Hi! :-) Thanks, as always, for your reviews! I'm sorry it's taken me sooo long to update this story. :-( I hope to start updating more frequently. Hope you enjoy the chapter. :-)

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Chapter 13

"Taylor wasn't there?" Jack asked Janet after she had slid onto the driver's seat.

"No. That means she's either still at the movies with Nick or they're at the house."

She shot Jack a quick glance to gauge his reaction.

"So, Nick will be at the house," he said, realization dawning.

Janet nodded. "Eventually, if he's not already there."

Jack saw Janet's frown and had to voice the question.

"If you don't want me to meet Nick, that's fine."

"No," Janet answered. "I think you and Nick should meet."

"But..." Jack prompted, when no further explanation was forthcoming.

"Well, it's just that I hope you don't mind spending time with Nick, too. I mean, I can't be rude and ask him to leave."

"Of course not."

"I don't know if he has plans for tonight. He might. He may leave when we arrive, but I want to invite him to have dinner with us."

"Okay," Jack said, realizing he did not have the right to make any demands or to monopolize Janet's time.

After a few moments of silence, Jack voiced a suggestion he hoped would agree with Janet.

"Janet, let me cook dinner tonight. If you don't mind me using your kitchen, that is."

"You can use my kitchen, but you're my guest, Jack. You don't have to cook for us."

With the idea appealing more and more to him, he turned in his seat so he could address her more directly.

"I want to," he said, his voice conveying his enthusiasm. "I haven't been able to create anything in more than two weeks. If it's Chinese food you want, I'd be more than happy to cook it."

"We don't have to eat Chinese," Janet said. "What do you have in mind?"

Janet couldn't keep the smile from her face when she saw how excited Jack was at the prospect of cooking dinner. From necessity, she'd learned to make a few basic dishes, but she knew she would never have the love of cooking and baking that her friend had.

"Does Taylor like spaghetti?"

"Sure."

"Great. There's a new meat sauce I've wanted to make. I'll cook spaghetti with that sauce. We can have a nice green salad and garlic bread. I'll bake a chocolate cake for dessert. What do you think?"

Janet's appetite kicked into high gear.

"Sounds delicious, Jack."

"Great. If you don't mind stopping at the store, I'll buy everything I need."

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Half an hour later, they arrived at the house. The grocery shopping had distracted Janet from thinking about Nick, but as soon as she pulled into the driveway, the butterflies returned. She told herself everything would go smoothly, but doubts lingered as she carried the lightest bag into the house.

"Hello," she called out.

She had seen Nick's car parked on the street, so she knew they were home.

"Hi, Mommy," Taylor said, running into the living room to greet her. "Hi, Jack."

"Hello, Taylor," he said, giving her a smile before he took the bag from Janet and found his way to the kitchen.

"Where's Uncle Nick?" Janet asked.

"He was shutting off the TV."

"I'm here," Nick said, entering the room. "How was your day?"

"Fine. Things went well. Jack found an apartment."

"That's great. I'm sure you were a lot of help to him."

Janet smiled shyly. "I guess I was."

"And I'm sure he's grateful."

"You got that right."

Jack had come up behind Janet after organizing the ingredients he would need on her kitchen counter.

"Nick," Janet said, while giving Jack a covert elbow in his ribs for being so casual about this meeting, "this is Jack Tripper. Jack, this is Nick Crowley."

"Nice to meet you," Nick said, extending his hand for Jack to shake. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Nice to meet you, too," Jack said, shaking his hand. "I've heard a lot about you, too."

"Nick," Janet said, "I hope you can join us for dinner. Jack is trying out a new meat sauce recipe on us. He's cooking a spaghetti dinner, complete with salad, garlic bread and chocolate cake for dessert."

"That sounds too appetizing to pass up," Nick said.

"Sounds yummy," Taylor added. "'specially the chocolate cake."

They all laughed.

Maybe this would go well, Janet thought.

While Nick and Taylor played "Go Fish" in the living room, Janet helped Jack find the utensils he needed in the kitchen. When she dropped the spatula for the third time, Jack reached down to pick it up and then looked at her.

"Why are you so nervous?"

"Me?" Janet asked, her eyes wide. "I'm not nervous. Why would you say I'm nervous?"

"Because you can't find your way around your own kitchen. Or don't you ever come in here?" he added with a smirk.

"I do so," she protested, a bit too loudly.

"Calm down, Janet. I was just teasing. You really are tense."

"I just want things to go well," she said.

"Why wouldn't they?" he countered. "Nick seems like a nice guy. You know you don't have to worry about me. I don't want to start any trouble. We're going to have a very nice dinner. Now, leave me alone in here so I can start preparing our meal. I'll let you know if I need you."

At Jack's insistence, a reluctant Janet returned to the living room and asked Taylor and Nick if they wanted something to drink. They both declined.

"Play with us, Mommy."

"Thanks, honey, but I'd rather watch the two of you play."

Janet kept her eyes on the card game, but her attention was focused on what Jack was doing in her kitchen. She knew the food would be delicious. She relaxed somewhat when she heard the steady whir of the mixer. Jack was baking the cake. Nothing wrong with that.

A few minutes later, Jack entered the living room and asked who would like to lick the bowl that had contained the batter for the cake.

"Me! Me!" Taylor exclaimed.

She jumped up from the carpeted floor, causing them all to smile.

"Somehow," Jack said, as he grinned and winked playfully at the excited little girl, "I thought you might like that. Come with me."

Once Taylor had left the room with Jack, it was Nick's turn to comment on Janet's nervousness.

"Are you all right? You seem rather...jumpy."

"Yeah," she said, absent-mindedly patting his knee. "I'm fine."

"Are things okay between you and Jack?"

"Oh, sure," Janet said.

"So, what's the problem? I know you well enough to know when something isn't right. Have I done something to upset you?"

"Oh, no, of course not. You've been wonderful. I just...you know, I feel a bit awkward having you and Jack meet this way. That's all."

"Would you rather I leave?" Nick asked, wondering if something of a more personal nature had transpired between Jack and Janet that day, and she would prefer he wasn't around.

"No, I want you to stay. Really I do. It's me, okay? I'm being silly. You and Jack seem fine. I'm the one who's the basket case."

"Okay, if you say so. I don't want to be a source of discomfort for you, Janet. I hope you know that."

"I do," she said, patting his knee again. "And I appreciate that very much."

"No problem."

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Dinner, later that night, was a success. Everybody agreed Jack's meat sauce had a delectable taste without being overwhelming. Based on their compliments, he decided to incorporate the sauce onto the menu when his restaurant opened.

"I hope you'll be there for the grand opening," Jack said to Nick.

"Thanks," he said, a bit surprised but pleased by the invite. "Let me know when it is, and if I can make it, I'll be there."

Janet smiled at Jack and then at Nick. She thought it was great the two of them had hit it off so well. As the evening wound down, she wondered why she had been so anxious about them meeting each other. They both liked her and had her best interests in mind. She knew that. But she also knew how she felt. Nick was a great friend to her and one she would take into her confidence in a heartbeat. But Jack. Jack was someone who could still make her pulse race. He was someone she had to be on her guard around at all times. Not wanting to add fuel to either fire, it took all of her strength not to react when Nick offered to give Jack a ride to his hotel. Of course, it made perfect sense, but for some reason, she hadn't counted on them spending time without her. She tried to tell herself she was being paranoid, but that didn't stop her from wishing they weren't going to be leaving together.

But they were.

They said their good-byes, with both Jack and Nick telling Janet they would call her the next day. She watched them drive off with apprehension lodged in the pit of her stomach, but she didn't know why. All she could do, she told herself as she got ready for bed, was hope for the best. That thought didn't give her much comfort as she tried to fall asleep.

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"Would you mind if we had a nightcap?" Nick asked Jack when they arrived at his hotel.

"Ah, sure," Jack said, his curiosity piqued. "The hotel has a nice lounge."

"Great."

"Any particular reason?" Jack asked, after Nick had given his keys to the valet and they were heading for the entrance.

"Yes," Nick answered. "I'd like to talk to you about Janet."