Chapter Ten
It was Angie’s turn to wait. She got antsy in the hotel’s lobby, quickly stealing glances at the clock, beginning to grow nervous that Bucky had forgotten about the date they had planned for the evening. It wasn’t like him to forget. Usually he was early and he was so excited to see her every time. Ever since their first official date, she began getting excited to spend more time with him that wasn’t seeing him in the diner.
He always walked in with a different kind of flower, sometimes the bouquet was assorted. She didn’t care, she always loved whatever bouquet he had selected for her and she knew that he had looked forward to the dates as much as she had.
Angie had fallen so deep into thought that she didn’t even realize Bucky was rushing in until he was close to her. “I’m so sorry, Ang. I thought I had enough time for…” he took a breath and shook his head. “I got you something,” he offered, holding a small package with a sheepish schoolboy smile that quickly wiped any look of concern from Angie’s face.
Angie took the box slowly, her face showing a focused yet excited expression as she opened the box, revealing a simple emerald green pendant attached to a necklace. “Oh my… this is beautiful,” she gasped in surprise and looked at Bucky, who’s schoolboy grin faded into a relaxed smile. She closed the box and smiled at him with relief. She hugged him and took a deep breath to ease the nervous feeling she felt before pulling back. “Thank you,” she said and opened the box again to look at the necklace. “Can you help me put it on now? I can wear it for our date.”
Bucky chuckled and hugged her back before leaning in to kiss her on the forehead. “You’re welcome,” he responded when Angie pulled back and looked at the necklace. He nodded in response to her question and took the necklace out of the box gently and put it around her neck. He smiled a little at it and then looked at her before offering his hand.
Angie took his hand and played with the necklace’s pendant with her other hand. “It’s a beautiful necklace, thank you, James,” she said again as she looked at her boyfriend with a small smile. “I was starting to worry that you weren’t going to show up. It’s so unlike you to be late…”
Bucky took a deep breath and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “And that’s completely my fault, Angie. I thought I had more time and I lost track of it. I’m sorry.”
Angie shook her head. “It’s alright. You’re here now and that’s all I care about,” she responded with a small smile and glanced at him, making sure he knew that she was completely confident in what she was saying. “Besides, it’s a good thing you didn’t have a reservation, isn’t it?” she said with a slight chuckle, hoping to get a hint of the date he had planned for them. He had always been secretive about their dates, choosing to surprise her more often than not.
Bucky let out a laugh and nodded. “No reservation for this one,” he responded as he led her out of the hotel. They walked along the busy New York streets, hand in hand, catching each other up about their days.
With the days getting warmer and the sun setting later, Angie knew their dating life would look a bit different. They had only been going out about three months at this point and she liked to think it was going well. He was a gentleman, they had fun together and she knew that he looked forward to their dates just as much as she did. She was not in any rush to move things along or discuss the future, nor was she ready to. A couple nosy neighbors had inquired about Angie’s ‘mystery man’ as they liked to call him since Angie wasn’t one to talk much about him. It wasn’t because she was trying to hide him since many of the girls in the Griffith knew that Angie was dating someone now but she preferred to talk about work or the latest fashion if she could avoid talking a lot about her private life. She did not want too many details shared for the intent of small gossip at breakfast or dinner.
Her face failed her often, especially since the beginning of the relationship kept a smile on her face no matter what. The only neighbor she offered details to was Peggy, if she were home. But Peggy was often home after Angie had gone to bed for her early shift in the diner so there wasn’t much conversation between them but Angie was eager anytime they did have time to talk about it.
“No reservation? That’s very unlike you,” Angie teased with a slight smile as she leaned her head against his shoulder.
Bucky glanced at her with a small smile as they walked together. “I know,” he responded. “I thought we’d share a milkshake, walk through the park?” he suggested gently as Angie’s smile widened.
“That sounds very romantic,” Angie said, lifting her head up and looking at him. “What kind of milkshake were you thinking of sharing?”
“Whatever milkshake you wanted,” Bucky said as he looked at her then ahead to keep focused on their destination. He kept the amused smirk on his face as he knew Angie would be thinking hard about the milkshake she’d choose for the two of them to share.
Ever since they started going out, Bucky looked forward to it. Not only that but he was excited to have something to look forward to. He was glad to have the dates with Angie to look forward to. The guys at the construction site noticed his slightly more talkative nature, Cody being one of the ones to relentlessly tease the man. Bucky was slightly annoyed by it but would smile in amusement. He looked forward to days that Angie would visit him and bring him lunch. It wasn’t much, she would always say but he always insisted it would be just enough. They’d sit together, eating lunch and talking about the date Bucky had planned or about Angie’s auditions. Besides his relationship with Angie, Bucky hardly had much of a social life besides the occasional drink with the Howling Commandos or making sure to check up on his sister.
“I’m a bit biased to chocolate,” Angie said, snapping Bucky out of his thoughts. She gave his hand a squeeze before they approached the small diner Bucky had been excited to take her to. He opened the door for her and Angie looked around the diner with a small smile as Bucky led her to an open booth and sat down across from Angie after she sat down.
“Becca told me about this diner, actually,” Bucky confessed as he looked around. “So I thought we’d try it out,” he said as the waitress came around to take their order and Bucky ordered a chocolate milkshake with two straws, making Angie’s heart swell and her smile widening as she glanced at the waitress before looking at Bucky with an expression of adoration.
“Sometimes I wonder what would’ve happened if I hadn’t taken extra time to talk to you in the diner,” Angie commented as she rested her hand on her fist.
Bucky let out a chuckle and squeezed Angie’s hand gently. “I prefer not to wonder. Because this is probably the best way my life, our lives, could’ve gone,” he responded.
Angie hummed thoughtfully in response as she studied him. “You would’ve found someone eventually. I know you doubt that, James. But you would have. You’re so sweet and kind, any girl would be lucky to have you.”
James. He still couldn’t get over the way she said his name. The way she said it so sweetly and treated it like a name to be treasured. “Well, lucky for both of us, I have the girl I want. And I’m very lucky in that regard.”
The milkshake with two straws arrived quickly. Angie was quickly to pull away and claim her straw, leaning forward to slowly sip the frozen beverage. She glanced up at Bucky as if she were expecting him to do the same and he did so. He sipped the milkshake. It had only been about a minute before Angie sat back and giggled like a schoolgirl. “I feel like we’re in high school with this little date,” she remarked with a shake of her head.
Bucky smiled a little. “High schoolers with a little more freedom,” he responded as he took another drink of the milkshake and picked up the cherry on top, offering it to Angie.
Angie smiled at him, considering for a moment before taking the cherry and popping it into her mouth. “Did you have a girlfriend in high school?” she asked, playing with the stem of the cherry as she looked at Bucky for his answer.
Bucky let out a slight laugh. “I dated but nothing too serious,” he responded. “I was too busy focusing on school and making sure my best friend stayed out of trouble,” he responded. “He was this scrawny little kid who couldn’t seem to stay away from a fight,” he said, thinking about how even to the very end, Steve wasn’t one to leave a fight unfinished.
Angie nodded. “Well, he must’ve been lucky to have a friend to look out for him,” she said with a small smile. “I was always with my sisters, despite them being a little younger than me. But they always interrogated dates so much, I think they scared them off,” she remarked with a slight laugh. “But after I started working at the Automat and focusing on my career more, I wasn’t too interested in dating,” she said with a small smile and took another drink of the milkshake. “Until I started talking to you, that is.”
Bucky smiled a little. Angie reached over and took his hand again and they sat there, mostly in silence. It was a comforting silence. With the quiet buzz throughout the diner, Bucky found comfort in the quiet and Angie’s hand in his.
They shared the milkshake in the comforting silence until there was nothing left in the glass and Bucky paid for the milkshake before they left.
It was Friday night so the theaters were packed and there were many young couples, close to Bucky and Angie’s age, hurrying to go dancing before the nightclubs filled up too fast. A short walk later, Bucky and Angie were sitting on a park bench. Angie rested her chin on his shoulder and Bucky held her hand as they heard the faint sounds of a dog’s bark or a child’s laugh. Bucky heard the faint sounds of music but he couldn’t easily identify what the song was. Angie closed her eyes and hummed along to the faint music as Bucky listened to her with a small smile as he rested his head against hers.
As the evening came to a close and Bucky walked her home, they didn’t talk much. Just plans of their next day and when time Angie would come by to see Bucky for lunch.
“And will you go to your audition after?” Bucky asked as they reached the entrance of the Griffith, noticing Angie’s expression fall a bit.
“I don’t know,” Angie responded after a moment. “I don’t know if I will go to any more auditions,” she confessed and looked at Bucky.
Bucky frowned slightly. “But you love acting. It’s your dream to be on the stage.”
“And it’s been years since I was able to even land a small part,” Angie responded with a shake of her head. “I’m beginning to think my father was right and I should’ve become an accountant instead.”
Bucky shook his head. “Angie, just give it a little more time. You’ll get your chance. You deserve to live your dream,” he took both her hands in his and smiled.
“James, you don’t understand,” Angie responded gently and looked at their hands. “You don’t understand how frustrating it is to worry about a taxi early enough or taking the train, only to get interrupted at the start of your audition because you’re not what they’re looking for,” she shook her head and pursed her lips. “I’m tired of constant rejections and not even a part in sight. I’m not sure the effort is even worth it.”
Bucky shook his head and took a deep breath. “Angie, you’re right. I don’t know what it’s like. But I know how much you love that sort of thing. And I know how talented you are. Go to the audition, okay? Because your big break is coming, I just know it.”
Angie studied him for a moment and took a deep breath. “Okay, fine. I’ll give it a little more time,” she decided with a small smile, giving his hands a gentle squeeze. “I best be getting inside. But I’ll see you tomorrow,” she offered him a small smile and leaned in to kiss him quickly. “Goodnight James,” she said as Bucky let out a slight laugh and nodded.
“Goodnight Angie,” he responded as he opened the hotel’s door for her and watched her head inside before he turned and headed back to his apartment. He was glad to look forward to her meeting him for lunch. Having something to look forward to made everything a little bit better.