The Coffee House was a large coffee shop located behind an equally large shopping mall with a huge parking lot filled with people that weren't actually getting coffee just then; they were shopping and taking advantage of the convenient parking. This worked well for the manager of The Coffee House, because he knew that even though the customers were going shopping, when they returned to their cars a large portion of them always felt guilty enough for taking advantage of the parking and would invariably come into the shop for at least a cup of coffee – and usually to go. Which cut down on how much the staff had to clean up after them.

Of course, a coffee shop that large was never actually empty, and when River Hayden walked through the door and looked around, he realized that he was probably going to have trouble finding the guy that he was supposed to meet – a Mr. John Smith. River didn't have any trouble believing that John Smith was the guy's name – he had gone to high school with a guy named John Smith, and even better, had actually dated a girl named Jane Doe. What most people thought would be a joke; River took as a matter of course.

There were two different rooms in The Coffee House. One was more of a café than anything else, with small tables and booths for the customers to sit in. The other room was more relaxed; filled with small sofas and easy chairs and a shelf filled with books and magazines that people could read or browse through while enjoying their coffee – and donuts or whatever else they might get to snack on with their drinks.

Luckily for River, John Smith was watching for him, and as the blonde Californian walked through the front door, the well-tailored man got up from the booth he'd been sitting in and came over to intercept him.

"River Hayden?"

Hayden turned and gave the man an easy smile, holding his hand out.

"Yes, sir."

Smith smiled as well, glad that this kid seemed far more easygoing than his friend Brooks had been.

"I'm John Smith."

"Pleasure to meet you."

"And you." Smith turned towards the counter. "Can I buy you a cup of coffee? A pastry?"

River shrugged.

"Sure, if you want."

The two of them went to the countered and ordered coffee and River selected a cinnamon roll while Smith chose a muffin, and when they'd been handed their order and Smith paid for it, he turned once more to River.

"I have someone I'd like you to meet, River – I can call you River, can't I?"

"Sure." He looked around, though, wondering who he was supposed to be meeting. "I thought you were here to talk about my dad…?"

Smith gave him another smile, and shrugged.

"I would… but first my friend would like to meet you."

With that, he turned and headed for the casual room, certain that River's curiosity would compel him to follow. Sure enough, a moment later River walked into the room as well.

OOOOOOOOO

The phone rang before Nate had even made it back to his car – which was his first clue that it wasn't Kinsey calling. The number on the caller ID was his second guess, and before he answered it, he carefully schooled his expression, knowing that how he felt would be a dead giveaway in his voice – and he definitely didn't want the person calling to know what he was up to.

"Hello?"

"Hey. Where are you?"

He smiled.

"Out with a hot looking blonde woman – soaking naked in a bathtub filled with rose petals and eating caviar."

Maggie Brooks laughed – and that laugh made Nathan's smile broaden as he gestured for the valet to bring him his car. There was no ticket; the valet was well aware which car belonged to the large man with the cold eyes, and he hurried to bring it around.

"So… when you're done with your floozy you can call me back and tell me why you're not at home mowing the lawn like you promised me you would…"

Bah. The lawn. He'd forgotten all about it in the events of the last day.

"I finished the lawn already," Nate assured her. She was out of the country – she'd never know the difference, right? "So I'm celebrating…"

"Finished it, huh?"

"Yeah."

"You edged the lawn?"

"Of course."

"And weeded the flower bed?"

"Definitely."

"And mulched the roses?"

He frowned. None of those things were things he'd promised to do, and now he was pretty sure that Maggie knew he hadn't mowed the lawn and was taking advantage of his guilt to get him to do all sorts of things that he had absolutely no desire to do. Bah.

"Um… yeah…"

She laughed, confirming his suspicions.

"I'm going to hold you to all of that, Nathan."

He shook his head; he knew when he started that she probably wouldn't have bought it. He took his keys from the valet and started the car.

"Yes, dear. Are you having a good time?"

"Sold out all week."

"Good."

"So... what are you really doing?"

"I'm down in D.C."

"Don't get into any trouble."

"Me?" He gave her his best innocent voice, and she laughed again.

"I'm too far away to bail you out of jail, Nathan, and I'll tell Ian Piper to leave you there to rot until I get home…"

"And who'll mulch your roses if you do that?"

There was a hesitation, and he knew he'd won the verbal sparring – not something that happened often.

"Just stay out of trouble."

"Yes, dear."

"I'll call you later, okay?"

"I'll be here."

"I love you."

"Don't ever forget that."

She laughed again, but her next words were serious.

"Never."

He smiled, too.

"I love you, Maggie."

She hung up, and Nate sighed, reminded once again just how lucky he was.

OOOOOOO

"How many fucking coffee shops does one city need?"

Shawn sighed as he got back into Ian's car, shutting the door and buckling his seatbelt.

"Just be grateful that we don't have to order something everywhere we look…"

"He'd better be in trouble," Ian said, starting the car. "Or I'm going to kill him for putting me through this shit…"

Ignoring the threat because he knew it wasn't even a good one, Shawn shrugged.

"Let's try that big one by the Mall next…"