"Take Me Out...Period."

Chapter 5

The aroma of french vanilla and coffee enticed Bethanie's nose as she walked through the door of the coffee shop in search of Jazzelle. The woman had taken up to one table at the coffee shop where she had all sorts of file folders with her. Beth was sure that her friend had become quite the matchmaker because of those very folders, and the time she concentrated on them. Affixing a smile to her face, Beth walked toward Jazzelle. "Evening, Jazzi."

"Hey Bethie, what are you up to?" she smiled as she began putting away her folders.

"Just came to talk, hope you didn't have much planned..."

"Nope, not at all, take a seat. Just don't get in my view of that table over there." Jazzi indicated the table with a nod of her head.

"That one?" asked Beth, turning in her seat to see the people at the table, wondering why Jazzi wanted to keep an eye on them.

"Don't stare openly, Bethanie Dylia!" she hissed.

The man at the table waved a bit, and Bethanie watched Jazzi nearly crawl under the table. Interesting. A smile tugged at the sides of her lips, someone had a crush.

"So what's going on with you and T.C.?" asked Jazzi finally.

"Way to change the subject, but things are going no where. He has such a HUGE ego Jaz, you wouldn't believe it. I actually embarrassed myself totally in front of him, and he said 'don't worry about it I'm used to it.' Can you believe him?"

Shaking her head, Jazzi sipped her tea as she stared at Bethanie. "He is a good looking man, Beth. Give him a chance."

"A chance? Guys like that have no place in my life, Jazzelle Michaela."

Jazzi's green eyes widened, and she smiled, "Well, I suppose you two will just have to encounter each other more. It's really not a big problem, there are tons of men who would be perfectly happy to have you like them, Bethie. You're adorable."

"Right, right, adorable..in the meantime..who IS THAT?" she asked, gesturing toward the man who'd waved as he now paid for his bill at the register.

"One of Mike's friends friends...he's cute isn't he?" Jazzi's cheeks were stained a vivid pink.

"Sure is..I think someone has a crush." she smiled at her friend, and then waved the man over when he'd finished paying. "Hey."

Jazzi's eyes were about to pop out of her head, "Bethanie Dylia Halloway!" she hissed, sliding down in her seat.

"Hello ladies." he smiled brightly as he stood before their table.

"Hello. What's your name?" Bethanie asked automatically, as she glanced over her shoulder to see Jazzelle nearly under the table.

Just as he was about to answer, the door opened to the coffee shop and in walked the tallest man she'd ever seen. T.C. James stood in the door way looking around with a purpose it seemed. "There you are!" he called out, walking over to their table.

Bethanie felt her eyes get round as saucers, "Looking for me?" she asked over a stuttering tongue.

He nodded quickly, "Your friend called me...I'm sorry for the way I sounded. I'd really like to talk over a cup of coffee if you'd be okay with that."

She shot Jazzi a look, Jazzi nodded vigorously.

"Um..sure." she muttered, standing and letting him guide her to a table. One day she might thank Jazzelle for this, but today she felt like strangling her.

--

T.C. looked across the table at Bethanie Halloway. After a long day of dealing with children, she still looked every bit as beautiful as she had that first day he'd met her. He was seriously inept when it came to women, especially pretty ones. "I'm so sorry, Bethanie, I have a hard time talking to women. Especially pretty ones, such as yourself."

Apparently that surprised Bethanie, she sat back in her seat, "Really?"

"Really." he smiled, she was cute.

"I've had a pretty hard time keeping my wits about me around you too." she smiled, yet her cheeks were turning more pink by the second.

"Well we've got something in common then."

"Yeah, I guess so." her blue eyes probed his, and he couldn't help the breathless feeling that stole at his lungs. What was it about this woman that was so different from others?

"Before we go any further in the conversation, let me tell you what happened to my wife, please. I hate that you've thought I would give a second thought to cheating on my wife." he sighed, watching her nod, and felt the emotions in his heart bubble to the surface. "Juliette and I were married for only a few years, two to be exact, when we found out she was pregnant. Boy, were we ecstatic! We bought a crib, and all of the necessary baby items. Then not to long after that, we found out that she was pregnant with twins. Even better in our eyes. More to love. Right? However, she died during childbirth from complications. I've never dealt with a more severe pain in my life. My mom moved in to help raise them, and that's how it's been ever since."

"That's horrible..I'm so sorry,T.C." Bethanie wiped her eyes as she stared across at him, and slid her hand over his in a gesture of comfort.

"I've still not totally gotten used to being without her, but I'd never go behind her back and see other women. You've got to believe that. I'm just now seeing another woman I'd be interested in." he pinned her eyes with his hoping she'd get the hint.

"Are you saying that you'd like to get to know me? Or am I hearing things?" her blue eyes were wide.

He nodded, "Sure would, lil' lady." he tipped his hat.

She laughed, "Sounds good to me."

"Sounds even better to me." he grinned, turning his hand to catch hers.

Jazzelle smiled and gave him a thumbs up from across the room as she scampered out of the coffee shop. The man she'd been talking to on her heels.