"That's When I Knew"

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm not even sure anyone reads Reba fic anymore, but that's ok. I wrote this more to satisfy my own itch than anything. I was recently rewatching Reba and realized I was annoyed by how the show ended with Reba left alone and I wanted to remedy that. Fair warning: I was never a Brock/Reba fan, so if that's what you are looking for, you won't find it here. Rated M for later chapters.

CHAPTER ONE

Mid-May 2007, A quiet Saturday morning

Reba tossed the magazine she was thumbing through onto the coffee table and picked up her vibrating cell phone.

Hey mom…change of plans. Bryce isn't feeling well so I'm coming home. What's for dinner?

Reba smiled at Jake's text. If Jake was going to be home for dinner, she might as well surprise him with his favorite cake. She had plenty of time to get it made before dinner time if she started now. She stood up and made her way into the kitchen.

Thirty minutes later, Reba swiped her brow after adding the last cup of flour to the cake batter and began to mix. It was amazing how normal her life had been for the past four months. Van, Cheyenne and Elizabeth had settled nicely into their new home and were anticipating the fast approaching arrival of baby Mason. Kyra had just moved into her own apartment with her band mates and the band was actually doing pretty well on the local circuit. That usually left Reba and Jake having dinner together most evenings.

Except for the nights that Brock and Henry joined them. Brock and Barbara Jean were still working through their marriage issues but Barbara Jean was also pursuing her new career interest and that took her away from home at least 3-4 nights a week and on those nights, Brock and Henry routinely came over for dinner. On those nights, life seemed a little more lively. It was the other nights and the weekends, when loneliness started to set in. Nights when it was just her and Jake or even just her. As much as she hated to admit Van might have been right all those months ago, that even with all of these people in her life, she did find herself lonely at times. Sure, work kept her busy but with the kids growing up, maybe it was time to find a hobby…or a man. Even though that thought terrified her.

Ding-Dong. Reba was just pouring the cake batter into the cake pan when when someone rang the doorbell. What in the world, Reba thought. Who could be at her door? Certainly not one of the kids or Brock or Barbara Jean. They would just let themselves in, she smirked.

Ding-Dong. She quickly finished pouring the batter in the pan and put the cake in the oven. She wiped her hands and headed towards the front door.

Ding-Dong. Reba was irritated as she yanked the front door open. "Good grief! Where's the fire? How about you keep your pants…on?"

"Hi there Reba."

"Jack."

"Barbara Jean, I thought the weekends were supposed to be for family time, what do you mean you won't be home until late?" Brock stood up from the couch where he and Henry were watching baseball and pressed the phone closer to his ear.

"Brock, I am working on this big story. You understand how important this is for me. It's my career."

"Well, yeah BJ, but we agreed that weekends were strictly family and marriage time."

Barbara Jean sighed on the other end of the line. "Brock! I am doing this. You can either deal with it or you won't. But it is what it is."

Brock looked at his phone and the disconnected call. He was frustrated. Four months ago, things were great. They had committed to their relationship and Barbara Jean was excited for her new job opportunity. But over the past month or so, it seemed like the job had become more important and the marriage had once again had slipped by the wayside.

It wasn't so much that Brock was…unhappy. He was worried about his marriage. Things still weren't where they needed to be between he and Barbara Jean and it worried him. He knew the longer things lingered unresolved, the less likely they were to ever get back into a good place, a right place. And to be real honest, he was lonely. Yes, he had Henry but a 5 year old wasn't a substitute for a wife and that's why he often found himself having dinner with Reba and Jake. It was almost like being with a family and it helped that loneliness subside, even if for a little bit.

Brock sighed and turned back to Henry. "Hey kiddo — how about seeing if Jake and Miss Reba want to have dinner tonight after the game?"

"Sure dad!"

"Jack…wow. Long time, no see. What's it been? One? Two years?" Reba asked in shock.

"448 days to be exact. But who is counting?"

Reba narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you doing here?"

Jack flashed that charming smile at her and she silently cursed her stomach for the involuntary flip-flops it did at the sight. "I was in the area?"

Reba smirked. "You were in the area. Did you also happen to be divorced and in the area?"

Jack sighed. "Actually, no."

"Well then, it was good seeing you but…" Reba began as she started to close the door in his face.

"Reba, wait," Jack said as he reached out to block her from slamming the door closed. "Not divorced, but I am single."

Reba rolled her eyes and scoffed. "What the hell does that even mean, Jack?"

"I know, I know, it sounds ridiculous. But I promise, I can explain everything if you will just give me a chance. Preferably over dinner where I know we won't get interrupted by kids or exes. What do you say, Reba, dinner tonight?"

Reba clinched her jaw and closed her eyes. Was she really contemplating going to dinner with this man who had already broken her heart twice and had just admitted he still wasn't divorced. She took a deep breath…God, he still smelled so good.

She opened her eyes and almost laughed out loud. For as good looking and sophisticated as Jack was, in that moment, he looked like a little boy waiting to find out if he was getting a new puppy for Christmas or not. In that moment, she knew she had to at least hear him out.

Reba sighed. "Fine Jack. ONE dinner. That's it."

A wide smile spread across his lips. "Perfect. One dinner. Shall I pick you up around 7?"

Reba shook her head. "No, I will meet you at the restaurant. Just text me the address and I will see you there. I think it's better that way."

Jack's smile faltered slightly but he nodded. He would take what he could get. "Ok, I will make some reservations and then send you the address. Well, I guess I will get going but I am really looking forward to tonight." He turned to walk away but stopped and turned back towards her. "Oh and Reba, you look fantastic."

Reba closed the door behind him and stood in stunned silence for a few minutes. Jack Morgan…after all this time. The distant smells of a cake on the verge of burning tickled at her brain and snapped her out of her thoughts and she rushed back into the kitchen. As she passed the small mirror that hung on the kitchen wall she glanced over and noticed a large swatch of flour swiped across her brow from earlier. It had been there for her entire conversation with Jack.

"CRAAAAP!"

To be continued…