Jeanie worked hard and with Jan's help she bought a small two bedroom house just down the street from the cafe. She is a good employee and a best friend for Jan. Irene and Jan have tried to get Jeanie to date again as several men customers have asked. She thanks them but insists she is not ready yet. She loves her job and the little house she and Cassie share. She walks to Jan's mother's pushing Cassie in her stroller and then the two blocks back to the cafe.

Two years have past. Cassie is walking and talking and Jeanie bought a new stroller saying, "The old one had at least a zillion miles on it." Cassie is delighted once a month to see Glen pull up in front in his big silver Peterbilt. Several times he has spent the night with Jeanie but always goes back on the road.

Jeanie is ready to walk Cassie to the babysitter and has just started to close her door when the phone rings. She hurries back inside and checks the caller ID. Seeing it is Jan, she answers, "Good morning Jan, what's up?"

"You won't think it's a good morning when I tell you what happened. Sam, our cook, got a call from his family in New York, his father had a really bad heart attack and is in intensive care. He called me and said he didn't know if - or when - he would be coming back. So you and I will have to do the cooking till I can find another cook. We have been doing so good and now this."

"I'm just going out the door to take Cassie to your mom. I'll hurry and get there hun. We can handle this so don't give up the ship."

Jeanie jogs, pushing the stroller, much to Cassie's delight and she walks, breathless, into the cafe ten minutes later. It is only a few minutes after six and the regular customers are already coming in.

Jeanie hurries into the kitchen and takes over the big griddle, frying bacon and hash browns, putting them on the warming area at the back. Jan and Jeanie work together and barely manage to keep up while Irene is on the run handling all the waitress duties. Nine o'clock comes and the breakfast crowd is gone and the three women drop into a booth sweating and tired shaking their heads.

"Jesus girls, I'm going to hire two frigging cooks."

Irene laughs weakly, "Well, I think all the regulars saw that we were fighting it. I have got a lot of heavy tips and for the most part everyone was patient."

They manage to make it through the day and when three o'clock comes the three women are walking out as a lone Mexican man walks up and says, "Just my luck, I'm starving and you're closing." He grins, "Is there another place to eat close around?"

Jan rolls her eyes at him, "The dinner places are all downtown and out on the highway."

The man sighs, "Oh well when it rains it pours, my old truck quit on me about a block back."

Jeanie asks, "You live around here or passing through?"

"My name is Jake Diaz, I have been working at Aurello's Restaurant in Tulsa and got hired by a restaurant in Dallas and I was just stopping for something to eat."

Jan raises her eyebrows and takes a deep breath, "Aurello's Restaurant is pretty nice isn't it Jake?"

"I worked there for four years ma'am, I'm a chef."

Jeanie takes one arm and Jan takes the other arm and Irene holds the door open as they pull Jake back inside. After seating him in a booth Irene grabs her order pad, "What can I get you to drink sir?"

Jeanie runs back and starts the grill back up and Jan slides into the opposite seat in the booth. "What kind of money are you driving all the way to Dallas for Jake?"

Jake raises an eye brow, "They told me that I would get twenty dollars an hour for sixty days and then if I worked out they would go up to twenty-five."

Jeanie has come back over to stand beside Jan. Jan looks up at her, "Damn Jeanie do you believe in angels?"

Jeanie scoots in beside Jake in the booth, "Yes I do Jan and I think we have one in our midst." She looks up at Jake and grins," I think we should place him under house arrest till he surrenders."

Jan writes on the back of a napkin and pushes it over to Jake. "You think you might want to work here for me for that money Jake?"

Jake reads and looks up as a big smile crosses his face, "Forty dollars an hour, are you pulling my leg?"

Jeanie laughs, "After the day we just got through Jake, no she isn't pulling your leg, the only drawback is that you have to work with me, I'm your helper."

Jake coughs and whispers to Jan, "With her for a helper ma'am I would work for the twenty just between you and me."

"You silver tongued devil, you're hired. Jan I'll pay half of his wages and give him a place to stay."

Jan bursts out laughing, "Now Jeanie he has to be able to work every morning. Okay Jake, you got a job and thank you for stopping in."

Jake grins , "Well okay, where's the nearest motel?"

Jeanie winks at Jan, "Tell you what Jake, I have a spare room and you can stay with me. That way you can't run off. I'll pick up my daughter and come back by, you can fill out your resume and I'll lead you home. I'll even fix you something to eat seeing that you still haven't been fed."

Heard from the kitchen Irene turns the stove back off, "He could have eaten already if the cooks would get back here and get busy. Oh well, maybe he will wash his own dishes Jeanie."

When Jeanie returns with Cassie in her stroller, Jan and Irene are standing outside talking to Jake as he sits in an old Ford pickup.

Jan tells her, "He went to get his stuff out of his truck and the damn thing started for him."

Jeanie grins, "Damn Jake, that thing looks prehistoric. What is it?"

"Well, Miss smarty pants, this is a genuine '65 Ford that has brought me all the way from Tulsa. Now tell me where your house is and I'll beat you there."

"Straight down the street, white house with blue trim, I don't have a driveway so you'll have to park in the street."

They watch as Jake drives away and Jan asks, "Are you sure you want to let him stay with you, we really don't know much about him?"

Irene snickers, "I'd let him stay with me, but I wouldn't guarantee what shape he'd be in when I get done with him. Did you notice the bulge in his jeans? Mmm, yummy."

Jeanie watches as he stops in front of her house jumps out and waves back at them. "I think he's okay Jan, he acts like he is almost nutty as me."

"Shit girl, if he is then I don't know if the building will be able to take both of you," laughs Jan.

"See you in the morning Jan and he'll be here if I have to bring him at gunpoint. "

Irene rolls her eyes. "Sure Jeanie or he'll be in a wheelchair and fucked to a frazzle."

Jeanie pushes Cassie up to the porch and lifts her out of her stroller, Jake follows with his suitcase. Unlocking the door she tells him, "Down the hall, second door on the left, that's your room and I'll be right back, I need to bring the stroller in. She comes back in and finds Jake sitting on the bed with Cassie standing in the doorway staring at him.

Jake grins, "If I'm any judge of character, I'd say Cassie doesn't like me. She doesn't bite does she?"

Jeanie laughs, "You're only the second man to be in our house, she is curious, and no she doesn't bite… yet. Put your things in the dresser Jake, the bathroom is at the end of the hall, I'll be in the kitchen fixing you something to eat.

You want coffee or tea? I'm having coffee."

Jake winks at Cassie and she slowly walks towards him with her thumb in her mouth, she stands and looks at him with big blue eyes. She takes her thumb out of her mouth, raises her tiny hand and says, "Hi."

Jake holds out his hands and Cassie lets him pick her up and she kisses him on the cheek. Jake walks into the kitchen, "Crisis is over, she's my girl now."

"Well I guess that means, you can't be all bad huh? I hope you like pork chops and dressing and green beans mister, cause that's what you're getting. I'll even toss in a slice of bread." She gives him a cup of coffee, "You didn't answer so you get to drink coffee."

After they finish eating, Jeanie clears the table saying, "Okay Jake, I'll wash and you can dry and then you can get some sleep while Cassie and I go out to work in the yard for awhile."

"Does that mean that I'm confined to quarters? What if I want to help you in the yard? Or would you not want your neighbors to see that you have a Mexican man at your house?"

Jeanie's face flushes as she turns to face him, "You just hold on there buster, we might as well get this straight right damn now. I could care less what my neighbors think. If they don't like who is at my house then they can hide their eyes. Further more if you have any prejudice in that head of yours, spit it out right now. I don't care if you are purple or yellow, you are a guest in my house and you will be respected. And that's that and it won't be up for discussion anymore. "

She walks over to Jake and he steps back with eyes wide, she reaches out and grabs his shirt and pulls him forward, kissing him on the lips. "You realize Jake, that you are a very handsome man and the women at the cafe are going to be after you." Jeanie kisses him again, "Damn I better go work in the yard before I do something crazy."

"You better give me something to do to keep my hands busy. They sometimes have a mind of their own and I don't want get in trouble," said Jake.

She sticks her tongue out at him, picks Cassie up and hands her to Jake. "There you go, that should keep you busy, she likes to ride in the wheelbarrow."

Jeanie weeds two flower beds and sits on the steps to rest, watching Jake push Cassie around the yard in the wheelbarrow. Cassie is clapping her hands and squealing, "Go fast."

Finally breathing hard, Jake picks the little girl up and sits on the step beside Jeanie. He is silent for a bit then asks, "How old are you Jeanie, I asked Jan and she said it isn't any of my business. Said if I wanted to know anything that I should ask you. Okay, I'm asking, how old are you? And before you give me a smart assed answer, I have seen you, Jan, and Irene looking at my resume, so I don't have any secrets. Now fair is fair, so fess up, don't make me have bad dreams about you being fifty or something."

Jeanie looks up at him and grins, "I'm thirty-four, thirty-five in three months and divorced, no boyfriends. I'm not a lesbian and for your information you are a damn good looking man. Any other questions? "

They sit on the step talking and laughing at Cassie trying to push the wheelbarrow, then finally decide to go in and watch the news on TV. As they stand to go in Jeanie wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him, Jake pulls her tightly against him and they part looking into each others eyes, breathing hard.

Jeanie sighs then holding his hand she says, "I find myself very comfortable with you Jake. If I make you uncomfortable, I apologize, I don't want to come across as a slut. To be honest and up front, I haven't been with a man in a long time. I'm thinking of changing that, just so you know."

Watching the news Jake falls asleep with his head on Jeanie's shoulder. She smiles to herself and moves over letting his head rest in her lap. Thinking how long it has been since she was this close to a man. She runs her fingers through his hair, traces his jaw line with a fingernail. She lets him sleep, patiently thinking that he will wake soon. At eight o'clock she finally rouses him,

"Jake, I need to get Cassie ready for bed. You were sleeping so good." She leans down and kisses him on the lips, her warm moist tongue finding its way into his mouth. Jake places his hand on the back of her head holding her firmly, as his tongue invades her mouth and she moans lightly and sucks on it. Jeanie raises up, looking into his dark brown eyes, "Let me get Cassie in bed Jake and then we need to talk, okay?"

Jake stands and pulls her to her feet, "I'm surprised that my big head didn't put your legs to sleep, sorry."

"It's been a long time since I let a man get this close to me Jake and I enjoyed holding you."

After Cassie has had her bath and has her jammies on, Jeanie pulls the cover up over her and kisses her, "Night sweetheart."

Cassie whispers sleepily, "Night mommy, night Jakey." She grins and covers her mouth and giggles. Jeanie turns on the baby monitor and leaves the room.

"The way you were sleeping out there, you need to shower and go to bed Jake and I think that's where I'm headed too."

She goes into her room and slips her clothes off, hearing the bathroom door close and the shower come on. She lays back on her bed, then smiling to herself, she walks down the hall and quietly opens the bathroom door. She pulls the curtain aside and steps in to the shower, "Hey big guy, is there room enough for me?"

There is a surprised grunt from Jake as she slips her arms around his waist. She squirts soap on his back and takes the scrubber from him and washes his back. He turns and pulls her to him and she giggles as he reaches around her to wash her back. Holding her tightly against his erect manhood. He kisses her deeply as he squirts soap on her breasts and carefully washes them. Jeanie groans as he teases her stiff nipples and then leans down to suck one into his mouth. Letting his right hand find its way down between her thighs, slipping two big fingers into her moist tunnel. She groans as her body shudders and a massive orgasm leaves her knees weak. She leans against his chest panting.

"God Jake get me out of here, I need lots more than this please."

They turn off the shower and dry each other off then quietly make their way back to Jeanie's room. She closes the door behind them and Jake scoops her up in his arms and lays her on her back. She spreads her legs and raises her knees, opening her thighs for him. He lifts her legs over his shoulders and kisses his way down to push his tongue into her dripping sex. Jeanie groans, her fingers combing his dark hair, pulling him tightly against her thrusting, moist pussy lips. Another orgasm floods through her and she grabs his arms, pulling him up, "Fuck me Jake, I need to feel you inside me." Jake does as she asks and pushes his thick cock deep into her and begins thrusting in and out slowly. She wraps her legs around his hips, her arms around his chest, fingers clawing at his back. She cries out as orgasms come quickly.

Then suddenly he stops, "This may be a little late babe, but are you protected?"

"Yes, doctor put me on the pill to regulate my period, now start over please and cum in me."

Two a.m. and the exhausted lovers finally fall asleep in each others arms.