You Take My Breath Away - Brian May

17. Play the Game

Chip wasn't the only one poking and prodding at Lettie over her friendship with Brian. 

"I've had it all wrong: Roger is most definitely a catch, but I don't think he's the right guy for you." Tina was following Lettie around while she hung up clothes around the stall.  "He's too wild for you."

"Yeah, no kidding." She had  become quite fond of Roger, but didn't think there was a romantic future for them.

Tina stopped walking, grinning broadly. "But I think Brian might be."

"Might be what?"

"The right guy for you, that's what!" Tina swatted her arm.  "Oh, don't look at me like that! What, you don't think so?"

"It's not that, it's just, I don't know, we're friends, I like what we are. I don't want to ruin that."

"I don't think you'll ruin it.  And it's worth a shot, yeah?"

Lettie sighed but was grinning, so Tina saw that as a win. "What are you saying?"

"Okay, hear me out, you won't regret it! In fact, you'll love it!" Tina launched into her master plan:  "Tim and I want to set you two up on a date! I mean you already practically went on one with that '50s thing you went to together."

"I told you, that wasn't a date. He wasn't even going to come, he just thought it would be something I'd like, but then I invited him along."

"Well..."

"Because I thought that's what he was implying, that we go together."

"And you did go together, and you both had a lovely time, so it all worked out in the end, yeah? It was like a practice date."

"If that's what you want to call it."

"So, what do you think?" Tina was beaming, clearly excited.

"Very well - as long as Brian's on board, then so am I."

"Oh, he is, definitely!" Tina winked then clapped excitedly.  "Brilliant! Just show up and have a good time and we'll handle the rest."

"I can only imagine..."

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"They think they're so smart, setting us up like this."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"Little do they know..."

"Yeah."

Brian and Lettie met up on the day of their arranged date, grinning with amusement. 

"What have we gotten ourselves into?"

"Not sure, but I'm glad we're going at it together."

"Me too."

They weren't sure how their fairly-instant connection had gone unnoticed between their best friends - who were honestly probably too absorbed in their own relationship to notice - but now, Tina and Tim had noticed, and had taken a huge interest in this, and so here they were.

"So what would you like to do on our date?" Brian asked. While Tina and Tim had set them up, they hadn't planned the whole date.

"Good question... Any ideas?"

"Hmm, let's see..." Brian looked around.

"If I'm being perfectly honest, I've  never actually done this before," Lettie said. 

"Really?" 

"Yeah, Tina didn't tell you? She's constantly telling everyone about my love life - well, lack thereof.  I'm surprised she hasn't blabbed it to you. I'm not that experienced with this."

"Neither am I," he admitted. "As you know, thanks to Roger. I went out with Mary, and then with a girl called Chrissie, but neither lasted very long, as you can tell. And so here we are."

"Here we are."

"But I'm glad we're here. A set-up or not." He smiled.

She smiled back. "Me too."

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Eventually, after wandering around for a while, they settled on something simple: a walk through Hyde Park. Neither wanted the easy-flowing conversation to end. 

"How have you been?" he asked her. 

"I'm feeling a little lost to be honest. Working at Biba was supposed to be the start of my future. The job at the stall will certainly help me feel like I'm on track, but..." She shrugged.  "I guess I should have had more of a back-up plan."

"I get it. You have the master plan and then something comes along and totally mucks it up."

"Yeah. How about you?"

"Busy. My coursework is really intense. But I'm getting through it."

"You'll do great," she assured him.

"Thanks. And so will you."

"Thanks, Brian."

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"Oh, hi Brian.  I'm almost finished with the homework you set for me for this week," Chip said, answering the phone later that afternoon.  "Right, yeah, she's here - LETTIE! PHONE'S FOR YOU! IT'S YOUR BOYFRIEND!!!"

He dropped the phone and took off running before she could catch him. 

"Jesus, Chip, I'm right here. And he's not my boyfriend!" She picked up the phone, hearing her brother cackling in the background. "Hi Brian. Sorry about that."

He only chuckled.  "Hi, and no worries. Listen, I wanted to tell you this before we parted ways-" Their date, and their walk, had lasted a few hours, with conversation flowing easily between them, as was usual. They had discussed work, school, Smile's next upcoming gig, and how  Brian's flatmates  were driving him crazy as always.  "-But then I got too nervous and then instantly regretted not telling you. I wanted to thank you again and say that I had a really nice time today."

She smiled. "Me too."

"And, I was wondering - and hoping - that you might want to do it again sometime? This time, not set up by our friends. Although, I completely understand if you want to stick to being friends."

She chuckled.  "I would like that very much."

"Friends it is then."

"Wait, sorry, I should have been more clear. I meant I'd love to go on another date with you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, brilliant! My schedule is a little hectic coming up but I'd love to see you again soon."

"Well, whenever you have a spare moment, I'd be happy to see you again."

"Sounds good. Looking forward to it, whenever it is."

"Me too."

Both could hear the smile in each other's voices. 

(I am SO SORRY for the delay in updates!!! I've been caught up in other stories as I've started a few new ones. But, fear not, for I'm still just as excited about this story! :)

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :))