A/N: Sometimes a girl just has to spend an hour or so writing a useless bit of nothing like this to clean her mental palate so she can get her focus back where it needs to be.
As for the current state of affairs in Calla Land, I'm working on the next chapter of NTB, DIL, and a new chapter for Passing the Point of No Return.
I'm also skittering around trying to decide which one of my three novels is most worthy of continuing the final editing which is proving a royal pain in the rear since I like them all one day and hate them the next! You know how that goes! We're our own worst critic! (Not that there aren't legitimate issues in all of them I'm correcting as I go along.)
Anyways, I'm here, and I'm writing even if it's slower going than I would it to be like. ~Calla
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Entering the restaurant, Lisbon scanned the tables looking for a familiar face before turning to the Hostess to let her know she'd spotted her party waiting for her. Walking across the room, she watched that party rise to his feet as he caught sight of her.
"I almost didn't find this place." Lisbon said as she slid into the chair Jane held out for her.
"It is a tad off the beaten path." Jane agreed as he resumed his seat beside her.
"Which is why I'm assuming you chose it?" Lisbon caught green eyes with green.
"Perhaps." Jane said evasively. "That and the fact it's on that special To Do List you keep hidden on your computer."
"Damn it, Jane, stay out of my office and off my computer." Lisbon smacked his hand, hard, for daring to pick her office lock and plunder her personal records again.
"Hey, that hurt." Jane rubbed the back of his hand.
"It was supposed to." Lisbon's tone was anything but sympathetic. "Stay out of my office and off my computer. I mean it or I'm going to do something worse than smacking your hand."
"You clean up nicely, Teresa." Leaning towards her, Jane abruptly changed the subject hoping to sway her from his latest transgression. "Is that a new blouse?"
Actually, new blouse, new pants, and new shoes…Jane was sure of it. He'd bet money on it. Probably a new belt, too, if he didn't miss his guess. He'd never seen her wear that scarlet silk shell, those body skimming pants, or those strappy black sandals to work. Not that she'd wear those heels on the job in the first place. In fact, he was surprised she'd wear them at all. They weren't her usual style. Then again, neither was the brighter make-up, softer hair, or more flowery scent. She looked gorgeous, more feminine, and he liked it.
"Does it matter?" Lisbon pulled a Jane answering a question with a question while blocking the thought she wasn't the only one who cleaned up nicely.
He wasn't supposed to realize her response to his popping his head into her office a couple of days ago to invite her to accompany him to one of the hottest restaurants in Sacramento was an extended lunch hour spent at a local boutique where she'd spent entirely too much money on an outfit she'd probably never wear again. She still couldn't believe she'd let the sales associate talk her into buying shoes she wasn't even sure she could walk in. She also wasn't sure if it was their destination or the fact she was going there with Jane that had prompted her uncharacteristic shopping spree. Not that it really mattered. She felt pretty and she fully intended to enjoy herself. It wasn't often she got to come to a place like this.
"I think it does." Jane said quietly motioning the waiter over with the bottle of wine and glasses he'd requested upon arrival before changing the subject. "Regardless, you look beautiful. I think you'll enjoy the wine he's bringing. Catherine has developed a very nice wine cellar over the years. I've taken the liberty of ordering one of her better reds I think you'll appreciate."
"Catherine?" Lisbon asked watching the waiter go through the motions before pouring two glasses of crisp Merlot.
"She's the Master Sommelier and an old friend. See the attractive red head talking with the gray haired gentleman? That's Cat. As you can see, she's occupied with a well-heeled patron she can't leave or I'd introduce you." Jane volunteered. "In case you're wondering, I've been coming here a long time. I know the owners and most of the staff quite well."
"Is this where you brought Kristina?" Lisbon asked trying to ignore the fact some part of her wouldn't like it if Jane answered affirmatively.
She had no right to feel one way or the other if he had. They weren't together like that. They were friends. Besides, his date with the other woman had hardly been a resounding success. That had surprised her a little at the time. She'd thought they really hit it off. Inspite of the bickering and childish responses from Jane. She wouldn't have encouraged his interest if she'd believed otherwise. She'd also felt it would do Jane good to see someone and Kristina had seemed like the perfect choice. Unfortunately, she'd been quickly proven wrong.
"No, it isn't." Jane fixed her gaze with his. "I've never brought anyone here but you."
Lisbon tried to ignore the way her heart accelerated at his words.
"Why not?" Resisting the urge to kick herself for her curiosity, Lisbon found herself holding her breath as she waited for his answer.
"This is my special place, Teresa." Jane said softly. "I'm not willing to share it with just anyone. Since you're here, you clearly aren't just anyone. You're Lisbon."
"What are you trying to say?" Lisbon lifted her glass to her lips taking a sip of the deep currant liquid and rolling it across her tongue. "This is delicious."
"Yes, it is, and I'm not trying to say anything." Jane took a sip of wine. "I'm saying it."
"You aren't saying anything yet." Lisbon smirked over the rim of her glass enjoying Jane's uncharacteristic hesitancy.
"Sean wasn't lying was he?" Turning the tables on her, Jane set his glass aside as he shifted his chair a little closer to Lisbon. "I saw the look on your face so don't try to deny it."
Setting her own glass back on the table, Lisbon leaned towards him.
"And Lorelei wasn't lying either was she?" Lisbon returned his volley waiting as the silence yawned between them.
Neither desired being the first to address the volatile topic of the feelings each might, or might not, harbor towards the other for a lot of reasons not the least of which was they were treading in dangerous waters.
"No, Teresa, she wasn't." Jane finally agreed choosing to take all the emotional risks as he usually did.
"Barlow wasn't wrong either." Lisbon said the words she honestly didn't need to admit as he already knew the answer.
He had seen her face.
"Where does that leave us?" Jane tapped his fingers on the table cloth.
"Where do you want it to leave us?" Lisbon resisted the urge to mimic his actions.
"Spending time together like this and seeing what happens." Jane answered honestly.
"You want to date me?" Lisbon squeaked.
"I want to spend time with you and see what happens." Jane corrected her. "That's a little more serious than casually dating."
Lisbon wasn't stupid enough to conclude Jane was merely saying he wanted in her pants in a roundabout way either. While that was probably true to a certain extent, on both sides, this was far more serious. She could see it in his eyes.
That and a whole lot more.
She honestly wasn't sure how she felt about what he was offering.
"What would you call it?" Lisbon opened her menu avoiding Jane's gaze.
"Courting with intent." Jane gently closed the menu in her hands.
"I see." Lisbon gave his words careful consideration. "Exactly how crazy do you think I am?"
"Crazy enough to agree." Jane took her hand in his. "Say, yes, Teresa."
"This is nuts, Jane." Lisbon couldn't believe Jane was suggesting they contemplate seeing each other when he was still out there vowing to kill again. "He's still out there in case you've forgotten."
"I haven't and I don't really think this has any bearing on our situation." Jane said bluntly.
"It has a lot of bearing on this situation." Lisbon contradicted him.
"Only if we let him." Jane corrected her. "I've been giving this a lot of thought over the last few days and I've reached a sensible conclusion. As we're both on the Red John Hit Parade, and have been for a very long time, we might as well be there together. What's really going to change if we start hanging out a little more than we have been? If the freak didn't know we have feelings for each other before Vegas, he certainly does since."
"What changed your mind?" Lisbon though about how adamant Jane had always been about keeping a certain distance between them over the years even when she'd refused to let him completely pull away.
"It's time, Teresa." Jane said reaching out to lightly place his hand over hers. "Red John didn't just rob me of my family. He's robbed me of my life and I've let him. What's worse, he's robbed you, too, and I've let him do that as well. It's time to put a stop to his foolishness and I'm the only one who can do it. I have to make the first move."
"Why me?" Lisbon asked.
"Why not you?" Jane returned wondering how she could possibly think he'd consider anyone else. "Would you rather I pick someone else?"
"No." Lisbon answered honestly.
"Neither would I so you've got your answer." Jane motioned for their waiter. "In case I need to spell it out, I want you. It's as simple as that."
Nodding her head, Lisbon watched the late twenty something pretty boy making his way towards their table for the second time.
"Since you're familiar with this place, what's good?" Lisbon opened her menu again.
"Start with the House Salad." Jane pointed to the salad sporting an unusual combination of raw and grilled vegetables with a surprisingly hearty, full-bodied Greek inspired vinaigrette. "Then go for the spicy crab stuffed mushrooms. They have the right amount of Habanera heat without overpowering the delicate flavor of the meat."
"That works for me." Lisbon nodded her consent to Jane ordering for her.
She wasn't at all surprised at his request for two House Salads followed by a double order of stuffed mushrooms. Well, maybe that double order of 'shrooms shocked her a little bit. Jane either thought she was a total pig, or he was, or they were taking quite a few home. Watching Michael, their waiter, amble away, Lisbon turned her attention back to the menu intent on selecting her main attraction. Glancing at the entrees, she had no idea where to start. It all looked good and this place had a formidable reputation of everything being consistently fabulous.
"You can't go wrong with the steak." Jane smiled slightly at the disgusted glare tossed his way. "Don't give me that look. I know you too well. You're ordering some variation of beef and potatoes."
"Just for that I ought to order the most expensive steak on the menu." Lisbon tossed him another dirty look.
"Go right ahead." Jane said. "The Chateaubriand is excellent and the Rosemary Potato Galette is delicious."
"You can't be serious." Lisbon set her menu aside.
"But, I am." Jane closed his menu, too. "Bertram and friends are paying for everything so feel free to order whatever you want...not that I would feel differently if they weren't."
"Bertram actually let you in on one of his poker games?" Lisbon asked in disbelief ignoring the rest of his statement as she'd always known Jane wasn't a pauper.
She'd also known he was darned well paying for this meal since he'd invited her and the final check was going to be somewhere in the low three figures.
"Actually, he advised everyone to kick me out." Jane smirked at the memory. "They found the lure of playing with the scourge of the CBI much too intriguing to refuse."
"You didn't cheat?" Lisbon opened her menu reconsidering that Chateaubriand.
"I didn't have too." Jane laughed outright. "That bunch had more tells than Jimenez staring at Van Pelt's ass."
"Did you have to mention that perv?" Lisbon rolled her eyes in disgust wondering that she still had an appetite.
Every woman at the CBI knew exactly what body part Jimmy had a thing for and they always had. He'd never made a secret of it. He liked them all no matter what shape or size. Except maybe Ilsa Horton who really had no bottom of which to speak. Lisbon shook her head at the direction her thoughts were taking.
Only Jane could make her nuttier than a fruitcake in the middle of a swanky place like this.
"He's harmless, Teresa." Jane observed. "Maybe the twerp's a little on the rude side with all that staring; but, he's harmless just the same."
"Do you let him stare at my butt?" Lisbon asked pointedly.
"He likes yours better than Van Pelt's. I honestly can't say that I blame him. Van Pelt's rear is quite nice. But, your's is a little firmer and nicely rounded." Jane deliberately studied his menu avoiding her indignant eyes. "Don't give me that look. You aren't mine so I don't have any right to interfere. It would only fuel the rumor mill there was something hinky going on between us and you know how you'd feel about that."
"But you can still look at my ass?" Lisbon huffed in disbelief that Jane had actually just admitted to checking out her butt.
"I'm a man, Teresa, and it's kind of hard to miss." Especially when he spent a lot of his time walking behind her.
"What do you think us slipping around seeing each other is going to do to that?" Lisbon forced herself to ignore his statement.
"Eventually shut it down since it won't be a rumor anymore." Jane answered honestly. "While I don't recommend flaunting any change in relationship, it is bound to eventually come out. I suggest we ignore the gossip as it really doesn't affect our lives. As for Bertram and crew, I don't think we're going to have any problems from that quarter. They know what happens when they try to split us up."
"You really don't care about the gossip?" Lisbon quirked a brow at him.
"I wouldn't have approached you if I did." Jane's tone was sincere.
Watching their waiter set their salads in front of them; Lisbon gave the matter some thought. To be honest, she wasn't sure how to handle any of this. Or exactly what she should say. The thought of anything really happening between her and Jane had never really crossed her mind. Well, it had crossed her mind. She'd just never believed anything could happen between them. It was more like her whacked out fantasy and everyone knew fantasies didn't come true.
Besides, Jane was too caught up in the chase and she was, well, she was too much of a professional to ever seriously contemplate something as unprofessional as getting involved with her Mentalist. It would put the final nail in the coffin of her career.
She should say no, she really should. She had no business dating anyone at the moment. And she sure as heck wasn't courting anyone particularly Patrick Jane. Not with a serial killer amping up his killing spree.
It would be highly irresponsible.
Besides, what was Jane thinking?
She wasn't sure he was. He seemed to be responding rather emotionally to recent events…To losing Lennon, to losing Lorelei, to Red John's open threat, to that stupid List of Seven…This wasn't like him at all...He'd spent the years since he'd lost his family refusing to live... It made no sense he'd suddenly decided he wanted to.
Or maybe Barlow's words had changed something…Maybe it was realizing she felt the same as he apparently did were she to believe Lorelei's nastiness...She honestly hadn't a clue...
Catching his eye, Lisbon made up her mind.
"I can't say yes, Patrick. Not tonight." Lisbon said quietly deciding he wasn't "Jane" in a moment such as this. "But, I think I'll think about it."
Taking a sip of wine, Lisbon deliberately ignored the disappointment on his face as she smiled at the hand lightly rubbing hers reassuringly. While Jane didn't like what she'd said one bit, he was calmly accepting her words without a fight. Not sure what her final answer would be, Lisbon admitted to herself that his present reaction was going a long way in Jane's favor.
Catching his eye again, Lisbon returned his tentative smile conveying everything was okay in spite of her unexpected response. Jane had clearly accepted he couldn't win every battle. But, even knowing that, she wasn't foolish enough to think he would give in or up.
The determined gleam in his eyes said differently.