Disclaimer: The characters from Scarecrow and Mrs. King belong to Warner Brothersand Shoot the Moon Productions.
Thanks to Biggermama for the help and TK for the beta!
Note: I have read many fics and fillers that focus on this episode. It is the Freudian slip heard 'round the world. I'm sure I haven't read them all, but I do wonder what might have happened, had Amanda stayed for dinner. I have yet to write her staying for the entire meal, only that she stays just a little while longer. I can't even begin to imagine the conversation that would take place between the three of them...but I'm sure there are plenty who'd love to hear 'delicious' things about Lee.
"Please stay for dinner. You can fill me in on all the delicious things about Lee, here." Leslie smiled at Amanda.
Lee looked back and forth between the two women in his apartment. There was something incredibly unsettling about seeing Leslie with Amanda, not to mention the idea of them sharing delicious things about him. From the look on Amanda's face, he wasn't the only one uncomfortable with the current situation.
"Actually," Amanda began.
It was at that instant Lee had a stroke of genius. Well, he had something. Later, when looking back on this moment, he'd admit he probably just had a stroke.
"Yeah, Amanda. Stay. The three of us can talk." He replaced the plate he'd picked up from the table.
"Um, okay." She still looked nervous. But she'd be okay once she got to know Leslie, Lee was sure of it. Plus, this would be a great way to make sure Amanda realized that they were partners at work, friends at most, but nothing more.
"This is great. Lee hasn't introduced me to any of his friends yet. I was beginning to think he didn't want anyone to know we're dating!"
"Oh, we knew he was dating someone." Amanda thought back to the last few days—Lee had come in bedraggled, and everyone in the bullpen knew exactly what he'd been doing the night before. "But it's certainly nice to meet you."
"Lee, check on the food, will you?" Leslie nodded her head towards the kitchen. "Amanda, Lee bought me this gorgeous dress, I just have to show you." She disappeared to the rear of his apartment.
"Are you sure you want me here?" Amanda asked timidly. "This looks awful romantic, and I'd hate to intrude."
"It's fine. We'll all just sit down and you can get to know Leslie."
"She's not your type." He stopped, midstride, on his way to the kitchen.
"Of course she's my type!"
"She's too normal."
"Because every attractive, available woman is a translator for the UN." He scoffed. "Look," he opened the oven and peered inside. "Leslie is important to me. As my best friend, I hope you can be happy for me."
"I am happy for you, Lee." Amanda became defensive. If someone had asked her this morning how she expected her day to end, this scenario would never have crossed her mind. She still had a hard time believing this was actually happening. "It's just…"
"Doesn't Lee have the greatest taste?" Leslie chose that moment to enter the room.
"Oh my gosh." Amanda paled. Leslie was wearing a knee length black dress with spaghetti straps. A dress eerily similar to the one Lee had been asking her about before. The same dress she'd spent weeks working on. The dress she'd worn specifically to catch the eye of a certain spy—er, intelligence operative. Amanda's mouth was strangely dry.
"It's beautiful, Leslie." Lee smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. Leslie either didn't notice his lackluster reaction or chose to ignore it.
"You know what, I really do have to go." Amanda finally found her voice. "I have to—my sons will be home from practice soon, and I don't want them to worry if I'm not there. And I need to make a stop before I get home. So, it was nice to meet you, but—uh, yeah." Amanda's eyes stayed glued to the floor.
"Well, ok." Leslie shooed him away from the oven. If he was just going to stand there with the oven open, she'd better take care of the food before he let it burn. "I hope we can have a rain check?"
"Sure." Amanda nodded, then turned to beat a hasty retreat from the apartment.
"Lee, walk her out." Leslie chastised. Dumbfounded, Lee nodded then hurried after Amanda. They both stepped out of the apartment and into the hallway.
"Tell me you're not planning on going to the cannery."
"We should at least keep an eye on things." She countered. "You know, do our jobs." She paused. "Or I can go. I certainly wouldn't want to interrupt anything important."
"All we can do is wait for O'Keefe to take the bait. If he calls for a rendezvous, I can get Francine to double as you…"
"I can double as myself perfectly fine. We have been working together for almost three years." Gosh, this day just keeps getting better and better.
"I'm not going to get into a fight with you. Watching O'Keefe is pointless. Go home, Amanda. Bye."
Amanda bit her lip in frustration and pushed past Lee to the elevator. Once inside, she turned around to face him. The look on his face was unreadable. She hated that feeling…she thought they'd moved past him bottling his feelings and keeping things from her. Apparently, she thought wrong.
"Go home Amanda." She mocked with distaste as soon as the elevator doors had closed. "Not this time, buster."