man on earth who'd invite me to coffee." And going for coffee is not a good idea, not when I know I want it to go further.

"What makes you say that?" Rafe frowned at her. Having a coffee wasn't a big deal, when it came to dates. Yet the way she had reacted suggested it was a big deal to her.

"Duh!" Marina laughed and that ongoing battle between head and heart resurfaced. She shrugged and said, "History."

"That's in the past." His lip twitched, "Isn't it? Or are you one of those people who hold a grudge for a life time?"

"Definitely a life holding grudge keeper" Marina told him with a broad smile.

"So what does it take to shift said grudge?"

Marina tapped her lips with her index finger, pretended to think about it, and then said, "Depends on the individual case." She stated nonchalantly.

"And in our case?" He waited with baited breath for her response.

Her heart won this battle. One coffee. That couldn't hurt. Just a coffee. It wasn't as if he was asking her out. It was just a coffee. She smiled, "A decent cup of coffee, that should do it. "