"Hyacinth said you're going to the museum with John?" her mother asked over breakfast a few days later.

Clementine nodded. "Tomorrow, as a matter of fact."

"That's nice. I'm glad you're getting to be friends with him," Jill said, smiling at her daughter.

"Yeah, he's really nice, mom. Super polite, and so smart, too."

"I'm glad your sister's finally getting involved with someone nice, then. Some of the guys she's dated, honest to god, just put my teeth on edge, you know?"

Clementine nodded. "Remember the race car driver?" She shuddered.

"Don't remind me," her mother begged. "What about the guy who directed her first movie? She was only 18, and he was, what, 35? 40?"

"Something like that," Clementine agreed.

"Now we just have to find someone for you," Jill continued. "Although according to Hy you might have taken care of that all on your own?" She looked inquiringly at her daughter.

Oh no.

"Hy says you're seeing someone," Jill prodded. "Is this so?"

Reluctantly, Clementine nodded.

Jill smiled delightedly. "Oh my, Clemmy, you sure can keep a secret! Why didn't you tell me? When am I going to meet him?"

"He's really shy," she said, the lie becoming no easier with the second telling. "I think it might be better if I just let him be private for awhile."

"Well, can you at least tell me his name, honey?"

"I'd rather not. It's all so new, you know, I'd just like to keep it to myself for now, if that's all right."

"Of course it's all right," her mother responded. "Just tell me when it's okay to invite him to dinner, okay? I'll make my special goulash." She clapped with anticipation. "You know, you've seemed so happy lately, I should've known something was up." She rose to clear away the breakfast things. "So we'll just let your fellow stay private for as long as he needs, how's that sound?"

Clementine could now add lying to her mother to her list of wrongdoings.

Great.

The following day, she dressed with care for her outing to the museum with John. She chose a magenta and purple sweater and black slacks, along with purple hi-top sneakers in the same shade as the sweater. She also held her hair back with a purple clip, leaving most of it hanging down her back, instead of her usual ponytail.

She'd thought she'd just meet John at the museum, but he'd nixed this idea immediately. "Fuck me, no," he'd said on the phone. "I want to maximize my time with you. I'm coming to pick you up."

"But that means you'll have to meet my mother," Clementine explained. "It would be weird if you came to the house and didn't, you know?"

"So, I'll meet your mum, then, what's the problem?"

"I don't know, it just seems like it might be awkward, given the circumstances."

"It will be dead easy. Parents like me, you'll see," John said with a laugh.

"I'm sure they do," Clementine responded. "Just remember that she doesn't know about us, so no PDAs, no intimate talk, none of that, okay?"

"Intimate talk?" John repeated. "What do you think I'm going to do, start whispering what I want to do to you in your ear while standing in front of her?"

"No no—you know what I mean," Clementine finally said, exasperated. "Fine, come pick me up, I'll be waiting with bells on."

John rang the doorbell while Clementine was still in the bathroom. She heard her mother answer the door as she ran out. "Okay, I'm ready, shall we go?" she asked, grabbing her purse from the table.

"Hold on a minute, I just met him," Jill objected. "I was going to offer him some tea or something."

"Mom, he's English, he drinks tea all the time," Clementine responded, standing at the door.

This made both John and her mother laugh.

"Touché," Jill said. "I guess I'll just let you two get going, then. Have a good time."

"Thanks, mom," Clementine said, leaning in to give her mother a kiss. "I'm probably going straight to Alan's after, so don't wait up for me, okay?"

"Okay, see you tomorrow, then."

"You don't think we were a bit rude to your mum?" John worried as he started the car and headed toward the museum.

"Hm? No, she's fine. I just really feel terrible lying to her, and standing there with you, making small talk, makes the feeling ten times worse, that's all."

"You know, Clem, maybe we should just tell our families about us," John offered, looking over his shoulder before changing lanes. "I mean, it's hard enough hiding from the paps and that without piling on your mum and sister, don't you think?"

Clementine drew a deep breath. "I don't know," she finally said. "I don't want to hurt Hy."

"But if you think about it, it's just a matter of time, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?" Clementine looked over at him as he concentrated on driving.

"I mean that I don't see this thing between us ending anytime soon, and unless you want to hide it from her until it ends and there's nothing to hide anymore, eventually she'll have to know."

"I suppose so," Clementine answered grudgingly.

"We could just let it seem like something that started naturally from, like, today," he elaborated. "She doesn't have to know that it's been a couple of months or anything, just go to her house tomorrow and tell her we kissed today or something." John sounded pleased with himself for thinking of this idea.

"So it would still be a lie," Clementine noted. She sighed again, a sound that John heard.

He reached across the console to squeeze her hand. "I'm sorry, I thought it was a good idea. Of course we'll do this however you want, darling."

"Let's just wait a little bit longer," Clementine suggested. "I'm sure I'll think of a good way to tell her."

"Whatever you say."

They pulled into the parking lot of the iconic museum a few minutes later, and walked up to the entrance.

Clementine tried to put all her unresolved feelings aside and just enjoy the moment. She was out in public with John! And they didn't have to hide.

"You look lovely, by the way," John told her as they entered the museum. "Though your jumper's a bit long."

"What do you mean?" Clementine pulled at the back of her sweater.

"I can't see your adorable bum." John smiled at her.

"That's the point," Clementine told him. "I like sweaters that cover my ass and my belly, see?"

"How horrid," John responded, still smiling. "I happen to love your bum, and your tummy as well." He reached around and stroked her bottom, giving her a gentle goose after.

"John!" Clementine was scandalized. "We're in public! People could see! What if some girls or paparazzi just took a picture of you doing that?"

"Oh, relax," John chided. "I looked around first. No one's noticed us yet." He reached for her hand and squeezed briefly before releasing it. "Come on, let's look around. Some of these landscapes are supposed to be quite remarkable."

So they wandered around the museum, looking at the works of Poussain and Lorrain, to name but a few. Clementine was transported back to historical France and Italy, to the hills outside Rome, as she walked around the galleries.

"Amazing, some of these places have hardly changed at all," Johnny marveled.

"What's amazing is that you've actually seen some of these places," Clementine replied. I've never been to Europe."

"You must go, then," John said decisively. "I'll take you. We'll start with England. You can see where I grew up and meet my parents. Then we'll go to France, Italy, Greece, I want to show you all of it. How's that sound? Would you fancy that?"

"John, are you kidding?" Clementine stopped looking at the art long enough to stare at him. "That would be a dream come true. To even see those places would be totally amazeballs, but to see them with you—" she was speechless.

John took her in, eyes alight with pleasure and possibility. "I really wish I could kiss you right now," he said in a conversational tone. "In fact—" he grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her down a hallway to the men's room.

"Johnny, what are you doing?"

He stuck his head inside for a moment before pulling her in. "Coast is clear," he declared, taking her in his arms. He leaned in and kissed her, long and hard, just the way she liked.

Clementine kissed him back, moaning, as he pushed her against the marble wall of the men's room.

John slid his hand under her sweater and clasped the flesh of her waist, just where it narrowed before flaring out to her hips.

The feel of his cool fingers on her warm skin was galvanizing. Clementine buried her hands in his plentiful curls before sliding one hand down to squeeze his butt, much the same way he had to her earlier, only much harder.

"Oh god," John groaned, grinding into her as she leaned against the wall. "You're so sexy, Clem, I could go off in my pants right now."

Clementine laughed into his mouth.

John pulled back and stared at her. "Why is that your response, every time, hm?" He gave her a little shake.

"I just don't see myself as sexy," she explained. "Especially to someone who looks like you." She saw the look on his face and relented. "I'm sorry, but it's going to take me a little time to readjust how I see myself, that's all." She kissed him, touching his tongue with hers. "I love feeling 'sexy,' honest, I just need to get used to it, okay?"

He leaned his forehead against hers. "Okay."

"Now, this has been no end of fun, but let's get out of here and see the rest of the paintings. Someone could walk in at any moment and catch us making out, you ever think of that?"

"As long as they don't have a camera, I can live with that."

"Comedian."