Chapter One
"Aw come on already Jes." Eric complained. "You can't miss a guy's night out! Even Sanders canceled his date." The redhead leaned back in his chair. "Callie was perfectly fine with it too!" He added. Jesse smiled and shook his head.
"I have plans, and this is the first and only time I plan on missing it. You really worry too much." Sanders dealt the poker cards out again.
"Ante up Eric." He said. "Besides, you know this is just one of Mr.-I'm such a stud-de Silva's ploys to get us out of the house." He examined his hand, scratching the back of his dark blonde head before tossing another poker chip into the pile on the table. "Your turn." Jesse pulled a bottle of wine out of the refrigerator.
"I am not just trying to get you out of the house. A gentleman isn't like that. And if you really must know, I am surprising Susannah with dinner, home cooked I might add. You two should take some lessons."
"Dude, you are such a doormat for that girl." Sanders said. Eric laughed as he tossed two chips onto the table.
"I am not a doormat!" Jesse said indignantly.
"I am simply trying to make her feel special and loved." Sanders coughed. Jesse glared at him.
"That cough sounded a lot like 'doormat', Sanders." Sanders feigned innocence. "Whatever!" he said.
"Yeah, well, both of you will change your minds when you meet Susannah." Jesse returned to the pots and pans on the stovetop.
"Sure man," Eric said. "Ya know Sandy, I quit. You win-again." Eric tossed his cards onto the table and began to poke through the pot Jesse had just set aside.
"Hey Jes, are, uh, are we gonna get any of this?" He licked some sauce off of his finger. "Are you sure you are, you know, because you would seriously make a rockin' wife with your culinary skills." Jesse grabbed the back of his shirt collar.
"Thank you, and yes I'm sure. Now go, or you are not getting one bite of this tomorrow. I have a few things to finish up before she gets here. Sanders, pick the cards and chips up, I need the table." Jesse shoved both of them out of the kitchen into the adjoining living room. "Go shower or something." He said as they left the room.
"Yes mom." Sanders grumbled. Jesse grinned and did his best motherly impression (which truly wasn't any good, because of his deep voice.)
"Don't forget to scrub behind your ears!" he called out. Sanders laughed and flashed him a thumbs up, before disappearing down the small hallway.
Jesse set his dirty dishes into the small sink. The ugly blue countertops were still relatively clean, so he let them be. I'll just get all of that later, he thought. The table was just outside the kitchen where the three men could eat and watch TV at the same time. Jesse set the table and dished out the pasta and salad, wanting it to look just right. Breadsticks and a Mexican sauce completed the meal. He placed covers on it, so it would not cool too fast. He also set a candle out, but didn't light it. Not yet. Jesse stepped back to admire his work. It'd do.
With nothing more to do in the kitchen, he headed to his bedroom to get dressed. He heard the water go on in the bathroom. Sanders must have made alternate plans, since he could here the base in Eric's room. Jesse put on a pair of black jeans he and Suze had purchased shortly after his return to life. He also put on a simple dark green polo that Sanders and Callie had given him for his birthday the other week.
Satisfied with his appearance, he double checked everything. Sanders would shortly be out of the shower, which meant Suze would arrive to an apartment of fully dressed guys, he hoped. Jesse checked his watch-5:30. He had 15 minutes to relax before Suze would be there, like he could relax. Father Dom had lent him The Wealth of Nations a few days previously, and he was eager to finish it. He knew he must have lost track of time, because, a few pages later, a very familiar hand removed the book from him.