Falling For You [Tom Hiddleston]

7

Tom's POV

After a long conversation with Sadie, I cleaned up the kitchen and puttered around the house; I didn't realize it right away, but I was just killing time until 10. Laughing at my foolishness, I couldn't help but feel like a schoolboy waiting for his crush to ring him back. When I finally showered, I even set my mobile on the closet shelf closest to the shower after making certain the volume was all the way up so I'd hear ring.

But it didn't.

10 pm came and went, and I decided to read a script in bed while fighting off the immense disappointment that was trying to claw its way into my heart. It was well after 11 when Claire finally did call, I saw as I answered - but I didn't care about that because she called.

"Hey Tom," she said so quietly I could barely hear her. "I'm sorry; I couldn't call any sooner."

"Hello, Claire. I'm just glad you called," I said, unable to stop the smile stretched across my face as I tossed the script aside. "I was starting to think you wouldn't."

"I'd rather have been talking to you but I didn't get to make the plans tonight," she said tartly, making me chuckle. "I don't have long before I'm missed so if I hang up abruptly I'll call you another day, Tom; whatever you do, please don't call back tonight."

"As you wish," I replied, thrown off kilter by her request, her serious tone giving me pause.

I knew she'd said she had her situation under control yesterday - but perhaps she'd just been lying to try to make me feel better. I still didn't know what kind of trouble she was mixed up with; she was particularly adept at avoiding answering questions if she didn't want to.

"Did you have a good day today?" she asked, changing the subject.

"I did," I said with a smile. "How about you?"

"It was fine other than my stupid phone - so much hassle for something so small!"

I struggled to keep the nervousness from my tone. "So you really did like the bouquet?"

"I loved it! They were all my favorites - you don't know how long it's been since I've seen real sunflowers."

"I'm glad you liked them; I was debating between those and roses."

"Please don't ever send me roses," she said firmly, the lightness of a moment ago abruptly gone from her voice. "They're my least favorite flower."

"Duly noted." I tucked that tidbit away for later, glad I hadn't went with something so cliché - and from my limited experience with Claire - she was anything but. "Forgive me, darling - but why does it sound like you're whispering?"

"Probably because I am, Sherlock." I could almost hear her eyes rolling; it took talent to convey that by tone alone.

"I'd love to see you again," I said abruptly before wanting to smack myself in the face for blurting out what I was thinking. "What are you doing tomorrow?" It was the start of the weekend - maybe we could go out again.

"We'll see," she said. "I'm not sure-"

The line went dead suddenly and I was instantly worried about her. My phone rang again suddenly, startling me. "Hello?"

"Oy - who's this?" a belligerent voice asked with a thick Geordie accent.

"I'm Tom," I replied, wondering where this was going; so far, none of my interactions with Claire had gone as I expected. I didn't know what kind of situation she was in exactly but I didn't like it.

"Why's my girl ringing you, Tom?"

"Claire's tight with my Meg," I said lightly, going with a believable lie. Thank goodness I was good at this after years of press tours. "I told her yesterday that I wanted her opinion on what to get my darling for our upcoming anniversary since my last gift didn't go over well at all. Word of advice to you - don't buy baking pans and expect your lady to thank you for them, mate."