Window Seats

"I just don't understand why you both don't just get married already," I started, "you and Tom are practically married."

Jane rolled her eyes, "Don't undermine this huge event Bells."

"I just don't get it Jane," I mumbled as I sipped on my coffee, "so he gives you a ring but it's not for married. You're not engaged yet, how does that even make sense?"

"I got a ring," she held up her hand to show the simple white band with a red stone in the middle, "but it's not an engagement ring. It's a sign of our affection and the fact that sometime in the future we will get married. Whenever he decides to propose properly that is."

"So like a promise ring? That's just such a mess," she raised her eyebrows and her eyes began to get watery, "not in that way Jane. It's obvious he's completely in love with you."

"Then how is it a mess?" she asked, her perfectly shaped eyebrows going up in question and her lips pursed.

It wasn't like I was jealous of Jane. I was perfectly fine with my own life and how things were progressing, even though she would try to get something like that out of me whenever we talked. I would just get annoyed at her constant need to have attention on her relationship and her need for anyone to always compliment her perfect relationship with Tom.

I honestly wondered how Tom put up with her need for attention all the time.

"I just don't understand why he doesn't just ask you to marry him, but to each his own I guess."

"I think he was, but then he knew I would have wanted a fancier ring," she twirled the ring around her thin finger.

I rolled my eyes and laughed, "You're just in it for the money aren't you?"

"You know me the best Annabel," she smiled. "I only ever think about the money, and well Tom he's a good candidate for it all."

"I'm happy for you Jane," she nodded her head and smiled.

"Enough about me, what about you and Vincent?" she asked, her nose scrunching when she said his name. She still hadn't gotten over the fact he had embarrassed her in front of Tom and Roy when they all met. Even if it had been months before and he had apologized. She was just too stubborn to get over it.

"Everything's going along fine" I smiled.

"That doesn't tell me anything Annabel, tell me more."

"Nothing to say Jane," I smiled and she rolled her eyes

"For someone who spends so much time with the guy you never have anything to say about him."

"Don't worry about it, I haven't even talked to Roy about him all that much. God knows you just want to know about everything revolving around my personal life before Roy does."

"Well, everyone knows I'm the better friend," she laughed

"You're delusional," I shook my head. "Should we go back to Willow, I'm sure we've been out more than an hour."

"It's fine when you're with the boss," she picked up her bag, "but you're right, we should start heading there."

We walked back to Willow quietly from the nice lunch we had just had, all planned by Jane who said she just needed to have some girl time. It consisted more of let me tell you about the latest cute thing Tom did for me rather than gossiping. I was extremely happy for the girl since it was clearly obvious they were both in love with each other but too scared to actually get married, this was just a step closer to it all. God knows Jane’s been planning her perfect wedding to Tom since he asked her to move in with him over a year ago.

Jane and I worked silently for the rest of the day. Both of us helping the customers that walked through the door. Jane ringing them up and helping them set up outfits, while I ran from the front to the back gathering different clothing in specific sizes for the crowd that seemed to never die off.

Vincent walked into Willow around closing time with three cups of coffee. He smiled and gave me a kiss on the cheek as he walked to Jane and handed her a cup. She seemed shocked; I don't think she thought he would ever do something nice like bring her coffee when we closed.

They talked for a bit as I hurried to clean up the shop and arrange the clothing that had been folded haphazardly and placed in the wrong areas. I swear, Jane does not pay me enough for doing all of this.

"Are you ready to go?" Vincent asked as I walked behind Jane.

"Give me a minute, I need to grab my coat and all," I smiled.

He nodded his head before turning his attention to Jane again. “We’ll talk again some other time Jane.”

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders before leading us out of Willow and into the crowded streets. It had been a warm night and everyone seemed to be out enjoying the weather. The shops were crowded and all the restaurants in sight were full of people.

“I wanted to take you out to dinner Annabel,” he said as I had tugged his hand towards the station before us.

“You should have said so,” I mumbled as I led him lead me to a restaurant.

It was a small place, dark and discreet with a band playing in the corner. He said it was his favorite place to go to, he had found it the second day he had been in London just wandering. We sat across from each other, he took slow sips of his beer as I drank my wine slowly.

Once the food came we started talking, he cracked jokes left and right as we laughed over the nice dinner.

"How was your day?" he asked.

"Fine, I had lunch with Jane," he raised his eyebrow, "she talked all lunch about Tom."

"He gave her a pre-engagement ring last night," he interrupted, "she told me all about it as you got your coat. She even showed me the ring."

"It's the only thing she'll talk about for at least two weeks," I shook my head.

He nodded and we went back to eating our dinner. The way he looked towards me made me feel nervous all night.

"Listen," he started after he had paid the bill and we started walking, "I wanted to ask you something."

"What about?" I asked as he laced his fingers with mine.

"Just" he said as we stopped at an intersection, "actually, never mind. I'll ask it some other time."

I rolled my eyes and elbowed his middle, "tell me."

"Some other time Belle," he grinned.

"God," I mumbled, "you can't just do that to a girl!"

"Don't worry about it," he rolled his eyes as we walked up to my flat. "Everything comes at the right times."

I just rolled my eyes before opening the door. He followed behind me, taking off his coat and shoes by the door before picking up Lady who had become accustomed to his presence and now seemed to prefer him over me. He quietly walked towards my bedroom with Lady, where he seemed to be spending more time in. A lot more than in his flat with his cousins.

“Let’s put on a movie no?” he asked as he stood up and walked towards the various movies in my shelves. He held up The Outsiders before placing it into the player and starting the movie.

He smiled before he laid back down and laughed once he saw Lady had taken her place in the middle of the bed and would not budge. We watched The Outsiders before we talked all night, his hands brushing through my hair and our legs tangled.