Jack sat back and brought his middle finger to his lips and then rubbed it against his thumb and index finger while moving it away from his mouth. "DELICIOUS, my compliments to the chef."

Sue dipped her head, a small smile gracing her features. "THANK YOU."

"Where did you learn to cook?"

She rolled her eyes, "My mother, of course. I had to do it all, remember? Every lesson there was to take, my mom had me signed up. 'Sue, one day you are going to be interested in settling down. Men appreciate a woman who can cook and if you want to catch a husband, then you need to know your way around a kitchen.'" She gave a mock shudder, her smile growing in response to Jack's. "You know what really bugs me?"

Jack grinned unabashedly at her. "I have no idea."

"I enjoy it. I like to cook. It's relaxing in a strange way. Of course, if you ever repeat that to my mom, I'll deny it and then find some way of torturing you," she threatened him good-naturedly.

"I wouldn't dream of telling your mom. I want to stay on your good side," he affirmed. "Although, at the risk of raising your, um, TEMPER, I AGREE with your MOM. Speaking for the male population, we do APPRECIATE a woman who can COOK." He shrugged, "I guess it reminds me of my mom, of being home."

"I remind you of your mother?"

Jack all but spewed the sip of tea he had just taken. "No! Definitely not! I'm just saying that a woman who can cook has certain motherly qualities."

"Oh," she murmured, "so you're saying that you think of me like a mother."

"No!" he said emphatically, "that's not what I meant either." He searched frantically for the right words to clear up the mess he was making of the conversation. "I'm just saying that cooking is a good quality to have, at least from my perspective. Men...I," he said, changing to a more personal tone, "like the idea of having dinners at home, away from the craziness of work and over crowded restaurants. I get tired of eating out."

"You know, Jack, you could have home cooked meals on a regular basis if you ever decided to bite the bullet and take the next step," she told him seriously, her eyes wide and luminous.

"You think so," he asked huskily, unsure of the ground they were now on, but finding himself more than willing to follow it through.

"Of course," she agreed. "You've got so much to offer. What's been holding you back? Fear of commitment or have you just not found the right person?"

He cast a wide-eyed stare her way, unable to look away. "I think more a fear of rejection," he corrected. "The commitment part sounds eerily appealing."

"Oh, then, it's the right person you haven't found. Well, what are your requirements? Maybe I can help. Isn't that what best friends are for?"

He observed her earnest expression and felt his heart opening and his lips loosening. "Compassionate, full of mercy. I need someone to help me see past what's in front of me, to help me see the good in people. She needs to be quick-witted. You know, keeping me on my toes and humble," he added with a laugh. Continuing, he was oblivious as he switched tenses. "She's as beautiful on the inside as on the outside, drawing everyone, even strangers, to her. She's giving, accepting, forgiving," his words faltered as emotion filled his throat. Trudging forward, he added, "She's loyal, faithful, and full of faith. She loves kids and doesn't back down from a challenge and she naturally puts others first. And when she's around, I get all muddle-brained and feel like I'm back in junior high, minus the zits and the changing voice, thank God," he added, trying to lighten the moment.

Sue interrupted, casting a baffled expression his way. "What are you talking about, Jack?"

"I was giving you my list of requirements, although I prefer to call them qualities. It's what you asked for, isn't it?"

"Yes, but who knew you'd be so detailed? No wonder you haven't found anyone."

"As a matter of fact, I have found someone. She just doesn't know yet."

"Well you better hurry and snatch her up," Sue said as she stood to clear their plates, heading to the kitchen. "I'm sure cooks with all those requirements are hard to find."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Dewberry snorted with laughter at the expression on Jack's face. Obviously he'd been touting the qualities he wanted in a wife, the qualities he saw in Sue, while Sue had been thinking in another direction entirely.

Stroking her cheek in thought, she pondered how to get the two thinking on the same wavelength at the same time.