As I hand it to her our hands brush and my heart goes into overdrive. She's holding it so carefully and delicately. She brings it to her nose and says, "It's beautiful, Gail. How did you know it's my favorite?"

Gail grins and pulls me to another side door I've never seen before. Right outside is the town car. I look at Gail and say, "You planned everything, didn't you?"

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The previous CEO, after he’d poisoned the bank’s culture, dealt with the ensuing fiscal crisis by eliminating everyone’s Christmas bonus except his own. To raise morale, he set up a list-serv asking everyone for an alternative to his budget crisis. One wag noted that, if he were to forego his own bonus, he could give everyone else their bonus, because his was as large as everyone else’s combined. This included a mathematical proof; statisticians are like that. The boss didn’t act on the suggestion, but the statistician wasn’t fired, because that would have reduced moral further. The laughter this evoked raised moral briefly in the same way that a joke does in Russia. Well, she feels exposed. You know exactly how she feels, but she doesn't know how you feel about her. That's why she is so upset. It's time you show her." Well, this is new. I mean Gail held my hand to the entire car ride over here. She opened every door and took my coat. Then grabbed my hand as we were waiting to be seated. With anybody else, I'd be confident that she likes me the same way I like her. But with Gail, I can't help but be cautious. She's so sweet, and she's making it hard for me to keep my hands to myself.

I don't know. How about Vittorio's? My treat," Holly says as a slight blush begins to cover her cheeks. Vittorio's is a three-star Michelin restaurant. She's talked about going there for months. She loves Italian, but she hasn't been able to get a reservation. The blush is throwing me off a little. My immediate reaction is that I love causing it, but I would also like to know what causes it so that I can cause it at will. I have my suspicions, but I would love if she would spell it out for me just once. It doesn't matter either way. Seeing it is causing a reaction in me. Danni said: "Happy birthday Dan! #couplegoals." John Terry wrote: "Happy Birthday Dan." Patsy said: "Awww this photo - Happy Birthday Dan x" Steph said: "Happy birthday Dan." Kate Thornton said: "Happy birthday Dan." Will Mellor said: "Happy birthday Dan!!" Andy Bebop said: "Happy birthday Dan !! Xx"

Nothing, you perv. I mean Holly asked again and I said yes, and then I left. But well...umm...see...." I begin to stutter.