The end of the shooting held something rather significant for Raelynn. With the holidays and the little break they got, the promised dinner was pushed for after shooting. And on the same night, as the shooting ended, Ian wanted to take her out for dinner.

Looking in the mirror, she felt happy—genuinely happy for the first time in a very long time.

She thought back to the thing about every detail she loved about the date.

Is it her dress? Is it the fact that the guy would be taking her to a fancy restaurant or somewhere that she knows she loves already? Or is it her makeup? Or is it the feeling in her gut that yells you've been single for so long?

She, who looked at herself in the mirror realized how far she had come as a person. Working in Goofy under the VFX team was not easy. They drain their teammates so hard that by the end of it would be almost impossible for them to get some rest without cursing the entire company and the management.

Working under Ian was somehow the most significant thing that had happened in her life. The creativity and freedom she got, and how Ian recognized her talents despite the feelings and the pull against each other—it was truly something she was grateful for.

Ever since the past couple of weeks, they had gotten closer. There were not one but many occasions where the tension between them was irresistible for both of them—but for the sake of work, and professionalism neither one of them addressed it.

Knowing that after months of temptation, and curiosity to be known by him as just not the cinematographer but something more is finally here, she didn’t know what more she needs to do.

“Ah, I’m fucked!” She told herself while sitting on her bed with a loud thud.

She had done almost everything to be recognized by him. The morning coffees, little good mornings from time to time—heck, even when Ian was in France, and her thoughts were everywhere while thinking about him, she made sure that he was fine, and was updated on the latest news with Renner Studio knowing how much the studio means to him.

Even after everything, in her mind, she knew that all of it wasn’t going to be enough. Feelings don’t come like that. She once heard from someone wise that ‘the special’ person comes to your life when you are least looking or searching.

But she hadn’t given up, simply because she couldn’t. Which took her by surprise when Ian himself asked her out.

And now, there she is. In the tight black dress waiting for her date to pick her up.

6.45 pm.

As soon as she watched the time from her phone, the knocks that came from her front door made her jump in surprise.

‘He’s here. He’s here. Calm down, Rae. Calm the fuck down’

She kept chanting to herself.

-

With a bouquet of lilies, Ian stood in front of the door that led to the date of the night.

For the first time in his life, he was nervous.

‘What on fucking Earth is up with you, Ian? It’s just Rae. The good ol’ Raelynn!’

The door opened, and the girl with the prettiest dimples smiled at him. If Ian could, he’d sworn that he almost fell on his knees.

“You look stunning,” Ian said while his lips curled up to a smile.

“Are those for me?” she asked back.

“Yeah, here.”

“Give me two minutes,” she walked inside the house with the flowers while Ian waited for her outside the car.

Opening the door for the pretty lady, he walked around and got in.

-

The lights of the hall in the dining table were silent yet there was this unique spark in the air. Everything else was calm yet the vibe and the energy around the couple seem to be something neither one of them could forget.

“...And, he was joking that maybe he came off harshly, in reality, he just looked like an idiot in front of them!”

“Ahaha! Man, I can’t imagine the face he must have made. Priceless… Fuck, you should’ve taken a picture or something. What more can someone even ask when that could be the best birthday gift ever!”

“True!” She was still laughing. Her cheeks flushed, and her eyes squinted. “I was trying to take a picture, but he ran off!”

Ian coughed the last bit of his laughter. “This story filled the part of my stomach rather than the food. How did you like them?” he asked back while she nodded, chewing the last bite of the plate.

“The meat is too good. It was good, can I ask something?” Rae asked Ian who had a smile plastered across his face.

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“How has the date been so far?” She asked while a blush crept up her neck. Ian who saw it smiled looking at her.

He knew what that question meant. The person in front of him, that’s all that mattered. ‘Here I was wondering where my corny self went’

“It’s alright. I’ve had better,” He joked while she glared. “Joking, and if I’m being honest, this entire dinner had been a bit harsh on me. I think we both deserve to have the best night of our lives. And… I know we’re both full, but do you maybe want to hit the club?” Ian asked after a long pause.

Raelynn thought for a moment. In her head, she knew the answer to the question she had for herself. The main reason she loved the date, and everything along it was the person. The person who she was with, and she also knew no matter what they did, she’d have been fine, and she’d love it—as long as they don’t visit an aquarium.

“I think I love the idea. Where to, Red Bums?”

Ian wiped his lips from the napkin and raised his eyebrows in amusement. “You have got the best taste it seems, let’s go,”

Raelynn sipped the last stroke from the wine and stood up simultaneously to Ian.

The next best and last stop for the date—is Red Bums.

-

“Wow, it’s loud,” Raelynn yelled at top of her lungs as they entered the club.

“Yeah, do you want to get a drink?” Ian asked back while his hand was placed on her lower back.

“IS THAT NIKO?” she asked loudly and walked towards the bar to meet the man who was chugging his drink down.

The party was in full swing. Drunk men and women everywhere. Ian who walked behind Raelynn was fond of how quickly she spotted Niko even though the man could have been anyone.

“Raeee! Oh my God, you went on the date today! You did?!” He looked surprised and excited at the same time.

The man, who Ian assumed was Keith stood right behind Niko and kept smiling at how Niko greeted Raelynn just like Ian and stood away from each other.

“Of course. I’ve got to tell you a lot-”

“And, I’m standing right behind you friends!” Ian said making the pair turn their heads with nods.

“I forgot for a moment. Anyway, you are on a date too?!” Raelynn made the same noise that Niko did, and the two exterior men who knew both of them were made to be each others’ friends laughed at their interaction.

“Y’all look like fucking teenagers, I’m going to get myself a drink,” Ian said while getting permission from Raelynn.

She nodded with a huge smile and continued to chat with Niko.

-

“Can I get something strong? I love that girl trust me, but it feels heavy with all of the- fuck, get me the drink,” Ian asked the waiter as soon as he reached in front of him.

The waiter handed me the drink without any question which made things a lot easier.

“How was your night?” The guy who was next to Niko walked beside Ian and asked.

“Great, and great.”

Ian said and chugged the whole glass down.

“What’s the problem? Is it-” Keith said and looked Ian in the eyes to realize what the problem was. It was dark, and the club and the people were in full swing. And at the same time, Keith wanted to make a good connection with someone as powerful as Ian just to see what he was dealing with. “Don’t tell me the playboy Ian finally fell in love.”

With what he heard, Ian himself couldn’t get to agree with Keith’s statement. He had a lot of girls in his mind, and Raelynn was one of them. The difference was, all those girls including Scarlett were ones he liked—but with Raelynn, it was more than that.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Keith said after a long pause and left Ian alone at the bar.

-

A/N; Vote please :) ty. Read chaps in advance on -Patreon.com/TC_L