I Met My Hart in San Francisco – Chapter 2

Author's Note: I received a few comments about Jennifer's mom in my story, Frankie. Since this is an AU, or Alternate Universe story, which it already is because we know in the original story they met in London, not San Francisco, I took some creative liberty so she gets a mother of my own creation. If you're having a hard time getting a handle on her, go watch Laws of Attraction with Julianne Moore and Pierce Brosnan. The mother in that movie is who comes to mind when I write Frankie. Plus, it's a cute movie. You're welcome.

Thanks everyone for the kind comments, let's keep it going.

"Hey Boss, you gonna need me today?"

"I don't think so, Max, I'm going to be at the center again for most of the day. I have a few calls this afternoon, but I'll just handle from there."

"Whatever you want, just call me if you change your mind." Max shook his head. Only Jonathan Hart, who could have anything and any one he wanted would choose to spend his time helping out a bunch of nuns at Christmas. Like the apartment he kept here in San Francisco. It wasn't flashy, but it was prime real estate with gorgeous views. His boss, though, spent his time down at the center helping out, leaving Max to enjoy the good life.

"By the way, Max, I was thinking, when you're at the center, could you call me Charlie or Jonathan, instead of Mr. H or Boss?"

Max turned from the sink where he was rinsing out his coffee cup to give Jonathan a funny look. "Sure, I guess, but what's that all about?"

"Nothing, but you never know who's listening and I just want to be a normal guy. No big deal."

"Uh, huh. Yeah, no problem, uh, Charlie," his gravelly voice tried out the new name, but the obvious dislike of it showed on his worn face. "Eh, maybe I'll save it for the center."

H2H2H2H

Jennifer helped pick up the lunch dishes from the afternoon crowd and tried not to look at the front door every time it opened. As she stared at her laptop this morning, she told herself that she could go down to the center and volunteer again because it was the time of year for goodwill and helping others but her inner voice mocked, you just want to see Jonathan again, don't you? He's gorgeous and funny and you're drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

"Hey, are you busy?"

"Pardon me?" Jennifer turned toward the unfamiliar voice coming from a couple of tables over. The voice belonged to a young man, in his late teens she guessed, who wore a colorful striped sweater.

"I'm not trying to be rude, I just asked if you're busy."

The young man seemed more than a little perturbed, and since she was there to volunteer, she offered to help. "No, I'm just cleaning up. Do you need anything?"

"Yes, I'm going to need you to come with me."

The young man didn't look menacing necessarily, but his words put her an alert. "Why don't we sit down here, and you can tell me where you're planning for us to go." She hoped her voice sounded as calm as she'd intended before she could flesh out the situation.

The man followed Jennifer to one of the tables and sat down. "I need a girlfriend for Christmas with my family. Can you come with me and maybe bring me a present? I'd like a new Chess board, mine is missing one of the horses."

"Bennie, you can't take this one, she's with me," a new voice interjected.

"What? That can't be right, Charlie. You just got here and I saw her first. She's really pretty."

"I met her last night, so she's definitely my friend. Isn't that right Jennifer, didn't I meet you last night?"

"Uh, yes, that is right, we put up the Christmas lights together over there, see?"

"Oooh, they're really pretty. But Jennifer is my friend too, she's sitting down and talking to me. You told me that's a sign of interest."

"No, I told you that was a sign that someone is interested in talking with you, and that if someone sits down with you, you could ask them to play Chess."

Bennie tried one more time, "But you don't kiss her or anything like that do you?"

After a pause to think, Jonathan started to give a response that would make sense to Bennie but was admittedly caught off guard by the question. "Well, Bennie, that's a private thing between two grown up people—"

One minute he was talking to Bennie, and the next, his arms were full of a gorgeous red head who was kissing him full on the mouth.

He instinctively kissed her back, and within seconds their lips softened and began to explore. Jonathan thought he heard a soft moan as he let one hand glide low on one hip while the other held her to his body.

The sound of a very pronounced clearing of the throat caused them to pull apart quickly. Sister Beatrice stood there, her arms folded together and her wrinkled eyes peering over horn rimmed glasses. The disapproving look on the older woman's face said more than words would have, and Jonathan and Jennifer could do little more but stand uncomfortably looking anywhere but at each other. Jonathan glanced behind him to see that Bennie had left the scene and was heading back toward the kitchen. Beatrice gave a harrumph and moved on about her business leaving the younger adults to deal with their awkwardness.

"I'm probably supposed to say I'm sorry," she started.

"I wish you wouldn't, that was by far the nicest thing that's happened to me in a long time."

Jennifer had the grace to blush, "then I won't, though I really don't go around kissing men I hardly know."

"Maybe we should remedy that. I could show you around the city and we could get to know each other a little better, maybe tonight?"

"I'd like that. Why don't I meet you here at 7?"

"I'm looking forward to it."

H2H2H2H

"You will not believe what your daughter was out there doing!"

Frankie and Maggie turned to see the older nun storm into the kitchen with a dour expression.

"She was kissing Charlie, for all the world to see, like she hadn't seen a man in a year of Sundays!"

Frankie and Maggie exchanged a glance. "Are you serious? My Jennifer? Well that was much easier than I expected, but extremely out of character for her."

"Well she was, she started it, and he was fully participating, arms all wrapped around her. I've never seen such a display, and in a church!"

"Bea, it's not a church, it's an activity room and they are two single adults."

"Still, you need to talk to her, it's not how a lady behaves."

Maggie finally piped in with a mischievous expression, "Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, hmm, Frankie?"

A new voice interrupted, "Hey Bennie, come help me unload the car, will ya kid?"

Bennie, who had just walked in, was usually happy to help. "Sure, Max, but I'm not helping Charlie."

"I didn't ask you to help Charlie, I asked you to help me. Besides, what did Charlie do to you?"

"I was trying to get my new friend Jennifer to go to Christmas with me and he came right in and they started kissing. It was so gross!"

Max's head snapped over to look at Frankie and Maggie. "The boss was kissing a lady?"

"Not any lady, my daughter," Frankie chimed in.

"Francesca Edwards! You sound like you're proud of her!"

"Ladies, she's had a rough go of it recently in the love department, I'm excited for her to get back out there. I'm not pushing her down the aisle or anything."

"That's a good thing because Mr. H hasn't had an easy time of it either with the opposite sex. I can't say too much about it, but maybe it would be a good thing for him to meet someone, if he's ready." He motioned to Bennie, "C'mon kid, I've got boxes for the game tonight to bring in, and you look like you've got a strong back."

"I am strong, Max, do you want to see my muscles?"

H2H2H2H

Jonathan tugged his scarf around his neck as he held the door for Jennifer and they ventured out into the cool winter evening.

"Are you okay to walk? It really is a nice night."

Jennifer looked down at her shoes, "My favorite boots and I are ready for anything you bring our way."

He offered his arm, and she immediately placed her hand in the bend of his elbow.

The pair walked through the bustling but relaxed streets around the center and made their first stop at a coffee shop. Once they'd ordered, Jonathan found them a little corner table where they could talk but people watch as the city came even more alive with holiday shoppers.

"Tell me about Bennie, he seems like a special kid,"

"He's been coming to the center for a while, probably about five years. He has some developmental issues, and he has a single mom who works three jobs. We look out for him when we can, though the sisters are more like second moms to him. He's in a special needs program during the school year that Maggie coordinates."

"I hate to admit he scared me when I first met him."

"He is a good kid, I've been trying to help him with his social skills. As you learned the hard way, he doesn't have much filter." Jonathan sipped his coffee, and then smiled as he set the cup back down. "So fear is the only reason you kissed me?"

"You're not going to let me forget about that, are you?"

"Not likely, no. It's not every day that a beautiful woman kisses me out of the blue."

"Really? I bet you have your fair share of women friends."

"Not as many as you'd think, to be honest." The last thing Jonathan wanted to talk about this evening was other women. There really weren't that many to discuss, but the ones he'd shared histories with were not worth mentioning. He intentionally changed the subject, "Enough about me, tell me what the normal life of Jennifer Edwards is like."

Jennifer shared anecdotes of her life in New York and the life of a journalist, and the pair headed back into the hustle and bustle, talking as they walked.

The topics ranged from personal interests to current events and all sorts of tidbits in between. Dinner at a new sushi place Jonathan had heard about was followed by a shared piece of cheesecake, and easier conversation as they sat across from each other in a booth with a steady flow of refills.

"If I keep drinking this coffee, I'm going to be up all night," Jennifer stirred her drink thoughtlessly even though her cream was already blended.

"I can think of worse ways to spend a winter's evening," Jonathan replied softly, then watched for her reaction.

Jennifer twisted her head, and he instantly regretted what he'd said. He assumed she was stalling and trying to think of a way to let him down easy.

"I'm sorry, that may have come out a little more forward than I had intended."

"Nothing to apologize for, I'd be lying if I hadn't thought about inviting you to my hotel. The suite I'm staying in has a gorgeous view of the city."

Jonathan smiled, "Now that's a line if ever I heard one."

"I can't remember the last time I've enjoyed an evening so much, I really don't want it to end."

"Me either," he reached out and covered her hands with his own larger ones.

She unconsciously slid one of her hands and placed it over his, "Jonathan, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't extremely attracted to you, but I need to tell you that I just came out of a relationship that ended rather badly. I'm not sure where this is headed, but I'm a little hesitant to delve into anything more than a friendship."

"I'm open to a friendship," he paused and watched their joined hands and how she was brushing his thumb with her fingers, "to start."

His charm was in full force, and Jennifer couldn't help but smile back at his attractive grin.

"So, should we continue this at the Fairmont then? Just two friends enjoying a beautiful view of the city?" she offered.

To be continued…