When Kate sat down at her desk the next day, she was already dying for the day to be over. It was the last Friday before the half term break and she couldn't wait. Her parents were spending the day driving down to her and would be picking her up from Five Oaks when she finished work. They'd swing by the house to pick up her suitcase, then drive the last hour or so down to the coast for a week-long stay together.

Kate smiled at the thought of her parents picking her up from school – it was like being a kid again, especially with the excitement of a half term holiday on top. She wondered if other university graduates would be as excited as she was to go on holiday with their parents... not that it mattered. She was close to her parents and grateful for it, especially when times got tough and she needed someone to lean on. Her housemates were nice enough, but sometimes you just need your mum and dad.

Her smile turned into a grimace as she opened her inbox to check the morning's workload. It was going to be a long day.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Lunchtime rolled around, and Kate grabbed two sets of paperwork in each hand to put in the pigeonholes on her way to the staff room. She was looking down at her handbag, trying to figure out how to get it onto her shoulder when Leanne looked up from her computer and laughed at her predicament.

"Oh, give me some of those papers. I'll walk to lunch with you." she said with a smile. They left the office together and almost immediately Leanne called out towards a group of boys congregating in the hallway, "Luke William Morris! You've got five seconds to get that tie off your head before I come and superglue it to your neck!" A boy with blond hair a shade darker than Leanne's cringed at the use of his full name and sheepishly took the tie off his head. Kate glanced back as she and Leanne walked away to see him replace his makeshift headband once they had gone far enough.

"I didn't realise your son went here." Kate said, quickening her pace for a moment to catch up with Leanne.

"Ha. How else would I keep an eye on him?" then, smiling cheekily added, "And embarrass him?"

They laughed together as they reached the pigeonholes and deposited the papers, then walked through the door in the corner that led to the back of the staff room. Max was already waiting for Kate, and smiled and raised a hand in greeting from across the room.

Seeing Kate smile shyly in return, Leanne raised her eyebrows at her and said, "So... you and Max..?"

"...are just friends." Kate finished, blushing a little.

"If you say so." Leanne replied, grinning. "Enjoy your lunch!" She said with a wink as she walked away.

Kate smiled at Max as she sat down next to him and took out her lunch. It was just leftover pasta from the dinner she'd made for her housemates the night before, but it was still good.

She looked over at Max to see him practically salivating over her lunch, his own sandwich forgotten in his hand, "Kate, please tell me you'll cook for me soon. Don't get me wrong, I love to cook, but I swear I get food envy every day I see your lunch."

She laughed, "What, you want me to bring you my leftovers?"

"I certainly wouldn't say no. That or you can come over and we could cook together."

Kate almost choked on her mouthful of pasta. Did he just ask me to come over to his for dinner?! she thought incredulously, There's got to be a catch. "Really?" she asked.

"Yeah, maybe I could have all my mates over and we can turn it into a casual night in or something."

And there's the catch, Kate thought. "Sure, sounds good." she said, even though it did not actually sound good.

"You sure? Because you said 'sounds good' but it seemed more like 'sounds awful'."

"Oh, I'm just not great with new people. Hardcore introvert and all that." Kate replied, shoveling more pasta into her mouth.

Max waved a hand in friendly dismissal, "You'll be fine. They're great guys. You'll like them."

Kate 'hmm'ed in response through her mouthful of food, her mind wandering. Was she ever going to get anywhere with Max?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kate spent the afternoon working while chatting to her officemates about their plans for half term. Leanne and Paula were going on holiday with their families, and Kim was planning a last minute break in London with her boyfriend. As the afternoon wrapped up and they all prepared to leave, there was a gentle tapping on the door and to Kate's surprise, Max walked in.

"Ladies," he said in greeting, leaning casually against the wall with his bag slung over his shoulder. "Kate." he smiled.

"Hey." She said breathily, shooting Leanne a look when she saw her trying not to smile.

"I thought I'd walk you out."

"Oh. Yeah. Sure!" She said, scrambling to collect her things. Looking at her colleagues as she left she wished them a good holiday and they returned the sentiment, Leanne outright grinning by then.

She and Max walked out a side door to the edge of the school field and took the path leading to the car park. They walked in silence until Kate asked, "When do you fly out?"

"Stupid o'clock tomorrow morning. One of my mates booked the flights for us and went with the cheapest ones without looking at the time." he said, shaking his head.

"Well, good luck with that." Kate said with a smile. They fell back into silence until they reached Max's car.

"Kate, I-"

"Kate!" Max was interrupted by a yell from a few metres away. A woman with Kate's slim build and the same light brown hair (with some gray streaks) was waving from beside her car and started to walk over.

"My mum," Kate said to Max by way of explanation. "I'd better go. Have a good time in Majorca."

"You too. I mean, uh, have a good time with your parents."

Kate met her mum halfway with a hug. Turning back around, she was just in time to return Max's wave from his car as he drove away. She suddenly wondered what he'd been about to say before her mum popped up.

"So... who's that?" her mum said, looping her arm with Kate's as they walked back to the car.

"Just a colleague, Max."

"Just a colleague?"

"Yes mother, just a colleague."

"Hmm," was all her mum had to say about that. They got into the car together and Kate greeted her dad with a squeeze on the shoulder.

"Hey sweetie," he said, craning his neck to look back at her, "How are you doing?"

"Oh James we can talk on the journey, let's get on the way!" Kate's mum interjected.

"Am I not allowed to speak to my own daughter first Tara?" he said with a laugh as he shifted the car into reverse, "The seaside isn't going anywhere."

Kate smiled at her parents' banter. She really had missed them.