The next day was even harder. Dana cried half the day that she was leaving and Summer encouraged her the whole time that she was going to do great and land the promotion.
The other half of the day, Jesse avoided them both by staying in the kitchen and making the lasagna he promised Dana.
"Hey, you've been awfully quiet," Dana said, coming into the kitchen and opening the fridge.
Jesse shrugged as he tossed the salad.
"Everything okay?" she asked, taking out some sodas.
"Yeah. Fine," he answered.
Dana set the cans down on the counter and felt his forehead.
"What are you doing?" he asked, stopping his tossing.
"Seeing if you're sick."
"I'm fine," he said again, pulling away. "Guess I'm just going to miss you," he muttered.
"What was that? Did you say you're going to miss me?" she teased.
"Don't get a big head about it. They have size limits on the plane you know," he answered sarcastically.
She kissed his cheek. "There's my Jesse."
"Will you leave me alone so I can finish this?" he asked annoyed.
"Snippy. Snippy!" Dana muttered and left the kitchen.
She went back into her bedroom and handed Summer one of the sodas."Stay out of the kitchen."
"Why?" Summer asked with a laugh at the expression on Dana's face.
"He's being moody."
Summer raised an eyebrow and popped the soda can open."Oh?"
"He's not usually," Dana said thoughtfully, taking a drink out of her can.
"He's probably hungry. He's moody when he's hungry. He's almost as bad as Colt. Good thing for you to know. Either of them snaps at you, throw them a steak."
Summer laughed, "I will definitely make a note about that."
Dana nodded and sat on the bed. "Are you going to be okay here?"
"Oh, sure. I'm sure we'll get along fine. Jesse seems nice enough." She paused to take a drink. "He doesn't have a girlfriend does he?!"
"Why? Interested?"
Summer blushed then shook her head. "I was just wondering. In case. In case...you know...like I walk in and he's got a girl here or something."
Dana laughed. "No. He's not seeing anyone right now. And when he does, he usually doesn't bring them home."
Summer nodded and took another drink relieved in more ways than one.
Dinner was pretty quiet. They sat in silence except for the several moans of appreciation of the lasagna from Dana and Summer.
They cleaned up the dishes and loaded up Dana's things in the back of Jesse's black truck. Dana sat between them nervously twisting her hands.
At the airport, Dana and Summer gave tearful goodbyes. Jesse stood back until they were done and hugged Dana goodbye.
Dana kissed his cheek. "Take care of her," she told him.
"Yeah, I will. Have a safe trip. Call us, so we know you didn't forget about us."
"Never," she said and hugged him tight.
When she was gone there was an uncomfortable silence. They looked at each other and laughed nervously.
"Come on." Jesse put an arm around her, and surprisingly, led them not to, but away, from the exit.
"We're not going home?" she asked nervously.
"Not until you've had the best dessert ever." Jesse reluctantly let his arm fall away.
He had to watch that. He and his family were big touchy-feely people and major huggers. Jesse sensed from her that she wasn't.
"At the airport?" Summer asked amazed as he led her to the food court.
"Strange...and scary... but true," he answered with a smile and he led her over to a diner in the corner of the food court.
"Why don't you find us a table?" Jesse told her as they entered the crowded room.
"Okay." She answered and looked around for one.
When he returned, he set a plate with a huge slice of cheesecake covered in strawberries and strawberry sauce in front of her. Summer groaned.
He slid down into the chair in front of her with a huge smile and slid a fork into his slice. "Go ahead."
"I've gained five pounds just looking at it," Summer complained, picking up her fork.
He chuckled. "Five pounds won't kill you. Believe me, it's worth it," he said, taking a bite.
Summer took a bite. "Oh, my god." She closed her eyes as heaven overcame her senses.
"Told you," he smirked. A waitress brought them two glasses of milk.
"I like your house by the way," she said when the uncomfortable silence was starting to sneak its way back.
"Thanks," he answered, looking down at his cake.
"When will it be done?" She asked curiously.
"Um, maybe six months."
"So soon?"
He nodded. "Yeah, just need to get the inside in living condition. All the little stuff I can do after we move in."
"We?" she asked. She thought he was going to live alone.
He took a drink of milk. He nodded. "Yeah, me and Dana..." he swallowed another drink of milk. "And you. That is... if you want to."
"You want me to move into your house?!" she asked both flattered and shocked.
Jesse nodded. "Yeah, why not? I got the room," he said quietly.
Summer stared at him. Seriously?! The thought of living in the beautiful house, of getting her hands in the gardens that desperately needed attention, and of living with Dana again. And living with Jesse. She'd get to see him everyday for god only knew how long.
"What do you think?" he asked when she hadn't answered.
"On one condition," Summer said mysteriously.
"What's that?" he asked, imagining bolts on doors to keep him out.
"That I can get my hands in your dirt," she said with a serious face.
He laughed. "No girl has ever said that to me before."
"I absolutely love to garden. I love flowers. I love getting my hands dirty. Planting seeds and bulbs and watching them grow."
Summer's face had taken on a glow. He knew that she would truly enjoy helping him transform his garden into something wonderful.
"Then yes, absolutely, you can...what was it? Get your hands in my dirt?" Jesse chuckled.
She smiled back and took another bite out of her cheesecake.
"So, um, if you want, when I get home from work tomorrow, I could take you to the house and you can tell me what you need for the garden and I'll get it," he said to her in the car on the way home.
"Sure. And now that I don't have to look for an apartment, I could spend the week in the garden," she said excitedly. She rubbed her hands in anticipation just thinking about it
"When do you start your new job?"
"Next Monday. I wanted to give myself a week off. Have a little vacation before I get working again."
"And a week of hard labor in the garden is a vacation?" he asked in surprise, looking over at her.
"My kind of vacation," she answered with a heavenly smile.
"You know, I think we're going to get along just fine."
Author note:
What is your favorite dessert and where can we find it?