She turned off her hair dryer when he walked back into the bedroom and then met his gaze in the mirror.

"Better?" Lisa asked. The rain had soaked them both to the bone, and she hadn't realized just how cold she was until the hot shower hit her. Trying to pull of wet jeans with as sore as she was hadn't been a picnic either, and she'd almost fallen in the bathroom doing that. That would have been embarrassing and just the right entrance into her new life at the ranch. Thankfully, no one had seen that. Jack was now out of the shower too, as he walked into the bedroom, dressed in clean jeans and an undershirt and walked to his closet. He detoured toward Lisa and wrapped his arms around from behind her, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Now, yes," he told her, and she laughed. "You?"

"Dry, well, mostly," she gestured to her hair. "That was some storm. I threw all of our wet clothing into the washing machine."

"I wondered where my things walked off too," he chuckled quietly, kissing her cheek. "Thank you."

"So, I need to break a promise," she said, wincing as his gaze met hers in the mirror. "Just temporarily."

He groaned, but nodded, expecting this, "You're going back to Fairfield."

"Oh, no," she frowned, and at this point, she turned to him. "I mean, at some point, I'll go back there for a day here or there, especially if the house stays this full, but no, that wasn't what I meant."

A little surprised but at the same time, pleasantly surprised, his facial expression went from total dread of Lisa leaving Heartland, to a curious wonder about this broken promise.

"Lay it on me."

She ran her hand down his chest as he loosely held her, and she looked up at him, "It's not all bad for you. I promise. So, I think with all that has transpired here, I would like to postpone your baked chicken dinner. I don't want that to be ruined too." He thought briefly, but nodded.

"Okay," he agreed.

She shifted her hands to his arms, "Like I said, not all bad. I am going to take you to your favorite steakhouse for dinner instead, just you, John, and me. I think that sounds like a better dinner for tonight."

He eyed her curiously and shook his head, "You hate that place, an all-you-can-eat salad buffet with steaks you think are too greasy."

She looked up at him, an almost playful grin on her face, "I'm willing to put my feelings aside. You love going there, and you are still owed a decent birthday meal. Besides," she shrugged, "anything sounds like a better option than another round at the dinner table, at least for tonight. I know we can't avoid it every night, but tonight," she nodded, "how can you say no?" She ended on a very, light teasing tone, her eyes sparkling as she told him. "And," she patted his chest, "I'm buying."

He shook his head and made a face, "Nah, you can't argue that anymore, not when you were the one going on and on about the fishing cabin and money is money with us. You may run the credit card tonight, but," he winked at her and leaned in closer, speaking in a low, slow tone, "money is money."

She laughed, "Fine, yes, but it did sound good, hmm?"

He leaned in and kissed her, her eyes drawing him to her. He pulled back and met that gaze of hers, "We really don't have to go there. I'll eat about anything."

"We're going," she patted his arms. "I mean, it's far from the finest places in all of Europe," she shrugged again, and chuckled. He rolled his eyes, "And, imagine what people would say if they saw the world-traveler, high society horse breeder at such a place."

Jack still holding her and close to her face whispered, "They'd say she knows a good steak and knows where to hang out with good, old cowboys." Lisa grinned and laughed at that too. She gestured back to her hair.

"If I don't dry this mess, it's going to be that, a total mess. Maybe that is the look, though," she nodded, grinning at him. "If I leave the crazy hair look and go to this place, people will just think that, I've gone crazy."

He let out a laugh and nodded, "Especially when they realize you married me, yes, you've gone totally crazy."

"Is John still-" she stopped when he nodded.

"Napping in the swing, yes," he told her. "Just checked on him."

"How about I finish with my hair, and when he wakes up, we feed him, and then maybe head out for the afternoon? I need to stop by my stables, and the two of you could hang out at the house, and we could go to an early dinner from there?" She looked to him, hopeful, wanting to spend the day with him, but also wanting to get away from everyone, at least for today.

"Sounds perfect," he said, pecking her lips. "I'll go make his next bottle."

John took a nice, long nap, and it was almost two hours later when they were finally heading out. Jack had John's car seat on the couch and was putting him in it, while Lisa was making up another bottle for later in the kitchen. Lou walked through, headed toward the coffee pot.

"You guys going out?" Lou asked. She'd been back in her room working a lot of the day, so they hadn't had to engage with her much. She'd been in the kitchen when they'd come in, soaking wet, but neither had stayed to chat. They were, after all, soaking wet.

"Mmm hmm," Jack said as he finished with the straps and lifted John. "Won't be home for dinner."

"Oh," she looked at Jack and then nodded. "Ahh, well, see you later this evening."

Jack, very nonchalantly carrying John through to the kitchen, didn't stop to address Lou, but just added, as he met Lisa's glance at the sink where she was finishing with the bottle, "maybe. Lise, you ready?"

"Yes," she stated with a nod as she finished at the sink. She gave a curt nod to Lou and walked toward the door where Jack gestured for her to walk in front of him. He nodded to Lou, but nothing else was said.

The steakhouse was everything Jack hoped it would be and everything Lisa knew it would be. Jack loved his dinner, and Lisa, trying a different cut of steak this time, found it to be the same as she'd remembered, greasy. It didn't matter; Jack really did like the place, and she could tolerate it. Their salad bar, tonight, was not as bad as it often was, and she filled up on that. John was in a good mood, kicking and looking around the place, and best of all, no one was there yelling at them or accusing them of anything. They were pleasantly surprised to run into Scott.

"Jack, Lisa," he said, walking up to their table after he'd visited the salad bar and noticed them in the corner. "Wow, it's been awhile. Great to see you both."

"Scott," Jack nodded. "I suppose the good thing about not seeing you is that it means the horses haven't been ill."

"True," he chuckled and gestured toward John. "Definitely haven't met him yet. Congratulations to you."

"Thank you," Lisa, wiped her mouth as she answered, nodding to Scott. "This is John."

"Hey there, little guy," Scott grinned at John, and John chose that moment to flash his smile. The three adults laughed, and Scott turned back to them. "He's lucky to have you both. Man, he sure will know horses when he grows up."

"Ahh, thank you," Lisa said with a smile of appreciation. "We're lucky to have him."

"Jack, ever since you first brought me here, what years ago when I lived above the barn, this has been my favorite place. I always think of you when I come here."

Jack chuckled and gestured to Lisa, "See, I'm not the only one who thinks this place is the best." Lisa rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Lisa, yeah," he frowned and nodded, "I'm sure it's NOT your favorite."

"That's okay," she shook her head. "I know it's his, and that's what matters. Besides," she leaned over, squeezing his shoulder at their small square table, "it's the least I can do for the birthday boy."

"Oh, your birthday?" Scott asked, his eyes wide with joy.

"Yesterday," Jack said with a nod of thanks.

"Ahh, probably had a big family dinner, as usual," he smiled. "Those were the best."

"Something like that," Jack nodded, not wanting to spread the family mess.

"Scott," Lisa gestured around, "are you alone or with someone tonight?"

"Ahh," he shrugged, "if I'm not with animals these days, mostly alone."

"Please join us," she glanced to Jack, and he nodded in agreement. "We don't mind."

"Oh, no," he shook his head. "I really appreciate it, but I do have a vet article I need to finish reading. I'm working on something, and I need to get through this article." Lisa, who had propped her elbows on the table and folded her hands in front of her face, nodded back at him.

"Well, the offer stands if you change your mind," she smiled.

"Appreciate that," and he nodded to Jack and gestured at Lisa. "So, Jack," he said with a slight grin, "looks like another congratulations are in order," and Jack followed Scott's nod to Lisa. She smiled, gesturing her hand.

"Yes, ahh, thanks," he said smiling at Scott.

"Man, I'm really out of the Hudson gossip loop if I haven't heard that," he chuckled.

"Oh, no," Lisa shook her head. "Actually, you are one of the first to know. We got married in October."

"Oh, wow, so just last month," he nodded, smiling. "Well, again, you two deserve all the happiness and are two of the best people I know. Congratulations on all of it, John here," he nodded to him, "and getting married. Really happy for you. Jack," he put his hand on his shoulder and looked at him, "I had days when I lived in the barn I ever wondered if you would leave the property again. I know it was hard back then after Lyndy died, and I'm really happy you two," he smiled at Lisa, "found each other."

Lisa and Jack glanced at each other and smiled, Jack turning back to Scott, "That's very kind of you, Scott. We're very happy and excited for our future."

"Well, I'm going to leave you, but if I can find anything like you two have, I'll be a blessed man. Have a good night."

"Don't be a stranger, Scott," Jack called to him, "and I don't just mean vet calls. Stop by sometime," Jack told him and nodded as Scott left.

"That was very sweet," Lisa said, giving Jack a small smile.

"Scott's a good man," Jack added, taking a bite of steak. "So, home," he raised his eyebrows and looked at Lisa. She made a grimacing face. "Yeah, I know, our favorite topic. I am going to have a chat with Peter and Lou about this place they are buying. I heard all kinds of things about it before I went to France. Seemed like this was moving along, and now," he paused and glanced at Lisa, "nothing. I don't know what the deal is, but I know I should be hearing talk of this place and haven't."

"You think the deal fell through?" Lisa glanced at him.

He nodded, "Probably, but we need some plan. In the meantime," he glanced at her and nodded to John, "he needs his room. It's cramped as it is for us, and Amy's room is there as I said, ready for John. I had wanted to move everything at once, but I think it would be a good idea to get his room setup for him. Whenever Lou and her family do move out, we can continue the plan to put Amy's bedroom set in Katie's room. I wanted to get your thoughts."

Lisa nodded quietly, considering all of it. She put her fork down and folded her hands on the table, "So, go ahead and clear out that room-"

He nodded and added, "Paint it whatever you want, redecorate, all of that, just like you and Lou did with Marion's room when you setup Katie's nursery. Once it's cleaned, painted, redecorated, we can move his crib set, that is, if you are still okay with this plan."

"Ahh, yes," she nodded, considering it again, "can we also talk about starting some of the updates on the kitchen? I hate to just do one thing here or there. I realize we can't shift everyone at once right now, but could we just rip the band aid off so to speak and put in some new countertops and all?"

He looked to John and back to her, dropping his head as he smiled. He glanced to her, "Yeah, we can do that, just-"

"Nothing too fancy. I know," she grinned.

He eyed her, "What's the 'and all' you said with the kitchen?"

"Oh," she waved, just the updates we talked about, countertops, appliances."

He groaned, but she pointed her fork at him, "That is where I spend a lot of time, and as I pointed out before, the oven is iffy and sometimes catches my casseroles on fire-"

"Maybe it's the cook," he smirked, and she reached over and smacked his arm.

"Maybe it will do that to your baked chicken," she replied back in kind. He groaned again. "As I was saying, the oven is an issue. The refrigerator is way too small for the number of people in and out and the amount of food I usually have on hand to feed everyone, and well," she shrugged, "when you are already replacing two appliances, you might as well do all of them so they match and get a bulk purchasing discount."

He chuckled, eyeing her and nodded, "Of course, because you're worried about that discount."

"Well, Cowboy," she shrugged, "I didn't get to where I am by overpaying for things."

"Add it to the list for tomorrow," he nodded to her. "Our morning of errands sounds like it's a full day now. Hopefully, John will be okay with that after his immunizations."

"Okay, tomorrow," she nodded. "Ripping the band aid on Heartland and the fishing cabin."