The Reviews Are In

Saturday afternoon, 1:30PM

Lee had been wandering the aisles of the grocery store since leaving the showdown at the jewelry store, shopping cart in front of him. He turned down the liquor aisle for the final item on his mental list and began surveying the shelves carefully. He knew that the supermarket wouldn't have the selection of wines that an actual liquor store would, but he was sure he'd be able to find something suitable for his dinner with his girlfriend. Girlfriend, he thought with a smile. He hand unconsciously drifted to the jacket pocket containing the ring he'd purchased patting it slightly. He longed for the day when he could exchange the title girlfriend for fiancée and eventually, wife. Amanda had tried to throw him by tossing that out at him earlier and he had to admit, that for a moment, she had, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized just how much he wanted it. He perused the shelf in front of him again, found a bottle he thought would be appropriate for their upcoming dinner, and reached for it.

"Hot date?" A questioning voice said behind him just as he was adding the bottle to the cart. He turned to find Francine staring at him a shopping basket hung over one arm. "I mean it must be. That's a rather pricey bottle of wine," she quipped.

Francine's crack got him thinking about the events since last night. He just smiled and replied, "The hottest. What are you doing here anyway?"

"Um, shopping," she said caustically indicating the basket she was carrying as if it should be obvious.

"Yeah, I get that, but why here? You don't live anywhere near here," He pointed out.

"No, but it's on the way home from the office. What are you doing here? You weren't at the office today and you don't live anywhere near here either."

"Actually, I do. I live about six blocks from here now."

"Oh? When did that happen?"

"A couple of weeks ago," Lee said. "I even changed my number, remember? I gave you the new one two weeks ago."

"Oh, I just thought that was because you were trying to dodge some girl that you jilted. It wouldn't be the first time you've changed your phone number to get girls off your back," Francine quipped.

Lee sighed as he thought about the fact that what Francine said was partially true. He could have just transferred his old number to the new place, but part of the reason he had changed his phone number was to keep any of his previous dates from calling him. What he'd told Amanda was true. He had wanted a completely fresh start in the hopes of beginning to build a real life with the woman he loved more than anything or anyone else in his life. He wasn't about to get that in depth with Francine though. It wouldn't do any god to tell her the whole truth. She'd never believe him anyway.

"No, no jilted girls, Francine. In fact, there's only woman I've been seeing for several months now," Lee corrected. Amanda was most definitely not a girl, she was a full-grown mature woman and that was exactly how he liked her.

"How many is several," Francine asked her curiosity piqued. She clearly remembered walking in on him and Amanda in the office just a little over a week ago looking like they were on the verge of starting something. Could it be possible that something had already started and she'd just missed it? Surely not, she was usually more observant than that. Although, she had to admit that she hadn't seen Lee out with anyone else recently.

"Eight," Lee answered. "Eight months since I've seen anyone else."

"Well, it looks like you're pulling out all the stops on this one," She glanced into his shopping cart. "Expensive wine, steaks, salad fixings..." She looked up at him with a knowing grin.

"And it looks like you're only shopping for one," Lee said indicating the frozen dinner in her basket. "So, I'm guessing you don't have a date tonight. Maybe you should go back to taking cooking lessons, keep a guy around a little longer. They must bolt when they find out you have absolutely no domestic skills," he joked.

"I have plenty of other skills. Skills that you've gotten some enjoyment out of yourself," Francine reminded him.

"I remember, but that is ancient history and it takes more than that to hold my interest these days," Lee said.

"Domestic skills, huh," Francine said thinking again of the scene she'd walked in on between him and Amanda. She couldn't help but think that no one had more domestic skills than Amanda did, but she'd never imagined that would be something that would appeal to Lee Stetson. What exactly is Amanda King doing to him, she thought. "Hmm, this hot date tonight wouldn't happen to be with a certain slender brunette that you picked up in the train station three years ago, would it?"

"What makes you say that?" Lee said evasively not entirely sure that he was ready for Francine to know about them yet with the way that she'd always looked down on Amanda.

"Come on, Lee," Francine said with a knowing look. "The little bit of 'rehearsing' I walked in on the other day made it clear that you two have become a little more than friends, not to mention that you locked yourselves in your office yesterday when you heard me and Billy coming down the hall." She looked down into his shopping cart surveying the items in it again. "So, is that what all this is? Setting the stage for opening night?" she teased.

"No, Francine," Lee said huffily. "I'm just cooking dinner for my girlfriend, not setting the stage for anything." His scowl soon changed to a smile as he watched Amanda enter the store behind Francine. He nodded slightly and smiled at her to get her attention.

Francine hadn't noticed the change in his demeanor still too busy inspecting the items in his shopping cart. "No?" she questioned as she plucked a box of condoms out of his cart.

"Gimme' that," Lee said snatching it from her hand his face turning red.

Francine chuckled and said, "Ooh, I think someone's blushing. I never thought that would ever be possible out of you." When Lee just glared at her, she couldn't resist teasing him a little more. "Well, a word of advice, Lee, even if she's the one you were talking about that you've been seeing for eight months, Amanda's not like all the other dates you've had. Other woman might appreciate that you can cook and fall all over you when they see you've got some domestic skills, but Amanda is a housewife with her own domestic skills. Unlike me, and most of your other girlfriends in the past, she's a woman who can cook for herself which makes it highly unlikely that she'll be swept off her feet just because you cook a meal for her. You might have to do a little more than all this to impress her if you want your opening night with her."

"That's not really necessary, Francine," Amanda said from behind her as she walked to Lee's side, sliding one arm around his waist. She greeted him with a kiss, and then turned back to Francine. "Not when opening night's already happened," she added enjoying the stunned look on the blonde's face. "Besides, the fact that I do cook on a regular basis makes this a really nice gesture. It's one night that I don't have to cook."

"Amanda!" Lee said surprised by her boldness in front of Francine in admitting that they'd spent the night together.

"What? It's not as if she wouldn't figure it out eventually anyway. I mean, she did walk in on us in the office the other day," she pointed out. She then reached for box he still held in his hand. "What's this? Somebody thinking he's going to get an encore tonight?" she teased.

Lee relaxed a little shaking his head. He was amazed that no matter how well he thought he was getting to know her, she never stopped surprising him. He couldn't help laughing. "Well, since the reviews for opening night were so good, I thought there might be a chance for a repeat performance," he fired back taking the box from her and dropping it back into the cart as he slipped one arm around her.

"Amanda, Dear, I hope your reviews aren't adding to Lee's already overinflated ego," Francine said sarcastically. "Lord knows there have been enough women in his life that have done that. Isn't that right, Lee?"

Lee just frowned at her while Amanda just smiled serenely at Francine's obvious attempt to belittle her relationship with Lee and treat it like just another meaningless encounter. "Who said anything about my reviews of him," Amanda said amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Don't tell me he gave you a good review of your performance," Francine scoffed with a roll of her eyes. While Amanda may be a whiz at telling you how to remove an ink stain using peanut butter or something, she highly doubted that she had the experience or talent to keep a man with Lee's appetite for debauchery satisfied.

"As a matter of fact, he did. A rave, actually," Amanda said before turning to Lee and saying, "What was it you said? I believe I heard the word "amazing" come out of your mouth this morning."

"Amazing?"Francine said skeptically "Amanda?"

"Amazing pretty well covers it, Francine," Lee concurred. "Generosity and stamina, remember?" he added with a wink.

"Generosity and stamina," Amanda questioned looking up at him with a quizzical expression.

"I'll explain later," Lee said.

"Well, my review says that this show will have a very short run," Francine said contemptuously.

"Oh, I don't know, Francine. I foresee this show running longer than Cats," Lee said with a smile at Amanda as he once again brushed his hand against the pocket containing the ring. "Especially with the rave reviews that are already in."

"Besides," Amanda added. "There's only one critic's review that I'm really interested in." She smiled at Lee and glanced into the shopping cart. "Did you get everything you needed for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah, I think so, unless you want something for dessert," he said his eyes dancing in merriment.

Amanda smiled suggestively at Lee's innuendo and fired back, "The only dessert I'm interested in is Pilgrim's Peach Puff."

"I think that can definitely be arranged," Lee said.

"Pilgrim's Peach Puff," Francine inquired

"Think back to your cooking lessons, Francine," Lee answered with a grin before turning back to Amanda. "So, you like that dessert, huh?"

"I think it's become my new favorite dessert," She said. "Definitely gets a five-star review."

"Good," Lee said with a smile. Francine just looked at the two of them and their playful banter and knew they weren't talking about food. "So, if we're done shopping, we should go check out and get back to my place. Seeya later, Francine," he said as he and Amanda walked toward the checkout holding hands.

"Speaking of reviews, my mother really enjoyed finally meeting you last night when you picked me up, so much so that she's insisting you come to dinner tomorrow night," Amanda said. "What do you think?"

"I think that's a great idea," Lee said instantly. His smile increased as he thought about having an opportunity to spend time with the family. Maybe if things went well, he'd be able to give her the ring sooner that he'd anticipated. 'So, she liked me, huh?"

"Yeah, a lot," Amanda answered. "In fact, I think if she were twenty years younger, she might try to give me a run for my money."

"I have no doubt," he said with a chuckle he said as they reached the checkout and he began unloading the cart. "So, did she give you the third degree when you got there about why you didn't come home last night?"

"No, surprisingly," Amanda answered. "She didn't come home herself last night. She was just getting in right when I was getting ready to leave."

"Ohhhh," Lee said knowingly. "You two must be scandalizing the neighborhood, he teased.

"Oh, shut up," she said but couldn't help laughing. "Now that I think about it though, you and I are probably scandalizing your neighbors too."

Lee paid for their purchases, grabbed the shopping bag and said, "Well, now that this is done, what do you say we get back there so we can continue scandalizing them?" He reached for her hand with a smile.

"Good plan," She said as she took his outstretched hand and they left the store both smiling in anticipation of being alone together again.