SPOILER!!: Shocked face ;)
He wasn’t laughing.
Krel didn’t understand why he wasn’t laughing at her. His face looked like she’d just punched him in the gut and he had eaten something awful. “Oh Edward,” she exclaimed as she realized that she had hurt his feelings. “I’m sorry!” Her laughter hadn’t been at his expense, but mostly at her own misgivings.
She walked back over, placed a hand on both sides of his face, tilted his head up, and gave him a big kiss. “I didn’t mean to laugh,” she said when she had back her face away from him enough to look him in the eye. “It just came out. It wasn’t at you,” She sighed as she released his face. “Maybe I’m having a mental break down,” she said putting a hand to her forehead as if to feel her temperature. She sat down next to him again, leaning back in an exhausted manner. Her sudden burst of energy that came with the laughing died like a sugar rush in a three year old. She leaned her head on his shoulder and slipped her hand around his upper arm. Everything lately had been too much. Edward, Ebberkurk, Uncle Ian’s arrival, dad…
“I thought you were going to break up with me,” she repeated softly. “Not ask me to be your girlfriend.” At least that’s what she thought his speech had meant. It had sure felt like that was what he was asking.
Edward watched as the color drained from her face. Now he felt bad for making her anxious. He lowered his head a bit and then felt her delicate hands cupping the sides of his face and watched as she lowered her head to kiss him. He kissed back and relaxed some.
Ok. I didn't completely kill any romantic vibes in this whole thing. As she looked at him and began to offer her explanation, he still felt some deflation that he hadn't done this well. She seemed to melt into him after saying she wasn't laughing at him, but he was still confused.
He shook his head as she said that she thought he was breaking up with her. He had planned this about as well as someone could with both of their schedules. Granted, a lunch date in the middle of a work day wasn't the best thing ever but he had thought it would be sweet. He used his free hand to sip at the water again and took a deep breath and let it out.
"Krel, I don't know what to say. What would give you the idea that I was planning on breaking up with you. I didn't even know we were (using air quotes) officially (close air quotes) a couple. I know we've spent lots of time together and all, but I didn't want to assume anything which is why I thought I should tell you how I felt and now I feel a wee bit foolish for how I chose to do it. Perhaps I should have written it on a parchment and sent it as a departmental memo to you?" This may not have been his best response ever, but he was speaking from a place of mild hurt.
He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "I'm an idiot." and then laid his head against the top of hers, eyeing her lovely shoes. (she had pretty feet).