( This Got Away From Me A Bit ... Please Don't Worry About Matching Length! ) - Blog Posts
Signe watched him carefully, catching the tenderness in his face as he talked about his mum. When he said he couldn’t wait to call her, her smile softened. “That’s really sweet. I’m sure she’ll love that you thought of her." But then he asked about her designs, and she could practically feel her walls go up. Her hand smoothed the hem of her shirt, a nervous habit. She laughed—soft, and a little awkward—and ducked her head, letting her hair fall forward to hide how off-guard his genuine interest had caught her. People were usually politely curious, not… excited. “I mostly do sketches,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “I’ve put a few things together, but I’m still building my portfolio. I haven’t really shown many people…” Her thumb traced the strap of her bag. He’s probably just being nice. Still, when she glanced back, his eyes were bright, no hint of teasing in sight. That steadiness nudged something loose in her. “…But if you’re really interested, I could show you one of my mood boards sometime?” she offered, unsure but hopeful. She found herself giggling despite herself as he joked about football being an art form. “I don’t know that I’m an authority,” she said, “but if it makes people feel something, I think an argument could be made.” Her eyes shone as he tried pronouncing her name – the words coming out a little clumsy but filled with more effort than most made to get it as close to the authentic pronunciation. “I’m not one to judge accents,” Signe smiled, gesturing at her herself. Even after years in the States, her Swedish accent still slipped out sometimes. She allowed him to tell her about his passion for cooking – about nostalgia and Italy, and found herself utterly charmed by his sincerity. “Oh,” she exhaled, his invitation to spend more time together catching her by surprise. Signe blinked rapidly before answering him, almost shyly and more quietly than she’d intended. “Yeah. I’d like that.”
"You're not wrong at all. I might have to ask her if she actually likes flowers.. Besides, you know, gettin' em for Mother's Day and stuff." His face softened as she talked about the beauty and color. Charlie's mind drifted to where they'd lived when he'd grown up; all brick buildings, broken gutters and hardly a touch of color on the streets. A council estate where beauty wasn't a main priority. "You're.. Huh.. You might be spot on there. I can't wait to call me mum later and chat about it." Charlie's eyes lit up at the mention of fashion. "You jokin' me? You have to show me some of your stuff. I bet you're great at it."
"Now I'm just gonna keep askin' ya if things I enjoy are art. And if it's about how it makes me feel, football was.. I guess it still is my favorite art form?" He laughs at how corny it sounds, "I might take that back. Somethin' about an athlete sayin' they're an artist.. Nah." Charlie's laugh continues, "I cringed at meself." He waved his hands in the air in an effort to erase his words.
"Signe." He repeated, his accent thick, "I promise I'm tryin' to say it like you, but there's no gettin rid of this." Charlie pointed to his mouth with his free hand, looking down at their other hands still together. As he glanced back up, she'd been standing closer, his features all softening at their proximity. "Well, I work at Mango Bay Restaurant.. So I'm always tryin' to come up with some of those more fancy dishes." He pauses, chewing down on his bottom lip as his smile widened. He slowly released her hand, nearly forgetting it was there. "But at me apartment, it's all comfort food from back home. Or- honestly, I think I cook for the nostalgia, yeah? I miss my mates from Italy and suddenly I'm makin' homemade pasta. Goes for anywhere, innit. I just love bein' able to put myself back somewhere with just a taste. Like that guy from Ratatouille." He paused, "I ain't gotta be in for a few more hours.. If.. Would you like to walk with me? We could talk more about your fashion and you could tell me what I'm supposed to notice in all these."