Chapter 3
Stella
After a couple more drinks, James has his driver drop me off at my apartment. By the time I get inside it's six in the morning. James walks me to the front of my building, bidding me adieu with another kiss on my hand. After I arrive in my apartment I go to my room and lay on my bed, allowing the memories of the night to take over before drifting to sleep.
I wake up to my phone ringing around noon.
“Hello?” I say groggily into my phone.
“Hey bitch! I’m so glad to hear you’re alive. Late night?” Nat’s voice comes through the speaker.
“Yeah, I got home around six,” I say placing my free arm over my eyes to block out the light. I was never drunk throughout the night but I’m definitely not ready to see the light yet.
“Buck wants us to all go to lunch today,” Nat says cautiously.
“Why are you saying it like that, Nat?” Did I do something wrong?
“Stell, we’ve never seen him act this way with anyone. Sure, he was always the popular guy in high school, but he never was serious about anyone. He’s dated here and there, but he never allowed someone close to him within only a few hours of meeting them. And after he came back from the army, he wasn’t the same person he was before. He became closed off, distant, angry. The old Buck was still in there, but he was never fully present. Not until last night. Steve said he hasn’t shut up about you since he met you at the bakery.”
My mouth hits the floor. He hasn’t stopped talking about me? I mean sure, I thought we hit it off, but I hadn't realized he was as into me as I was into him.
“Stell, you there?” Nat asks.
“Uh, yeah, I’m here, I’m just… Shocked I guess,” I tell her, sitting up.
“Why? Stell, you’re a catch. You’re beautiful inside and out, you own a bakery, you’re an educated woman with a heart of gold. Any man would be lucky to be with you, especially Bucky. He’s a good guy. A little difficult to deal with at times, but he means well.” Nat encourages.
“He was so kind to me yesterday,” I reflect on the best I’ve had in a long time, “could you elaborate a little more on what you mean ‘he wasn’t he same’ after the army?”
“The army fucked him up, Stell. He did some dark shit when he was in the service. He was sent on suicide missions but always came back alive with a story to tell. I know he was a prisoner of war for a brief period of time but the fucker found a way out in true Bucky fashion. He’s gotten some help, but I know it still fucks with him sometimes. I don't think it's my place to say everything that's happened to him, he has to do that on his own terms, but just know it was a fucked up ten years.”
“Oh, wow. I guess that explains why his entire demeanor changed last night when that guy came up to us” I trail off.
“Guy? What guy?! Spill the tea, Stell!” Nat exclaims.
“Yeah, come on Stell! Tell us!” Wanda comes through the phone too.
“Okay, okay!” I laugh. “We were at Bel’s and we sang a karaoke song. After we got back to our table some guy came up to us saying he recognized James from the band, he went from the kind, carefree guy he had been all night to more closed off and cautious. The guy started going in on me and how hot I was and James told him to walk away but he didn’t. He started going in on James but I shut it down and endeduppunchingtheguyintheface," I say the last part quickly.
“You what?!” They both say at the same time.
“Yeah, yeah. I punched him in the face and told him James told him to fuck off twice and he finally left. Then we hung out for just a bit longer before he and his driver dropped me off at my apartment.”
“Did you get his number?” Wanda asks.
“No, I wasn’t thinking of it, I was riding out the high I was feeling. I don’t know if I’m ready to join the dating scene again, but fuck. Yesterday was amazing."
“Well, he wants you to come to lunch too, Stell, he asked Nat to specifically invite you when he called” Wanda says, “and, Stell, Nat is right. Steve, Scott, and Sam all pointed to to us they haven’t seen Bucky act like this in years. If Bucky deserves anyone, it’s you.” He and I barely knew each other but they all seem to think James and I are a match. I trust their judgement and I’m one thousand percent sure they would never lead me in a direction that would result in intentional harm or humility to me.
I take a breath, “when are we supposed to be at lunch?”
“Twenty minutes,” they say in unison.
“Twenty minutes?!” I scream, “twenty minutes?! Oh my stars, I have to get ready. Fuck I’m going to have to fix my makeup, my hair. Fuck, fuck, fuck."
“Stell, calm down and buzz us up!” Nat says. Thank fuck they’re here.
Luckily the restaurant was only a few minute walk away from my apartment, so we made it with five minutes to spare. Nat helped me fix my makeup while I worked on my hair and Wanda picked out my outfit. Today I wore black leggings with an oversized black sweater and my black combat boots. When we walk in, the boys are waiting for us, but we see them before they see us, allowing me a moment to take James in. He's wearing a tight fit black t shirt, black jeans, and black combat boots. His hair is down and tucked behind his ears. We are practically matching. As I make my way to him, his eyes meet mine and he’s caught me staring at him. I blush as he smiles at me. Stars, he’s so handsome. Everyone starts hugging and saying hello as we all join as one group.
“Sugar,” James says as he puts an arm around my waist, pulling me to his chest. I wrapped one arm around his shoulder while I rested my other hand on his opposite bicep.
“Hi, James,” I say close to his ear in an almost whisper. As James lets go of me he takes my hand, placing a kiss on my knuckles.
“You look beautiful. How did you sleep?” He asks, locking his pinky with my index finger again.
“Great while it lasted,” I smile, “I’ll definitely need a nap after lunch.”
“Well damn, that foils my plan,” he chuckles.
“Which is?” I raise a brow.
“I was going to see if you’d take me sight seeing.” Fuck a nap.
“I’d love to,” I smile. James eyes light up and he slightly swings our interlocked fingers before a hostess leads us to our table.
After lunch we all say our goodbyes. Steve, Scott, and Sam are going with Nat and Wanda to see their apartment then to Wanda’s book shop. James tells me he wants to see Stark Tower then I’m allowed to take him wherever I want. We visit Stark Tower then we walk along the riverwalk, ending at Odinson’s. Odinson’s is an axe throwing venue, owned by friend Thor and his brother Loki. While we’re at Odinson’s we see Thor and he offers us to stay as long as we’d like. When we finished it’s around five in the evening and we find ourselves in front of Potts’ Shoppe where we stop for ice cream.
“Thank you for showing me around,” James looks at me before taking a bite of his mint chocolate chip ice cream, “I enjoyed our day together.”
“You’re welcome, I enjoyed today too,” I take a bite of my mocha chip.
“Who would have thought you would just take me on a date before even asking me,” James says and I choke on my ice cream.
“What?” I look at him with wide eyes. We went on a date?
“Odinson’s,” he laughs for a few moments. Did we really go on a date? Did I already fuck up a first date. Oh my stars, I fucked up a first date. “I’m teasing, Sugar,” he pauses, “unless it was a date.” His curious eyes met mine. James moved his eyes to my lips, then his thumb glided over the corner of my mouth. “You had ice cream there.” Get it together, Stell.
“Did I fuck up our first date?” My eyes still wide, mind running a million miles a minute.
“No, Sugar, you didn’t fuck up our first date,” the soft look in his eyes eases my mind.
“Oh thank fuck,” I breathe.
“I don’t think you could fuck up a first date even if you tried,” James laughs, “I was a goner the moment you smiled at me.” The moment you smiled at me replayed in my head.
“The moment I smiled?” I gave a soft laugh, looking down at my feet. Suddenly I feel self conscious.
“Yes,” James’ hand found its way under my chin, pulling my gaze to meet his. “I don’t know what it is about you Stella Koval.” I never told James my last name.
“How did you…” I realize mid sentence Nat probably told him.
“Nat,” he smiles, confirming my thought.
“So you feel it too?” I ask, my hopes have been low this whole time because I’m scared if I get them too high, the fall will break every bone in my body.
“I’ve felt something I’ll never be able to explain the moment I saw you. It’s been twenty four hours but I feel like I’ve known you my entire life and every lifetime before. I don’t care about dating, I don’t care to grow close to new people. I have my circle of friends and I am content with those I have in my life, but you. You, Stella Koval. You intrigue me. You make me want to expand my circle just a notch to allow you in. You make me want to grow close to someone new.” With each word my hopes grow higher and higher.
“Be honest, please,” I look him in the eyes, “if I wouldn’t have shown up with Nat and Wanda last night, would you have found me?”
James takes a breath then says “I already found you before you showed up to the after party. I found your name, social media profiles, I saw pictures of you with Nat and Wanda. I told Nat to bring whoever she wanted to the after party, hoping she would bring you. The boys haven’t heard me shut up about you since I left the bakery,” James scratches the back of his head. I start laughing, full on laughing, belly laughing, can’t stop almost fall on the floor laughing. James looks a little concerned.
“I’m sorry,” my laughter growing harder, “its just- it’s just this whole time- I’ve been freaking out- thinking you were just being polite- and I was making this up to be more than what I was- and kept telling myself to just enjoy the moment, Stella,” my laughs echoed across the open riverwalk, tears stream down my face. “I’ve been downplaying how I’ve felt so I wouldn’t get hurt again. Oh this is great.” Bucky starts laughing too, wrapping an arm around my waist as he pulls me to him.
“Your laugh is contagious, you know that?” He asks holding his hand at the low of my back.
“I’ve been told that a time or two,” my laughs start to calm down. I wrap my arms around his neck. I figure I should play it bold because at this point, fuck it. I know I want him. I know I’ve never felt this way about someone else before. And it seems he feels the same way too. Fuck, he feels the same way.
“You’re so beautiful,” James whispers, an inch away from my face. “I really want to kiss you right now.” My breath hitches in my throat. I want to kiss him too. My voice comes out in barely a whisper.
“What’s stopping you then?” James crashes our lips together as soon as I finish my question. His lips are soft, gentle but firm against my mouth. His hand resting on my back tightens around me, pulling us even closer together. Fireworks boom in the background, sparks fly around us, trumpets from the heavens sound. It’s as though I found my way back to a home I never knew I was missing until now. James pulls away, keeping his grip around my waist.
“We have one more show then we’re off tour until we decide it’s time to tour again. Come to the show with me.” Come to the show with him? I have the bakery, but my employees could handle it for a couple days, couldn’t they?
“Okay,” I say before thinking my entire plan through.
A grin grows wide on James’ face, “perfect.”