Chapter 9 – The Matchmaker

When Lisbon got out of the shower she dressed in a pair of white jeans and a red sleeveless chiffon top. She walked into the living room, her hair still wet from the shower where she found Jane at her kitchen counter, whisking eggs in a bowl. He was clothed again with his shirt not tucked in and buttoned loosely.

'Hey, what are you making me? I'm starving', she asked him breezily.

He turned his head, looking at her quickly from head to toe and smiling appreciatively at her choice of outfit. It was nice to see her out of black from a change, he thought.

He turned his head back to put the eggs into a pan and answered her as she walked across to get a cup of coffee he had already brewed for her. 'Oh, I see, is that the way it's going to be now then? I thought you loved me for my mind but now you're more interested in my cooking skills.'

'Well, yes, and a few other skills you've shown me lately also', she replied as she planted a kiss on his cheek.

He smiled and felt a little awkward, unused to this blatantly sexy side of Lisbon. It was no wonder Pike fell hook, line and sinker for her within days if this was how she was with him, he thought to himself.

'So, what do you fancy then?'

She tilted her head and smiled suggestively, raising her eyebrows. 'I thought you were an injured man.'

'Get your mind out of the gutter, Lisbon, I meant to eat', turning his head back to his eggs.

'Whatever you're making is fine', she smiled, sitting down at the table to drink her coffee.

After a few minutes, Jane's cell phone rang on the table. She looked over to see Abbott's name flashing.

'It's Abbott for you', she said, raising the phone to Jane.

'Just leave it' he replied, his back to her, dishing out the eggs.

She turned back to the phone as it stopped ringing.

'Jane, there are eleven missed calls from him, you need to ring him back, you've obviously got a case.'

Jane smiled as he brought the dishes to the table. The authoritarian Lisbon was back in charge now.

'Really, you think? My, you really are an asset to the FBI with those fine detection skills.'

'I'm serious Jane, you need to ring him back. Now.'

'Don't worry I will, after we eat. Besides Dennis of all people should understand that we need a bit of time together', his fork tucking into his eggs.

'What do you mean Dennis of all people? Do you mean you've been talking to him, about us?'

'Of course, told him all about the wicked things we were going to get up to once you were back in Austin, he even gave me a couple of pointers', he smiled and winked at her.

'Stop it, what do you mean?', she asked again impatiently.

Jane put his fork down and looked at her. 'I just mean that he was playing matchmaker for us since you started going out with Pike, he kept going on at me about what I was going to do about it and telling me that Pike was going to take you to D.C. with him and asking me how I felt about that, those type of things. Oh, and he said I was conning myself into believing I didn't have any feelings apart from friendship for you.'

'Really! He was pretty on the ball, wasn't he?' She paused, thinking and added, 'That dinner at Il Tavolo Bianco, that was his idea, he was hoping that would do the trick?'

Jane nodded. 'I guess so, it almost worked too, before the owner came over for our order.'

'I remember, you asked me what I wanted to hear.'

'Yes, and you gave me an ambiguous answer I couldn't make any sense of.'

Lisbon thought for a second, beamed, and then looked down at Jane's cell phone. 'You should call him back, now', she said sternly handing the phone to Jane.

He took it off her and put it down on the table beside him, continuing to eat.

'Jane!'

'Oh now that you know he was matchmaking for us you've developed a soft spot for him.' He smiled and added, 'Lisbon, eat your eggs, they're getting cold. If someone's dead, they're still going to be dead after we finish eating.'

She looked at him and shook her head, beginning to eat.

'You know, I could turn my phone off and we could do something this afternoon instead, I'm pretty sure there'll be a band or singer playing somewhere.'

She looked at him confused for a second at the abrupt change in topic.

'Well, it's Sunday, isn't it? We could maybe start our own tradition, if you like', he said gently, looking into her eyes.

She looked back, a little choked. 'How is it that you can be the most hard-hearted man one minute and the kindest man the next?'

He thought for a moment, pushing his plate away and answered smiling, 'Just all part of my charm, I guess.'

'Phone Abbott.'

He shrugged his shoulders, picked up the phone and dialled, Abbott answering on the first ring.

'Hey, you were looking for me?'

Lisbon didn't hear what Abbott replied but saw Jane shake his head and roll his eyes. He was evidently getting a dressing down.

'Well, I was a little tied up this morning Dennis', he answered happily, looking over at Lisbon with a glint in his eye.

She shot him daggers back.

He went back to listening to Abbott again then nodded looking over at her. 'Yes, I'm with Lisbon now, I thought she wasn't starting work again until tomorrow but I'm sure she won't mind. Text me the address and we'll be there soon as we can, okay, bye.' Jane hung up the phone and looked over at her.

'Well, looks like the honeymoon's over, we have a case all right, college girl dead in her dorm.'

'He wants me there too? For a murder at a college dorm? Wonder why the FBI have been put on to it?', she asked getting up and putting the plates in the sink.

'Who knows, guess we'll find out', he replied, putting on his vest and jacket. 'I better go to my place to shower and change, I'll text you the details once I have them and see you there, okay?'

'Yes, no problem.'

She saw him to the door where they kissed again, long and tender, Jane's arms around her waist and hers around his neck.

He turned to go and she tapped him on the arm. 'You're going to behave yourself aren't you? I mean not embarrass me in front of everyone?'

'You mean I can't cop a feel at the crime scene?'

'Jane!'

'I'll behave, I promise, trust me', he said as he closed the door behind him.

She stood there for a second, knowing those two words normally meant trouble for her.