Chapter 3

Different, as in Special

Kim was true to her word. The dress she picked out, during an afternoon hitting the best boutiques in town, was a big change from the Crystal Carrington confection Jordan wore ten years ago. The price tag alone screamed understated elegance. Kim tried to justify the cost by saying that its deep cranberry color and knee skimming length made the dress something Jordan could wear over and over again. Jordan rolled her eyes and said that the body conscious fit and complete nonexistence of a back made it barely legal. Her protest lost most of its kick when she handed her credit card to the sales clerk. Still wondering if the creped silk was priced by the inch, Jordan signed the credit slip and draped the white poplin garment bag over her shoulder.

"Let me at least buy you a late lunch before you start to starve to death due to your lack of funds..." Kim drawled.

"I don't know. Even if I didn't just empty my bank account, every meal I eat from now until Friday night will show on that dress..." Jordan said with a teased back. "But the Irish in me won't let me walk away from a free lunch.

It seemed even though they could for weeks and months without talking, Jordan still saw Kim as her best girlfriend. They had been together forever and a bond like that is hard to break. Jordan knew if Kim had asked her to wear five hundred dollar gunnysack she would.

Kim linked her arm with Jordan's as they exited the store. "I'm sure that man of yours will like it."

Jordan missed a step as she felt a touch of color pink to her face. The last time Woody saw her in anything remotely revealing, as this scrap of artistically draped bias cut material, was the night they were hunting for Sickboy 23. That particular red dress was child's play in comparison.

"Wood likes red..." Jordan grinned uncomfortably.

"Wood? You know Jordan," Kim returned with a smug smile. "You've been pretty secretive about his guy. Don't tell me this one's married too..."

"..No," Jordan replied warily.

"...a serial killer?" Kim joked.

"No, he's a cop," she admitted finally.

"You always did have a thing for cops. So, I, ah, assume you work with him..." Kim said leadingly.

"...Occasionally," Jordan answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "Enough about me. You're the bride. I want to hear again about your honeymoon plans."

Kim simply arched her masterfully groomed eyebrow. Jordan wondered how often Kim used that curve to sway a jury or intimidate a witness during cross examination.

"We already talked about my honeymoon, and the caterer, and the band...and my man. I want to talk about yours. Let's start out with the basics; is Wood his first or last name...or just an affectionate nickname?" Kim asked with a smirk.

Jordan's mouth opened and closed as she tried to form a non-answer as the implication of Kim's comment registered. She hadn't meant to slip and give Kim a name for her mystery date just in case something else turned up. Even though she knew the odds of finding her soul mate between now and the wedding about as likely as her admitting that she really didn't thrive on her life's problems.

"Alright," she sighed in defeat. "His name is Woody and it has nothing to do with his...assets."

"...O-Okay," Kim giggled. "Woody."

"His folks had a thing about naming their kids after dead presidents or something like that I guess," Jordan said with a nonchalant wave of her hand. "He's named after Woodrow Wilson…"

"Woody the cop, whose...assets...do not share a common nickname with him... Hmmm, he sounds interesting. Tell me more Jordan. I want to know everything."

"There's really not much to say, I first worked with him on a bank shooting case a few years ago. He was different..." Jordan said cryptically.

Kim's smile reminded of a cartoon cat after he had just swallowed a canary. The only thing missing was the feathers. "Different. I've heard you describe men as hot, boring, intense, and even intimidating...but I've never heard you say different. I assume it means he stood out from the usual crowd."

"I do have to beat the men off with a broom." Jordan chuckled thinking of that naive, big-eyed farm boy she met on that cold January morning so long ago. If anybody had told her then how much that enthusiastic hick would affect her life Jordan would have denied it utterly and with a few choice words. She had to admit there was something...endearing about that Wisconsin native, even then. Nothing she could absolutely put her finger on. He wasn't anything she ever found attractive in a man. Even four years, and a lifetime of changes later, she still couldn't figure it out.

...and she didn't want to know either. It would mean putting a name on her feelings and for Jordan; it would be far too dangerous. As far as she was concerned, Woody Hoyt was just a good man. His heart was far too good for her.

"Mmhmm," Kim hummed. "It's been a very long time since the last time I've seen that look on your face."

Jordan unconsciously touched her own face. Realizing she was caught to close to the truth, Jordan brushed her rebellious hand through her hair. "That craving-cheesecake-but-can't-chance- the-calories look?"

Not swayed by Jordan's segway, Kim said, "No, I mean that look of love. He is different, isn't he? Different as in special. After everything you've been through you deserve someone special Jordan..."

"Thank you Dr. Phil," Jordan cut in with a twitch of her lips. It was one thing to open the door on those thoughts in the privacy of her own mind, but it's quite another to confronted them head on in the middle of a busy city sidewalk with a woman that had nothing on her brain but romance.

"I'm serious Jordan. Who knows? Maybe this time next year we'll be planning your wedding."

"I won't hold my breath." Jordan said with more than a touch of sarcasm. "Could you imagine me dressed up like a three tiered wedding cake? No thank you."

"I'll try not to take that wedding cake dress crack personally," Kim smiled. "But you do realize women can get just as married in jeans and T's as they can with satin and lace."

Jordan doubted Woody would be the kind of person that would be satisfied with anything less than all the trimmings. Briefly her mind flashed the scene of a simple ceremony somewhere along the rocky shore of the Bay...a plain white dress, surrounded by friends, and Paul officiating because Woody would want a religious ceremony.

She brushed off the unwelcome fantasy as fast as it came. "I'm well aware of that fact. I just wouldn't plan my schedule around the possibility. Let's face it, I make a better bridesmaid then I'd ever make a bride. I'm just not the marrying kind."

"You always sell yourself short, Jordan," Kim said softly.

"No, I'm just a realist Kim. I'm happy you found someone who is perfect for you and thinks the same way about you. I just don't think I can be all that for someone else."

"You are a beautiful woman, Jordan. Inside and out. You need to wake up and see yourself as everyone else does."

Jordan motioned to the garment on her shoulder, "A slightly poorer public servant."

Kim sighed. It was an argument she has had with Jordan over and over through the years. An argument that always ended without resolution. Kim could only hope that someone...maybe even this Woody-the-Cop could find away to scale the walls of her self-esteem.

"You can't tell me the subject has never come up...Marriage I mean." Kim said, her voice spiked with curiosity.

Jordan couldn't help but picture the diamond ring Woody bought for her. She had to admit to herself that when she saw that distinctive little square box her heart leapt in her chest...and for the briefest moment it wasn't with dread.

"Aw...no. We are keeping our relationship completely casual. There's no sense messing with a good thing," Jordan added with a little laugh.

"Some how I have the feeling you're not giving me the whole story...but I'll get it out of you. And if I can't, I'll get it out of him. I have a feeling this Woody and I going to have a lot in common to talk about."

Jordan chuckled as if she was sharing in the joke. Not if I have anything to do about it, she thought.

Jordan could see the wheels turning in her best friend's head. Kim was deliriously happy in her relationship and she wasn't going to let a little thing like Jordan's little falsification stand in her way to make sure that her night was more miserable then just the inevitable twist in her pantyhose.

"Look!" Jordan yelled pointing to a small bistro at the corner of the street. "They used to have the best sandwiches in there..."

Jordan had no idea if they did or not but anything was better than standing out on the street having Kim analyzing her bogus relationship with Woody when she did everything in her power not to have to analyze it herself.

"...You promised."