Everyone Has Something To Hide

Chapter Sixteen

"Come in sweetheart," Jan answers the door, stepping to the side so Link can walk through.

"How are you today?" he smiles, holding flowers.

"Oh honey I'm fine. Where are you and Juliane going?" she asks, Link following into the kitchen.

"We are going into the city. I figured maybe go out for dinner and catch a play."

"Honey, can I tell you a secret?" she pats his arm.

"Of course."

"I like Trevor, I do. He's a great person but ever since the burglary he's just been different. I haven't seen my daughter this happy in a long time."

"I know. I can tell she loves him, but she deserves to be happy all the time and I want to be the reason why."

"So you heard about him getting that vasectomy?" Jan asks.

"Yeah she mentioned that. That was shitty."

"He's a worry wart."

"You mean because of what happened?"

"Yes," Jan nods.

"She told me, still though. I don't really understand why he wouldn't want to have a whole house full of kids with her."

"I don't know," she shrugs. "He's afraid it's going to happen again evidently."

"I've been in some really bad situations before, but I don't understand how he can be so afraid with someone as amazing as Juliane as his partner."

Jan smiles. "Link stop, you're going to make me cry."

"No, no crying," Link grins, pulling her in for a hug.

"Hey," they hear Juliane as she walks in.

"Wow," he looks over at her, a little bit of his accent slipping out but her mom none the wiser. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she smiles, walking over. "These flowers are gorgeous."

"Thanks, I was out and decided to clip some of the lavender for you."

"I love it," she nods.

"Well I guess we will be taking off," Link smiles.

They say their goodbyes and make their way out to the car. Link begins to drive and takes a deep breath. "Alright now," he says softly, his accent going back to normal. "I'll be honest, pretending to be someone even a little different from yourself is exhausting."

Link reaches over, sliding his hand in hers. His finger lightly running over her bare ring finger as they drive, eventually getting into the city and pulling up to a nice restaurant. They head inside to a quiet booth. They sit down and crack open the menu, sitting across from each other as Juliane moves her head to the soft music playing in the background, biting her bottom lip as she scans her menu -- humming to the music.

"You have no idea what I want to do to you," Link says softly.

"Because I'm looking at a menu?" she chuckles.

Link sets his menu down and leans forward. "No, because everything you do is sexy, your laugh, the way you were humming that song, and particularly the way you were just biting your lip," he smiles. The waitress comes back over with the champagne and pours them both a glass and sets down the appetizer before taking their orders.

Link holds up his glass. "So what are we drinking to?"

"Hmm," she smiles, pretending to think.

"Tonight is about you having a fun night out, so you tell me what you want to toast too and I will make it happen," he says, still holding his glass up.

"To having fun."

He nods, lightly clinking his glass with hers, "to having fun," he says, taking a sip. "So you've had about twenty four hours to digest what I told you. What do you want to ask?"

"I don't want to talk about that tonight," she shakes her head.

"You truly look gorgeous tonight," he smiles, completely changing the subject.

"Thanks, just something I found."

"I'm having a very difficult time with you."

"Why?" she chuckles, resting her hand against her head.

"I honestly am trying to figure out what is not perfect about you."

Juliane smirks. "A lot of things."

"I think you're biased."

"Mhm."

Their food is brought to them as they eat, teasing each other while they eat and once they finish up and Link takes care of the bill, they make their way to the theatre. Once obtaining the tickets, Link slides his hand onto her lower back as they head inside. Juliane notes that the theatre is one of those old, very over the top, renovated theatres from the early 20th century as they take their seats.

"Would you like a drink or anything?" Link turns towards her.

"Um water is fine."

"I will be right back," he nods. He comes back with their drinks a few minutes later as the sit back and enjoy the show.