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TITLE: A Thousand Glimpses
SERIES: All My Children
AUTHOR:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dreiser
EMAIL: dreiser7@yahoo.com
YAHOO ID: dreiser7
MY WEBSITE: http://www.dreiser.org/
CONTENT: F/F romance. Bianca/Reese. Breeze.
SUMMARY: Reese Williams had experienced a thousand glimpses of the life she always wanted but until she met Bianca Montgomery she never thought she could have it for herself.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but my near death experience with my parents dog and a flight of stairs.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Seriously, people. That dog nearly killed my ass. And speaking of my ass, it hurts so much. lol. If I had died it would've been so lame. Can you imagine the obituary? Killed by a fat pug tripping her down a flight of stairs. Lameness, it perpetuates. Anyway, I SORAS'd Bianca in this chapter because I wanted to have the exact ten year age difference and plus... twenty seven suits Bianca more than twenty four, imho. It's sad of me but I just wanted to really age her a little bit.
Oh yes, and because I'm lame here is Reese's outfit and Bianca's outfit to look at. Yes, I do that much research. Yes, yes, I'm sad.
A Thousand Glimpses
By: Dreiser
Five
A good part of Friday night and most of Saturday morning was dedicated to the search for the perfect outfit. One that wasn't too revealing but still emphasized how she did spend some time in the gym and was comfortable enough to help Reese feel at ease. Her love of clothing was perhaps among the few truly girly traits Reese felt she possessed. While her mother would argue her preference for pants over skirts cancelled out the feminine leanings of this pastime. She couldn't help it though. Something about wearing dresses and skirts, they always served to remind her of those frilly monstrosities her mother had dressed her in as a child and it led to a natural aversion as an adult.
Besides, she liked wearing pants. Reese had this strange belief that if an emergency situation should occur it was far better to be wearing pants than a skirt or a dress. You could run more easily in pants and they tended to allow for quick escapes. Though she did realize it was a bit sad that she had spent any amount of time debating the superiority of pants to skirts to such a degree.
Miranda probably never wore the kinds of dresses Reese hated as a child. In her mind, Reese saw Bianca taking the little girl on shopping trips and letting the child choose what she wore, even if it didn't happen to perfectly match. Bianca didn't seem like the type to care about the idea of having a perfectly immaculate child. Instead, Reese imagined she focused more on Miranda's happiness and if wearing bright mismatched clothing made her daughter happy then of course she allowed it and scoffed at anyone who dared to object.
In the end, Reese settled on a pair of simple but elegant and perfectly fitting black pants and a matching short sleeved black blouse. She had worn the outfit only once before but it had gotten a good deal of compliments and it was only available for purchase in just a handful of shops as it had just come out in the latest Gucci women's collection. Which meant Bianca most likely hadn't seen it before and would hopefully be impressed with how Reese looked in it. At least, that was her plan.
Out of sheer habit and obedience for her mother's teachings, Reese dropped the outfit off at the drycleaners that was just a short walk from her office, planning to pick it up later on her lunch break. Sliding her keycard through the front door access system, Reese took in the empty building with a wave of relief. She loved her staff, she really did, but sometimes it was nice to escape their ever seeing eyes and be able to work in peace. This would even provide a break from her far too loyal assistant Maurice as he had informed her quite enthusiastically that he had plans with his boyfriend, Lyle, this weekend that included antiquing at Les Puces de Saint-Ouen.
The elevator opened silently at the top floor and Reese found her gaze drawn towards the speck of light on the far side of the room where their team of engineers was situated. When they were first sorting out how the building would be organized they decided as partners in the firm, she and Audrey would share the top floor with their assistants, but in the end it was Audrey's lack of mathematical and engineering common sense that caused them to populate the rest of the space with the more scientifically inclined staff.
Wandering over to that section out of sheer curiosity and a certain fondness for the engineers, Reese grinned when she saw the man assigned to her current project, Matt Price, pouring over a large pile of schematics and wearing his worn Mets baseball cap. He was one of the rare Americans at her firm and that fact alone had endeared him to her. It also helped that he was a supremely dedicated worker.
"Matt," Reese said his name with a humorous drawl, chuckling when he jumped in his seat and whirled around a little too fast to greet her, causing some of the schematics to fall onto the floor. "Don't you know it's the weekend?"
"Ms. Williams," said Matt in something of a rush, leaning down to pick up the schematics, and shooting her a grin when she helped him gather them up. "I wanted to come in… I just couldn't let go of trying to figure out the proper application of thermal mass so we can modulate the daily temperature variations in the structure, you know? If we get that right it will be able to conduct so much more energy."
"We don't have to get it all figured out by the meeting next Friday," said Reese with a smile, leaning against the wall by his drafting table and folding her arms across her chest. "It's enough to be able to give Sig. Passeri an idea of why a passive solar design would be best suited for his new corporate office and why we're the premiere experts in such designs in the field today."
"I know," said Matt, looking down at the schematics. "I just want to do as much as I can. This could be my first big project."
Recalling what that felt like when she joined Wilmotte et Associés just after graduating much like Matt had done with her firm upon finishing his engineering degree at the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon, Reese tilted her head to one side. "Tell you what," began Reese warmly, pushing off from the wall and rolling up a layer of the schematics covering his table. "It so happens I came in to work on this exact project so why don't we spend our time working on it together? Two heads are always better than one and all that."
"Seriously?" asked Matt, his eyes going wide at the prospect of working with one of his employers.
"The seriousest," said Reese solemnly though there was a twinkle in her brown eyes. Scrunching up her nose as she started the walk towards her office, she pondered aloud, "I just used a word that doesn't exist, didn't I? That can't be good for my boss lady image."
"Blame the internet, that's what I do," replied Matt, smiling as he hurried after Reese with the building schematics overflowing in his arms.
"Most made up words do have their origins online," said Reese in thoughtful tones. An impish sort of grin tugging at her lips, she swiped her keycard through the security system to her office then pulled the door open for Matt and said, "It's decided, the internet will take the blame."
"Wise choice," said Matt, nodding his head and returning the grin. His gaze drifted around her office, naturally curious as the last time he had been inside it was when he interviewed with Reese over a year ago for the position in their renewable energy engineering section.
"Take a seat," Reese gestured to a pair of cream colored couches that were parallel to one another and sat low to the ground with a long oak coffee table in between them. Retrieving her sketch book and in progress designs, she spread them out on the surface next to Matt's schematics. "Now," she said with good humor and a twinge of dubiousness. "Where do we start?"
After three hours, Reese and her thankfully quiet stomach, demanded a break. Putting in an order with Matt at a local café for some of their baeckeoffe, she made her way to the drycleaners to pick up her freshly laundered outfit. She had just paid the charges when Matt appeared with a small paper bag in hand that gave off a delicious scent of marinated potatoes, lamb, and beef.
"Your baeckeoffe looked so good I had to get some of my own," said Matt, holding open the door for Reese and following her out onto the street. "I've never eaten at that café before but it looked like they had a lot of good food. Their desserts were pretty tempting."
"All desserts in France are tempting," said Reese wryly.
They walked in silence for a few moments, then Matt eyed the clothing bag Reese had folded over her arm and asked, "What did you get cleaned? I'm always taking my suits into the place by my apartment. I'm a habitual ink spiller. I don't know how it hasn't ruined them yet."
"What?" Reese blinked, staring at him blankly before taking a several seconds to replay his question in her mind. Looking down at the clothing bag, an inescapable smile formed on her features as she thought of her upcoming evening with Bianca. "I'm going out with…" she trailed off, unsure how to describe Bianca. Certainly she knew what she wanted the brunette to be but what she was and what Reese could allow her to become, it was all so unnecessarily complicated. Finally, Reese settled on saying, "A friend and I just wanted to make sure I was wearing clothes that were as clean as they could be." Shooting him a derisive look, she said, "I have a secret fear of dirt."
"When are you going out?" asked Matt. He wasn't really curious about Reese's plans more of how long they were going to stay in the office working on the project. When he came in this morning he wasn't thinking about how long he would stay, instead he was focused on the idea of trying to fix the issues he was having with the thermal mass and the temperature variations in the building.
"Seven o'clock," said Reese, chuckling as his eyes got a bit wide. "Don't worry, Matt," she drawled. "I'm not expecting you to stay at the office that entire time with me. In fact, I'm thinking we should wrap things up about an hour after we finish eating our lunches." Taking several steps ahead, she swiped her keycard through the security system, looking back at him as she said, "How does that sound to you?"
"Sounds good," replied Matt, stepping closer and grabbing the door as Reese pulled it open. Following her into the office building, he questioned with a hint of worry in his voice, "But isn't that a really long day for you, Ms. Williams?"
Tossing him a look over her shoulder and grinning as she walked onto the elevator, Reese said, "The folly of being the boss lady. Though I do plan on having a really good time tonight to make up for the long weekend hours."
As she said this, Reese realized that was the truth of the matter. She did plan on having a really good time and the only basis of that plan was the fact that she would be spending said time with Bianca. If she was going to a play based on a carnal retelling of Snow White with any other person, well, Reese was sure she'd find the play somewhat amusing if only in concept but enjoying it was another story. Just knowing she would get to spend more time with Bianca had already made the evening a success in her mind and Reese wondered at that. She had never felt this way about another person, had never gotten so attached, felt so much so fast, and it frightened as much as it exhilarated her.
When Matt left the office two hours later, a sense of reluctance in his movements and a shine of admiration in his gaze, Reese tried to resume the pace of work that had taken place in his presence but found herself unable. Without Matt here to distract her with formulas and theory her mind constantly drifted to her evening with Bianca. Though some work did occur, Reese knew full well she got very little done until the hour of six o'clock finally arrived and she deemed it early enough to begin preparing for her date.
That gave her a moment of pause.
Was it really a date? Bianca had asked her out like everyone else who wanted her sexually and romantic and otherwise had so Reese assumed that it was a date but she never said it in those specific terms. Asking someone to accompany her to a play could just as easily be interpreted as a sign of friendship. There wasn't anything outright romantic about it. Yes, Bianca was a lesbian but it wasn't like lesbians didn't have female friends who were platonic. Usually this was a rare occurrence but it did occur.
Staring at her freshly dry cleaned outfit, Reese started to run their conversation over in her mind, trying to figure out if Bianca meant this invitation as a date or just a friendly night out. Shaking her head, she headed into her private lavatory to change her clothes. She would just have to keep a close watch on Bianca, closer than usual anyway, and try to discern from her actions what she intended for this evening.
Of course, Reese wanted this to be a date but would it really be for the best if it was? Her engagement to Simon loomed during her time with Bianca like some horrible specter she couldn't rid herself of. The happier she was with the Bianca the more she thought of how it wasn't truly possible for that happiness to remain, not with the engagement in place. There was a whisper in her mind, telling her to break it, that it wasn't fair to Simon, that it had never been fair to him, but especially now that she met Bianca.
Before he took his business trip, before she met Bianca, they spent every day together planning the wedding. They had such a good time and while she wasn't in love with him, Reese did enjoy her time with him and some perverse part of her loved planning the wedding if only for this picture she had in her mind of her mother beaming at her, a look of complete pride on her face for the first time in her life. But since she met Bianca, she barely took his phone calls, she didn't know how to talk to him now. Reese had thought their interaction was so easy, so simple, and that's why she accepted his proposal. Her marriage to Simon wouldn't be one borne out of love but rather out of companionship, he was someone who understood totally her but since meeting Bianca…
It no longer seemed like the truth.
Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Reese sighed and adjusted her blouse so it fit perfectly on her frame. Glancing down at the Chanel watch around her wrist, she saw that she had at least forty five minutes before Bianca arrived. Returning her gaze to the mirror, she tilted her head to one side and decided to spend the rest of the time producing the perfect hairstyle and accompanying make up.
Forty minutes later, her make up was immaculate and her blonde hair was swept up in a style reminiscent of the ponytail that Miranda favored but more adult and elegant, her hair curling at the ends and placed across her forehead in a wave. It was a style that garnered several compliments and she felt safe in believing that Bianca would like it as well.
Adjusting her Gemma satin clutch purse over her shoulder, Reese tried to calm her nerves by listening to the click clack of her heels against the marble floors of her office's lobby as she paced back and forth. It didn't help though and she kept darting her gaze to the large glass door entrance of the building in search of the dark blue Aston Martin she thought belonged to Bianca. Five minutes later, her brown eyes widened at the sight of a black Mercedes-Benz S550 pulling into the parking lot.
Part of her thought maybe it was someone who gotten lost until the door opened to reveal Bianca wearing a midnight blue dress Reese swore sparkled as she walked forward with a wide smile on her lovely features. The dress was strapless and had a straight neckline, stopping just above the brunette's breasts which appeared entirely abundant in the silken material. A matching shawl fell comfortably around her shoulders, accenting the outfit by hiding and revealing just the right amount of skin to leave Reese irresistibly entranced. Enough that she was frozen in place, still staring at the other woman by the time Bianca reached the doors to her office and knocked on them, giving a wry grin after unsuccessfully trying to open the locked doors.
Moving forward with a jump, her heels click clacking even louder against the marble floors, Reese opened the doors and stepped outside with a sheepish smile. "Sorry," she apologized, a blush darkening her features. After making sure the doors to her building were secure she chanced looking at Bianca and while the brunette's beauty still took her breath away, she managed to say, "You distracted me."
"In a good way, I hope?" questioned Bianca, a hint of humor in her voice, a sweet smile playing on her lips.
Lifting her gaze and automatically returning the smile, Reese found herself replying honestly, "The very best."
"Thank you," said Bianca and for the first time Reese witnessed a light blush gracing her pale features. She ducked her head shyly, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear, looking at Reese through impossibly long lashes as she said, "You look beautiful. I love your outfit."
Deciding the best way to make it through the evening without embarrassing herself utterly with her attraction to the other woman would be to play it more confident than she actually felt, Reese hooked her arm through Bianca's and drawled, "I'm glad you think so. I had it dry cleaned just for you." When Bianca laughed at this and raised a skeptical eyebrow, Reese formed a wounded expression and pressed her right hand flat against her chest in a mock defensive posture. "You don't believe me? I have the receipts to prove it."
"I don't know," said Bianca seriously, shaking her head a bit and giving a sigh. "No one ever told me I was drycleaner worthy before. I'm not sure if I can really believe it." They paused at the passenger side door to the Mercedes where Bianca unlocked the car with a discreet beep. Opening the door for Reese, she leaned on it slightly and said, "You could just be playing a cruel prank on me to get my hopes up."
Standing by the open door, her left leg halfway inside the vehicle, Reese moved forward, leaving a breath between herself and Bianca. It was so very tempting, the idea of kissing the brunette who looked at her with such warm and accepting eyes, a fond smile curving her lips but Reese didn't do it. It was too soon. Instead she gathered a stray lock of brown hair in her fingers, delighting in its silken texture before sweeping it behind Bianca's ear in a motion she had seen the other woman do countless times herself. "I would never play that sort of prank on you," she said, her voice soft and playful, and her hand fell away as she sat inside the car. Looking up at Bianca, a mischievous grin forming on her features as she finished, "You might kick another soccer ball at me."
"Funny," said Bianca in sardonic tones, shutting the door and giving the window a tap before walking over the driver side door. A few moments later, she was inside of the car and shooting Reese a look of dry humor. "Before I met you, my legs were never considered dangerous weapons, I hope you know that."
"Now that, I don't believe," said Reese with a chuckle. Bianca shook her head in response, leaning forward as she pulled out of the parking lot and onto the busy street in front of the blonde's office. Studying the interior of the Mercedes, Reese remarked, "I was surprised when you showed up driving this. For some reason I was sure you owned that Aston Martin in front of your house."
"The DB6?" asked Bianca, looking to Reese for confirmation. When Reese nodded, she laughed and said, "That belongs to Nathan and his James Bond crush. I couldn't ever own a car like that. It's not exactly child friendly by any definition of the term."
"He's never taken Miranda for a ride in it?" asked Reese, somehow doubting this considering Nathan's position as personal bodyguard to the little girl.
"He has," admitted Bianca, a humorous look on her features as she recalled the incident. "And the experience of putting a car seat into a vehicle made in 1967 was probably one of the least fun experiences I've had in my life."
"The sixties weren't very safety first," said Reese with a smile. Studying the fine line of Bianca's jaw and the way her brown hair curled around her shoulders, making her look so very young, she wondered about the other woman's age. "How old are you?"
Blinking at this, Bianca looked at Reese with a baffled expression then laughed as she said, "You don't beat around the bush, do you?"
"It's easier to say what you mean," said Reese with a shrug, honestly believing this to be the truth but not having a lot of opportunities in her life to really exercise this belief. There was too much hiding on her part to do it often, too many expectations she felt she had to live up to with her mother for her to ever really speak what she truly meant around her parents. If she did she was sure it would only disappoint them.
"I'm twenty seven. You?" asked Bianca, a curious light in her dark eyes.
"Thirty seven," said Reese in rather imperious tones as she regarded Bianca with a teasing gleam in her gaze. "Baby dyke."
Looking humorously offended, Bianca released something resembling a gasp and exclaimed, "I'm not! I came out when I was sixteen and it was a very public and very humiliating debacle that was published in way too many gossip magazines. Besides," she grumbled, coming to a stop at the red light. "I was told having children instantly matures people. At least that's what it did for me."
"I don't think it works that way for everyone," murmured Reese, studying Bianca and the slight furrow on her brow. A fond smile forming on her features, she said, "But I have a feeling you were already mature for your age, even before you had Miranda."
"An old soul," Bianca said in self deprecating tones, rolling her eyes, moving the car forward as the light turned green. "That's what Myrtle likes to call me. She's the sweetest person in the world and I can always go to her for advice but I always thought that made it sound like I'm possessed by ghosts and that's where my personality comes from." Looking to Reese, she grinned. "Creepy, huh?"
"Very Exorcist," Reese agreed, nodding her head, and smirking when Bianca released a soft groan. "Who's Myrtle?"
"An old friend of the family," said Bianca and Reese was secretly amused by the way the brunette took her time looking both ways before making a right turn. "She was close friends with my grandmother and I used to live in her boarding house back in Pine Valley. I guess you could say she's the person I always go to when I need some good advice or if I want someone to just listen. Myrtle always understands."
"She sounds special," Reese said this quietly and she felt almost wistful because she never had someone like that for herself. There was Audrey but as much as Audrey knew the real her, the one she hid from Simon and her parents, she couldn't help but judge the way Reese was living her life and from how Bianca spoke about this Myrtle she didn't think that was something that happened in their relationship.
"She is," said Bianca, a smile in her voice and on her lips. She looked to Reese and saw the hard set to her jaw, concern emerging at the way she stared straight ahead, and wanting more than anything for the blonde to return to her previous engaging state, Bianca asked, "What kind of buildings do you design? Commercial or residential?"
Turning to Bianca with some surprise, Reese's posture immediately relaxed and she said, "Commercial for the most part. My firm is small, we've got a staff of one hundred and thirteen people, and we specialize in passive solar and zero energy building designs."
"Which means what exactly?" asked Bianca, her tones perplexed but affectionate as she gave Reese a smile.
"When I decided to start my own business with Audrey, I wanted to capture a new market to ensure a growing client base," Reese said, shifting in her seat and turning to Bianca, running her eyes over the fine line of her features, memorizing them in her mind. "I've always been something of a science geek and after some thought, I realized the future was in buildings that provide low cost or a completely free energy resource for the people who inhabit them. Basically, we design buildings that use solar power and other environmentally friendly technology to power the building, thus reducing cost to the owner and the negative influence to the environment as a whole."
"That's really great," Bianca said this with an enthusiasm so real that Reese couldn't help but blush and smile on hearing it.
"But still geeky, right?" asked Reese wryly.
"Maybe a little," admitted Bianca, giving a warm laugh. "But it's the best kind of geeky. You're making a difference with your buildings. How you construct them helps not just your company but the environment too. That's very cool."
"I'm glad you think so," Reese said this soft and sincere, a smile playing on her lips, and she moved her gaze from Bianca to look out the window, at the Paris skyline, sure that if she continued to stare at the brunette she would give too much of her growing affection away. "So what about you? What does Bianca Montgomery like to do for fun? Besides seeing carnal plays, that is."
"Besides that," said Bianca sardonically, giving a humorous scoff. "My life consists of Miranda, work, and school these days. And when it wasn't that way… well, I've never been as invested in cosmetics and fashion as my mother and sister, I'm afraid." A pause and then Bianca turned to Reese, a hapless kind of look on her features as she said, "I honestly can't remember what I used to do for fun. Pathetic much?"
"It's not pathetic," Reese soothed and out of an automatic need to comfort she found herself reaching out to Bianca, placing her hand on the brunette's knee that was exposed from the short length of the dress, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You're a busy mother. I think anyone would consider it natural for fun to fall to the wayside when it comes to taking responsibility for a small child. Anyway," Reese drawled, dipping her head to capture Bianca's gaze as the car stopped at another red light. "You can always tell me what you'd like to do for fun."
Silence and then Bianca smiled, looking down at Reese's hand still on her knee before covering it with her own then lifting it up to lace their fingers together. Squeezing Reese's hand in a tender hold, she murmured, "I used to love horseback riding. I've been taking Miranda to the L'Ecurie du Bois Rond in Arbonne-la-Forêt when I have the time. It's almost an hour drive so sometimes it takes constant reminding we're going to see horses and she'll be able to ride a pony to keep her calm but she always has fun once we get there." Focusing ahead on the road, there was a quiet happiness, understated and subtle as she said, "It's strange. When I was younger and I loved riding so much I never thought about having a daughter of my own and teaching it to her but now that I do…" She looked to Reese and offered her a smile that was sweet and kind and filled with love for Miranda. "I think it's the most fun and fulfilling thing I could possibly do. Being able to share something that I loved as a little girl with my own daughter and watching her grow to love it as well."
"That does sound wonderful," said Reese quietly, stretching her fingers out in Bianca's hold, the tips of her fingers tracing Bianca's palm, delighting in the soft texture of her skin. "Did you ever take her riding back home? Where you used to go?"
"No," said Bianca, shaking her head. "I've never thought about it, to tell you the truth. I mean, I love it in Pine Valley and Wildwind, that's where I did a lot of my horseback riding when I was younger, it's such a beautiful estate but things are so different there." Looking to Reese, she paused, biting on her lip in nervous contemplation before looking forward as she said, "Part of the reason I moved to France was to get away from where I grew up. I love my home town, I really do, and I love all of the people who live there but it's such a small place and my mother is this bigger than life figure there so it's really hard to have any kind of privacy. As much as I hated taking Miranda away from the rest of her family I thought in the long run it would be better to raise her away from all the attention she would get growing up as my daughter in that town. Here we're pretty much like anyone else and no one looks at her twice. It gives us a lot more freedom." A wry laugh and Bianca added, "And a lot more normalcy. If you can even have that and still be related to Erica Kane. My sister seems to think we can never be really normal thanks to Mom."
"Speaking for myself," Reese began in lighthearted tones that nevertheless held a genuine truth to them. "I'm very glad you're here."
"Thank you," said Bianca in something of a whisper, giving Reese's hand a gentle squeeze. "I feel the same." Leaning forward in her seat, she released a triumphant noise, very similar to the one when she had first given Reese some ointment as a gift, Bianca said, "We're here! It now becomes a search for parking. I think I rather try the street than the theatre parking. It always gets so crowded."
"This is the Odéon," said Reese, her eyes becoming large as she looked at the impressive structure. Turning to Bianca who was concentrating on her search for street parking, she said, "Your friend is starring in a play at the Odéon Théâtre de l'Europe?"
"Yes, she is, and a carnal one as you keep reminding me," said Bianca with a warm laugh. Looking to Reese as she pulled her car into a spot near the theatre, she questioned, "Did I make a horrible mistake by not naming the theatre? Do you hate the Odéon?"
"No, not at all," Reese said, shaking her head and giving a sputtering laugh, her gaze immediately drawn back to the famous theatre. "It's just really well known." Her eyes narrowing slightly, she drawled, "What is Sofie's last name, anyway?"
"Rousseau," Bianca said with a practiced sort of casualness that Reese imagined came from being Erica Kane's daughter and knowing a great deal of famous people. When Reese gaped at her, she laughed and said, "What? Stop looking at me like that."
"She won a best actress award at The Molières a month ago," said Reese faintly, recalling it very well from the way Simon had kept emphasizing how rare it was for an actress so young to win such a prestigious award. Her fiancé had a fairly large interest in the theatre world and she was sure he would have been beside himself to know she was going to spend time with the actress tonight.
Not that she would be telling him that. Though she did have to tell him something but what, she didn't know, it was becoming more difficult to sort out, this entire situation and her feelings for Bianca and what they meant to her life, her future, as a whole. All she knew was that as she watched Bianca exit the Mercedes and open the passenger door for her, there was nowhere else in the world she rather be. When she rose to her full height and finished smoothing her blouse, Reese offered her arm to Bianca as an automatic gesture, some strange inborn sense of chivalry taking hold and when Bianca smiled at her, captivating and charming as she accepted Reese's arm it felt natural, it felt right.
It felt like she finally belonged.
To be continued...
SERIES: All My Children
AUTHOR:
dreiserEMAIL: dreiser7@yahoo.com
YAHOO ID: dreiser7
MY WEBSITE: http://www.dreiser.org/
CONTENT: F/F romance. Bianca/Reese. Breeze.
SUMMARY: Reese Williams had experienced a thousand glimpses of the life she always wanted but until she met Bianca Montgomery she never thought she could have it for herself.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but my near death experience with my parents dog and a flight of stairs.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Seriously, people. That dog nearly killed my ass. And speaking of my ass, it hurts so much. lol. If I had died it would've been so lame. Can you imagine the obituary? Killed by a fat pug tripping her down a flight of stairs. Lameness, it perpetuates. Anyway, I SORAS'd Bianca in this chapter because I wanted to have the exact ten year age difference and plus... twenty seven suits Bianca more than twenty four, imho. It's sad of me but I just wanted to really age her a little bit.
Oh yes, and because I'm lame here is Reese's outfit and Bianca's outfit to look at. Yes, I do that much research. Yes, yes, I'm sad.
A Thousand Glimpses
By: Dreiser
Five
A good part of Friday night and most of Saturday morning was dedicated to the search for the perfect outfit. One that wasn't too revealing but still emphasized how she did spend some time in the gym and was comfortable enough to help Reese feel at ease. Her love of clothing was perhaps among the few truly girly traits Reese felt she possessed. While her mother would argue her preference for pants over skirts cancelled out the feminine leanings of this pastime. She couldn't help it though. Something about wearing dresses and skirts, they always served to remind her of those frilly monstrosities her mother had dressed her in as a child and it led to a natural aversion as an adult.
Besides, she liked wearing pants. Reese had this strange belief that if an emergency situation should occur it was far better to be wearing pants than a skirt or a dress. You could run more easily in pants and they tended to allow for quick escapes. Though she did realize it was a bit sad that she had spent any amount of time debating the superiority of pants to skirts to such a degree.
Miranda probably never wore the kinds of dresses Reese hated as a child. In her mind, Reese saw Bianca taking the little girl on shopping trips and letting the child choose what she wore, even if it didn't happen to perfectly match. Bianca didn't seem like the type to care about the idea of having a perfectly immaculate child. Instead, Reese imagined she focused more on Miranda's happiness and if wearing bright mismatched clothing made her daughter happy then of course she allowed it and scoffed at anyone who dared to object.
In the end, Reese settled on a pair of simple but elegant and perfectly fitting black pants and a matching short sleeved black blouse. She had worn the outfit only once before but it had gotten a good deal of compliments and it was only available for purchase in just a handful of shops as it had just come out in the latest Gucci women's collection. Which meant Bianca most likely hadn't seen it before and would hopefully be impressed with how Reese looked in it. At least, that was her plan.
Out of sheer habit and obedience for her mother's teachings, Reese dropped the outfit off at the drycleaners that was just a short walk from her office, planning to pick it up later on her lunch break. Sliding her keycard through the front door access system, Reese took in the empty building with a wave of relief. She loved her staff, she really did, but sometimes it was nice to escape their ever seeing eyes and be able to work in peace. This would even provide a break from her far too loyal assistant Maurice as he had informed her quite enthusiastically that he had plans with his boyfriend, Lyle, this weekend that included antiquing at Les Puces de Saint-Ouen.
The elevator opened silently at the top floor and Reese found her gaze drawn towards the speck of light on the far side of the room where their team of engineers was situated. When they were first sorting out how the building would be organized they decided as partners in the firm, she and Audrey would share the top floor with their assistants, but in the end it was Audrey's lack of mathematical and engineering common sense that caused them to populate the rest of the space with the more scientifically inclined staff.
Wandering over to that section out of sheer curiosity and a certain fondness for the engineers, Reese grinned when she saw the man assigned to her current project, Matt Price, pouring over a large pile of schematics and wearing his worn Mets baseball cap. He was one of the rare Americans at her firm and that fact alone had endeared him to her. It also helped that he was a supremely dedicated worker.
"Matt," Reese said his name with a humorous drawl, chuckling when he jumped in his seat and whirled around a little too fast to greet her, causing some of the schematics to fall onto the floor. "Don't you know it's the weekend?"
"Ms. Williams," said Matt in something of a rush, leaning down to pick up the schematics, and shooting her a grin when she helped him gather them up. "I wanted to come in… I just couldn't let go of trying to figure out the proper application of thermal mass so we can modulate the daily temperature variations in the structure, you know? If we get that right it will be able to conduct so much more energy."
"We don't have to get it all figured out by the meeting next Friday," said Reese with a smile, leaning against the wall by his drafting table and folding her arms across her chest. "It's enough to be able to give Sig. Passeri an idea of why a passive solar design would be best suited for his new corporate office and why we're the premiere experts in such designs in the field today."
"I know," said Matt, looking down at the schematics. "I just want to do as much as I can. This could be my first big project."
Recalling what that felt like when she joined Wilmotte et Associés just after graduating much like Matt had done with her firm upon finishing his engineering degree at the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon, Reese tilted her head to one side. "Tell you what," began Reese warmly, pushing off from the wall and rolling up a layer of the schematics covering his table. "It so happens I came in to work on this exact project so why don't we spend our time working on it together? Two heads are always better than one and all that."
"Seriously?" asked Matt, his eyes going wide at the prospect of working with one of his employers.
"The seriousest," said Reese solemnly though there was a twinkle in her brown eyes. Scrunching up her nose as she started the walk towards her office, she pondered aloud, "I just used a word that doesn't exist, didn't I? That can't be good for my boss lady image."
"Blame the internet, that's what I do," replied Matt, smiling as he hurried after Reese with the building schematics overflowing in his arms.
"Most made up words do have their origins online," said Reese in thoughtful tones. An impish sort of grin tugging at her lips, she swiped her keycard through the security system to her office then pulled the door open for Matt and said, "It's decided, the internet will take the blame."
"Wise choice," said Matt, nodding his head and returning the grin. His gaze drifted around her office, naturally curious as the last time he had been inside it was when he interviewed with Reese over a year ago for the position in their renewable energy engineering section.
"Take a seat," Reese gestured to a pair of cream colored couches that were parallel to one another and sat low to the ground with a long oak coffee table in between them. Retrieving her sketch book and in progress designs, she spread them out on the surface next to Matt's schematics. "Now," she said with good humor and a twinge of dubiousness. "Where do we start?"
After three hours, Reese and her thankfully quiet stomach, demanded a break. Putting in an order with Matt at a local café for some of their baeckeoffe, she made her way to the drycleaners to pick up her freshly laundered outfit. She had just paid the charges when Matt appeared with a small paper bag in hand that gave off a delicious scent of marinated potatoes, lamb, and beef.
"Your baeckeoffe looked so good I had to get some of my own," said Matt, holding open the door for Reese and following her out onto the street. "I've never eaten at that café before but it looked like they had a lot of good food. Their desserts were pretty tempting."
"All desserts in France are tempting," said Reese wryly.
They walked in silence for a few moments, then Matt eyed the clothing bag Reese had folded over her arm and asked, "What did you get cleaned? I'm always taking my suits into the place by my apartment. I'm a habitual ink spiller. I don't know how it hasn't ruined them yet."
"What?" Reese blinked, staring at him blankly before taking a several seconds to replay his question in her mind. Looking down at the clothing bag, an inescapable smile formed on her features as she thought of her upcoming evening with Bianca. "I'm going out with…" she trailed off, unsure how to describe Bianca. Certainly she knew what she wanted the brunette to be but what she was and what Reese could allow her to become, it was all so unnecessarily complicated. Finally, Reese settled on saying, "A friend and I just wanted to make sure I was wearing clothes that were as clean as they could be." Shooting him a derisive look, she said, "I have a secret fear of dirt."
"When are you going out?" asked Matt. He wasn't really curious about Reese's plans more of how long they were going to stay in the office working on the project. When he came in this morning he wasn't thinking about how long he would stay, instead he was focused on the idea of trying to fix the issues he was having with the thermal mass and the temperature variations in the building.
"Seven o'clock," said Reese, chuckling as his eyes got a bit wide. "Don't worry, Matt," she drawled. "I'm not expecting you to stay at the office that entire time with me. In fact, I'm thinking we should wrap things up about an hour after we finish eating our lunches." Taking several steps ahead, she swiped her keycard through the security system, looking back at him as she said, "How does that sound to you?"
"Sounds good," replied Matt, stepping closer and grabbing the door as Reese pulled it open. Following her into the office building, he questioned with a hint of worry in his voice, "But isn't that a really long day for you, Ms. Williams?"
Tossing him a look over her shoulder and grinning as she walked onto the elevator, Reese said, "The folly of being the boss lady. Though I do plan on having a really good time tonight to make up for the long weekend hours."
As she said this, Reese realized that was the truth of the matter. She did plan on having a really good time and the only basis of that plan was the fact that she would be spending said time with Bianca. If she was going to a play based on a carnal retelling of Snow White with any other person, well, Reese was sure she'd find the play somewhat amusing if only in concept but enjoying it was another story. Just knowing she would get to spend more time with Bianca had already made the evening a success in her mind and Reese wondered at that. She had never felt this way about another person, had never gotten so attached, felt so much so fast, and it frightened as much as it exhilarated her.
When Matt left the office two hours later, a sense of reluctance in his movements and a shine of admiration in his gaze, Reese tried to resume the pace of work that had taken place in his presence but found herself unable. Without Matt here to distract her with formulas and theory her mind constantly drifted to her evening with Bianca. Though some work did occur, Reese knew full well she got very little done until the hour of six o'clock finally arrived and she deemed it early enough to begin preparing for her date.
That gave her a moment of pause.
Was it really a date? Bianca had asked her out like everyone else who wanted her sexually and romantic and otherwise had so Reese assumed that it was a date but she never said it in those specific terms. Asking someone to accompany her to a play could just as easily be interpreted as a sign of friendship. There wasn't anything outright romantic about it. Yes, Bianca was a lesbian but it wasn't like lesbians didn't have female friends who were platonic. Usually this was a rare occurrence but it did occur.
Staring at her freshly dry cleaned outfit, Reese started to run their conversation over in her mind, trying to figure out if Bianca meant this invitation as a date or just a friendly night out. Shaking her head, she headed into her private lavatory to change her clothes. She would just have to keep a close watch on Bianca, closer than usual anyway, and try to discern from her actions what she intended for this evening.
Of course, Reese wanted this to be a date but would it really be for the best if it was? Her engagement to Simon loomed during her time with Bianca like some horrible specter she couldn't rid herself of. The happier she was with the Bianca the more she thought of how it wasn't truly possible for that happiness to remain, not with the engagement in place. There was a whisper in her mind, telling her to break it, that it wasn't fair to Simon, that it had never been fair to him, but especially now that she met Bianca.
Before he took his business trip, before she met Bianca, they spent every day together planning the wedding. They had such a good time and while she wasn't in love with him, Reese did enjoy her time with him and some perverse part of her loved planning the wedding if only for this picture she had in her mind of her mother beaming at her, a look of complete pride on her face for the first time in her life. But since she met Bianca, she barely took his phone calls, she didn't know how to talk to him now. Reese had thought their interaction was so easy, so simple, and that's why she accepted his proposal. Her marriage to Simon wouldn't be one borne out of love but rather out of companionship, he was someone who understood totally her but since meeting Bianca…
It no longer seemed like the truth.
Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Reese sighed and adjusted her blouse so it fit perfectly on her frame. Glancing down at the Chanel watch around her wrist, she saw that she had at least forty five minutes before Bianca arrived. Returning her gaze to the mirror, she tilted her head to one side and decided to spend the rest of the time producing the perfect hairstyle and accompanying make up.
Forty minutes later, her make up was immaculate and her blonde hair was swept up in a style reminiscent of the ponytail that Miranda favored but more adult and elegant, her hair curling at the ends and placed across her forehead in a wave. It was a style that garnered several compliments and she felt safe in believing that Bianca would like it as well.
Adjusting her Gemma satin clutch purse over her shoulder, Reese tried to calm her nerves by listening to the click clack of her heels against the marble floors of her office's lobby as she paced back and forth. It didn't help though and she kept darting her gaze to the large glass door entrance of the building in search of the dark blue Aston Martin she thought belonged to Bianca. Five minutes later, her brown eyes widened at the sight of a black Mercedes-Benz S550 pulling into the parking lot.
Part of her thought maybe it was someone who gotten lost until the door opened to reveal Bianca wearing a midnight blue dress Reese swore sparkled as she walked forward with a wide smile on her lovely features. The dress was strapless and had a straight neckline, stopping just above the brunette's breasts which appeared entirely abundant in the silken material. A matching shawl fell comfortably around her shoulders, accenting the outfit by hiding and revealing just the right amount of skin to leave Reese irresistibly entranced. Enough that she was frozen in place, still staring at the other woman by the time Bianca reached the doors to her office and knocked on them, giving a wry grin after unsuccessfully trying to open the locked doors.
Moving forward with a jump, her heels click clacking even louder against the marble floors, Reese opened the doors and stepped outside with a sheepish smile. "Sorry," she apologized, a blush darkening her features. After making sure the doors to her building were secure she chanced looking at Bianca and while the brunette's beauty still took her breath away, she managed to say, "You distracted me."
"In a good way, I hope?" questioned Bianca, a hint of humor in her voice, a sweet smile playing on her lips.
Lifting her gaze and automatically returning the smile, Reese found herself replying honestly, "The very best."
"Thank you," said Bianca and for the first time Reese witnessed a light blush gracing her pale features. She ducked her head shyly, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear, looking at Reese through impossibly long lashes as she said, "You look beautiful. I love your outfit."
Deciding the best way to make it through the evening without embarrassing herself utterly with her attraction to the other woman would be to play it more confident than she actually felt, Reese hooked her arm through Bianca's and drawled, "I'm glad you think so. I had it dry cleaned just for you." When Bianca laughed at this and raised a skeptical eyebrow, Reese formed a wounded expression and pressed her right hand flat against her chest in a mock defensive posture. "You don't believe me? I have the receipts to prove it."
"I don't know," said Bianca seriously, shaking her head a bit and giving a sigh. "No one ever told me I was drycleaner worthy before. I'm not sure if I can really believe it." They paused at the passenger side door to the Mercedes where Bianca unlocked the car with a discreet beep. Opening the door for Reese, she leaned on it slightly and said, "You could just be playing a cruel prank on me to get my hopes up."
Standing by the open door, her left leg halfway inside the vehicle, Reese moved forward, leaving a breath between herself and Bianca. It was so very tempting, the idea of kissing the brunette who looked at her with such warm and accepting eyes, a fond smile curving her lips but Reese didn't do it. It was too soon. Instead she gathered a stray lock of brown hair in her fingers, delighting in its silken texture before sweeping it behind Bianca's ear in a motion she had seen the other woman do countless times herself. "I would never play that sort of prank on you," she said, her voice soft and playful, and her hand fell away as she sat inside the car. Looking up at Bianca, a mischievous grin forming on her features as she finished, "You might kick another soccer ball at me."
"Funny," said Bianca in sardonic tones, shutting the door and giving the window a tap before walking over the driver side door. A few moments later, she was inside of the car and shooting Reese a look of dry humor. "Before I met you, my legs were never considered dangerous weapons, I hope you know that."
"Now that, I don't believe," said Reese with a chuckle. Bianca shook her head in response, leaning forward as she pulled out of the parking lot and onto the busy street in front of the blonde's office. Studying the interior of the Mercedes, Reese remarked, "I was surprised when you showed up driving this. For some reason I was sure you owned that Aston Martin in front of your house."
"The DB6?" asked Bianca, looking to Reese for confirmation. When Reese nodded, she laughed and said, "That belongs to Nathan and his James Bond crush. I couldn't ever own a car like that. It's not exactly child friendly by any definition of the term."
"He's never taken Miranda for a ride in it?" asked Reese, somehow doubting this considering Nathan's position as personal bodyguard to the little girl.
"He has," admitted Bianca, a humorous look on her features as she recalled the incident. "And the experience of putting a car seat into a vehicle made in 1967 was probably one of the least fun experiences I've had in my life."
"The sixties weren't very safety first," said Reese with a smile. Studying the fine line of Bianca's jaw and the way her brown hair curled around her shoulders, making her look so very young, she wondered about the other woman's age. "How old are you?"
Blinking at this, Bianca looked at Reese with a baffled expression then laughed as she said, "You don't beat around the bush, do you?"
"It's easier to say what you mean," said Reese with a shrug, honestly believing this to be the truth but not having a lot of opportunities in her life to really exercise this belief. There was too much hiding on her part to do it often, too many expectations she felt she had to live up to with her mother for her to ever really speak what she truly meant around her parents. If she did she was sure it would only disappoint them.
"I'm twenty seven. You?" asked Bianca, a curious light in her dark eyes.
"Thirty seven," said Reese in rather imperious tones as she regarded Bianca with a teasing gleam in her gaze. "Baby dyke."
Looking humorously offended, Bianca released something resembling a gasp and exclaimed, "I'm not! I came out when I was sixteen and it was a very public and very humiliating debacle that was published in way too many gossip magazines. Besides," she grumbled, coming to a stop at the red light. "I was told having children instantly matures people. At least that's what it did for me."
"I don't think it works that way for everyone," murmured Reese, studying Bianca and the slight furrow on her brow. A fond smile forming on her features, she said, "But I have a feeling you were already mature for your age, even before you had Miranda."
"An old soul," Bianca said in self deprecating tones, rolling her eyes, moving the car forward as the light turned green. "That's what Myrtle likes to call me. She's the sweetest person in the world and I can always go to her for advice but I always thought that made it sound like I'm possessed by ghosts and that's where my personality comes from." Looking to Reese, she grinned. "Creepy, huh?"
"Very Exorcist," Reese agreed, nodding her head, and smirking when Bianca released a soft groan. "Who's Myrtle?"
"An old friend of the family," said Bianca and Reese was secretly amused by the way the brunette took her time looking both ways before making a right turn. "She was close friends with my grandmother and I used to live in her boarding house back in Pine Valley. I guess you could say she's the person I always go to when I need some good advice or if I want someone to just listen. Myrtle always understands."
"She sounds special," Reese said this quietly and she felt almost wistful because she never had someone like that for herself. There was Audrey but as much as Audrey knew the real her, the one she hid from Simon and her parents, she couldn't help but judge the way Reese was living her life and from how Bianca spoke about this Myrtle she didn't think that was something that happened in their relationship.
"She is," said Bianca, a smile in her voice and on her lips. She looked to Reese and saw the hard set to her jaw, concern emerging at the way she stared straight ahead, and wanting more than anything for the blonde to return to her previous engaging state, Bianca asked, "What kind of buildings do you design? Commercial or residential?"
Turning to Bianca with some surprise, Reese's posture immediately relaxed and she said, "Commercial for the most part. My firm is small, we've got a staff of one hundred and thirteen people, and we specialize in passive solar and zero energy building designs."
"Which means what exactly?" asked Bianca, her tones perplexed but affectionate as she gave Reese a smile.
"When I decided to start my own business with Audrey, I wanted to capture a new market to ensure a growing client base," Reese said, shifting in her seat and turning to Bianca, running her eyes over the fine line of her features, memorizing them in her mind. "I've always been something of a science geek and after some thought, I realized the future was in buildings that provide low cost or a completely free energy resource for the people who inhabit them. Basically, we design buildings that use solar power and other environmentally friendly technology to power the building, thus reducing cost to the owner and the negative influence to the environment as a whole."
"That's really great," Bianca said this with an enthusiasm so real that Reese couldn't help but blush and smile on hearing it.
"But still geeky, right?" asked Reese wryly.
"Maybe a little," admitted Bianca, giving a warm laugh. "But it's the best kind of geeky. You're making a difference with your buildings. How you construct them helps not just your company but the environment too. That's very cool."
"I'm glad you think so," Reese said this soft and sincere, a smile playing on her lips, and she moved her gaze from Bianca to look out the window, at the Paris skyline, sure that if she continued to stare at the brunette she would give too much of her growing affection away. "So what about you? What does Bianca Montgomery like to do for fun? Besides seeing carnal plays, that is."
"Besides that," said Bianca sardonically, giving a humorous scoff. "My life consists of Miranda, work, and school these days. And when it wasn't that way… well, I've never been as invested in cosmetics and fashion as my mother and sister, I'm afraid." A pause and then Bianca turned to Reese, a hapless kind of look on her features as she said, "I honestly can't remember what I used to do for fun. Pathetic much?"
"It's not pathetic," Reese soothed and out of an automatic need to comfort she found herself reaching out to Bianca, placing her hand on the brunette's knee that was exposed from the short length of the dress, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You're a busy mother. I think anyone would consider it natural for fun to fall to the wayside when it comes to taking responsibility for a small child. Anyway," Reese drawled, dipping her head to capture Bianca's gaze as the car stopped at another red light. "You can always tell me what you'd like to do for fun."
Silence and then Bianca smiled, looking down at Reese's hand still on her knee before covering it with her own then lifting it up to lace their fingers together. Squeezing Reese's hand in a tender hold, she murmured, "I used to love horseback riding. I've been taking Miranda to the L'Ecurie du Bois Rond in Arbonne-la-Forêt when I have the time. It's almost an hour drive so sometimes it takes constant reminding we're going to see horses and she'll be able to ride a pony to keep her calm but she always has fun once we get there." Focusing ahead on the road, there was a quiet happiness, understated and subtle as she said, "It's strange. When I was younger and I loved riding so much I never thought about having a daughter of my own and teaching it to her but now that I do…" She looked to Reese and offered her a smile that was sweet and kind and filled with love for Miranda. "I think it's the most fun and fulfilling thing I could possibly do. Being able to share something that I loved as a little girl with my own daughter and watching her grow to love it as well."
"That does sound wonderful," said Reese quietly, stretching her fingers out in Bianca's hold, the tips of her fingers tracing Bianca's palm, delighting in the soft texture of her skin. "Did you ever take her riding back home? Where you used to go?"
"No," said Bianca, shaking her head. "I've never thought about it, to tell you the truth. I mean, I love it in Pine Valley and Wildwind, that's where I did a lot of my horseback riding when I was younger, it's such a beautiful estate but things are so different there." Looking to Reese, she paused, biting on her lip in nervous contemplation before looking forward as she said, "Part of the reason I moved to France was to get away from where I grew up. I love my home town, I really do, and I love all of the people who live there but it's such a small place and my mother is this bigger than life figure there so it's really hard to have any kind of privacy. As much as I hated taking Miranda away from the rest of her family I thought in the long run it would be better to raise her away from all the attention she would get growing up as my daughter in that town. Here we're pretty much like anyone else and no one looks at her twice. It gives us a lot more freedom." A wry laugh and Bianca added, "And a lot more normalcy. If you can even have that and still be related to Erica Kane. My sister seems to think we can never be really normal thanks to Mom."
"Speaking for myself," Reese began in lighthearted tones that nevertheless held a genuine truth to them. "I'm very glad you're here."
"Thank you," said Bianca in something of a whisper, giving Reese's hand a gentle squeeze. "I feel the same." Leaning forward in her seat, she released a triumphant noise, very similar to the one when she had first given Reese some ointment as a gift, Bianca said, "We're here! It now becomes a search for parking. I think I rather try the street than the theatre parking. It always gets so crowded."
"This is the Odéon," said Reese, her eyes becoming large as she looked at the impressive structure. Turning to Bianca who was concentrating on her search for street parking, she said, "Your friend is starring in a play at the Odéon Théâtre de l'Europe?"
"Yes, she is, and a carnal one as you keep reminding me," said Bianca with a warm laugh. Looking to Reese as she pulled her car into a spot near the theatre, she questioned, "Did I make a horrible mistake by not naming the theatre? Do you hate the Odéon?"
"No, not at all," Reese said, shaking her head and giving a sputtering laugh, her gaze immediately drawn back to the famous theatre. "It's just really well known." Her eyes narrowing slightly, she drawled, "What is Sofie's last name, anyway?"
"Rousseau," Bianca said with a practiced sort of casualness that Reese imagined came from being Erica Kane's daughter and knowing a great deal of famous people. When Reese gaped at her, she laughed and said, "What? Stop looking at me like that."
"She won a best actress award at The Molières a month ago," said Reese faintly, recalling it very well from the way Simon had kept emphasizing how rare it was for an actress so young to win such a prestigious award. Her fiancé had a fairly large interest in the theatre world and she was sure he would have been beside himself to know she was going to spend time with the actress tonight.
Not that she would be telling him that. Though she did have to tell him something but what, she didn't know, it was becoming more difficult to sort out, this entire situation and her feelings for Bianca and what they meant to her life, her future, as a whole. All she knew was that as she watched Bianca exit the Mercedes and open the passenger door for her, there was nowhere else in the world she rather be. When she rose to her full height and finished smoothing her blouse, Reese offered her arm to Bianca as an automatic gesture, some strange inborn sense of chivalry taking hold and when Bianca smiled at her, captivating and charming as she accepted Reese's arm it felt natural, it felt right.
It felt like she finally belonged.
To be continued...
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