A Wife

Catching Katie looking at him, Hunter gives her a crooked sort of grin. He wasn't sure what to think of all this. First what new things might be developing between him and Katie, then walking into this scene. He really wasn't sure whether to be embarrassed, on guard, honored, scared or at ease.

Picking up his sandwich, he pauses before taking a bite as he receives Katie's apology. His grin returns and he shakes his head. "Don't be sorry. I have a strange feeling that all this is a good thing - I just haven't figured out why yet."

His eyes roam to where Mick was sitting with his back to them. "But I will... I have a feeling Bonzai wasn't the last of these shenanigans." He still didn't really get it, but somehow, there was a bit of stubbornness that had been ignited down deep. He might have lost his city slicker title, but he had a long way to go yet before he'd fit in here. And for some reason... he wanted to. He'd do it, too. He'd figure out how.

Dipping his sandwich in the soup and taking a bite, he closes his eyes with a murmur of pleasure. "Mmmm... you wouldn't think something so simple would taste so good, but this is definitely the best grilled cheese and tomato soup I've ever had." A chuckle is heard behind him and he turns to look over his shoulder, spotting Becky.

"I'm glad you like it." Becky smiles. "If I can please somebody with something like this, I think I've got it made."

"You do, at that. I'm not sure I want to go back to my bachelor cooking."

Becky laughs. "Maybe you just need to learn how to cook."

"Tried that once." Hunter grins. "I think I was made to do something else. Maybe one day I'll have a fantastic cook for a wife."

Jim chuckles, elbowing Becky. "That's what I did."

Still grinning, Hunter turns back to his food and takes another bite. Looking across at Katie again, he winks.


"...Do you have someone who's going to come get you?"

"Yeah, my daughter's gonna come I think." Sitting up in bed, Jeff sighs as he's checked over one more time by one of the nurses.

"And the doctor gave you instructions, right?"

"Of course." Jeff grimaces. "Yeah. Eat bland food and sleep half my life away."

The nurse gives him a chiding look. "Now now... it's not that bad."

"I know." Jeff winces as he's pricked for some blood to be drawn. "Avoid fatty foods or excess salt, get plenty of rest for the next two weeks, don't lift over ten pounds for four weeks and when I get tired, stop."

"There, you see?" The nurse smiles sweetly. "That shouldn't be too hard."

"Not for somebody who likes to sit around and do nothing." Left alone again, Jeff looks up at the clock. Pretty soon he could get dressed in his own clothes and be waiting to go home.


"Ahhh twenty-five minutes total then. That should do it." Jason laughs, taking his feet off his desk and cleaning up some of the lunch mess. "I'll at least have the couch cleared off..."

Glancing up at Misty, his grin is a sly one, but he says no more about it.

"Jason, could you..." Having entered the office without knocking, Susanne stops short, papers in hand. "Oops, sorry." She looks at Misty then at Jason, then back and forth one more time. There was obvious question in her gaze, but she doesn't ask. "I just wondered if you could fill these out of me. Reese is breathing down my neck."

"Yeah, sure." Standing up to retrieve the pages, he looks to Misty. "I'll um... see you after work then."


Knocking on Beth's door, Justin waits for her to answer. As luck would have it, she'd had to work the last few days and he'd been extremely busy, juggling visits to Scott and Mackenzie, helping his mother, seeing Jared and helping Mr. Jones finish building his porch. It wasn't fair, after their relationship had taken another step. All they'd had were a couple phone calls and that was it. Tonight though, he'd promised he'd take her out somewhere.

Dressed in his nice jeans and his black collared shirt tucked in, they weren't going anywhere fancy, but he rarely got out of his holey jeans and old t-shirts, so for him, it was an obvious occasion.

Holding the bouquet of spring flowers, he shifts his weight just a little nervously, hoping she liked them.