Chapter 4

"You're a really great baker," Dave told Jazz as they lay on her double bed in her apartment. It was clear Dave meant his words. They were both buck naked, but there was a plate of chocolate raspberry torte between them. One of Jazz's amazing creations that had been left over when the bakery closed for the day. The dogs had been fed, and the vet had checked them over, declaring them healthy, if a little underweight, before giving them their shots and inserting an identification chip into both of them. The chip had their information on who the owner was, the address of said owner and the fact that their shots were up to date.

"Thank you," Jazz blushed. She always appreciated it when someone genuinely praised her baking skills. Some men that she had dated hadn't appreciated her skills in the kitchen. Oh, they ate the food put in front of them and no matter how good it was no compliment, especially genuine passed their lips. It was if they expected to be served and it probably never occurred to the idiots that a few sincere compliments went a long way, especially when you were dating someone, and they took the time to cook for you. No one liked to feel unappreciated, and a lot of men just expected a woman to serve their every need and not complain. Idiots!

Luckily for her, Dave wasn't like that, Jazz thought smiling. He was a rather unusual for a man for his time at least in her experience. Dave was certainly miles ahead of Jorge who wouldn't know how to treat a woman, even if some knowledge came up and knocked him on the side of the head to get his attention.

Jorge had showed up several more times at the bakery, but Jazz had simply glared to him so fiercely nearly daring him to say anything scathing that he had just bought his coffee and left without saying a word. Jazz was still rather pissed at him for the public scene, not to mention all the harassment over the last few years and also for what had happened four years ago when she had come back to town after being gone for years.

Jorge glared at Dave whenever the two of them made lovey-dovey, flirting with each other, even as she served customers if he happened to be present.

It was clear that Jorge was still obsessed with at least dating her and Jazz was getting quite tired of him. She knew that the situation was going to have to be dealt with eventually she just hoped she could put it off for a long time. Still, he didn't help her stress levels any, not that Jorge would care if he knew, or he would've stopped this nonsense years ago.

"If I keep eating all these sweets, I'm soon going to gain 50 pounds," Dave said, though it was clear he was joking.

"Still, who can resist?" Jazz suggested with a smile, taking a bite of the chocolate raspberry torte. The torte was disappearing fast and there wasn't much left.

"That is so true," Dave agreed taking another bite of the delicious dessert, savoring it before swallowing. "It's a good thing that I exercise regularly, as that means I can keep eating what I want without having to worry about gaining weight."

The dessert was soon nothing, but crumbs and Jazz put the plate on the nightstand.

"Why don't you stay the night," Jazz suggested with a coquettish wink.

"I was already planning to suggest it," Dave said. "We've been dating long enough now that we know we will get married. Me proposing is only a matter of time."

"Well, that's the later," Jazz said giving Dave a very intimate kiss.

"Not too much later, but later," Dave agreed, as he returned his girlfriend's kiss.

"Before you propose there's some things I need to tell you," Jazz mentioned.

"There is something's I need to tell you as well," Dave said, as the two cuddled together.

"Well, it looks like we both have some type of big secret," Jazz joked obviously nervous about what his secret could be.

She didn't want to hear that he had a wife in another city. Deep down she knew that wasn't his secret as Dave wasn't the type to practice bigamy. Maybe he was an escaped felon, and the cops had a warrant out for his arrest? Jazz thought briefly. Or it could be something totally innocent that he just wanted to tell her before they made their relationship committed. It could be something as innocent as he had a child that someone was watching him or her, one he'd had when he had been younger. Jazz couldn't really see that, as Dave wasn't the type to abandon his responsibilities to his son or daughter, not unless absolutely necessary, especially not for so long as they had been dating, but it was possible. There were hundreds of possibilities, and she didn't want to bother thinking about them all as she would worry about them until it drove her mad.

"Don't worry so much it's nothing bad," Dave promised. "No, I've never been married," he added after a moment.

"Why did you say that?" Jazz asked confused.

"Because it's obvious you're worried and that's one thing that any woman would worry over when a man tells them that they have a secret," Dave calmly explained. "I just wanted to assure you that no, I've never been married."

Which didn't stop him from having a child, Jazz noted to herself. Men had children all the time and didn't necessarily have to marry the woman in question.

"That's good to know," Jazz finally. "Since the puppies have already been fed and taken out for their pee break, we might as well get some sleep. I've got to open the bakery early as you know."

"Yeah, you do," Dave agreed, as he brushed as many crumbs as he could off the bed. "I'll change the sheets tomorrow."

"Thanks, I'm grateful for the help," Jazz said gratefully yawning.

"No thanks necessary, as I'm not the type of man that leaves all the work to the woman of the relationship," Dave said.

"No, you're really not like most men," Jazz agreed, as she laid her head on Dave shoulder contently.

"I plan on making myself useful enough that you'll never want to get rid of me," Dave added kissing Jazz on the temple.

"Not going to happen," Jazz said already half-asleep.

Dave smiled gently at his mate's sleepy response, kissed her forehead again and then turned off the lamp that was on his side of the bed and lay down all the way making himself comfortable, before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep next to the love of his life.

~~~Dave and Jazzlyn~~~

Days later

"You know I was thinking the same thing," Jazz admitted once Dave had explained what he had been thinking for several days. "It's clear that the puppy mill needs help. Some of those dog cages are way too small for one thing and it's clear that the poor things don't get out to exercise. The problem is, I don't have the funds to help them out, since I've only been in business such a short amount of time. While my bakery is doing well and is in the black, I don't have that kind of extra cash. I make a more than decent living considering that this is such a small town but can't afford to be too extravagant."

Dave had just suggested helping the family that was running the puppy mill. It was something he had been thinking about nearly constantly over the last few days. He'd had a friend of his run a background check on the family and they had come back clean, though in dire financial straits, which wasn't really all that unusual today. The wife had left the family as it had shown up in the background check. Apparently, the wife hadn't liked the fact that they were struggling to pay the bills and had simply left one day leaving the children with their father.

Dave had seen such things as a mother leaving the family before many times, but it always made him sad. The opposite of course, was also true when the father left the family struggling to make ends meet. Now, if the husband had been abusive, it would be one thing, but Dave suspected that wasn't the case this time. He couldn't be positive of course, because he hadn't met Alejandre Garcia.

"You might not have that kind of money, but I do," Dave said. "It's not the first time I've helped a struggling business, and I know it won't be the last."

"How do you know that they're on the up and up?" Jazz asked. "That puppy mill could just be a front for some kind of criminal activity you know, though I can't really see that in Moonlight Gorge. The crimes around here tend to be minor for the most part. Our police force rarely has to deal with things like murder or kidnappings."

"Don't worry, a friend of mine did a background check. The father has never been involved in criminal activity, except minor offenses when he was younger. From what my friend found out he's just an honest man struggling to make ends meet with three children. The mother abandoned all of them several years ago, as she apparently didn't like being poor. Didn't like struggling," Dave assured her. "I never do anything like loaning money to someone without doing my due diligence."

"She left her children behind?" Jazz asked in astonishment.

"Apparently so," Dave said. "There are no records of them battling it out in court and I can't see that anyway. Not in this case."

"Because the husband doesn't have enough money to hire a lawyer," Jazz said, and Dave nodded.

"I doubt that the ex-wife did either," Dave said. "If there had been any money at all, enough to pay the bills at least, she might not have left her husband and her children."

"Or she could've been having an affair and simply ran away with the guy. The husband might not have suspected," Jazz suggested, knowing that kind of thing happened all the time.

"That's possible too," Dave admitted. "So, what do you think of my idea?"

"I think it's a good one as long as you're sure that they're upfront and not involved in any criminal activity. It shows you're generous and have compassion for one thing, which are traits I like in any man that I date," Jazz said. "I wasn't very impressed with the condition of the puppy mill but understand that they just don't have any money to make improvements. You must sure to specify that any money is to go into upgrade the accommodations for the animals. It's not to be used for drugs, gambling or drink."

"I can tell just from talking to the daughter drugs or gambling are not something the father is into. Besides, I'm sure those things would've showed up in the background check if he was," Dave said. "I've always been an excellent judge of character and it's clear that the father loves his family and is doing his best, but he just doesn't have any marketable skills, not ones that will bring in money anyway. It's likely he never went to college for example, as his family probably could not afford it and might not have been able to get a scholarship. I'll make sure though, that he knows that any money is to go to pay back taxes and upgrades to the puppy mill."

"I'm sure that the family will appreciate it," Jazz said in awe of Dave's generosity. He was such a generous, compassionate man. He was also kind to those around him, but she knew that Dave would defend her and himself if necessary. The fact that he was very responsible and more than financially solvent put him so far ahead of most other men that Jazz couldn't help being in awe, especially combined with all the other traits she had noticed. "I also appreciate you asking my opinion, as it is your money, not mine."

"I intend to be as open with you as I can be," Dave told her. "I meant what I said a few days ago about us marrying. It's one of the reasons I wanted to make sure our puppies got along. We don't need them creating a mess and destroying things because they're fighting each other all the time."

"I want to marry you someday Dave," Jazz said, kissing him tenderly. "But as I told you recently there are some things that I need to reveal to you before we get that far."

"I know and you know I have some secrets as well, things that I need to tell you before we get much farther in our relationship. If you want to turn me down after that I'll understand."

"This must be some secret," Jazz joked.
"It is," Dave told her solemnly. "We'll discuss it sometime soon, but not right now."

Before Jazz could respond to that statement two little heads with long, floppy ears popped up over the bed and soon both Dave and Jazz had two bundles of fur in their laps.

"Well, it looks like these two sensed that the conversation was about to get too serious," Jazz joked.

"They probably did," Dave smiled stroking Amy gently. The puppy's name might be Amethyst, but Dave had immediately shortened it. While Jazz would've liked to have done the same, since her puppy was named Jasper, the nickname was the same as her own, which would be too confusing she figured.

"I have to admit they've already changed my life so much," Jazz said, as she stroked Jasper, causing him to lick her hand and Jazz to giggle. "Dog germs," Jazz joked, only to be lippy kissed, the puppy's pink tongue flickering over her lips.

"I think we should start a program. Kind of an outreach program for people who want an animal, but don't ever get one for one reason or another. It's something that I can set up with the Garcia family. You know take one of the dogs around so that people can meet them, let them know that they're for sale. That kind of thing. Some people don't ever think about getting a pet, but once they see a dog or cat that is so adorable a lot of times it opens up for them a need, they never knew they had. A need for a companion, particularly if they live alone. People began to realize that having a pet adds so many things to their lives, contentment, happiness, love, companionship. Having a pet is particularly good for people who don't have many friends."

"That's an interesting idea," Jazz considered, after Jasper had finished cleaning her face with his tongue. "And I certainly see your point. As I told Jackie, my family did have cats growing up. Once I went off to college though, I never had an animal since and not for lack of wanting the companionship."

"Life just gets so busy that you don't think about it very much," Dave said in understanding. "Or if you do you forget about it due to having to think about so many things on a daily basis."

"Exactly," Jazz said smiling at Dave's understanding. "Most people think about getting a pet when things are quiet and calm. For me, that's usually late at night when places like the pound or a pet store are closed."

"Of course, if you have children, well, they keep insisting until you do it," Dave added.

Since Dave had brought the subject up Jazz thought this was the perfect opportunity to ask him if he had a child. Since the subject has never come up before she thought it was rude to ask.

"So, any children of your own?" Jazz asked.

"No, they're no little Rossi's floating around the world," Dave answered honestly. Dave didn't tell her the reason he didn't have any children and that was because he couldn't have any kids at all until, he met his mate and turned her immortal. He understood why things had been arranged that way and even if they hadn't been he was too responsible to go about having children willy-nilly, as for one thing they would get his immortality and if the woman that he had gotten pregnant was human... well, it was possible she would consider her child some kind of demon and try to kill them, if they got hurt in some kind of accident and it healed immediately. Dave knew that not all Immortals would be as responsible as he was, which was likely one reason it had been arranged the way it had.

"By the way, if you're wondering something just ask, I won't be offended I promise," Dave added.

"Well, I wouldn't mind if you had a kid," Jazz said. "Even if you're careful accidents happen sometimes."

"That's one thing you don't have to worry about, as I'm positive I don't have any kids and that's not to say, I haven't had plenty of relationships," Dave said. "It's not like I wouldn't like to have a kid, or more than one, but I've always been too to responsible to create little lives without being in a permanent relationship, married in other words. I've always been responsible and used a condom in the past and it's the reason I've always used one with you as well. I don't want any unexpected babies until after we tie the knot. My parents taught me better."

"That's good," Jazz decided. "No child is ever a mistake, but it's good and definitely responsible not to have one until you marry."

"I'm glad you approve," Dave said snorting in amusement

"It's just that I don't find many men that are so responsible," Jazzy explained. "A lot of them never think about using protection assuming that whatever woman they are having sex with is on the pill. A lot of them never even ask if they are."

"True, while the woman in question is probably sure that she can't get pregnant the first time," Dave conceded, petting Amy's head, which she seemed to adore, as when he stopped Amy looked at him with her big brown eyes that told him keep petting her. He didn't bother to argue with Jazz, because he knew very well that both mortal men and immortal ones could be very irresponsible. "You're just the cutest thing," Dave told Amy kissing the top of her head. "And so are you Jasper," Dave added leaning over enough to give him the same treatment

"Yes, they are cute and adorable I think we made a good decision," Jazz said. "They're incredibly sweet and get along just fine. Of course, their siblings so that might be part of the reason."

"So, well worth the $600, hey?" Dave suggested with a little smile. He knew very well that Jazz had objected to him paying the $300 for the cute little bundle of fur laying on her lap.

"More than worth it," Jazz agreed, even as she patted Jasper who licked her hand and urged her to continue. "Persistent little thing aren't you little guy?" Jazz added a few minutes later, as Jasper continued to lick her hand every time she stopped petting him.

"I just want some attention mommy," Dave told her in a different voice, speaking for the dog in her lap. "After all, why did you buy us if you weren't going to pay my sister and me lots of attention?"

Jazz simply laughed at Dave's imitation of her dog's voice. That he was absolutely right was one reason she was laughing in the first place. Why get an animal if you didn't give him or her any love and affection?

"I do love you Jasper," Jazz promised her puppy kissing and hugging him. "My friend only encouraged me to do what I've been wanting to do anyway. I'm so glad she told me about the puppy mill."

"And we are going to help that family make it into a great place," Dave said, and Jazz nodded happy that Dave had decided to do it.

The two of them cuddled together on the couch with the two puppies on their laps.

~~~Dave and Jazzlyn~~~