A/N: Nerwen here and I'm so excited that I'm finally writing a fic with the amazing Donna. Hehehe I know what you guys are thinking: where there is Nerwen there has to be enough angst to kill two or three people…well stop your worrying. My angst has been hogtied for this fic, so just enjoy a fun ride.

I never knew that my mom sitting me down to watch old Doris Day movies would lead to something like this. Thanks, Mom! So sit back and enjoy the fun ride, Mentalist style.

Chapter 2: Surfin' for Trouble

War had come to Mashburn Advertising Agency and Walter Mashburn was not happy about it. As soon as he'd stepped foot into the building he received several accounts about the battles between Jane and his new co-director. He also knew immediately who probably fired the first shots.

He headed straight for Jane's office, marching past Grace before she could utter a word of protest. His employee and friend was studying his indecipherable board again like an obsession. He normally didn't doubt Jane's methods since he did damn good work, but none of that helped when he was exacerbating an already volatile situation.

"I'm surprised to see you working; seems all you did while I was gone was cause trouble," Walter opened, declaring his presence and his displeasure.

Patrick didn't even move a muscle. "Do you hear me?"

"I choose not to," Patrick replied, still staring intently at the board.

Walter was caught off guard by that response. "Do I need to remind you who is in charge of this company?"

"Of course not but I know you love telling me," he replied before finally turning around to look at his friend. "Now why don't you tell me why you are here so I can get back to work?" But then he held up his hand. "Oh no wait, I think I can guess. The potential Mrs. Walter Mashburn number four must have informed you that I'm not giving her an easy ride."

"She didn't say anything; everyone else in this damn building was more than happy to inform me of your hijinks," Walter explained. "You're determined to drive her away aren't you?"

"I'm merely making sure she understands that she'll have to survive on her own merits instead of using, I presume, her more physical assets."

"She's good, Patrick. Damn good, my gut is telling me that we need her."

Patrick laughed now. "Something is talking to you but I don't think it is your gut."

"This…it's not like that," Walter blustered but Patrick just chuckled some more.

"I'm sure it's not, Walter. And after wining and dining her did you ask her to your hotel room?" Walter didn't say anything and Patrick grinned broadly; he knew his answer. "Of course she turned you down, otherwise she wouldn't be here. She's a crafty broad but I'm not going to let some two-bit in a skirt waltz around here like she owns place because the boss has a crush on her."

"I don't make business decisions on my personal feelings!"

"Didn't you let your second wife decide who handled the Mrs. Gallagher's Soup account?" Jane asked, knowing full well the story already.

"I really thought that Smithe was the right man for that account."

"You just didn't know she was serving up soup to Smithe on the side," Patrick smirked knowingly. "And you wonder why I doubt Miss Lisbon."

Walter snapped up. "Well you shouldn't; she knows what she's doing. And to test her skills, I'm going to give her an account."

"I hear that cupcake bakery is looking for advertisers," Jane replied, turning his attention back to the board. It proved how seriously he was taking this situation.

His friend shook his head, even though Jane wasn't looking at him. "No, I have something special in mind for her. I've been meeting with the representatives for Sea Mist Surfing."

Jane actually did pause and turn to look at Walter. "You're courting a surfing company?"

"It's the biggest brand in Australia," Walter explained, "and thanks to those boys from Hawthorne, every kid under twenty-five wants to get their hands on a surfboard. Their marketing has tripled and now they want to break into the American market while it's hot. This is the national campaign the folks from Madison Avenue dream of."

Patrick knew he might not have been one for the crooning ballads about riding the waves, but he knew when something was popular. The Cineplex was always showing some movie that took place at the beach, and he couldn't get a can of pop at the gas station without hearing another song about surfing.

And Mashburn was going to give this account to a woman?

"You cannot seriously be thinking about giving this account to an unproven woman? What the hell does she know about how to put together a real campaign?"

"You know she can do it."

"For toothpaste. This is huge, Walter. You can't let a woman handle this," Jane told him, practically salivating over this pitch. "It's too big. You know you need to give this to someone you trust."

"I'm going to give this project to the best," Walter assured him.

"That's me."

Walter smiled. "You have hot dogs to sell. Teresa can handle this one."

He turned to leave while Jane voiced his displeasure. "You're making a mistake, Walter. Giving her this account might get her into your bed, but it's going to ruin you."

He stopped and turned back to his friend. "You should meet her, Patrick. Then you'll see she's got more than great gams."

"I'm sure the first thing you noticed about her was her brilliant mind," Jane scoffed. "Don't do this, Walter."

Walter stopped for a moment and then shook his head again. "I want to see what she'll do."

Jane watched his friend and boss leave, still slightly stunned that something like this had happened. He knew Walter would chase any tail he fancied, he also know that when he thought he was in love that he was prone to making rash and stupid decisions. For example, marrying that waitress he met in Alpaca…or marrying at all. But this one took the cake, giving a woman a national campaign on her first week. Walter was probably in her office giving her the good news and encouraging a celebration over champagne in the hopes her gratitude would finally entice her to his home.

He wanted this campaign, if only to once more prove to his friend that there really was only one thing women were good at. And it wasn't playing with the big boys.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Walter Mashburn informed her that he wanted her to take on the Sea Mist Surfing account, Teresa was understandably thrilled with the news. She was grateful that Mr. Mashburn had enough faith in her abilities to take on a major client like this, but she still turned down his offer to a celebratory dinner. While he was handsome and quite charming, she didn't want to give him any ideas. She hadn't come to Sacramento for anything more than to do her job; Walter Mashburn would have to be satisfied with that.

For the moment, she was completely engrossed in learning what she could about Sea Mist Surfing and the man behind the company, Jack King. Unfortunately, being an Australian company, there wasn't very much she could gather beyond his name. She couldn't even find a photograph of the man, but she found out his company was estimated to bring several million dollars a year, and this was all before his products would start showing up in America.

Teresa took a systematic approach with her ideas, jotting them down on a piece of paper or a chalkboard. She composed a neat list of slogans and possible logos to send down to the art department. She would have to consult with them since she wanted to have something to pitch to Mr. King when he arrived Thursday.

The silence in her office was interrupted by Sarah. "Miss Lisbon? Mr. Jane is waiting on the line for you."

Well that was something. After the pains she took to contact him and finally deciding to just let the pig be a pig, now he was responding to her calls. She eyed the phone a little warily but felt a bit of smug satisfaction that it was probably because she was working on the Sea Mist Surfing account. She had a feeling he wasn't calling to congratulate her.

Lisbon primly picked up the telephone. "This is Teresa Lisbon."

"Well, Miss Lisbon, you must be feeling pretty good about yourself," Patrick Jane drawled.

"I wouldn't know what you are talking about, Mr. Jane. I'm merely doing my job."

"I know what you are doing; I'm just wondering if you do."

"Pardon me?" She said, having a feeling this was more about him doubting her abilities…probably because she was a woman.

"This isn't peddling household products, this is a major campaign. If it goes wrong you'll never be able to work in advertising again."

Lisbon bristled at that comment. Of course she was aware of how important this pitch was, but she also had the utmost faith in her abilities. "I'm aware of how important this is, Mr. Jane."

"Then maybe you should consider passing this off to a more seasoned veteran in the business."

"I don't think so. While I might have only been 'peddling household products' for a short time, I know that my ideas will win over Mr. King. I'm willing to forge my own destiny by my own standards."

"Your charms won't be able to help you out of this mess," he warned her.

"I beg your pardon!"

"You heard me."

Teresa was seething now. She was aware of the rumors about how she'd had such success so quickly, but no one had had the nerve to say them to her until now. "Why, you simple-minded cad."

"What happened to pig?"

"I was merely beginning, Mr. Jane," she told him quickly. "In all my life I have never met a man so despicable. You simply cannot believe that a woman is able to play in what is supposed to be man's world. Well then, you'll have a front row seat for this revolution. I'm taking the Sea Mist account and when it succeeds, I personally cannot wait to wipe that smile off of your face with one of those surfboards."

"And when you fall flat on your face, I'll enjoy telling Walter that he needs to stop hiring based on how cold his sheets are."

"I was wrong. You're not a pig, you're a whole sty of them!" She slammed the receiver down with an indignant huff. It took a very long time for her to feel even reasonably calm.

That man was a complete disgrace to the human race. She had half a mind to march to his office right now and give him a real talk about how a woman should be treated. But the best revenge for her would be to prove him wrong…and then smile snidely as he ate his crow.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The battle between Patrick Jane and Teresa Lisbon still simmered with the women in the office all championing the newest Creative Director. This was a war between the sexes that was unparalleled, and it was only just beginning.

Patrick was still smarting over Walter's decision to give her the surfing account. The man had made irrational decisions regarding the fairer sex before but this was a disaster just waiting to happen. It also didn't help that Walter seemed to be putting a woman in front of their friendship; that had never happened before. He had to prove that hiring Teresa Lisbon was a big mistake.

He was coming back from his long lunch break when he came upon Rigsby talking to Grace again. It was probably the worst kept secret in the office that the man had a thing for Jane's secretary. It was also obvious that Grace reciprocated those feelings but was being the shy woman in the equation. Soon he would undoubtedly push them in the right direction if they didn't figure it out for themselves. For now, it was fun to watch.

As soon as Jane walked up, Rigsby shuffled away quickly, like an errant child.

"Hello, Grace," Jane said as if he had seen nothing. Let them pretend they were hiding their feelings. "Any messages for me?"

"Only from Frank's Franks," Grace told him, "and one for Miss Lisbon that was sent to me by mistake."

That tickled his interest, mostly because he enjoyed the idea of knowing something before Teresa Lisbon did. "I was about to ring up our sister of suffrage. I'll make sure she gets the message."

His secretary was no fool; she eyed him warily, not trusting him at all. But Patrick Jane had the smile that could convince an angel to toss its halo away. It only took a few seconds before Grace blushed prettily and handed him the memo. Jane took the paper gratefully, flashing her a new smile of gratitude before backing into his office to allow Rigsby to go back to clumsily wooing his secretary.

Jane looked over the note in Grace's neat script and couldn't believe the good fortune that had fallen into his lap. Apparently, a family emergency was delaying Jack King's arrival to Sacramento, and he would not be able to meet Teresa Lisbon for dinner that evening.

This was the perfect opportunity to put his own feelers out there and prove to Jack King that the only person who should be handling this account was the one and only Patrick Jane. So he would delay telling Miss Lisbon and use this chance to get in contact with Sea Mist Surfing himself. He could imagine her sitting at that restaurant, waiting for the client who wouldn't come.

Of course he didn't have to imagine it…he could go watch for himself.

Now there was an idea.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Riva Del Fiume was by the river just as it name suggested, but it also had exceptional Italian cuisine. It was also one of the priciest restaurants in Sacramento, which meant Teresa Lisbon at least knew how to ply clients with good food and wine. Patrick Jane had brought all of his clients to this very restaurant at some time, himself. That was also why the owner considered him a friend.

Patrick was led into the dining room by the maître d himself and when he asked which table Teresa Lisbon was sitting at he didn't even blink before pointing to the best table in the place, the one that had a breathtaking view of the Tower Bridge.

He should have been annoyed that she was sitting at his table in his restaurant dressed to the nines to impress a client that should have been his. He'd planned to sit at an inferior table and laugh behind a menu while she waited impatiently for a client that would never come. That had been his plan from the beginning.

But he hadn't seen her then.

She wasn't at all like he had imagined…which meant he wasn't prepared for the beauty waiting for him. He'd known she must be a looker-Walter would never fall for some plain girl fresh off the farm…but she wasn't the buxom woman he'd imagined, either.

No, Teresa Lisbon was something else. All pale creamy skin contrasting with soft chocolate hair. She was wearing an emerald green evening dress that only highlighted her beauty, not low cut to be too enticing, but it was form- fitting enough to show she had just the right curves that would drive a man insane. He wanted to see her eyes, to see if they really were as green as they appeared even this far away. He wanted to find out if her hair was as soft as it looked.

She was small too. How had such a small woman yelled out insults over the phone? Clearly, she had more spirit than he could give her credit for. That fact only intrigued him more, now that Teresa Lisbon wasn't some pushy upstart wanting to be in at a place she didn't belong. No, now she was an enigma that he had to solve.

The only problem was that she hated him.

That put a stop to any of his plans to go over and talk to the woman. One word out of his mouth and she would be marching out of the restaurant. But all she knew was his voice; she didn't know him beyond that. Well, he could change that simply enough.

Jane ignored the nagging thought in his head that he was about to make a catastrophic blunder of epic proportions as he made his way to the table. He simply came up with the first thing that came to mind: "G'day, ma'am."

Teresa Lisbon turned her head to meet his gaze and he had the satisfaction of knowing her eyes really were as green as her dress…and only served to make her even more beautiful. She smiled sweetly and rose out of her seat. "You must be Mr. King."

Well, he'd spoken in an Australian accent, who else would she think he was?

"Why, yes ma'am," he said as he shook her small hand. Everything about her was small, perfectly so. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lisbon. I look forward hearing what you have to say about my company."

"I look forward to sharing my ideas with you," Teresa told him. Patrick took the opportunity to play the gentleman and pull her chair out for her. "A gentleman, and I'd heard that Australia was full of former criminals and wild natives."

So she could be charming in addition to feisty. "Well, ma'am. The land down under has much to surprise you," Patrick told her, honestly having no idea what he was saying at this point. "We all have our history, but my family has tried to conduct ourselves with honesty."

"I never thought anything else," Teresa told him, "I'd love to hear more about you."

He flashed her his most winning smile and took great satisfaction in noting how lovely she looked when her cheeks blushed a bright pink. "Well ma'am, how can I say no to a lovely sheila such as yourself?"

Her cheeks turned a darker shade of pink and she laughed lightly. Jane was quickly finding himself enraptured by this enchanting creature. It was a blessing that he was gifted with thinking quickly on his feet and he could thank his conman father for teaching him how to spin lies so effortlessly that nearly anybody would believe them.

Patrick didn't know anything about Jack King or living in Australia, but he sure made her believe it as he told her a tale about growing up in the wilds of Australia with kangaroos eating out of the palm of his hand and befriending a wild dingo. "I always loved to spend my days on the beach, watching the waves crash onto the shore. But the only way to truly become in touch with the ocean, to really understand how it can move the soul, was to become one with it."

Teresa was enchanted by his story. "You make it sound magical."

"It's indescribable," he continued, "and I knew that the only way others could understand this was to have them experience it themselves. Which is why I started Sea Mist Surfing. I want to encourage others to understand what it is like to truly be a part of the ocean."

"It's quite a noble thing," she told him, "you make me want to run out into the waves right now."

He smiled, enjoying that image immensely. "I'm sure you would look lovely on the beach."

She blushed and shook her head. "I'm afraid the sun and I have never gotten along very well."

Patrick leaned over the table, putting on his most sensual look. "I would love to reacquaint you, ma'am. Perhaps you started off on the wrong side of the beach; now it's time to meet in the middle."

Teresa couldn't pull her gaze away from him, just stared right back into his eyes, giving him time to drink in the sight of her lovely face. Then she pulled back, nervously taking a sip of her wine, but he could see her pulse was racing. This was a very good start.

"Perhaps I should start telling you some of my ideas for your company," Lisbon began.

She was trying to infuse some level of professionalism back into their conversation, but from the way she was constantly looking at him, they both knew it was for naught.

"I believe the best thing is to let your own love for the ocean speak through your products. Right now, everyone is in love with the beach and surfing, and with the Beach Boys' popularity, it would be easy to simply ride on those coattails, but I don't want your company to fade into the woodwork with the latest craze. We need to make something that will endure. We need to stir more than just excitement; we need to stir their passion. Just as you said, the best way to become one with the ocean was to be a part of it."

Jane sat back and studied the woman in front of him, more than a little surprised by her speech. She wasn't saying anything he hadn't thought himself. She was right-an easy fix would be simply to jump onto the bandwagon of the beach movies, but no, she was pitching for something unique, more soul stirring than simple fun in the sun.

Walter had been right about one thing: she might actually be the real deal.

"I love your ideas," Patrick said genuinely, "I think you really know how to sell this company to your Americans. I would love to continue talking with you about how to go on with this."

She grinned happily. "Of course."

But the conversation kept swaying from their plans toward other topics. While she pressed for more information about growing up in Australia, he was just as sly. He asked her questions about herself, not just to keep the subject off of now fictionalized Jack King, but also because he found he genuinely wanted to know how someone such as she had found her place among the top executives in advertising.

"Oh really, there is not much to tell."

"I think you are wrong, ma'am," Patrick told her, "I was very surprised to find I would be working with a woman." He smiled at her gently. "Pleased, but surprised."

Teresa looked a little bashful, ducking her head and lightly fingering the cross that hung around her neck. "Well, Mr. King, I grew up in Chicago with three younger brothers."

"My, your mother had her hands full."

A wave of sadness washed over features. "My mother died when I was young. My father…he never really got over it. It was left to me to take care of them. I had to find a job that paid well and willing to take on a woman so I could put those three boys through college. I'm grateful that I've had the opportunity to prove myself with the Dental-Brite campaign, and now Mr. Mashburn was so kind as to give me an offer I couldn't refuse. Now my brothers will have what they need."

Patrick was stunned once more by Teresa Lisbon. The softness in her tone as she spoke lovingly about her family was unmistakable; she wasn't a scheming hussy trying to claw her way to the top. She was the sweet, motherly older sister that wanted to give her brothers the best possible chance.

"And you?" He asked her gently, "What are you getting?"

She smiled and shook her head. "The satisfaction of helping my family and proving that I'm capable on my own…well that's more than enough for me."

"You're a real class act, Teresa Lisbon," Patrick commented, meaning every word.

Teresa gave him a coy look. "And you're a real gentleman, Mr. King. I thought I'd never see the day."

Patrick leaned over the table, his fingertips just barely touching hers. "I admit, ma'am I didn't think I would ever meet a woman like you when I came to this country. Would it be all right if we talked some more…about business, of course."

Her eyes sparkled as she pulled out a card and swiftly wrote her number on the back. "Of course, Mr. King, I can give you my personal number so we can talk about your company."

When she handed him the card once more, their fingers touched and she found herself quickly adding. "Or anything else you would like."

"Well then, Miss Lisbon," Jane drawled out. "I certainly will ring you."

She was still blushing as she sipped their dessert wine; neither could tear their eyes off each other. Teresa had the distinct feeling that since Mr. King had walked in that this was going to be more than a simple business relationship; she was in danger of being swept away by his charming smile and naïve manner.

Patrick Jane, on the other hand, didn't know what he was doing, just that he was suddenly desperate to get to know Teresa Lisbon beyond the office. And if that meant being someone else, then he would do it.

Even if he knew for sure that he was just begging for trouble.

A/N: Well we had to make it Australian just so we can all imagine Simon's real voice, LOL. Hope you like how things have been set up with Jane getting into a real mess of his own making. I'm leaving chapter 3 to Donna's magical muse.