It had been quite some time since Ollie had visited Teas n' Tomes. He passed by it almost every day on his way between his loft and the Inn, but he hadn't actually stepped foot inside the shop since before he left Maple Grove. Cally's summons changed that, however. When he received the note to meet her there tonight, he was a little unsure of whether or not he'd actually show up. Since his most recent talk with Caroline, he'd been taking steps to get the redhead off his mind. It hadn't been an easy task. But he'd decided that it was probably for the best that he stop obsessing over her and get on with things; maybe he'd even find a girl who was sincerely interested in him. And then pigs would fly and mate with dragons and the city would be overrun with fire-breathing pigs.

Cally stepped up to the place, working her cellphone to buzz if someone important needed her. The phone was stuffed into her bag and the door opened. The shop's spirited bell gave away the red-head's entrance. "Well, there goes the element of surprise." The red-head turned her eyes to find Ollie and he was shot a smile. "Hey! I didn't keep you waiting too long did I" Wait - don't answer that." A woman's right to be late!

He gave her a vague smile and shrugged. "I haven't been here long," he explained and glanced down at the half-finished croissant and empty cup of coffee that sat on the table in front of him. He closed the sketchbook - a brand new one, with only one drawing in it - and set his charcoal stick atop the cover at an angle. He stood and pulled out the chair opposite of him for Cally.

"Always a gentleman." Cally strolled over and took the seat he had pulled out for her. "Thanks. I didn't call you out at a bad time, did I?"

He waited until she was settled before retaking his own seat. "No, I was just working on another commission. Can I get you something to drink" Cider maybe? Are you hungry' They have fantastic pastries here."

"Some coffee would be great. I am still bone weary from Fashion Week." Leaning back in her seat, the red-head smiled. "Surprise me with a pastry or two?" She was leaving it to him to pick something good!

He nodded and rose from his seat. "Be back in a jiffy," he said before heading over to the counter and ordering a coffee, a blueberry scone and an apple-cinnamon muffin. As he waited for the order to be filled, he attempted to casually turn and glance at Cally over his shoulder. He frowned softly, wondering why she'd asked him to meet her here. Maybe she was getting married and wanted him to hear it from her first.

The red-head sat and stared at the empty seat across from her. Weary didn't really place correctly how she looked. Exhausted from end-to-end. But people didn't know how thin she had been spreading herself - not that they needed to know. Shrugging off her bag, Cally drew it on her lap.

He caught those tell-tale signs of exhaustion in her face and the lines of her body and he shook his head minutely. He'd have to tell Lola to stop working them both so hard. A soft snort when he imagined Lola's answer to that and then the order arrived. Paying the girl behind the counter and adding a gold coin to the tip jar next to the till, he carried everything back to the table and set it down gently in front of Cally. "I can't remember if you take milk, cream, or sugar in your coffee," he said apologetically and hovered at the table's edge until she gave him her preferences.

He startled the red-head out of her zone and a smile was prettied up for him. "Two sugars and some cream." Two spoons of sugar and a bit too much cream - the red-head liked her sweets. She motioned him to his seat. "Don't worry - I can drink it black too. Probably should just to keep myself here!" Cally grinned and winked at him.

He nodded and sat down, perching awkwardly on the edge of his seat. He leaned forward, resting his elbows in the table and gave Cally a thin-lipped smile. "So....Lola keeping you busy?" God above, he was horrible with small talk!

"Not really. I mean with fashion week, yes! But I had work and my sister and " well, just a bunch of stuff to deal with, too." Cally sighed as she stirred the creamy coffee. Entranced by the swirl the red-head silenced for a number of ticks. "Pretty sure ya wonderin' why I requested ya here."

He nodded, watching her carefully, remaining silent until she spoke again. His hand itched for the pencil; how he longed to capture her pensive look!

Lifting her eyes, Cally nodded and smiled to him. "Well, I think I would rather show ya. So why don't ya do me a tiny fav and close those eyes o' ya's for me" No peekin'!"

A brow arched and he blinked. "Um....Okay," he said hesitantly before putting his hands firmly over his closed eyes. He felt a bit ridiculous and was infinitely glad that the shop was mostly empty so that no one could witness this.

Cally laughed quietly to see him actually cover his eyes - now that was cute! He seemed a bit more at ease, too. Opening her bag the red-head pulled out the thick, bright blue wrapped gift and placed it on the table. A little nudge forward had it knocking against what looked to her like a new sketchbook. "Okay."

The sketchbook banged gently into his elbow and he uncovered his eyes to look down. Both brows arched upwards when he saw the paper-wrapped box. He looked up at her, a quizzical expression in his eyes. "For me?" he asked hesitantly. It wasn't his birthday and Valentine's Day had been weeks ago. "What's the occasion?"

"Yup, for you." Sip of coffee as the red-head watched his reaction, a smile hinting at her painted lips. "No occasion; ya can call it an apology, if ya want. Go ahead and open it. Ya might understand a bit better."

He nodded and reached for the box, carefully and circumspectly peeling off the paper to reveal a wooden box with two locks on it. He frowned and glanced up at her, wondering if her face would give away any clue as to what was inside. He carefully shoved aside his own coffee cup and the sketchbook so he could set the box down on the table and flick open the locks.

Never play poker with Cally; she had one hell of a poker face. Sips of coffee taken, the red-head watched on wearing that smile. She wanted to witness first-hand since she missed his expression over the cellphone. Judging from his later reaction of having to learn how to use it, he didn't really seem to like the idea of a cellphone.

"And why would I do that?" Cally stood and looped her arm to his with a grin. "I was given a perfectly nice pair o' legs! What about ya" Shouldn't ya" Or do ya have one?" Ollie's arm was tucked tight to her side, in case he became scattered again.

He tried not to drop his eyes to her perfectly nice legs, but was completely unable to. He took a deep breath and wrenched his eyes up again as he led her to the door and opened it for her, holding it until she was through it. "I had one. I sold it last summer, though." He tossed a wave over his shoulder to the girl behind the counter and then followed Cally outside.

Cally noticed and posed! Laughing, the red-head walked out. "Why did ya do that?" Cally smiled at him, "Ya know since ya asked, ya get the fun o' pickin' a day, time, and place!"

"It was an old car and it cost more to keep it running than it was worth," he lied smoothly. He turned his steps towards Lola's cottage. "Well, I suppose we could go to this little Indian restaurant Jon told me about. Do you like Indian food?"

"Never had! Guess we will find out!" Cally paced smoothly with him, Ollie's arm squeezed in a hug. "I'm willin' to try anythin' once. Maybe twice. Do ya like it?"

"I do. It's very flavourful and different than what I'm used to. They use lots of interesting spices and things." He was still stewing over her confession about Alaric and had once more made up his mind to keep things between them on a strictly friendly basis. He didn't think he could stand having his heart broken again. He'd barely recovered after the whole thing with Lily.

"Different than ya are used to. What are ya used to?" Cally grinned. "Just glad ya didn't ask me to cook! Cause I can't. Lo cooks for the both o' us."

He chuckled softly. "I'm a bachelor, Cally. I'm used to soup from a can." He saw the lights of Lola's cottage just a bit off in the distance and unconsciously slowed his steps.

If the red-head noticed, she didn't say anything; her pace slowed with Ollie's. "Soup in a can. Ya don't do that often do ya?" Fiery brow went up. "Lola makes enough; I can sneak ya some over." She chuckled. Cally moved her other hand to poke his ribs.

"No, thankfully since Kay's come to stay with me, she's been feeding me well. I discovered that I had to let my belt out a notch this morning." He chuckled and winked down at her.

"Ah ha! So ya have a woman cookin' for ya! Ya got it made! And if ya had to do that she must cook very well! I am glad she is stayin' somewhere safe. Don't know what happened, but Correy was really worried." He winked back! Made the red-head grin.

"She nags me to eat. Before she came, I'd forget, you know...because I was painting." And then suddenly Lola's door was in front of them and he could no longer put off the inevitable. "Well. You're here," he said lamely.

"Maybe after treatin' me to dinner, ya will let me watch ya paint some?" Cally blinked at the door. "Oh, so I am!" The red-head's arm slid from Ollie's, patting against his wrist. On to looking or her keys. Cally began to dig in her bag. "I think it is good for ya both that she is there."

He nodded, watching her, torn between kissing her and merely settling for shaking her hand before he left. "Me, too. She's been intimidated by me for her whole life. And I was convinced she thought I was a stodgy old man."

"Yeah, I know. She told me." Finding her keys, the red-head shook them at Ollie. "Ya aren't old." Cally tilted back and placed a chaste kiss to Ollie's cheek. "Thank ya for walkin' me home, darlin'. Make sure ya get back safe. Don't make me call Kaylee!" Cally teased a wink and keyed the door.

Her chaste gesture solidified his urge to kiss her. He caught her wrist and tugged it gently, turning her to face him. When she was looking up at him, he lifted his free hand to cup her face softly, his long fingers splaying out against her cheek, the tips plunging into that silken mane of fire. He bent at the waist a bit and kissed her. The gesture was butterfly-soft, with just the barest brushing of his lips against hers before he stood again and released her. "Good night," he said softly, glad for the covering of darkness that was hiding the neon-bright crimson blush on his face.

That was the second time to the red-head's mind that he grabbed her wrist. Cally's fiery brows shot up and the red-head just stood there in shock. Long after he had withdrawn she could feel the painted digits and the warmth of his lips. Ollie succeeded in leaving Cally speechless, stumped flat. When Cally came to her senses her own face was shaded crimson as her lips. "Good night, Oliver," the red-head finally spilled.

He took an unsteady step back, waiting long enough for her to slip inside and lock the door behind her before he headed home himself. He was relatively certain that his feet wouldn't once touch the ground.

Eventually Cally would find her way inside! Once she did, the red-head went to a curtained window to spy Ollie's exit. What was she going to say to Lola about that"! It just kept going on and on in her mind - Ollie kissed her!

((Thanks to Calypso's player for this scene!))