Hot Shot (Chapters 17 - 20)

Chapter 17-Jennifer



Jennifer put her laptop beside her on the couch. She uncrossed her legs and stretched like a cat just waking from a nap. The editing was done for tonight’s photo shoot. She had emailed some of her favorites to her mom including the shots Trent had taken of her encircled in Blake’s arms getting drenched.

Preparation for work became her next order of business. She looked through her fridge to see what she could fix for tomorrow’s lunch. Peanut butter and jelly would have to do till she could go shopping again. She fixed a sandwich, put it in a bag with an apple and some pretzels and put it in the fridge. Underwear from her drawer was laid on the back of the toilet ready for tomorrow’s shower. She only had four outfits to choose from so she picked the navy slacks and blazer with a white silk shirt she had gotten from a thrift store.

She stripped out of her comfy clothes, tossed them in the bottom of her closet and hung her bra on the door knob in the bathroom. She pulled the tshirt she wore to bed out from under her bed pillow then looked over at Blake’s shirt hanging by her stackable washer and dryer. She stepped across the room and ran her hand over the fabric. It felt dry. The photo shoot on Sunday would give her an opportunity to return it but in the mean time.

It slipped off the hanger and she pulled it over her head. The smell of him filled her senses as she felt the cloth caress her skin. No, this was a big mistake. She had never been so aware of a piece of fabric as it brushed against her flesh. He was on a date with someone else and would probably spend the night. He played women two and three at a time.  The guilt and shame swam through her. She reached down to lift the shirt back over her head and let out a squeak as someone banged on her door.

“Jennifer.” The voice came through the door.

Some how, she had conjured him.

There was more banging.

“Jennifer, open the door.”

She felt her anger rise as she walked toward the door.

“Blake, it’s late. Go away.” She tentatively reached out and touched the door.

“I’m not leaving and I’ll wake the whole block if I have to.”

“You’re drunk.”

“I’ve never been more sober.”

She pressed her forehead against the panel.

“Please go away,” she said softly.

“Let me in,” he pled.

“You’re not going away, are you?”

“No.”

“Fine,” she said in exasperation. “Count to thirty and then come in.”

She unlocked the door and moved to the closet to grab her comfy clothes. The door opened behind her. She turned to see Blake standing in her loft apartment.

“Are you serious?” she bellowed. “What did you do, count by fives?”

“You didn’t tell me you weren’t dressed. I thought you were just picking up your apartment.”

“Sit.” She pointed at one of her two dining room chairs.

He pulled it away from the table, straddled it, resting his arms across the back. She didn’t miss the smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

Jennifer grabbed her bra off the doorknob and shut herself into the bathroom. She wondered if he noticed she was wearing his tshirt. She pulled on her sweats.

“I thought you had a date tonight?”She raised her voice so he could hear her through the door.

She pulled off his tshirt. She groaned as she looked at the FDNY emblazoned across the back and knew he couldn’t have missed it. She folded the shirt and placed it on her dirty clothes hamper.

“She fixed me dinner.” He answered back.

Her arms slipped through her bra and she reached back to fasten it.

“Very intimate.”

Her undershirt went on last and she looked down at it wondering if it was a little too revealing.

“Lots of candles. I don’t think people realize candles make firefighters nervous.”

She came out of the bathroom and made a beeline for the kitchen. She pulled two glasses out of the cupboard.

“Do you want something to drink?”she asked.

“What are you having?”

“Ice water, but I have tea or instant coffee or milk.”

“Water is fine.”

She pulled two ice trays out of the freezer and an ice bucket. She filled the bucket with the ice from the trays and then refilled the trays with water. She was careful putting them back not to slosh the water. The ice plinked as she dropped it into the glasses and then she filled the glasses from the faucet. She was stalling. She put his glass of water on the table. She didn’t want to hand it to him and take the chance of them touching.

“Are you hungry?”

“No I’m fine.”

“I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the fridge.”

“I’m fine.” His hand was cupping the bottom of the glass on the table. He turned the glass with his fingertips first to the left and then back to the right.

“I edited the shoot from today. Do you want to see it?”

She moved toward the couch and the computer.

“No.” He kept his eyes on the glass. “I mean that’s not why I came.”

“Now I’m curious.” She sat in the other kitchen chair.

“I have a proposition for you.”

“No.” She stood back up on her feet.

His eyes shot up to meet hers.

“No? What do you mean no? You haven’t even heard the proposition.”

“If you’ll remember the day we met you were meeting someone for a date while you were already dating someone else. So no to anything you would propose to me.”

“That date lasted all of ten minutes and it wasn’t the first time we met.” He paused. “I remember it being in the hall outside your burning apartment.”

“Oh.” She sunk back into the chair.

“It took me until tonight to put the pieces together. How long have you known?”

“At the firestation that first day.”

He picked up his chair and moved it in front of Jennifer.

“I am responsible for you being alive. I saved your life and now I own you.”

“That’s bull crap.” She folded her arms across her chest.

“Nevertheless, I want payment.”

“Get out.” She stepped to the side of her chair to keep her distance from him and pointed her finger at the door.

“First you have to hear my terms.” He grabbed her raised wrist and pulled her arm back down to her side another little tug and she was back in the chair.

“This is unethical.” She twisted her wrist loose and this time crossed her legs and folded her arms.

“Yes, it is.”

“I should have called the police. I don’t know why I let you in here.”

“Three dates.”

“What?”

“I want three dates with you.”

“You have a steady girlfriend.”

“We had five dates, we weren’t steady and tonight we had a parting of the ways.”

“Irrevocably.”

“Definitely.”

“Who else are you dating?”

“No one. One of the terms of this deal is as long as we are dating I will be dating you exclusively.”

“For three dates.”

“No for as long as we are dating.”

“If I agree to this it will only be for three dates.”

“Agreed, three dates. Shake on it.”

His chest was leaning against the back of his chair his elbows resting on his knees. He stuck out his right hand.

“No.” She folded her arms across her chest.

“You have to shake on it.”

“I don’t trust you.”

“It’s a handshake, you exasperating woman.”

She slowly extended her hand. He took it in his right hand and then covered it with his left. She flexed her arm to shake hands and then quickly pull back. His grip was firm and warm. He ran his thumbs across the back of her hand he turned it over, began caressing the pads of her palm and brushed his thumb across the pulse point at her wrist. A wave of desire coursed through her. Her breath quickened and she felt the delicious fog wrap around her thoughts. He stopped the caressing but held onto her hand.

“I knew you were not to be trusted.” She tried once more to extricate her hand without success. “So when are these dates?”

“Tomorrow night we will go for drinks.”

“I don’t drink.”

“No alcohol?”

“It’s a family thing. See this is a bad idea. I don’t even qualify for the first date.”

“Ice cream and soda then. I know the sweetest old fashioned drug store. Saturday dinner. You do eat?”

“Very funny.”

“I work Sunday through Wednesday so the third date will be a week from today.”

“What if you realize this is a disaster after one date?”

“Three dates, Jennifer, that’s the deal.”He shook her hand and then got up from the chair. “What time do you get off work tomorrow?”

“I’m home by six.”

“I’ll pick you up at seven.”

“Dress?”

“Casual.”

“By the way I love the whole Tom Jones look you have going.” She chuckled pointing at his unbuttoned shirt. She watched the blush rise on his cheeks as he did up the buttons.

“Well, I’ve never felt jealous of a piece of clothing but how I envy my tshirt tonight,”he said.

The blood pounded as it rose up to flood her cheeks with scarlet.

“You forfeited that shirt when you let those apes dump water on me.”

“Like I could have stopped them.”

“Anyway possession is nine tenths of the law.”

“I can’t think of a happier fate for any shirt than getting to sleep with you.”

“Oh! You are such a man. Go home. I have to get up for work in the morning even if you don’t.”

“Till tomorrow.” He said as she shut the door behind him.

Jennifer walked into the bathroom and picked up the tshirt lying on the hamper. She put it back on the hanger.

“Alright you leacherous piece of fabric you are going in the closet.” She hung it as far from her own clothes as she could. “No hanky panky in here. Do you understand?”

How had this happened? She had been coerced into three dates with Blake Hudson and instead of feeling incensed and infuriated she couldn’t seem to keep this silly grin off her face.



Chapter 18-Blake



He skipped down the stairs. He felt almost giddy with delight. She had said yes. Not in so many words but the result was the same. Admittedly it had been a hard sell but she said yes. He turned at the bottom of the stairs and looked back up at her apartment door. It took all his will power not to run back up those stairs, pull her into his arms and tumble her into bed for the rest of the night. His head was so full of the notion he had to turn around twice before his mind reconnected with the information that he needed to find his parked car.

He looked down the street and saw a coffee shop. He wasn’t ready to go home yet. He felt on the verge of something he couldn’t put his finger on. This was important maybe the most important thing in his life. He ordered a latte and walked with it back down the street. He paced in front of her building wondering what she was doing right now. The image of her in his tshirt was burned in his brain. Her legs weren’t as shapely as Monica’s but there was something almost innocent about Jennifer that appealed to him.



He would be picking her up tomorrow at seven after she got home from work. He didn’t even know where she worked or how she got there. Before his mind could stop him he had out his cell phone and was dialing her number. He looked down the street again to see where he had parked his car while he listened to the phone ring.

“Blake?”

He let the sound of her sleepy voice saying his name wash over him. He knew he liked her and his body let him know he was definitely in lust with her now he was pretty sure he was well on the way to being in love with her.

“I don’t know where you work?”He pushed the button on his car remote and saw his lights flash.

“What?”she yawned.

“Tell me where you work.”

“Rincon Meds at 72nd.” Her voice was deep and languid. It sent a bubble of pleasure through him.

“How do you get to work?” He opened the car door and slid into the seat.

“The bus.”

“What time do you catch the bus in the morning?”

“6:45 am, so if you don’t mind I really need to get some sleep.”She said this with a strain in her voice that sounded like a stretch which sent his imagination racing.

“Just one more question.”

“Fine,” she sighed so softly he almost didn’t catch it.

“You said it’s a family thing the reason you don’t drink.”

“That’s not a question.” She chuckled.

“Can you tell me why?”

“It’s a sad story I’ll tell you tomorrow. Good night, Blake.”

“Goodnight sleepy head.”

That had been a mistake. He turned the key in his car and listened to the engine rumble into action. Now his head was filled with images of their two bodies intertwined in her single bed with her head resting on his shoulder talking sleepily in the aftermath of lovemaking.

He was going to have to keep his desire in check. She was as skittish as a newborn colt and if he wasn’t careful she would bolt. He would take it slow and win her over. This was a new heady experience for him. Usually women were throwing themselves at him. This time he was the one on the chase and he was thoroughly enjoying himself. Tomorrow could not come soon enough.



He sat on the bottom step of the stairs. A bag of warm danish in his hand and two white hot chocolates in a cardboard beverage carrier sitting on the step beside him. He checked his watch one more time it said 6:35 am. He had been sitting here for fifteen minutes so he was sure he hadn’t missed her but at this rate she was going to miss the bus. The door opened at the top of the stairs.

“Oh my stars.” She hurried down the stairs as he picked up the beverage carrier and turned toward her. “I don’t have time for you this morning, Blake, I’m late.”

“Don’t wait for me I’ll keep up.”

He strode beside her as she quick-stepped it down the sidewalk in her three inch navy heels. She looked very smart in her navy business suit with a silk blouse that added just a touch of femininity. They had to pause until the light changed for them to cross the street.

“Did you have breakfast?” he asked.

“Yes, I had an egg and toast.”

“I brought a couple of danish just in case.”

“What flavor?”

“Cream Cheese.”

“You are the devil.”

The light changed and she rushed across the street dodging the onslaught of on coming humanity. He followed in her wake basking in the heady sensation of just being near her. The bus stop was ahead and they were neck and neck with the up coming bus.

“I can’t…”she started to say.

“On the bus, lady.” He countered, the open bus door looming before them.

“You can’t…” she began again.

“Free country.” He pulled the bus fare out of his pocket and pushed it into the meter. The bus driver dubiously eyed the beverages and bag Blake held in his other hand.

They found two seats together.

“Well this is interesting. What motivated you to get up at the crack of dawn to bring me breakfast?”

Jennifer stared up at him. Her make-up was subtle and accentuated her eyes. He could see a light dusting of powder on her nose. He resisted the urge to close the few inches between them and place a kiss on that nose.

“Admit it this is sweet and romantic and women love this kind of thing.”

“Does this count as one of the dates?” She took the bag from his hands, opened it and peered in.          

“No, this is just a happy accidental meeting.”

“That you planned.” She pulled out a napkin and spread it on her lap.

“I didn’t plan it. It just came to me this morning as I was lying in bed.”

He saw the blush rise in her cheeks and wondered what naughty thought she had just had. She bit into a danish to cover her embarrassment.

“Mmmmm.” The sound came from deep inside her chest.

Blake was going to be in trouble if he found everything she did completely sexy. He needed to get to the business of getting to know her better.

“How long have you been doing this job?” he asked.

He saw the look of pain flash across her face.

“About six months. How about you, how long have you been fire fighting?”She took the cup of white cocoa from his hand and sipped it.

“Nearly six years.”

“What made you decided to become a fire fighter?”

She was diverting him. There was something about this job that made her uncomfortable.

“Some friends. What made you decide to become a prescription processor?”

“Necessity, I felt like it was important to have a place to live and food to eat. Those things cost money.” She took another bite of pastry and another drink.

“Do you like your job?”

“Honestly, no, but it’s a paycheck.”

“Since you don’t love this one what would be your ideal job.”

She turned her head and stared out the window at the people and buildings racing past.

“Six months ago I could have told you without hesitation. Funny how life has ways of redefining us. This is my stop.”

He followed her out of the bus. He dumped the empty bag, cup and cup holder in a nearby trash can. They stood in front her office building.

“You can’t leave me with that cryptic remark.”

She stood toe to toe with him and looked up at him.

“I agreed to three dates, Mr. Hudson. Somethings require a degree of trust that would take more than three casual dates to achieve.”

“You don’t think you can trust me?”

“I really don’t know yet do I?”

“No.”

“Tonight I will regale you with stories of my miss spent youth, growing up the youngest in a large family and my favorite for the Superbowl this year but my heart will not be an open book.”

“Not yet,” he said.

“We’ll see won’t we?” She started backing up.

“Tonight at seven.”

“Tonight. By the way thanks for breakfast. It was very sweet and yes, romantic.” She said before she walked away.

She turned back to look at him as she entered the building.

“I’m sorry for what ever caused you so much pain.” He said after the door had closed behind her.

He stepped to the curb and hailed a cab.



Chapter 19-Jennifer

The woman sitting next to Jennifer shifted her knees into the side so Jennifer could slide out from the seat. An elbow bounced against her face as she looked for handholds in the bus isle. Her stop was a half a block away. She pulled her purse around so she could hold it against her chest as she wormed her way through bodies toward the double doors.

She mapped out the hour ahead as she watched the bus driver’s hand on the door lever out of the corner of her eye. She was going to go to the vintage shop she loved to find a pair of jeans and a new top for her date tonight. She thought of lingering over her shopping, eating at the deli and going to see a movie. She wondered if Mr. Blake Hudson had ever been stood up. It was very tempting. Her rebellious thoughts carried her down the steps of the bus.

Her heart leaped to her throat and a smile broke over her face unbidden. He stood on the sidewalk with his hands behind his back. His thick black hair, chocolate brown eyes and chiseled jaw combined to make him the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. Heads turned as women walked passed him and he only had eyes for her. A silly giddy girlish pleasure filled her chest.

“Fancy meeting you here,” he crooned.

“Imagine that, just an unexplained chance encounter,” she countered.

“Have you eaten?”Two bags came from behind his back.

“Amazingly I haven’t. What have you got there?”

“Chipolte burrito fully loaded and a chef salad, ranch dressing on the side. Shall we dine alfresco on a park bench or in your apartment?”

“And to think I had planned ramen for tonight. A park bench definitely.”

How could she possibly guard her heart from this man? He was waging a full out campaign to win her and he had her head spinning and her equilibrium off kilter. What did he see in her? She was raised to believe everything she wanted to do or be was a possibility but her self-esteem had taken a direct hit these past months and now she stood on shaky ground. It didn’t help that all her siblings had excelled in what ever field they had chosen and that she was constantly comparing her current disaster with their idyllic lives.

Who would have believed that her judgment was so faulty? Peter had shaken her belief in herself and closed the doors to the dream she had worked for all through college.The worst wasn’t over yet. The trial still loomed over her head. As soon as they caught up with Peter she would have to testify.

“Jen, where did you go?” Blake asked as they sat on the bench.

How had they gotten to the park? She had been caught up in her thoughts. She wouldn’t do it again her time with Blake was precious, three short dates.

“I’m just wondering if this is standard operating procedure with you this whole pre-date thing.”

“Admit it the thought crossed your mind on the bus to ditch the date.”

“I will now add mind reading to the list of your assets. It was only a fleeting thought, really. I’m sure no woman in her right mind would ever stand you up.”

“We haven’t determined if you’re in your right mind yet.”

“That’s true.”

“So what’s it to be, burrito or salad?”

“They both sound good.”

“Halves then.”

Blake placed the food between them on the park bench. Jennifer tore one of the bags into a makeshift place mat. She handed him a napkin, unwrapped the solitary Spork while Blake took the lid off the salad, and unwrapped the burrito that had been cut down the middle.

They talk about weather, fashion faux paus of park strollers, told silly jokes and just enjoyed the view and the food. She dabbed sauce off his chin and he pantomimed licking the corner of his mouth to let her know she had sour cream on her face. The food was good and the company was better.

She suggested he find something to occupy himself while she got ready for the date but he insisted going with her to shop. They spent an hour in the vintage store trying on everything from the trendy to the bizarre. They laughed so hard Jake whispered through the changing room curtain that he was worried the owner of the shop was going to throw them out. Jennifer finally found the perfect outfit; a pair of stonewashed jeans, a linen blouse with a lace collar, a hand embroidered vest set off by calf skin loafers and a beaded necklace. The shop owner was won over when they walked out of the store with four bags each.

They parted ways at the base of the stairs leading up to her apartment. He was going to put his bags in his car and she was going to leaves hers in her place.

Jennifer threw the bags on the couch and made a b-line for the bathroom. She pulled her hair out of the ponytail knot and sprinkled water over her head. She pulled out her big spiral brush and her hairdryer. She was in the middle of adding some body to her hair when she heard the knock on her door. She turned off the dryer and placed it and her brush in the sink. The phone rang as she opened the door. She had just seen him minutes before but still the sight of him took her breathe away.

She held her finger up to him as she answered the phone.

“Mom you aren’t seriously calling while I’m on a date?”

“Hi, baby.” Her mother said cheerfully.

“Come in.” Jennifer whispered to Blake.

“Is he just getting there? Oh sweetie are you okay? How late is he?”

“Mom, stand down. He was just putting something in his car. He actually met me as I got off the bus from work. He fed me dinner at the park and we’ve been shopping. If you are a really good girl and hang up now I’ll give you all the juicy details tomorrow.”

“Bye, sweetie.”

“Bye, mom.”

“Bye, Mrs. Warren.” Blake chimed in.

“Was that him?”

“Mom!”

“Bye.”

Jennifer rolled her eyes at Blake as she put her phone on silent.

“You really shouldn’t encourage her. She is the sweetest, funniest, dearest person in the world but sometimes she can be totally inappropriate.”

“She loves you.”

“To death. Give me two minutes and I’ll be ready.”

She ambled her way over to the bathroom and shut the door. She sprinkled more water on her hair and then bending over until her hair hung over her head toward the floor she brushed and blow dried her hair. She stood up, flipped her hair back over her head and looked in the mirror to see the effect. This little trick gave her hair body it didn’t naturally have. She stepped out of the bathroom.

“Ta da.”

Blake held her camera in his hands. He lifted it and took several shots.

“Let’s bring this with us.”

“No.”

“I want to chronicle our first date.”

She walked over to her purse, pulled out a small digital camera, and took a picture of Blake.

“This one is a little less bulky.”



Jennifer slid into the booth at Gower’s Five and Dime and looked up at her date ordering Coke floats at the counter. It was official she was on her first date with Blake Hudson. She watched all afternoon as women turned to get a second look at him. He seemed to be totally oblivious of the sensation he caused. They were two giddy kids as he had them retrace their steps from their first encounter so he could get pictures. They stood in front of the bus stop till a bus pulled up, he dug through the trash at the park to get their dinner bag to place between them on the bench and he dragged the vintage store owner out to the street to get a picture of the three of them in front of her shop.

He never gave her a single minute to be nervous about this date. It all flowed together and she was basking in the glow of it. 

“Jen,” he called to her from the counter. The clerk had come around to stand beside Blake with two Coke floats in his hands a sweet looking middle-aged woman was holding the camera. It was pointless to resist.

After the woman had taken pictures of them with the clerk and then seated in the booth Blake had taken a picture of their photographer.

“You are completely insane you know that don’t you?”

“That’s debatable. I ordered us some bottle caps and toothpicks.”

“I’m assuming that’s not what it sounds like.”

“Batter-fried jalapenos and onion straws.”

“This will be a new one for me.”

He leaned across the table looked her straight in the eye and in a low voice said. “You ain’t scared are ya?”

“You are talking to the girl who was raised on five-alarm chili.”

They both spooned foam crusted ice cream out of their coke glasses. Jennifer had forgotten how good something this simple could be. She resisted the urge to ‘mmm’.

“I’m ready for the moment of truth.” He said. “Tell me why we are sipping coke floats in a dime drug store instead of having a drink at a nice dimly lit bar.”

“This was your choice I would have been happy drinking virgin daiquiris in a smoke filled bar.”

“I stand by my choice and you are avoiding the obvious question.”

“It’s not a very pretty story for a first date.”

“Humor me.”

“The short version is my Grandfather is an alcoholic, my uncles are all alcoholics and my father decided to break the chain. He made his children all take the pledge under threat of death.”

“That’s understandable.”

“Satisfied?”

“There’s more to that story isn’t there.”

“Yes, but not for tonight.”

The clerk placed the platter of bottle caps and toothpicks on the table with two smaller plates with plastic cups of ranch dressing.

Jennifer dipped an onion straw in the dressing and popped it in her mouth.

“Chicken.” Blake mocked.

“Which are hotter the green or the red jalapenos?”

“Red.”

“Only if it makes my nose run and my scalp sweat.”

“That’s a pretty picture.”

She speared a red pepper with her fork dipped it in the dressing and slid it off the fork with her teeth. She chewed for a moment thoughtfully.

“Yes, definitely hot.” She waved her hand in front of her mouth.

They laughed and talked for the next hour then took a bus to the flower district where he bought her carnations, and babies breathe. He told her the meaning of flowers as they walked through the fragrent streets and alleyways surrounded by boxes and mounds of blossoms. It was one am by the time they got back to her apartment door.

She felt the glow of the evening wash over her and knew that the culmination of this perfect night would be a sweet tender goodnight kiss. He brushed his fingers across her upper arm. She felt the tingles spread through her and she leaned toward him.

“It was a wonderful night.” She whispered.

He brushed a stray piece of hair off her forehead. She almost moaned.

“Tomorrow dinner.” He said running his thumb across her cheekbone.

“Yes.” Her eyes closed.

“I”ll pick you up at six.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Then he was gone. Her eyes snapped open and she watched his back as he descended the stairs. She was dumbstruck. She couldn’t have misread his signals. He had wanted to kiss her several times not only this evening but at the photo shoot. Oh! She did not undertand this man.



Chapter 20-Blake



Blake couldn’t exactly pinpoint the moment this day started to go bad but as he grabbed his keys and his jacket he prayed the evening would be magic. He was already running late but thought he could make up the time with a little creative driving. He hadn’t reckoned with nearly stand still traffic crossing the bridge.

He hadn’t slept well and finally at the crack of dawn he gave up. The next four hours he spent on the roof of his warehouse apartment getting it cleaned up and ready for an intimate romantic dinner with Jennifer. He was stringing the last of the lights when his sister called.  She quickly talked him out of a roof top dinner with a catered meal and live muscians. She feared he would overwhelm Jennifer and suggested a couple of very nice restaurants.

At noon he had argued with the florist to get flowers sent to Jennifer’s apartment before the date. It had taken four calls to find a restaurant that wasn’t already booked. Two o’clock he’d taken a run to burn off some of his frustration. Four o’clock after he’d showered for the second time he sat in front of the television to watch the last of the football game.  He woke at five fifteen, rushed around to get dressed was ready to walk out the door when he grabbed a can of coke, which sprayed, all over his carefully chosen attire.  This had him walking out his door at 5:45 instead of 5:30 as he had planned.

Blake reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out his phone. He touched and held the eight. He’d set Jennifer on his speed dial. He wondered how she would feel if she knew.

“Do you want me to just meet you downstairs?” she said without a greeting. Leave it to her to cut to the chase.

“I’m running late. There’s an accident on the bridge.”

“Okay, I’ll stand down. What kind of traffic are we talking about?”

“The two lanes are alternately crawling and standing still,” he answered moving into the lane that was making headway at the moment.

“So it could be a while.”

“Definitely.”

“Does that change your plans?”

“No, I”ll call the restaurant and let them know we’ll be a little late.”

“Okay, just call me when you get close and I’ll meet you curbside. By the way thanks for the beautiful flowers. My apartment smells like spring.”

“I’m glad you like them.” He tried to analyze why just talking to her relaxed him. “Jen, are you wearing the dress we picked out at the vintage shop?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t wait to see you in it again.”

“Why, Mr. Hudson, how you do go on,” she drawled with a thick southern accent.

“Where did that come from?” he chuckled into the phone.

“The southern accent?”

“Yes.”

“You would have had to have grown up in my house to appreciate it. My mother is constantly talking with some accent.  After watching British drama she speaks with a English accent for a solid week. We all just picked it up.”

“I can’t wait to meet your mom.”

“You won’t be meeting my mother, Blake.”

“Why is that?”

“This is a three date deal. Meeting the family borders on the serious relationship side of things.”

“And that is definitely out of the question, right?”

There was a long pause and Blake felt his stomach sink.

“Call me when you get close.”

He wanted to groan as he listened to dead air on his phone. He dialed the restaurant and spent a frustrating ten minutes on the phone talking to the hostess and then the manager when she didn’t think they could hold his table. He got past the blockage and the traffic was clear to Jennifer’s street.

“I’m close,” he said as soon as he heard the line connect.

“I’ll be waiting.”

She looked amazing in the dress they had picked out. The fabric pattern was peacock feathers. The tourquise and royal blue brought out the blue of her eyes. She had a royal blue and black shawl draped over her elbows. He wanted to gather her in his arms and kiss her senseless but his plan was to not let the physical part of their relationship take over until she knew him better. The anticipation was about to kill him but he knew once he crossed that line it would change everything. He could see it was driving her crazy and he liked having that power over her.

He jumped out of the car and opened the door for her. He couldn’t stop himself from touching her. His fingers brushed down her arm. She looked up at him and her eyes locked with his as she eased herself into the seat.

“Bad accident?” she asked as soon as he got in the car.

“Flat tire.”

“On the bridge?”

“Dead center. The poor sap had enough help though. Two fire trucks and three squad cars.”

“Slow crime day.”

“Dangerous location more likely.”

“Of course. So where are we off to tonight?”

“It’s a restaurant my sister recommended. I’ve never actually been to it.”

They stopped in front of the skyscraper where the restaurant was located. It was on the top floor of the building. Valets came around to open doors and park the car. They ended up only being ten minutes late for their reservation. Blake had factored in time to hang out at Jennifer’s apartment while she finished getting ready. He had even looked forward to it.

The outside wall of the restaurant was floor to ceiling solid panes of glass. Their table was set against the window with a breathtaking view of the city.

“I can’t sit there.” Jennifer turned to look at the hostess.

“It’s one of our most exclusive tables.” The hostess bristled.

“I can’t sit there.” She turned pleadingly to Blake.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

She pulled on the sleeve of his jacket and he bent down so she could whisper in his ear.

“I’m a tiny bit terrified of heights.”

“What if you face away from the window?” He turned his head so he could look at her face. He saw a lot of tension around her mouth and a bit more of the white of her eye than was normal.

“I’ll hyperventilate,”her whisper had a little tremor in it.

“Do you have a table that isn’t next to the window?” Blake spoke to the hostess.

“Of course, follow me.”

The table was right next to the service door.

“I’m so sorry,” Jennifer apoligized after the hostess had handed them their menus and left. She sat with her arms crossed and Blake could feel her foot shaking at the end of her crossed legs.

Before Blake could say anything, the waiter came to take their drink orders. Blake ordered a scotch and Jennifer asked for water no lemon.

“Are you cold?” he asked. The motion of her foot was making her whole body shake slightly.

“No, no I’m fine.” Her hands went to her lap and her foot was stilled. She was looking at everything but him.

“Are you hungry?”

She looked down at her hands. “I skipped lunch.”

“I was thinking of ordering an appetizer.”

“Fine, that sounds fine.”

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine, really. I’m just so sorry. I’ve ruined the evening.”

“You aren’t going to let a little acrophobia upset the rest of our date are you?” he chided.

She made a little noise that came from her chest and a smile touched the corners of her mouth.

“Was that a laugh?” He raised his eyebrow. He knew women found it appealing.

“I didn’t expect you to know the name of my phobia.”

The waiter brought their drinks.

“Could we start with the Jerusalem Artichoke and the Peekytoe Crab Salad?”

“Excellent choice, sir.” The waiter bowed himself away from the table.

Jennifer was eyeing the menu. She turned it to look at the back and then turned it back to the front. She peered over the top at him.

He knew what she was thinking. If this was an exclusive enough restaurant not to list prices how was he going to afford it?

“Have I told what we did to Lt this past week?”

“No.”

“He was interviewing a new recruit. Giving him the spiel. Earlier we put one of those musical birthday cards up in the ceiling of his office. We were watching through the cracks in the blinds. First he can’t figure out what the noise is, then he asks the recruit if he can hear it. They are looking all over the office for it. Pretty soon Lt has the new recruit up on his desk pushing up acoustical ceiling tiles until they locate it. I thought we were going to die laughing.”

“Practical jokes, I take it, are a major part of life at a firehouse.”

“The life blood.”

The appetizer came and they ate while she told how her brothers dressed her up in army fatigues and sent her out in the back yard so they could use her as target practice for their paint ball guns.

He ordered Lamb Loin and she order Dover Soul. He told her about his parents and their divorce when his father ran off with his secretary twenty years his junior. How his mother now fulfilled a life long dream of world travel.

She told about her parent’s marriage of forty years and her dad’s upcoming retirement. They ate Carmelized Hazelnut Sable with Dulce De Lechi Cream and Chocolate and Peanut butter Ganache. The day that had flirted with disaster had finally settled into an enjoyable evening. Blake should have been on his guard.

He reached into his jacket pocket as the waiter laid the check on their table. He felt a twinge when his hand came out empty. He checked the other pockets of his jacket and then he checked his front pants pockets felt the twinge turn into mild panic. He checked his back pockets and his jacket pockets again. He remembered clearly putting his wallet in his jacket pocket. He fished around in the pocket looking for a hole of any kind.

Then he remembered changing his shirt, tie and jacket because of the coke that sprayed all over him just before he walked out the door. He knew with perfect clarity that his wallet was in his other jacket.