Chapter Twenty-Five

The next morning, they both started branching out where they applied for jobs. They were meeting up with their friends later but had agreed to search and apply for a few hours before they did. 

Kevin had just given up for the day and his girlfriend was just about to follow suit when she found a couple of different jobs at Kent County Council in Maidstone. The deadline for applications was the next day. "Come on, just these last few," Heather encouraged him. She didn't want to risk them drinking too much after the cinema tonight and ending up missing the deadline. 

"Fine," he begrudgingly sat back down to look at the different ads. There were a few different ones, and luckily different enough to play to their individual strengths so they wouldn't have to go up against each other for the same position. "So, I try these two and you those?" he asked once he'd finished reading, seeing his girlfriend nod. 

It didn't take them long to do the application; by now, they'd done so many they'd perfected their responses and their CVs were already ready to go. 

"Okay, done? We need to get a move on to get to Westwood Cross," Kevin tried to encourage her to hurry up as he sent his applications off and closed down his laptop. 

"Almost," she responded, typing as quickly and accurately as she could. Her boyfriend now came up behind her, teasingly kissing her neck. Heather only struggled more to keep her attention to what she was doing. "This is only going to make me take longer," she warned him, trying not to enjoy his touch. She felt him groan against her neck, pressing one last kiss to her skin before he pulled away. 

"Fair point," he conceded again. 

"Can you get my bag ready for me, while I finish this?" Heather asked sweetly, barely looking away from the screen as she did so. 

"Hm, maybe," Kevin started to say, leaning in, making her think he would kiss her again until he blew a raspberry against her neck. 

"You bully," his girlfriend squealed as she laughed. 

He chuckled as he hugged her closer and made to kiss her this time, but she ducked her head in, not trusting him. "Yes, but you love me for it," he teased, persisting until he succeeded in kissing her again. She giggled, as if he was tickling her. "Okay, tell me what you need me to get and I'll do it," he said, straightening up and looking around for her handbag. 

"Thank you honey," Heather said in a singsong. 

"You guys made it!" Bianca called enthusiastically when she saw them headed towards her. Heather and Kevin exchanged amused looks and eyerolls as they made their way closer; only their friend could react like that. He took hold of her hand as they got nearer, feeling ready for this afternoon. Or at least he was until he saw Jamie stood near Bianca; he'd forgotten that his girlfriend's ex was coming today as well as their friend's date. 

"Hey Bianca," Heather started greeting her and then spotted Jamie as well, feeling her boyfriend squeeze her hand gently. "Hey Jamie," she added now, giving him a smile. She wanted to tell Kevin that the squeeze was unnecessary; she wasn't uncomfortable seeing her former date. 

"Hey Heather," Jamie returned the smile before he reached out his hand towards his new date. Bianca accepted his hand with a blush. "Nice to see you again, Kevin," he added now, extending his free right hand to shake his hand, and he almost managed to say it normally. 

"Yeah, you too," Kevin nodded, shaking his hand without either of them squeezing too tight. After all, apart from where Jamie may have thought that Heather breaking up with him had something to do with her ex, there was no real beef between the two of them; they'd never had to fight over Heather or anything like that. "Glad you could join us," he added as they released hands. 

"Me too," he responded, looking over at Bianca with a smile, telling all of them the real reason; he clearly really did like her. 

"Anyone else joining us?" Heather asked now, feeling happy for her friend and that, now that initial meeting was out of the way, they could be around each other still. 

"No, they couldn't make it," Bianca pulled herself together, breaking eye contact with her date. 

"Double date, great," her friend said, giving them all a smile, saving the best for her boyfriend. "Where shall we go for food?" the brunette asked as they now started walking into the main shopping area. 

They ended up going to Wagamama's, as that was the girls' preferred restaurant. They then went to the cinema to see The Bourne Legacy. The girls weren't particularly enthusiastic, but there wasn't much else showing and it kept the boys happy. Though, as they were sat in the back row, Heather couldn't help herself from distracting Kevin a little, leaning against him and kissing his neck. 

"Someday you're gonna be the death of me, Heaven," Kevin whispered warningly before he gave in and kissed her, feeling her smile in victory.