Chapter 10 The Favour

Jennifer wound through the city street headed for the youth centre. She was glad to be the one driving, as it provided a distraction for her from Matt. She felt sorry for him instead, seated uncomfortably in the passenger seat with very little to do but talk to Jen in a way he clearly did not feel ready for.

She thought it best that she be the one to take the lead, now that they were alone again. "Matt…" she began, feeling the butterflies erupt in a wild ball of energy in her stomach once again. "I hope I didn't put you on the spot too much last night. You're perfectly within your rights to give me the flick. I made you wait and that was…selfish of me." She felt ashamed. She didn't really feel she deserved another chance. She should've taken up his offer when he'd first put it down on the table.

He shook his head, looking up and into her eyes at last. "Nah you didn't," he reassured her. "I kind of made you wait too. I think I just get caught up in distractions I guess."

As they drew closer to the youth centre the car went silent once again. It frustrated Jennifer. If they couldn't talk now what made her think that the conversation would ever flow any easier if they became involved? It all seemed too hard sometimes, but she foolishly kept hoping against hope that somehow, sometime, it would all work out and the conversation would flow easily between them. She couldn't wait for the time when they had no reservations about each other and they could speak like the friends they both knew they were.

When they returned a few hours later from a highly unsuccessful expedition to see the Father, they were ready to pack their things away early and head home. But as they stepped out of the lift they were greeted with a smiling Simon. In his arms he cradled a paper bag from the bakery around the corner and a tray of coffees – extra large.

"Just the people I want to see!" he beamed at them, not allowing them to pass.

"I'll only talk to you if that coffee is for me," Matt replied, looking weary.

"Absolutely champ!" he said, handing one of the cups to his colleague. He turned to Jennifer. "And this one is for you." He handed her the cup and she took it, narrowing her eyes at him.

"What's going on? It's not even payday. Why the shout?" It was her coppers instinct to be suspicious.

Simon almost winced as he handed her the paper bag too. Jennifer took a peek inside then held it open for Matt who raised his eyebrows at the contents. "Cinnamon scrolls Si!" Matt exclaimed. "This must be a big favour."

"It is," he replied. "Sit down."

Jennifer sat down in the nearest chair, wondering why on earth she felt so tired. It had not been a very taxing day but she suspected her weariness stemmed from a side more mental than physical. Across the desk from her Matt rested in a similar way, salivating over his piping cup of coffee.

Simon leaned over the desk and put on his most convincing voice. "I've set up an OP for tonight," he began. "And I need you two to be my actors."

"Actors?" Jennifer mumbled, her mouth too full of scroll.

"You know how I'm working on that homicide of Rick Finn?" His colleagues nodded vaguely. "I've finally had a break through. The death was a hotshot and I've got a tip off it's coming from within the law firm itself. The one where Rick Finn worked. Some of his colleagues are seemingly not as chummy as we here in Homicide are."

"And?" Matt asked.

Simon rubbed his palms together, hoping against hope that Matt and Jen would help him out. "And there's a company dinner on tonight, a charity event really – there'll be an auction and what not – and I need you two to go undercover for me."

"Why us?" Matt asked, as suspicious as Jen was.

"Why not?" Simon answered. "You two already look like a married couple. You have the legal brains to participate in a conversation if you need to. You'd fit right in! Annnnnddddd everyone else is busy." He held his breath as he waited for an answer.

Jennifer was leaning forward and contemplating Simon's proposition, an answer ready to erupt from her lips. But Matt couldn't move away from the fact that Simon thought he and Jen already looked like a married couple. Did they really?

Jen talked details with Simon as Matt remained silent. After a few moments they turned to him. "So what do you reckon Matty?" Simon asked hopefully. The expression on Jen's face was pleasantly unperturbed.

"I guess so," he replied, trying to sound as casual as possible, even though really he was bursting inside. Maybe this was their chance. Their second chance.

Jennifer smiled, gulping down the last bite of her scroll and throwing her coffee cup into the waste basket. "OK," she said, looking at Matt with a smile, the same hopefulness enveloping her. "Pick me up at seven."