Love at First Glance

Chapter Two

(A/N: This is based on the Hallmark Channel original film of the same name. I have added a few of my own scenes, events and dialogue, and I've omitted a few scenes that weren't really necessary to tell the story.)

Rhys' delicious-as-always spag bol had been eaten, the leftovers were packed and in the fridge, the dishes had been washed and put away, and the men were getting ready to settle in front of the telly to watch 'Strictly Come Dancing'. It was the semi-finals and they each had their own favourite couple they were cheering on. Into set mugs of steaming coffee down on the table while Rhys went over to close the window.

He peeked out at the street below and then giggled softy. "You oughta see this," he whispered.

"Why, what is it?" Ianto was busy finding the correct channel.

"It's Mr Wiggins!"

Ianto wasn't really interested, they were showing highlights of last week's program. "What's he doing?"

"He's staring at the ground, looking for five-pence!" Rhys closed the window and plopped down next to Ianto, grabbing his mug along the way and enjoying a long slow sip of coffee.

Just as the first couple took to the floor, Rhys' phone beeped, indicating a text had just come in. Ianto scooped it up before the other man could reach it.

Are you the person who found my phone? Please text back

Ianto stared at the screen for a few seconds. "What do I do?"

Rhys paused the telly and took the phone, quickly pulled up the emoji screen, sending one in response before showing the phone to Ianto.

"You sent him a picture of an alien? He's going to think I'm a lunatic!"

"Yeah, and that you're interesting!" Rhys laughed and then he texted, yes, I have your phone

Immediately the phone beeped back. Are you the guy on the train?

Ianto's eyes lit up. "He remembers me!"

Rhys read the next message, the one with the polished shoes eating dessert? And then he heard what he'd read and rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Ianto, please tell me you were not eating cheesecake on the subway again!"

"No, it was actually tiramisu from Bellini's and it was delicious; I couldn't resist so I ate it on the way home." Ianto grabbed the phone back as it beeped. "Now, give me this!"

I'm at the airport heading for Paris. This phone I use for international travel only

"This guy sounds like James Bond!" Rhys laughed.

"I know!" The phone beeped again.

I want to meet you

Ianto frowned. "What do I say?"

Rhys took the phone again and began to type. Yes, I can meet you. when

There was an immediate reply, back on February 14th

"He wants to meet on Valentine's Day?"

Rhys grimaced. "What do you care? You're to going to be busy." Ianto jabbed him in the ribs but he went on texting a reply. okay

Hold onto my phone until then

where should we meet? Rhys texted.

Kimi's 9pm

Ianto frowned. "Kimi's?"

"Yeah, that bar by my old flat."

"Oh yeah! Nice place." Ianto nodded approvingly as he reached for his coffee.

Rhys' fingers few over the little keypad, clearly typing in far more than just 'okay'.

"What are you telling him?" Ianto clutched at his mug.

"I'm telling him that you're a free-lance journalist and I'm asking if it's okay that you do a story on him."

As the phone beeped again, the butterflies in Ianto's stomach met his sip of coffee. "What's he saying?"

What kind of story

"He wants to know what kind of story."

"Tell him that I'm a very important writer for an internationally recognised magazine and that I write profiles on interesting people."

Rhys didn't kook impressed. "Yeah." He started typing again but Ianto poked him.

"Don't edit me, just type that!"

What makes you think I'm so interesting

With a grin, Rhys replied, speaking aloud as he typed, just a hunch I'd like to get to know you better to be sure and he added a smiley face.

"Rhys!" Ianto was horrified. "Don't send that! Oh, God, I'm so embarrassed. I'm just gonna crawl into a hole and die of embarrassment." He hid his face in his hands, barely avoiding spilling his coffee as he did so.

The phone beeped immediately; Rhys read the test and gave out a bark of laughter. "He says you have everyone I know in the palm of your hand. Go for it." He turned the phone so Ianto could see the screen.

GO FOR IT!

Ianto's first stop was in a ballroom in the St David's hotel, where he was met by a sign just outside the door that said 'Tango, Tango' by Antonio. He stepped inside to find four couples sweeping effortlessly and in perfect unison across the floor while an Argentinian tango played on the stereo.

"Thanks again for meeting me," he smiled recognising the handsome young man who approached him from the photo in Jack's contact list.

"My pleasure."

Into pulled off his coat and removed a small digital recorder from his jacket pocket. "May I?" he asked permission before turning it on.

"Of course," Antonio nodded.

"I found your number on Jack's phone and I'm trying to interview everyone to find out what kind of man he is," he explained.

Antonio frowned. "Does Jack know you're doing this?"

"Yes!" Ianto grinned. "In fact, he told me to go for it!"

The other man laughed. "Yes, that does sound like our Jack. He's a very generous person, an extraordinary man. He has the potential to be a great tango dancer as well."

"So, Jack is a dancer?"

"Actually, he's a photojournalist. He came here to do a story and learn about the tango and quickly became enchanted with our world."

They were distracted at that moment when a couple twirled themselves close enough that Ianto could smell the woman's perfume. He found himself staring at the way the dancers were looking into one another's eyes, as though they could see straight into their partner's soul. It was mesmerising. Ianto found himself wanting to feel the woman's hand on his own skin as she gently caressed the side of the man's face and he gasped out a tiny breath as her partner pulled her forcefully against his body.

And then just as abruptly as they'd appeared, they were gone, long strides across the floor carrying them away.

Antonio sighed deeply. "You see the amore of the tango, my friend."

"What makes Jack a good dancer?"

Antonio's eyes grew bright. "The tango is a game of allurement." He moved gracefully in front of and then around Ianto, leading him slowly towards the dance floor. "It begins in the eyes, with a glance. The dance epitomises the dancer's loneliness and secret desires."

Ianto nodded, even if he wasn't quite sure he completely understood.

"Tell, me, Mr Jones, have you ever danced the tango?"

"Who me?" Ianto spluttered. "Oh no!"

"Come now, everyone must dance; everyone has a dance inside them!" Antonio held out his hand.

Embarrassed, Ianto looked around nervously. "No, really. I… honestly, I have two left feet. The last time I danced was at my cousin Nerys' wedding and we did the line dance from 'Footloose' and they actually asked me to leave the dance floor."

"Oh, Mr Jones, you must dance the tango." Antonio was deadly serious as he looked around and then spotted one of his instructors standing talking to the others now that the music had stopped. "Caesar! Come!" and he clicked his fingers imperiously.

Immediately, Caesar responded, and as soon as he was beside them, Antonio grabbed Ianto's hand and placed it in Caesar's.

"No!" Ianto protested, "I really think I should go." He tried to back away, but Caesar held on, his gaze burning into Ianto. "Oh, for…" and he allowed the handsome man to lead him onto the dance floor.

Caesar swept him into his arms, pulling Ianto firmly against his body. "Just feel," he said confidently.

"Oh, good Lord, what is happening right now?" Ianto murmured and in a slightly louder voice he said, "just so you know, I have the six-forty back into Cardiff."

"No," Caesar shook his head. "Nothing else matters because tonight, we have… the tango," and he assumed the perquisite dancing position.

As the music began to play, Ianto found himself lost in the sultry depths of Caesar's eyes, his body following the man's lead without Ianto even realising he was dancing until Caesar spun him away for a moment, only to twirl him back in again and crush him hard against his chest.

"You," Caesar breathed deeply, "mi amore, are a natural tango dancer!"

Ianto was breathless as the powerful man led him back and forth across the dance floor, their bodies moving as one, and when Caesar dipped him, Ianto felt something inside himself break free, something that had been kept chained up for far too long.

Daffyd Collins tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for the lift to come to his floor, and finally, it pinged and the doors slid open. He took one step forward and then froze in place as the interior of the car was revealed.

Eyes closed, a look of sheer happiness on his face, and completely unaware that he was being observed, Ianto Jones blissfully swayed and danced his way back and forth, a long-stemmed red rose held in his hand as a partner. As he dipped his flower and rose up again, he opened his eyes, looking directly into Daffyd's. He found the look of utter confusion on the man's face amusing and so he smiled brightly as the doors closed without Daffyd getting in and the lift carried Ianto on up to his floor.

"So, how was it seeing Daffyd again?"

Ianto appeared from the kitchen, mugs of steaming coffee in his hands. He gave one to Rhys and then settled on the floor across the coffee table from the man, all the while eyeing the box of pastries he was currently opening.

"I don't know," Ianto selected a custard tart from the proffered box and set it on a napkin. "It's strange when you see someone every single day for so long, and then suddenly you don't." He sipped his coffee. "But it was okay, I was okay, I think." Ianto got a pensive look on his face. "I'm not sure I was ever in love with him, Rhys. I'm not sure I've ever been in love."

"Huh…" Rhys shoved half a pain au chocolat croissant in his mouth and washed it down with a large swig of coffee, then gasped. "Oh! Hot, hot!" as he fanned his tongue.

"Oh! Did I tell you I found my next lead on Jack's story?"

"Yeah, who?"

Ianto shook his head. "All I know is her name is China Howe and she says she has a complicated relationship with him."

Ianto grunted as a large dog clambered over the seat and into his lap, seemingly encouraged by the barking of the other dogs in the back of the estate wagon. The woman driving glanced over, took in his horrified expression and laughed.

"Don't worry, she won't bite!"

Deciding not to disillusion the woman – she didn't look like the type to care that the animal was shedding all over his suit – Ianto smiled. "You have a lot of dogs," and he looked over his shoulder at the other three, all looking back at him and wagging their tails.

"Yeah, I do," China looked in the rear-view mirror and smiled fondly. "You like dogs, don't you?"

Ianto shrugged. "I never had a dog growing up, so frankly, even if it makes me sound like a wimp to admit it, they do scare me a little."

"Like I said, don't worry about them. They're all lovely, well-behaved animals." She grinned at him and reached out to pat the dog in his lap, then leaned in close. "Yes, you are, now give me some kisses."

To Ianto's disgust, the dog licked the side of China's face several times. Dog hair all over his clothes as one thing but dog slobber on his face? That concept absolutely confirmed the idea that he would never own a dog.

"Dogs are my life," she confided. "In fact, dogs saved my life… well, actually Jack saved my life."

"How did you meet Jack?"

"It was about ten years ago now, I was waitressing in this little diner in Swansea and he sat in my section. Well, that day it was all my section cos the other girl hadn't come in. I was being run ragged off my feet, the cook kept ringing that damn bell for pick-up, people were waving me down and calling me to bring more coffee or water or menus or to place their order." China shook her head. "When I got to Jack's table I was frazzled beyond belief and he asked me if I was all right. I found myself suddenly plopping down in the seat across from him and just pouring my heart out about how bad I was at my job, and how much I really hated waitressing."

"That must have been awful."

"Wha…?"

"No! I mean, that morning, working alone, all the customers," Ianto hastily amended. "Not the Jack part. Sounds like he was an island of calm in a sea of chaos."

"Yeah, he was. There's just something about him that makes you feel safe." China nodded in agreement and continued. "Anyway, 'tell me something', he says, 'do you know Confucius?' and I laughed and said, 'Yup, he used to be a regular but then I gave him a milkshake instead of juice and so now he goes to the place down the street'."

Ianto chuckled. "That's pretty funny."

"Jack thought so, but then he said, 'Confucius said that a man who finds a job that he loves never works a day in his life'. I think about that all the time, cos that's the exact moment Jack saved my life."

Ianto was intrigued. "How so?"

"He asked me what I loved, more than anything." She gave a wry smile. "I said, toast, and he responded with, 'Well, yeah, toast is good, it's interesting, but not really a career choice'. He asked me again what did I love, really love and I told him I loved dogs. That's what I love more than anything."

Having warmed up to the over-sized lap dog he was holding, Ianto nodded. "I can see that."

"Wasn't there a film or something with 'gotta love dogs' or 'must love dogs' as a memorable tag line?" China laughed gaily. "And now I can't remember it!"

Ianto searched his memory. "It does sound familiar…"

"Anyway, I could see that Jack wanted to say something but the cook was slamming his hand down on that bell, over and over again, so I tell Jack that I've got to go bring someone their scrambled eggs or something, and before I left the table I asked him if he wanted anything and he said a cup of coffee would be great."

"You said that Jack rescued you; how did he do that?"

"Jack has this uncanny ability to see people for who they really are," China's tone was earnest. "He just taps into those places in our hearts that we just long to have touched, you know?"

Ianto nodded, he did indeed know all about that.

"Well, a short time later, after I'd delivered the meals that had backed up at the service window, I approached Jack's table again. Only, I didn't have his coffee in my hands, I had my coat and purse."

"Oh, no…" Ianto knew what was coming.

"Yeah," she sighed. "He stopped working on his crossword, looked up at me and said, 'What happened?' It was so heartfelt, like he honestly wanted to know, so I sat down again and this time told him I'd just been fired and when he asked me what I was going to do, I just shrugged and said get another waitressing job, by tomorrow."

A memory flooded Ianto's mind, from back in his Uni days, living paycheck to paycheck when usually there wasn't enough paycheck to make it to the next check.

"He looked at me for a moment, like he was studying me, then he stood up, took my hand and said, 'Come with me, I want to show you something; I want to take you somewhere'." China reached back and patted one of the dogs behind her.

"Where did you go?" Ianto felt a sense of anticipation, like a kid waiting for the best part of the bedtime story to be read to him.

"Jack took me to a park where a class was being held. It was people training service dogs, you know, like the ones for the blind or disabled or people who need emotional support animals. It was a place that changed my life. Within a week I'd traded in short stacks and scrambled eggs for something that has become my life's passion. When I asked how he knew about this amazing organisation, he said that he'd had a boyfriend once who'd needed a dog."

"Wow…"

"But you know, when he said about the boyfriend, there was so much sadness, almost grief even on his face and all the light went out of his eyes. I wanted to know, to hear that story, but my heart said it was something I couldn't ask about. I'm not sure anyone can."

Ianto couldn't find the words to say anything.

"So, we stood there for a while, watching all the dogs, different breeds and sizes and there was even one old dog, white muzzle, joints stiff with age, but he kept up with the younger ones as they learned and played." China sighed softly. "It was like Jack had found a very special key and had unlocked a part of me I didn't even know existed. I just turned to him, thanked him and hugged him as tightly as I could and all he said was 'You're welcome'."

She saw the dog in Ianto's lap nudging at the window, so she pushed the button and lowered it a bit, making room for the dog to stick his muzzle out into the wind blowing by. "I'll always be grateful to Jack; he's the one who helped me find what truly makes my heart sing, what makes me get out of bed for each day, and I don't mean cos there's chores that need doing and mouths that need feeding, but what makes me look forward to each day. I will always love Jack."

"Did you date at all?" Even though he knew Jack was gay… or at least he thought he was… Ianto could sense that there was a more personal connection between Jack and China.

"Yeah, for a while, but we were just friends doing stuff together, you know, like going to a film or the Rugby or lunch," she shrugged, "you know, just friend stuff. It was never going to be anything romantic."

"You don't do that anymore? Why did it end for you? If you don't mind me asking, that is!" Ianto stammered, feeling a sudden blush hit his cheeks.

China turned to him with a very serious expression on her face. "I think to really understand Jack, you have to know what happened with Gareth."

The vehicle slowed down and Ianto turned to look out the window, to see where they were. He was greeted by a white picket fence surrounding the front garden of a lovely cottage and he caught a glimpse of another, larger building behind as the car turned into the drive. Then he saw the sign.

CHINA'S ANIMAL RESCUE it proudly announced and there was a logo with the outline of a big heart with a small cat standing facing a large dog.

Ianto looked at her in amazement as the car followed the arc of the driveway and he could see several quite large fenced-in yards with dogs running around, there were some covered kennels, and behind all that was a pasture where two stocky little Welsh Mountain Ponies calmly grazed, their short stature leaving them halfway hidden in the tall grass. "I cannot believe this is all yours!"

"Well, I couldn't have done any of it without Jack."