~~~~~~~~~~Chance Meeting~~~~~~~~~~
Dominic Santini stopped at the Farmer's Market on his way home. He needed some fresh vegetables for the special dinner he was preparing that night. He had invited Cait and String over to celebrate a particularly lucrative contract with Universal. Santini Air would provide helicopters for transportation on an on-going basis for a new TV series. It meant he didn't have to worry about his business suffering when an Airwolf mission came up. As long as he could find a pilot all would be well, and he knew enough of them to provide the backup when he needed it.
He also, had another reason the dinner was special. He figured he could maybe make it romantic for String and Cait. He loved String like a son and thought of Cait as a daughter. If those two would just get together, he might just have a chance at grandkids. They were already friends. And, Cait had made it plain, to him at least, that she was interested in Sting. It was just that String seemed oblivious. Dom knew the kid had to feel something for the red head or else he wouldn't be so upset when she got in trouble. Besides String had recently hooked up with Roan, hadn't he. She was too much like Cait for Dom not to say anything. The shock on String's face when he pointed out the similarities was priceless. Dom knew he'd hit the nail on the head. What's more, String's quick and fervent denial of anything ever happening between him and Cait let Dom know his boy was more than interested just running scared. Dom figured he needed a push that was all.
So here he was at the market. He had already picked up several ingredients for his special sauce when he stopped at a tomato vendor. He looked at the color of several and poked a few.
"Hey, don't go bruising those." The vendor a short portly man with a balding head admonished Dom.
"Ah, I'm testing the ripeness." Dom turned the corner of his mouth down as he poked another tomato. He inadvertently poked a hand.
"Ouch!" The woman jerked her hand back and several tomatoes went splat on the concrete below.
"You're going to pay for those. I'll give you a special deal three for a dollar." The vendor started in as he was stooping to clean the red sticky mess.
"What! Why that's highway robbery." Dom said as he stooped to help the man pick up the mess.
"It's a very good deal considering you were damaging the tomatoes by poking them in the first place."
The velvety Italian accent caught Dom off guard and he stopped mid stoop to look up at the person he'd accidentally poked. She was dressed in a simple floral print tank dress that hugged her upper body and flowed out at the waist to come to a stop just above her ankles. Dom's first thought was that she was beautiful. His second was that she was a ringer for Sophia Loren. Her silken black hair hung loosely to her just below her shoulders and her eyes were the color of honey.
"Oh, oh…I'm sorry." Dom finally said as he recovered his tongue. "I didn't mean to poke you just testing the ripeness that's all." He let out a nervous chuckle and continued in rambling fashion. "I'm making a special dinner for some friends of mine and have to get the right ingredients you know. Say, did I detect an Italian accent?" He paused for breath.
"Yes, I'm from a little town called Lecce in southern Italy. And you don't test a tomato by poking it you hold it in your hand and gently squeeze." She demonstrated the technique. "It doesn't damage the tomato the way poking does."
"Dominic Santini. I grew up on San Remo." He held out his hand to the woman. "And you are?"
"Nancy Sheene." She put her hand in his.
Dom clasped her hand and bowed to kiss the back of it. He straightened up with a beaming smile. "It's a real pleasure to meet you."
They began talking about produce, Italy, and Italian food. Eventually, they began talking about each other. They seemed to have an instant connection. They roamed the market collecting various items until they finally found themselves in the parking lot. Each was reluctant to leave after the enjoyable afternoon. As they both headed in opposite directions to their cars, Dom stopped and turned back.
"Hey, like I said earlier I'm making dinner for a couple of friends. I sure would like it if you'd join us?" There was more than a little hope in his tone.
"Dominic, we just met. I don't want to intrude."
"Oh no intrusion, actually you may even be able to help me out." He said as a thought occurred to him. "My friends are crazy about each other but won't admit it. I was hoping that this dinner would…"
"Dominic Santini you're as bad as any Italian grandmother." She interrupted him with a smile. "You were hopping this dinner would give them a nudge in the right direction. Only you hadn't quite thought about it being chaperoned, had you?" Nancy gave him a broad smile.
"So will you help me? If you're there, it won't seem so much like a setup." Dom raised his eyebrows and let his grin shine. "Help out a fellow Italian with a little match making."
"Okay, but I'll bring the wine. I've always been a bit of a romantic."
~~~~~~~~~~Double Date~~~~~~~~~~
Caitlin pulled up in the drive at Dominic's bungalow style house just as Hawke was getting off his motorcycle. He waited for her to park and opened her car door. As she stepped out she stumbled on some loose gravel and fell into Hawke's arms. He held her for a moment longer than necessary as she regained her footing.
"Careful you'll break something." He said in good humor.
"I didn't know you were that delicate." Caitlin shot back innocently a grin spreading across her face.
"Here, let me help the accident prone to the door. We wouldn't want to postpone Dom's dinner because someone broke her ankle on the way from the drive." He slipped his arm around her waist to offer mock support.
"Only if you think you can handle the weight." She returned. They walked to the door laughing.
Before Hawke could turn the knob, the door opened.
"…telling you I heard someone." The woman who'd opened the door turned to see a surprised couple arm in arm standing in front of her. "You must be String and Cait. Come on in." Nancy ushered them into the living room their faces clearly wondering who she was.
Dom came barreling in from the kitchen his red and white checked apron covering his dress shirt. He had insisted that everyone dress up seeing as how they were celebrating.
"String, Cait I see you met Nancy. Dinner will be ready in a few moments. Nancy, you mind showing them to the patio." With that Dom swept out heading for the kitchen.
"So, how'd you meet Dom?" Caitlin asked not able to keep a lid on her curiosity.
"Oh we met at the Farmer's Market today. We hit it off immediately. So, he invited me to dinner. I hope you don't mind me intruding on you date. You two really do make a cute couple." She smiled at the shocked look on String's face and the amused grin on Cait's. "I'll go get us some wine, be back in a second." She left before either could protest.
Hawke looked over at Cait. Her smile was infectious. He gave her a crooked grin. "Sorry Cait. I'll set her straight when she comes back."
"Oh it's no big deal Hawke. We were in each others arms when she opened the door." Caitlin got a wicked grin on her face, "Unless of course, it upsets you delicate sensibilities."
Just then Dom brought some warm bread out and placed it on the table. "So? What do you think about Nancy? She's really something isn't she?"
"She seems great Dom. But she thinks Cait and I are a couple." Hawke said focused on the point that was utmost on his mind.
"Well I like her Dom." Caitlin gave him a reassuring look. "I haven't seen Hawke with that deer in the headlights look for a while." She smirked at him.
"Hey, here she comes with the wine. Be nice." Dom said the last with a look at String before he headed back to the kitchen.
"String if you'll pour the wine." Nancy said as she swept in. She placed the bottle and four glasses on the table. "I'll be right back with the candles."
"Candles?" Hawke asked with sudden suspicion.
Caitlin just about busted out laughing. "You should see the look on your face."
"You can't tell me this doesn't look like a set-up. Did you know?" Hawke regretted his accusation as soon as he made it when her face turned from bubbly laughter to instant anger.
"Stringfellow Hawke how could you even think that I would be a party to any kind of set-up; you obviously don't know me very well if you believe I would stoop so low to get a guy I might be interested in by setting him up on a date he didn't even know about." She paused for breath her eyes flashing angrily. She hoped he hadn't really heard the part about her maybe being interested, but it came out before she thought.
Hawke took what he figured would be his only opportunity and apologized. "Okay, I get it. You didn't know. But you can't deny this looks like a date."
"That's because it is a date." Caitlin gave Hawke a look that bordered on pity. "For Dom and Nancy, it's their first date and we just happen to be chaperones because he'd already invited us to dinner. Do your best to be nice. Dom obviously likes her."
Hawke relaxed a little. It made since. "As long as we're clear it's their date."
Caitlin just sipped her wine and smiled at Nancy as she and Dom came back to the patio. Nancy set out the candles and lit them while Dom served the salad and they both sat down. The dinner progressed with Dom and Nancy doing most of the talking with occasional input from Cait.
Hawke did his level best to enjoy dinner. He just kept thinking about the date scene he was a part of. Since Nancy and Dom were definitely together sitting closely and touching each other occasionally that put he and Cait just as together on the other side of the table. He noticed for the first time just how much he and Cait touched in their casual way. She touched his arm briefly to make a point in conversation and he'd bump her with his knee under the table. A myriad of other little interactions between them also stuck in his mind. That in light of the mirror Nancy and Dom presented made him see things between he and Cait in a new way. He felt the gentle touch on his arm and turned to see Caitlin looking at him with a little concern.
"You're awfully quiet Hawke." Caitlin said gently. "You probably didn't even notice that Dom and Nancy left to do the dishes."
Hawke hadn't noticed. He did however notice how close she was to him and how the candle light cast her in a soft glow. It would be so easy to just…just reach out, lean in and…and what Hawke? Doom her like you did everyone else you loved. No, not love. It can't, won't be love. Not with Caitlin. Then who? The little voice intruded on his thoughts as he shifted away from her.
"I need some air." Hawke abruptly stood and walked into the house.
Cait followed a few minutes later only to find that String had gone out the front door. She heard his motorcycle start and wondered what had spooked him this time.
