The Rack in the late morning was relatively quiet. The morning rush was over and the lunch crowd wouldn't start for another hour. Amanda and Josh had cleaned up and were waiting for the next batch of customers.

Josh sauntered to where Andy sat at the end of the counter. She had her textbook open in front of her and a banana guava smoothie half drunk in front of her. He said "I thought you would be caught up on your homework by now. Or are you just using that book as a cover to watch my manly form."

"Do you think I would be so lame as to sit here and moon over you," Andy protested. "I still have a lot of homework to do. Ego much?"

"Well, I happened to look fifteen minutes ago and you were on that same page," Josh observed.

"Maybe I had to go back and check something," Andy protested. "Don't you have something to clean?"

"Nope," Josh said, "everything is cleaned up until the lunch crowd comes in. It should be quiet for the next hour."

"Then maybe you should inventory the storeroom," Andy suggested.

"We only do that once a month," Josh said, puzzled.

"I thought if you did, you might want help," Andy said, twisting the top button of her blouse idly.

Josh noticed the hint and suggested, "Well, it might be a good idea to go in and check to make sure everything is in the right place. Would you like to help with that?"

"I can help you make sure everything is in the right place," Andy assured him.

Josh took her hand and led her into the storeroom. As he went in, he told Amanda, "Andy is going to help me with something in the storeroom."

Amanda rolled her eyes and turned back to the counter. She frowned slightly as she saw Kyle and Jessi come in the front door. They had their arms around each other and Jessi was resting her head on Kyle's shoulder.

As I entered The Rack, I felt tired. I could sense that Jessi was also still weak from the events of the prior day. Our morning's efforts had drained some of the energy we had recovered overnight. I sensed Amanda's reaction to seeing us holding each other and began to stiffen in response. Holding Jessi, I could feel her reaction to my mood shift, a hint of sadness and rejection. I deliberately relaxed and pulled Jessi slightly closer to me. I was going to have to unlearn responses I had built when I was with Amanda. I was with Jessi now.

When Kyle and Jessi reached the counter, Amanda asked, "What can I get for you?"

Kyle said, "I'll have a pineapple orange banana smoothie. What would you like, Jessi?"

"Your usual," Jessi observed. "I think I'll try that too." She noticed a chocolate cake on the counter and added, "Kyle would you like a piece of the chocolate cake? Carbohydrates, sugars and serotonin elevators?"

Kyle smiled, "All right, after yesterday, we probably need it." He turned to Amanda and said, "We'll have a couple pieces of the cake too."

"You had a busy day yesterday?" Amanda asked attempting to be pleasant.

"The morning was very stressful," Jessi said. "But we spent the whole afternoon in bed." She looked at Kyle with a knowing smile.

Kyle blushed, and told Amanda, "We were just resting."

"It's none of my business," Amanda said, blushing as well. She looked away and then looked back and said curtly, "Two pineapple orange banana smoothies and two pieces of chocolate cake. I'll bring them to your table."

Kyle paid and then he and Jessi headed toward the back. On the way, he noticed a brown wicker love seat and suggested, "Would you like to sit here?"

Jessi smiled, "We can cuddle."

They sat down and Jessi leaned against Kyle's shoulder as he put his arm around her and held her.

Kyle admonished her gently, "You shouldn't have said that to Amanda, Jessi.

"It was true," Jessi protesting.

"But misleading," Kyle pointed out. "Now, Amanda thinks we're having sex."

"I want her to know you're with me," Jessi said. She looked at Kyle and asked, hesitantly, "Do you want to be having sex?"

Kyle blushed, "Someday. I don't think we're ready for that yet."

"We're still taking steps," Jessi agreed and then said, quietly, "Second base is nice."

"Yes, it is," Kyle agreed and kissed her.

Amanda cleared her throat. She was standing in front of them with a tray. She said, "Here are your smoothies and your cake." She put their orders down in front of them then muttered mostly to herself, "I'd tell you to go into the storeroom, but it's in use." She turned and went back to the counter.

Kyle watched her leave with a frown, he said, "Amanda's embarrassed and upset."

"I can live with that," Jessi said, eating a forkful of cake.

"Jessi," Kyle admonished. "I know she makes you feel insecure, but I don't want her to feel bad."

"I'm sorry, Kyle," Jessi said. "I try to be good. I want to be worthy of you. She and I just don't get along. She says mean things to me too."

"I know," Kyle sighed. "I just don't want her to be unhappy."

Amanda and Jessi had always seen each other as rivals for my attention. That was probably true, even though I hadn't realized it. Amanda had resented my special attachment to Jessi and had sensed my growing feelings for her even before I did. Jessi felt insecure because I had turned her away many times when I had been with Amanda. Deep down, she feared I would turn her away for Amanda once more. Making her feel more confident would take time. Time was what we all needed. I could still sense Amanda's heartbeat increase when I was around and mine increased in response. And, of course, Jessi could hear my heartbeat.

After Kyle and Jessi had drunk their smoothies and eaten most of their cake, they settled down comfortably, Jessi resting on Kyle's shoulder. Kyle looked down and said, "You should finish your cake. You need to restore your strength." He got a forkful of her cake and held it up to her mouth. She opened it and ate it, then smiled. She said, "You fed me some of my cake. No one has ever fed me anything before. We missed that part of growing up."

Kyle smiled, "You're right." Jessi picked up a forkful of cake and held it up for him to eat. He ate it and said, "That's nice." Then they kissed.

From her place behind the counter, Amanda sighed in annoyance and looked out the window, a glint of tears in her eyes.