Cooking for the Avengers

17. One-on-One

October

I wiped the water from my mouth and stood back, allowing Jemma to take a sip from the fountain. "So, you've just been avoiding him for the last month?" Jemma asked before taking a sip.

I tugged on the strings of my Nike hoodie, closing it tighter around my neck. "Well, I'm trying... but he's like, everywhere!" I looked around the park as the orange and yellow leaves danced in the wind. I started jogging in place to keep warm.

Jemma sat down on a bench and retied her shoes. "Allie, you cant avoid him forever!"

I plopped down beside her with a sigh, my leg bouncing rapidly as I looked to the sky with a scowl. "I know, but I just hate that Jake is here now! Like, what are the chances my stupid ex would show up here of all places?"

Jemma leaned against the bench and put her arm around my shoulders. "I don't know Cat, but you're not the same girl he knew. You are strong, smart, amazing, beautiful..." I looked at her smiling and she pulled me close. "Don't let him get to you!"

I nodded and looked down the path, smiling as two men approached us. "Hey." I nudged Jemma. "Here comes your man!"

She pushed me away with a laugh. "Oh please Cat, he is not my man!" she turned her back to them and unzipped her jacket so that her cleavage showed.

I raised a brow. "Uh huh..." Jemma smirked, flipped her hair, and spun around just as Bucky and Steve came to a stop in front of us.

Bucky drank from the fountain as Steve smiled down at us. "You girls ready?"

I jumped up with a broad grin. "Let's do this!" Steve laughed and went to drink some water.

Jemma eyed Bucky's hair and smirked. "Nice man bun!" Bucky took a seat beside Jemma and zipped her jacket up to her neck. "Hey!" she yelled as he laughed.

"Now's not the time to look cute, you'll get sick exposing all that skin!" He smirked at her expression and stood back up, offering her his hand. "Come on Princess, let's go."

Jemma took his hand with a smug look in her eyes. "Thought I looked cute huh?"

Bucky hauled her to her feet and scoffed. "Yeah, sure!" He said sarcastically. He gave her a close-lipped smile, his eyes softening as his hand dropped back to his side. Jemma bit her bottom lip as her eyebrows flicked up. "Sure solider, whatever you say..." she spun to face the path, her hair whipping him in the face as she went.

Bucky grunted as he tried to bat her hair away from his face. Jemma looked back at him and grinned. Bucky dipped his head and looked at her with a mischievous grin. Jemma shrieked and ran off, Bucky following after laughing.

I looked down at Steve who was still drinking. He stood up and watched after them. His eyes then shifted to me uneasily. Steve cleared his throat and shuffled his feet. "So... uh... shall we?" he motioned down the path.

I smiled shyly and started jogging, Steve keeping equal pace at my side. I glanced up at him from the corner of my eye. Steve's eyebrows were stitched together and he looked off into the distance, like he was thinking hard about something. I looked up and watched his hair flow in the breeze, the sun catching the golden waves and-

"So how has your two months at the Tower been?"

I blinked and met his eyes, which looked at me with an amused twinkle. Dang! He must have caught me staring.

"It's been really good so far. It's easily one of the best jobs I've ever had!" I exhaled slowly, struggling to catch my breath.

Steve looked down the path again, still smiling. "Running still not your strong suit?"