Jess walked along, couting the money he'd just taken out of the bank. You had to count it, you never knew when they'd either shortchange you, or give you too much. It would throw things out of balance, and the neurotic Callie could not have that. He laughed as he remembered the last time the bank teller had given him too much, and their check book was out of balance.

"So, what, did you pay them off?" Dean's voice broke into Jess' amusing thoughts.

"Excuse me?" Jess asked, as he looked up to see Dean stading in front of him.

"Rory and Lorelai." he explained. "Did you pay 'em off to jump to your defense?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Jess said, walking past him.

"Do you have some sort of dirt on this Callie, or is she really needy?" Dean called after him.

"What the hell is your problem?" Jess asked, turning around and looking up at the taller man.

"You are, you always have been."

"Look, I'm in a good mood." Jess said. "I don't really feel like killing that mood by getting into a fight with you about stuff that happened years ago."

"No, of course not, because you're now the perfect one." Dean mocked. "Such a good job, a wonderful fiancee, you've worked so hard and become such a good guy."

"I'm done with this." Jess said, turning and walking off.

"Running away, just like you did to Rory." Dean taunted.

"You know what?" Jess said, turning back around. "You're right, I scewed up with Rory, but she and I have worked that out, and I think I've begun working it out with her mom, and it's none of your damn business, so just shut the hell up."

"This girl is gonna regret ever having met you." Dean said, a satisfied grin on his face. "And you'll be alone again."

"Right, I won't have a jumping social life like you." Jess snapped. "Let's see, you dumped Rory twice before cheating on your wife with her, then you dumped her again. And what now, big guy, you got another wife you're cheating on? Or maybe you're here hiding out from the most recent girlfriend you bailed on."

"Jess." Callie's voice cut in. "What's goin' on, babe?"

"Nothing, just catching up." he answered as she came to stand at his side.

"A not a friend of yours I assume." she said, looking back and forth between the two.

"No, not really." he said.

"We're having dinner at Luke's." she reminded him. "Do you wanna go home and change before then?"

"Yeah." he said. "I've gotta go, Dean, but it was so nice having this little chat."

"Good luck with marrying this creep." Dean said as he turned and stalked off.

"If I hadn't come by just now you two would be rolling around in the street beating the living crap out of one another, wouldn't you?" Callie asked as Jess held her hand and they began the walk back home.

"Maybe." he shrugged.

"Yeah, maybe." she rolled her eyes. "Does he live here in town?"

"I don't think so." he answered.

"Good." she said with a smile. "Having to bail you out whatever this place has for a jail would get old after a trip or two."

"We'd be the talk of the town." he said.

"We already are." she laughed. "I swear, the people around here know more about you than I do, and they seem to be getting more and more on me."

"I can only imagine the wonderful things they've been saying about me." he remarked. "You're not getting ready to ditch me, are ya?"

"Oh, I'm this close to losing you and stealing Kirk away from Lulu." she joked.

"I hope you're happy together." he said with a smile. "Although, I hear you might want to be careful at night."

"Does he turn into a vampire?" she asked.

"No, but apparently he has night terrors in the nude."

"Oh, thank you so much for that image." she shuddered. "Eww, now I've a naked Kirk dancing around in my mind."

"You're welcome." he laughed.

--

"Hey, I've gotta run to the post office." Callie called as Jess stepped out of the shower. "I'll meet you at Lorelai's."

"Okay." he called back as he wrapped a towel around himself.

He ran another towel through his hair and began to apply the various hair products that Callie teased him about. The phone rang, and swearing under his breath, he cleaned off his hands and answered.

"Is this Jess Mariano?" a man's voice asked.

"Yeah." he replied. "Look, if you're trying to sell anything, I'm not interested." he said, getting ready to replace the phone.

"No, no, Mr. Mariano," the man said quickly, hoping to stop Jess from hanging up. "I'm calling in regards to your refrences and body of work. My name is Carl Paulson."

"What?"

"The samples of your work." the man repeated.

"How did you get any of my work?" Jess asked.

"Robert sent it along to me, and we're very interested." Paulson replied.

"Robert? Robert Lindstrom?" Jess asked trying to keep his temper.

"Yes, Robert and I go back a long way. He told me that you're a pretty good writer, and that you have experience in proof reading..."

"I'm not interested." Jess cut him off. "Thank you, but no thanks."

"Mr. Mariano, please, hear me out, this is a great opportunity." Paulson tried to convince Jess.

"I'm not interested." Jess repeated.

"Take some time to think about it." Paulson urged him. "My number is..."

"I have caller ID." Jess said before hanging up the phone.

--

"You just missed Lorelai trying to cook." Callie laughed as Jess walked in.

"That must have been something." he said cooly.

"We'll be eating in about fifteen minutes." Luke said as he handed Jess a beer.

"Thanks." Jess said, taking the beer, but not taking his eyes off Callie.

"What's wrong?" she asked when Luke had disappeared back into the kitchen.

"I got a call from a Carl Paulson." he said as he took a swig.

"Carl Paulson?" she asked, the name not sounding familiar.

"An old buddy of your dad's." he said. "Ring any bells?"

"Oh, yeah, it does." she said as she sat down and put her wine glass on the table beside her.

"How did your dad get any of my stuff to send off to him?" he asked, taking a seat across from her.

"I gave it to him." she answered after hesitating a minute.

"You what?"

"Carl runs a publishing company in New Haven, its small, but its good and reputible." she explained. "He thought it woudln't hurt anything to send Carl a few samples of your stuff."

"You had no right to do that, Callie." Jess said, trying to keep his voice down. "I don't want your dad doing little favors like this for me."

"Would you stop being so stubborn for a minute, Jess?" she groaned. "This is a good chance, they like your stuff, and you want to be able to write more."

"That doesn't matter." he said as he got to his feet and started pacing around the room. "If I'm going to do that, I want it to be because of me."

"It is because of you." she argued. "It's your work that they like, its your work they would want to publish." she said as she got up and stood in front of him. "My dad may have made a call, but its your talent that they're interested in."

"But they wouldn't be if it weren't for your dad." he said as he moved off.

"Jess, please, just think about it." she begged.

"There is nothing to think about." he said. "I'm not interested in doing business with any of your dad's buddies."

"Sorry, don't mean to interrupt." Lorelai said as she walked in, seeing she'd done so in the midst of an argument.

"Its fine." Jess said. "Dinner ready?"

"Yeah." she nodded, shooting a questioning look to Callie who rolled her eyes.

"I'm gonna go help Luke dish it up." he said as he walked out.

"What was that?" Lorelai asked.

"I gave my dad some of Jess's work to send to a friend of his who has a little publishing company, they offered a job to Jess, but he's mad because I didn't tell him what I was doing." she explained.

"I can see why he might be mad." Lorelai nodded.

"I know." Callie said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "But, I thought it would be good for him."

"You're heart may have been in the right place..."

"But my brain was off on vacation." Callie groaned. "Now he's gonna be sulky and moody all night." she sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't apologize to me." Lorelai said.

"No, I need to apologize to Jess." she said. "I hate doing that."

"Come, Luke's lasagna will give you courage." Lorelai said, putting a reassuring arm around the younger woman.

"That and a few glasses of wine."

"I've so got that covered." Lorelai laughed.

"Maybe if I get Jess really drunk, he won't remember, and I won't have to apologize." Callie smiled.

"You really don't like admitting fault."

"Hate it." she said. "I'd rather have my teeth drilled with no pain killers."

"Not that big of a deal." Lorelai said, grimacing at the thought of what Callie had said.

"He's gonna gloat. I know he is."

"Well then, do it when you get home, I don't want him gloating and being bothersome here." Lorelai said.

"Thanks." Callie said.

"Come on, dig in." Luke said as he set a basket of garlic bread onto the table.

"You're going to be hell tonight, aren't you?" Callie whispered to Jess as she sat down.

"Yup." he nodded as he took a piece of bread.