Not My Type: Felicity Ch. 04

"What are you working on?" Matt asked as he eyed the papers scattered across my desk.

"Parts order. We've been going through them a little quicker than usual. I've run out of a few essentials."

Matt did the awkward little shuffle again. "I guess that means that Ryan guy will be delivering to us."

"Actually, delivery takes forty-eight hours," I said, trying to keep from laughing at Matt's not so subtle implication. "And I need the transmission fluid for a job tomorrow. Do you think you could pick up the order for me when you're in town today?"

A triumphant smirk danced over Matt's face. Maybe he guessed I didn't really want to see Ryan. If I implied I did I'd have to give him a reason as to why I'd yet to agree to a second date.

"Sure," Matt drawled, the cocky old attitude suddenly back full force. "Anything else you want me to pick up for you while I'm there?"

Did he mean the dress Rhiannon was holding for me? The one I was supposed to wear to Lilly and Adam's wedding? The one he was supposed to buy for me?

Matt had phrased the question so nonchalantly I couldn't be one-hundred percent sure it meant what I thought it meant.

Two could play at that game.

I waved my hand in a dismissive gesture which would have done Rhiannon proud. "Oh, feel free to pick up anything else you think I might need. I trust you."

Matt's eyes narrowed but then he shot me a big, jovial smile—the one I loved.

"All right then, I'm gonna take off," Matt said, sounding much more like his old self than he had in weeks. "I'll see you later."

I nodded and then picked up the phone to put in the parts order so it would be ready by the time Matt arrived to pick it up. Then I got back to business. I still had a couple of repairs to finish before I could go home for the night. Despite the fact that I busied my hands with work and sang along to the songs on the radio, I couldn't get the image of Matthew Tanner in a tux out of my head.

~*~

Matt's car was already gone when I got to the garage Friday morning. I knew he'd have a busy day helping get everything ready for the wedding. How nice it would have been to go. I really liked Adam and Lilly and I'd never been to a wedding before.

I flipped the light switches and turned on equipment. Matt must have visited the garage at some point because the parts I asked him to pick up were stacked on the correct shelves. I wished I had the chance to ask him how the tux fitting went. Formal attire wasn't exactly the sort of thing that fell within his comfort zone. The thought of him having to endure being poked, prodded, and measured had me smiling.

I stepped into my office, flicked on the light, then stopped dead in my tracks. A garment bag hung from the nail in the wall and a shoe box rested on top of my desk.

I rushed forward, feeling like a kid on Christmas as I lifted the lid off the box. A pair of strappy silver heels lay inside with a note tucked between them. Flick was scribbled across it in Matt's bold handwriting.

My fingers trembled as I picked the card up and unfolded it.

Flick,

You did say yesterday that if there was anything else I thought you needed I should pick it up for you. I think you'll need these. I hope you didn't think I'd forgotten. I'll see you at St. Andrews, Saturday at three. M.

I squealed out loud. I plopped onto my chair and stripped off my work boots and socks. The gorgeous heels were a perfect fit. For the first time in ages my feet looked dainty and feminine. I pushed the shoe box aside and eyed the garment bag with a mix of trepidation and excitement. Rhi had promised the dress was perfect for me, but I still didn't know what to expect. I'd never owned a fancy dress before.

I held my breath as I slid down the zipper. The anticipation was better than any birthday, any Christmas. The moment almost made up for all the special occasions when I'd gotten nothing

I gasped as I caught the first glimpse of the dress. At one angle it looked blue, in another it looked silver. It was so pretty I feared touching it in case my hands weren't clean, but I finally gathered up the courage to grab the hanger and strip the garment bag free so I could see the dress better.

It was little more than a strapless tube of fabric, edged with beads and dark silver sequins along the neckline and hem. It was simple really, yet the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. I'd never owned anything so exquisite in my life. It was almost too fine to contemplate wearing. I hated to think what it cost.

I carefully angled the dress back into its protective bag and cast one last longing look at it before I zipped it up.

At the bottom of the garment bag sat a piece of folded up paper. It had to be the receipt. I thought about leaving it alone but I needed to know how much Matt had paid for the dress. If it was too much, I'd find a way to pay him back.

At it turns out, the small piece of paper wasn't the receipt after all. It was another note from Matt.

You'll look beautiful. I can't wait.

To be continued