The Only Hope | Captain America

Chapter Thirteen : Can I Have This Dance?

 Grace wanted to know more about Peggy. She knew Steve was a bit uncomfortable on the subject of his past lover. A part of her had the feeling that Steve wasn't over his past lover, not like it bothered her anyway. For a man for was about ninety-four years old, he wasn't that bad. She admired his ashy blonde hair and his polite gentlemen acts as well of his weakness of speaking to woman. Grace loved everything about Steve including his alter-ego, Captain America. She wished she could see the hero in action even though it's been years since he last appeared. The thought still dawned on her, as she continued to eat her alfredo in silence.

 "How was Peggy like?" She asked.

 She watched Steve's reaction to her question, a strained kind of expression. He chuckled nervously before taking a sip of his water. Grace flashed a reassuring smile, wanting to calm Steve's nerves.

 "She...-uhm.. was a good woman." He responded.

 That's it?

 She let out a small laugh before scrapping bits of her noodles from her plate. Steve didn't add anything to his comment about Peggy as he took bites of his pasta. She wanted Steve to talk more about Peggy but she didn't want him to feel uncomfortable about the topic. Grace had a lot of questions about Peggy, the mysterious woman who captured Steve's heart. She imagined a pretty brunette with an amazing body, and perfect red lips. Even though she didn't know much about the women back in the 1940s, she was confident in her image of Peggy. After all, Peggy was in the army alongside with Steve.

 After she finished her alfredo, she sat back and waited patiently for Steve to finish. He smiled weakly, trying his best to finish what he had on his plate.

 "First time, trying this." Steve commented.

 "How do you like it?"

 "It's alright, never tried anything like this."

 Looking down at her white ballet flats, she fixed the hem of her dress. Grace had trouble choosing a dress for the occasion. She wasn't sure on what fancy or causal the dinner was. James insisted a floral printed dress, just to stay on the safe side of Steve's planning. Grace looked back at Steve as he finished the last bite of his pasta. The waiter came by and gathered their plates before leaving the bill. Without thinking, Grace grabbed the bill as soon as it was placed on the table. Steve reached for the bill as well, his hand on top of hers.

 Grace took her hand back, remembering Steve was the one who reserved the dinner. Following her action, Steve gave a kind polite motion, leaving the bill open to her sights. She gave another smile before opening up the bill.

 The price wasn't so bad, since they didn't order any appetizers and went straight to the main course. Her eyes took a quick glance at Steve as she saw the overall amount of the dinner.

 "I can pay for this."

 "No, I planned the dinner, and I wanted to treat you. Please, I have enough."

 His statement wasn't arguable, and Grace gave in. She handed Steve the bill and watched as he piled on the dollar bills. The waiter came by and picked up the bill, before he left, Grace gave the waiter a five dollar tip for his service.

 The cold breeze greeted the two as they walked out of the restaurant. Grace felt cold and wished she had thought about the nighttime weather. A jacket or sweater could have been nice. She glanced over at Steve who had on a simple blue polo, and wondered if he was feeling the same. He noticed her frequent shivers and gave her a kind smile.

 "Cold?"

 "Just a little bit."

 He walked over to a nearby thrift store and returned back with a small, dark coat. Grace was surprised by his gesture as he placed the coat over her cold shoulders. She held the coat tight and let out a warm sigh.