Chapter 193 The Firts date

Chapter 193 The Firts date
Spencer's POV

For a moment, I worried that Cora had changed her mind when I saw the scared and angry expression on her face as she appeared at the dining room door. Ethan and I exchanged glances. 
“Go after her, Spencer! We’ll take care of Ellie,” he said, turning his attention to her.
I stood up and rushed after Cora. I hadn’t told Ethan everything. Since I stayed here last night and wanted Cora to get used to my presence again, I called Ethan and asked to borrow a suit for work. He was surprised when I mentioned I had stayed over. When he asked if Cora had forgiven me, I could only say maybe.
When I entered the room, I found her in just a t-shirt, which indicated she was heading to the bathroom. I wanted to make sure she hadn’t changed her mind, so I gently held her arm before she could take a step toward the bathroom. She stopped and looked at me.
“Spencer, it’s okay. I—” I felt compelled to reassure her. I had been the only one with her since she was born, and it was hard to adjust to having so many people around taking care of her.
She pulled her hand away, but as she did, she caressed my lower arm and smiled. I longed for her to hug me and let me kiss her, but I reminded myself to be patient. Just the day before, I wasn’t even sure if she would let me get close to her, so I needed to be grateful for this small achievement.
I watched her disappear into the bathroom, then returned to the dining room. 
“What did she say?” Ethan asked.
“Nothing much, just that she was worried about where Ellie was. That’s all.”
Cora soon emerged, dressed in a light green dress, and greeted Ellie, who was delighted to see her mother.
“Stop pretending, Ellie! Now that your father is around, he might steal you from me,” Cora teased, and the little girl found it amusing. Her laughter made Cora laugh as well, and she sat down to eat.
She seemed to be in a good mood, which was a positive sign. After we finished eating and prepared to head to work, I was surprised when she walked to my car with me. 
As much as I wanted to ask her about the previous night, I didn’t know how to start the conversation, and I didn’t want to prompt an argument, so I decided to stay quiet. I felt I could only discuss it later when Ethan suggested we go out for coffee.
“So, what’s going on between you two?” he asked as soon as we stepped outside.
“I honestly don’t know. Last night we talked, and she thought I was late because of another woman, and she was jealous.”
Ethan shrugged. “She never said she doesn’t love you.”
“I know, but I explained where I was and why I was late, and it seemed to satisfy her. Then, she let me hug her and allowed me to stay with her.”
“So, are you two back together?” Ethan asked indifferently.
“Honestly? I don’t know. This morning, there weren’t any signs of that,” I chuckled.
“What’s so funny about that?” Ethan asked, frowning.
“It feels like we’re teenagers. It’s like I’m trying to figure out how she feels.”
“Yes, it is rather like that. Why not just ask her?” Ethan suggested.
“Because I’m afraid of a negative answer.”
“I understand,” Ethan agreed. After we bought our coffee, he looked at me thoughtfully. “What if you take it slow?” “What do you mean?” I frowned.
"I mean, your relationship is weird as fuck, but maybe you should start like normal couples do."
"Are you suggesting that I should take her out?" I asked.  
"Yes, I'm sure Mum would look after Ellie."  
I liked Ethan's idea. He was right that we could start over, as if we had never known each other. Cora had changed a lot, and I had become a different person. I wanted to get to know her again, and this could also help her.
After work, she stayed with me, and I drove her home. 
"Are you coming in?" she asked. 
"Cora, I think I should go home for a little while. I borrowed this suit from Ethan." 
"Oh," she replied. "What time will you be back?" 
"It won't be long," I assured her. 
She nodded, kissed my cheek, and then got out of the car. I waited for her to enter the house before driving away.
Upon entering my rented apartment, I undressed and headed to the bathroom. After taking a shower, I grabbed a bag containing some clean clothes. I selected three suits and placed them in my car. Just as I was about to drive off, my phone started ringing. The real estate agent called to inform me that my apartment in Santa Monica had been sold, and the money had been transferred into my account. I checked my balance and was pleased with what I saw. I planned to buy a smaller house in a good area, suitable for a small family.
I started the engine and drove to my mum's house. We only talked about work. Our little company was beginning to thrive. Since Cora joined us, she has had many ideas on how to increase the number of customers, and they are working.
As soon as Ellie saw me, she ran over, and I picked her up happily. However, this time, I noticed the disappointment on Cora's face. She was sitting on the grass while Ellie examined the flowers, so I settled down next to her.
"You've been quick," she said.
"Yeah, I tried to come as quickly as possible."
She smiled and glanced at Ellie. For some reason, I suddenly felt like a teenager wanting to ask the girl he loved out on a date for the first time.
"Cora?" 
She looked at me.
"Can I ask you something?" 
"Yes."
I took a deep breath. "Would you go out to dinner with me tonight?"