Lots of New Beginnings

"Thanks. Your restaurant is right on the way to ours, it looks like," Brian said. "That certainly should be easy. I think we should go."

"You did really well shopping for Jess, then," Khaat said. "Gee, Jess, it looks like we can let them shop for us more often."

"No thanks," Brian laughed. "I'm happy to let you do it for yourself, and I know Jack has hobbies he likes far more than shopping for women's clothing. Come on, or we'll be late."

Brian drove Jess and Jack to their restaurant. It looked like a casual looking little family taverna. It looked popular with the locals who seemed to have a steady stream of people going in and out.

"The food must be good if it's getting so much business," Brian said. "Alright. This is your stop, Jack and Jess. You have your sell, so have a good time and a good dinner. Take your time and enjoy it and just call me when you're ready for us to pick you up. We're only a couple miles farther down the road, so we can be here pretty quickly, it looks like. Anything you need before Khaat and I head to our reservations?"

Jack slipped out the car and helped Jess out. " nope, we'll be fine, so go enjoy the night." he said as Jess showed Brian the cell she had in her purse.

Seeing them leave Jack took Jess by the hand and walked her down to the open door past all the other people waiting. "échoume epifyláxeis Blackheart." he said and saw the man smile as he opened his arms wide to greet them.

"Kalós ílthate, your Marcus friends, yes?" he asked and Jack nodded. "my name is Callistus, I have to say your Greek is near perfect, where did you learn?" Jack chuckled as they were lead to a private table out on a balcony.

"oh here and there, I traveled a lot so picked up a few languages" he said the look on Jess's face as he had spoken " what?" he asked her.

"I didn't know you spoke Greek?" she said and he chuckled " what other languages can you speak?" Jack moved to pull out her chair for her as she sat down. Jack moved to sit facing her, he saw her smiling as she looked out over the water the setting sun making it seem almost golden in color.

"Can we have two Ouzo and the menu please." he asked and saw Callistus nod then leave them alone.

"let me know when your ready to order."

Khaat and Brian were impressed with the restaurant Marcus had chosen for them. It was a little place only a few steps from a beautiful sandy beach. A local musical combo played music, and some customers were dancing on the sand.

"Maybe we should dance," she told him.

"If they ever play anything slow, then yes," he smiled. "Otherwise, I'm not honestly that interested in anything but us for the moment. I think we should eat first."

"And what if the food has garlic?"

"Then I'll have garlic too, and it'll just cancel each other out," he laughed. "It'll be fine. Eat the garlic, drink the wine, and let's just enjoy it."

Brian ordered a bottle of white wine and salads for appetizers. It looked delicious.

"How do we know what they specialize in?"

"We order the daily special because that's likely to be the freshest catch of the day here," he said. "Or we can eye what the locals are getting and try that. Khaat, I'm sorry we never went on any sort of a honeymoon. I'll make it up to you."

"Isn't that what we're doing now?"

"It's a start. We deserve a proper week away, though. I'll make it up to you."

"When James is out of our lives for good. Then we'll take a week away with nothing looking over our shoulder--if we aren't pregnant with another by then."

"Pregnant? We can't be pregnant," he frowned.

"We're not. Not yet anyway."

"Oh, thank heavens," he sighed, relieved.

"I thought we wanted more," she frowned.

"We do. Just not right now," he smiled as the waiter brought the wine and the salads. The waiter poured the wine and left the bottle for them and Brian offered a toast. "To a romantic weekend."

"With many more to come," she agreed, touching her glass to his.

Jack and Jess ate a full meal, talked and danced for most of the night but all too soon it was getting late and Jack could see Jess was faltering. " okay I think its time to head back, you want to call Brian" Jack said as they finished their meal.

Paying they headed outside to stand at the dock side, Jack held Jess around her waist as they stood together. Jess took out her cell and called Brians number.

"hey guys, hope your night went as good as ours, but right now I could use my bed, come pick us up please" she said leaning back against Jack who sighed and smiled down at her enjoying the feeling of her against him.

"no rush guys" he said slightly loud into the phone.

Khaat and Brian had a wonderful dinner of baked fish with fresh vegetables and finished with galaktoboureko--a Greek custard pie, served with some strong espresso-like coffee. It was perfect. Then they got up and danced slowly on the sand when the little band played slow music.

For Brian, there was nothing he treasured more than the feeling of having her wrapped close to him, and lately, there had been far too little of it, too many irons in the fire, and too many fires to put out, for that matter. Tonight, he wanted the only fire to be the one that was the chemistry between him and her that bonded them together, the passion they both had for each other. He felt he could have danced all night long with her, but he felt her weight falling slowly more and more on him, and he realized her knee was giving her trouble. She seemed oblivious to it because she was caught up in the moment. Any other time, he would have cared. Tonight, he was glad she was that happy that all that mattered to her was him.

He got her to sit and he ordered another coffee for both of them, and they sat outside at a small table on the sand, looking up at the stars, and holding hands, not saying anything at all--until the phone rang. He answered it.

"We're on our way," he told Jess. "We'll be there in a few minutes, as soon as we finish our coffee." When he hung up he looked at Khaat.

"Our coffee is gone," she told him.

"I know," he grinned at her. "I want a few more minutes."

"Why? I'm not planning on going to sleep, and I'm not planning on you going to sleep either, maybe not at all."

"You read my mind," he laughed.

"Then let's go pick them up and get back," she said.

"You twisted my arm," he said. They got up and headed to the car and went back to pick up Jess and Jack.

"You guys ready for us?" Brian asked when they pulled up.

Jack and Jess were sat on a sea wall when they heard a car pull up looking behind them they smiled seeing Khaat and Brian.

"yep, you two look like you had a good time, because I know we did, the food was wonderful, view was breathtaking and so was the company." Jack said his arm still around Jess's waist as they walked and climbed into the car.

" yeah, it was perfect" Jess said now leaning against Jack her cheeks a little pink from the Ouzo she'd drunk " but I could do with some coffee right now." Jack chuckled and lent closer to her.

"you shouldn't have had that second glass of Ouzo, I told you it was strong" he said with a chuckle brushing some of Jess's hair off her face that had escaped the now messy bun. " remind me to thank Marcus, the restaurant was spot on." He felt Jess lean against him.

"hum your so comfy." she said this made him chuckle again.

"Hey no falling asleep yet." he said and Jess laughed out loudly. " na, I'm having way too much fun and not just with the view." her fingers walked up his chest as she spoke.

"oh boy, Brian best step on it." Jack said his cheeks flushing pink as he felt her hand move to the back of his neck.

"We had a wonderful time," Brian said. "Some of the tables were out on the beach, and people were dancing on the sand to music from a live band. The food was fantastic, and so was my date. I haven't a complaint in the world."

"Me neither," Khaat said as he reached over and took her hand. She heard Jess and Jack horseplaying in the back, and she ignored it, feeling it was none of her business. Brian glanced in the rear view mirror and laughed when Jack asked him to speed it up.

"What's the matter, Jack? Is she having trouble running her fingers through your hair?" he laughed, knowing Jack really didn't ever seem to mind a little teasing.

"Now that's just naughty," Khaat said. She was glad when they got back to their rental. She wanted to take her shoes off, and she was sure that Jess and Jack weren't planning on spending any more time tonight with her and Brian than she and Brian were planning to spend tonight with them. No one had plans for conversation or cards. Private time was what they had come here for.

Jack heard Brian and looked at him in the mirror "oh haha, shes all over me, normally I wouldn't mind but.." he paused " she's gonna have one hell of a hang over tomorrow." he said pulling her hand out of his shirt.

Jess chuckled and sat back in the chair and looked at Khaat and laughed. "It seems Jack here can't take some simple teasing" she said all signs of being drunk now gone from her voice.

"you tricked me?" he said and Jess laughed " oh just you wait, cold pool her you come." he said frowning at her as they drove back to the rental. Jess dove out the car door with Jack hot on her heels. Soon a squeal could be heard followed by a loud splash and both Jack and Jess laughing from the pool.

"I'm glad they're happy," Khaat said to Brian as she heard them squealing and then splashing in the pool.

"Come with me," he said softly, taking her hand. He took her inside and shut the door, closing out the world.

When she woke in the morning, she had fully expected to find Brian's side of the bed empty, but he was still here and they were still wrapped around each other. He was awake, and he kissed her softly and slowly.

"I thought you were going to go running with Jack," she said.

"Changed my mind," he said softly. "It isn't that often that we get to sleep in and not be interrupted by someone or something. I thought about making coffee..."

"I don't want coffee," she said quietly, curling in tighter. "I just want you."

"I'm not going anywhere," he said. "And we need throw a wedding for a bride who isn't getting much of a voice in it, when a bride usually makes 90% of the choices in a wedding."

"Jack wants to be romantic, I think," she said. "It'll be alright. If she wants to have her own stamp on something, she can do a vow renewal some years from now. And we've done our best to design things according to what it sounds like Jack wants. Marcus surely has things in hand. I do need to help her find some sort of a dress, though. That might be tricky. Find a wedding dress without letting her know its her wedding dress. Women are picky about their bridal gowns."

"Then we have a busy day ahead of us," he said. "Maybe I should make coffee."

"It isn't even 8 am. The coffee can wait," she kissed him. "We'll let them know we're up at nine. Maybe."

Jess smiled as she woke in the large bed, a weight lay over her waist and she turned to see Jack bare chested sleeping next to her. She sighed and snuggled closer to him.

"humm, stay just like that" she heard him say and she chuckle.

"well we might not get another chance." She said now he chuckled " besides..." she moved closer to him " you have a wedding to sort out." Now Jack sat bolt upright.

"but how?" he stumbled looking down at her.

"oh you think I couldn't figure it out." Jess said and laughed as she moved to lay Jack back down. " Now, what ever you have planned I know I will love it because I love you." she kissed him and pulled the sheet over them both.

Two hours later Jack and Jess walked into the kitchen and started the coffee pot. "Okay, who wants Greek breakfast with Greek coffee?" she called out.