JJ had been right about the Farmhouse Diner. It was indeed very kid-friendly and family-oriented. The decor, as suggested, showed a theme that made it seem as if one had just set foot in a farmhouse. It was also themed in a way that wouldn't be too over-the-top for adults, either. So the setting was very nice for a casual date. And Zion was completely enthralled by everything.

But then he became a tad fidgety after awhile.

So Emily pushed her dirty dishes to the side and spoke to him. "What are you thinking?"

Zion giggled nervously. "I… I have a question."

"Fire away. I love when you ask me things."

"Please will you come over for Val— Vals—"

Zion struggled to say the word, so he used his fingers to form a heart.

Emily arched an eyebrow of suppressed amusement. "Zy, are you trying to say Valentine's Day?"

"Uh-huh! Will you?"

Virginia filled in the blanks. "If you aren't busy then, would you like to come over for dinner?"

Emily nodded, remembering JJ's prediction about February fourteenth, before speaking to Zion again.

"I would love to come over."

Zion did a double fist-pump. "Yes!"

Emily looked to Virginia for a second time. "Been sitting on that one for awhile, have we?"

"Only since yesterday." she admitted. "Zion came up with the idea on his own. I'll have to think of something fun for us to make together."

"Oh?" Emily said curiously. "Is Valentine's Day usually a big deal for you?"

"No, but this is the first year that Zion will be old enough to enjoy the major holidays. Do you do something special for that day?"

Emily's heart jumped as she was all of a sudden hit with an old memory. Back when Ian Doyle had believed her to Lauren Reynolds, he had proposed to her on February fourteenth. She'd been whisked away by Interpol exactly three hundred and sixty-five days later.

"No." Emily finally said. "Valentine's Day is usually just another day at the office or out in the field. This year will be different."

Virginia just nodded because she had seen Emily go somewhere during that infinitesimal pause.

But she didn't press the matter. "It definitely will. Emily, while you and Zion w—"

Virginia had been about to inform her girlfriend of whom she had been texting earlier, but became distracted when Zion started squirming again. His actions were universal.

"Zion," Virginia said in exasperation. "Do you have to go potty?"

He just nodded. Virginia repositioned her chair so she could steer it.

"Come on." she motioned for Zion to move. "Down you get. Hot-foot it."

"I'll be right here when you get back." Emily called to the Rainers' retreating backs.

While they were gone, the waitress came by to collect all their dirty dishes. Everyone had finished their food. Emily however declined the tab. A dessert menu by the window had caught her eye. Perhaps to her company would want to stay. The waitress understood and busied herself with carrying her now-full tray back to the kitchen.

And thoughts of dessert gave Emily something to think about, other than the fact that Virginia had been on the verge of saying something important. She'd have to ask her during a video call after Zion was in bed.

Her choice of dessert had just been decided upon when—

"I'm all better, Emmy!"

She looked up to see Zion clambering back on to the chair. Virginia took her own spot beside him.

"I'm glad, little bird."

He just beamed at her and then took to staring at the traffic on the street.

"Is everything all better?" Emily asked Virginia for confirmation.

"Shipshape, and Bristol fashion." Virginia swept a hand over the table. "I see the waitress came by?"

"Correct. Do you think that you and Zion will be able to stay for dessert?"

Virginia turned to Zion, tapping him on the shoulder. "Are you you having a good time?"

He nodded as he turned to face her. "This is the best day ever!"

"I totally agree. There's one last thing that could be the cherry on top, but the choice is yours now."

Zion's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Mhm. What do you think about getting dessert with Emmy?"

Zion laid his hands flat on the table in an attempt to contain himself. "Yes, please!"

When the waitress finally took the trio's orders, she complimented them on how beautiful their family was. Virginia was caught off-guard. Emily, on the other hand, was quick to take it in stride and thank her. They were a family. Even if the universe had pressed fast forward on their lives.

But Emily loved everything about that. So did Virginia.

Later that night, it was JJ's turn to get ready for a big outing. And to offer moral support.

But there soon came a moment where Emily was just watching without saying much of anything. This meant that she had something deep on her mind.

JJ called her out. "Emelise, you are awfully quiet."

"I've just been thinking." she watched as JJ finished her makeup and moved on to doing her hair.

"Do tell, please."

Emily sighed because her question felt silly. "When did you first know that you were in love with Will?"

And luckily, JJ didn't bat an eyelash. "The first time he bought me a drink."

Emily immediately fought back a laugh. "Obviously, this was during the case where we met him, but I don't think I've heard this tale before."

"It was maybe the first or second day that we were in New Orleans." JJ recalled with ease. "Aaron told me to stick with Will, so that's what happened, and we set up camp."

"In a bar, though."

"Will's idea, not mine. It also led to the break we needed."

Emily put her hands on her hips. "I'm still waiting to hear how this led you to fall in love with him."

JJ cleared her throat. "Right. I asked him if he always drank while he was on the clock."

"And what did Will say?"

"That we were in New Orleans, and drinking like that was a culture thing. There was also a lot of heavy flirting."

Emily turned wry. "There it is."

JJ merely gave a shrug of the shoulders. "But yeah—Will had me the very first time we went to a bar."

"When did Will know that he was in love with you?"

"Forgive me for sounding cheesy, but he said that it was the first time he saw me… even if it was at a crime scene."

"Wow. I know that you guys officially got together in Florida, but when was the first 'I love you'?"

"The second time I flew down to stay with him at his apartment, which was three weeks after Florida."

"Which means that the first time was about two weeks after?"

JJ turned red. "There was a lot of talking on the phone, and we each sent the other person a 'wish you were here' postcard. Neither of us were even trying for that. It was just a happy coincidence. I already knew by that point that he was the one for me. Getting his postcard confirmed it."

"Incredible…"

JJ let Emily be when she stopped to ruminate. She was clearly going through some very deep thinking.

"Okay." JJ said as she finished with her appearance a few minutes later. "I need your critique, but your head is in the clouds. Just talk."

Emily let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Ginny and I have said 'I love you' to each other. Already. I've been in love before, but things have never moved so fast. All of what's happening is a lot."

"I imagine so. Ginny has also known your parents practically forever by now. That's an unusual factor in her favor." JJ motioned to Emily's midsection. "That is yours."

"Don't we know it." Emily touched both hands to her middle. "And I guess Ginny being friends with my parents means that we get to skip that part of the 'getting to know you' process."

An old memory came back to JJ at these words. "Have I ever told you about what happened the first time that Will met my mom?"

"Nope. I am all ears."

"They went to a shooting range here together, and then out for drinks." JJ said with a straight poker face. "She also gave him a 'what are your intentions?' talk because she's my mother. And she was curious about him. Will is my first and only true soulmate kind of love."

Emily smiled at the description, but then said, "And dare I ask what the shooting range was meant to do? Freak Will out?"

"Yes. Fortunately, Will is just behind me when comes to how great a shot is."

Emily kew that this claim was nothing to sneeze at because she had once witnessed JJ shoot a man in the forehead from behind a very thick glass door. "Well, okay. What about Sandy?"

"My mother grew up in the Deep South, and learned how to shoot a gun at a young age, also making her a crack shot. She's who I inherited my skills of perception and accuracy from." JJ studied her friend. "Is it alright if I ask you a new question?"

"Of course. What is it?"

JJ looked her square in the eyes. "What does Ginny say about you meeting her family?"

"She says that they're going to love me."

"Does that make you happy?"

"More than I can say. It feels like I have to pinch myself. And sometimes I do."

"And do the pinches hurt?"

Emily finally laughed. "Yes."

"Have there been anything like red flags?"

Emily shook her head. "Not a-one. I've also been trying to ask her when she wants to meet you all, but funny things keep happening."

JJ winced in sympathy. "Such as?"

"This morning at the garden, it appeared that Zion had reached his limit with smelling the rosebushes." Emily said. "He is very patient. Polite, too. Zion actually asked if we could move on."

"Michael should take lessons from him. I have never seen a kid who hates rides in the car as much as him." JJ blanched briefly before continuing. "Do you have any idea of when you want us to meet Ginny and Zion?"

"Some time after Valentine's Day… God willing."

JJ was now the one impressed. "So you managed Valentine's Day plans, huh?"

"They tag-teamed in asking me over. I didn't hesitate to accept because I already knew that I wanted to see them again after today. Zion led, and I let him take his time because he was trying really hard."

"He sounds delightful." JJ motioned to Emily's middle again. "Does he know about the baby?"

"No." Emily said in dejection. "It just hasn't come up yet because of how things have been moving."

"Unorthodox, and out of order, but wonderfully so?"

"Yes. Ginny even loves it all as much as I do."

"Then that's that, isn't it? Sometimes life leads you to the ones you love in the most unusual ways."

Emily nodded in agreement. "And what career would Jennifer Alexandra have taken, had she not stumbled upon David Rossi's books on a rainy day?"

"I've always been really good at math. Up until then, I had seriously been considering a career in banking." JJ plucked a loose thread off her shirt. "Or the New York Stock Exchange."

"Could you imagine your life being on any other course than what it was right now?"

"Uh-uh, and no more than I'm sure you or Ginny could imagine your own story at the moment."

"That's another good point." Emily said in complete seriousness.

"You're also off to a great start." JJ said reprovingly. "It is the story of Emily and Ginny. The two of you are the only ones who can figure it out. No one else."

"I didn't think about it that way." Emily said with a start. "But it it feels like a relief. Thanks a million."

"Any time."

Feeling very much herself again, Emily backed up so she could fully see the outfit that her friend had assembled.

JJ stood taller. "What do you think? I'm not trying too hard, am I? There's no time to change."

"You're not trying too hard at all." Emily reassured her. "Everything is just right."

"Thank you."

Tonight, JJ was wearing black dress pants, an emerald wrap blouse, and a black leather jacket. Her hair was even done in a wrapped ponytail that was very nice, but without being over the top. It also seemed that this rule of thumb applied to how she had applied her makeup. JJ had gone to what lengths she could to make sure that no outsiders looking in would get the wrong idea about hers and Clifford's meeting. That was the last thing she wanted. Or needed.

But JJ felt cool and collected. Badass.

Except…

Emily pointed at her friend's feet. "Uh, Jayje? Your feet are bare."

JJ wiggled her sockless toes. "The shoes I need are in storage. Could you please go send for Will? He's probably hanging out with everyone else."

Emily bowed herself out of the room.

Will was indeed with Katherine, Henry, Michael, and Olivia. He was more than happy to be tagged in so he could go help his wife.

"Okay, my cher." Will said as he walked into the main bedroom. "Emily told me that you told her that the shoes you want are in storage. Both of us know that you said it to get rid of her. What I can't believe is that it worked."

"Good old Saint Valentine hit her hard." JJ mimicked shooting a bow and arrow. "Messing with her is going to be fun."

Will rolled his eyes playfully. "What shoes do you want to wear?"

JJ thought about it. "Will you please get my boots? The short black ones? Oh, and I also need socks."

Will nodded and retrieved the items from JJ's closet for her. It was plain that JJ was very nervous about what it was that she was about to do.

"How are the babies doing?" Will asked as JJ finally completed her appearance.

"They're cooperating with me for the time being. I will take that tiny victory."

Will rubbed JJ's back. "The only think that you have to do is get through dinner with your old man. When you come home, we'll do whatever you want."

"Even if it's watching the first sappy movie we find on TV while you rub my feet?"

"Even then." Will kissed JJ on the forehead. "Even then."

JJ sighed happily. "Thanks, babe. I love you."

Will hugged her and then held her out at arm's length. "Now let's get you out the door."

With hugs from Henry, Michael, and Olivia, mixed in with wishes of good luck from Will, Emily, and Katherine, JJ finally left the house. It was off to The Forest Fiddler for dinner.

JJ just wished that she knew what to expect.

Not knowing scared her a little bit.

The Forest Fiddler was not so upscale a restaurant that JJ would have needed a nice dress, but it was just nice enough that there was a host at a podium in the front waiting area.

"Good evening, m'am." he greeted her as she drew level with him.

"Hello." JJ returned. "I'm meeting my father here."

The host perked up. "A man at one of the tables did say a little bit ago that he would be expecting his daughter. Is that him?"

He pointed to one of the tables in the dining room, just off to the side by one of the main windows. Clifford was there.

JJ nodded. "Yes. That is my father."

"Very well. Follow me."

JJ walked after the host, across the room to Clifford's table.

"Is there anything I can get you?" he asked as she sat down.

"Just water." JJ said politely. "Thank you."

"Very good, m'am."

The host excused himself.

"So what's going on, Clifford?" JJ asked him.

"You're really not going to call me dad?" he said.

"No. We've been through this." JJ said icily. "I don't believe that you want to have a regular conversation with me after all these years. What do you want? Are you ill?"

"What?" Clifford was taken aback. "No."

"Is it Hannah, August, or Katherine?"

"No. Each of them are fine. So is the baby."

JJ drummed her fingers on the table, paused long enough to accept her glass of water from a waiter, and went back to staring her father down.

"Are you back on speaking terms with Hannah then?"

Clifford sighed. "Not the best of ones."

JJ half-rose in her seat. "Give me a good reason before I get up all the way."

"It's about your mother."