Turning a glare on Jon now, she stalked towards him. Already knowing her penchant for stomach poking, he grabbed her hands before she could strike.
“What’s this about ‘keeping me’…” she muttered at him.
Turning serious, he looked at her with his mesmerizing eyes and softening his grip on her hands to hold her gently, he spoke.
“I told you I love you and you told me you love me. Do you really think I’m ever going to let you go?”
Fully softening now in his arms, she whispered, “No, I guess not…”
With a soft shake, he gained her full attention. “There’s no ‘guessing’ involved. For Christ’s sake, Amanda, I’ve only said those words twice in my life. Stop treating me like someone who would throw away something I never thought I would find again.”
“Well, I do believe we’ve found the one true thing we have in common.”
His head cocked to one side. “What’s that?”
“I never thought I would find love again either.”
“So…that means you’re keeping me too, right?” Jon grinned at her.
Firmly shaking her head in a yes motion she answered, “Oh yeah, I’m keeping you!”
Ducking low to enter the kitchen, a huge grin on his face, Richie called out “Do I smell smoke?”
“Fuck!” Jon groaned as he ran to the grill. “It’s okay, only lightly charred.”
“Did he say ‘charred’? Amanda questioned.
“Yep…he said ‘charred’. Told ya not to let the man near a stove.”
“But YOU said he could grill!” she scowled at him.
He grinned and handed her a wooden spoon.
“Don’t know why, but found this in the living room.”
She lightly whacked him on the top of the head with the spoon and grinned.
“Jon told me I needed to aim better…I’m practicing.”
Eating the slightly burned steaks, along with salad and baked potatoes, the three dug into the meal with relish. Talking about what had happened with Amanda really had helped Richie put things into a better perspective and his mood lightened considerably when he saw she had truly forgiven him for earlier.
There was an ease between Amanda and Jon that had not been there when he had left them three days ago and despite his teasing before, he realized they had admitted to each other how they felt. He saw how good Amanda was for Jon and also for him as a friend. He started to think about her comment about finding love unexpectedly. He also understood that if he wanted to stand a chance of finding that love, he had to stop trying with girls young enough to be his daughter. Looking again at Amanda, he decided that mature was definitely better!
Excusing herself for a few minutes after dinner, Amanda retrieved her cell phone to check her messages. There was one from her mother and she quickly returned the call.
“Hey, mom! It’s me. How are you?”
“Good, honey, but where have you been? I called you yesterday,” her mother replied.
“I know, Mom, sorry about that. Just missed the call.”
They chatted for a few minutes and Amanda realized Jon had walked into the room. He was looking at her and heard her say “mom”. He raised his eyebrows questioningly, but didn’t say a word. Amanda took a silent deep breath and spoke quietly to her mother.
“Mom…what are you doing tonight?”
“Nothing, sweetie, what’s going on?
“I’d like to stop by for a bit and talk. That sound okay with you?”
“Sure, give me about an hour, okay honey?” her mom replied.
“Sounds great, Mom, see you in an hour.” Amanda hung up her cell phone and looked at Jon. Had she just made a huge mistake?
He grinned his million-dollar smile at her.
“You taking me to meet your mother?”
She nodded, “Seems like I am…you ready for this?” she slanted her eyes at him.
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly. “Yes, I would love to meet the woman who gave me you.”
Cleaning up the kitchen quickly, Jon explained to Richie what they were going to do. His big grin was close to toppling his head off.
“You’re taking him to meet your momma?” he laughed. “Jesus, Jon! How long has it been since you’ve had to impress the parents?”
Jon actually cocked his head at that and then roared with laughter…”Oh my God! What have I done?” he groaned mockingly.
Laughing, Amanda told him she could go by herself and explain.
Still chuckling, he said, “What did I say about letting you outta my sight?”
“What’s this about ‘keeping me’…” she muttered at him.
Turning serious, he looked at her with his mesmerizing eyes and softening his grip on her hands to hold her gently, he spoke.
“I told you I love you and you told me you love me. Do you really think I’m ever going to let you go?”
Fully softening now in his arms, she whispered, “No, I guess not…”
With a soft shake, he gained her full attention. “There’s no ‘guessing’ involved. For Christ’s sake, Amanda, I’ve only said those words twice in my life. Stop treating me like someone who would throw away something I never thought I would find again.”
“Well, I do believe we’ve found the one true thing we have in common.”
His head cocked to one side. “What’s that?”
“I never thought I would find love again either.”
“So…that means you’re keeping me too, right?” Jon grinned at her.
Firmly shaking her head in a yes motion she answered, “Oh yeah, I’m keeping you!”
Ducking low to enter the kitchen, a huge grin on his face, Richie called out “Do I smell smoke?”
“Fuck!” Jon groaned as he ran to the grill. “It’s okay, only lightly charred.”
“Did he say ‘charred’? Amanda questioned.
“Yep…he said ‘charred’. Told ya not to let the man near a stove.”
“But YOU said he could grill!” she scowled at him.
He grinned and handed her a wooden spoon.
“Don’t know why, but found this in the living room.”
She lightly whacked him on the top of the head with the spoon and grinned.
“Jon told me I needed to aim better…I’m practicing.”
Eating the slightly burned steaks, along with salad and baked potatoes, the three dug into the meal with relish. Talking about what had happened with Amanda really had helped Richie put things into a better perspective and his mood lightened considerably when he saw she had truly forgiven him for earlier.
There was an ease between Amanda and Jon that had not been there when he had left them three days ago and despite his teasing before, he realized they had admitted to each other how they felt. He saw how good Amanda was for Jon and also for him as a friend. He started to think about her comment about finding love unexpectedly. He also understood that if he wanted to stand a chance of finding that love, he had to stop trying with girls young enough to be his daughter. Looking again at Amanda, he decided that mature was definitely better!
Excusing herself for a few minutes after dinner, Amanda retrieved her cell phone to check her messages. There was one from her mother and she quickly returned the call.
“Hey, mom! It’s me. How are you?”
“Good, honey, but where have you been? I called you yesterday,” her mother replied.
“I know, Mom, sorry about that. Just missed the call.”
They chatted for a few minutes and Amanda realized Jon had walked into the room. He was looking at her and heard her say “mom”. He raised his eyebrows questioningly, but didn’t say a word. Amanda took a silent deep breath and spoke quietly to her mother.
“Mom…what are you doing tonight?”
“Nothing, sweetie, what’s going on?
“I’d like to stop by for a bit and talk. That sound okay with you?”
“Sure, give me about an hour, okay honey?” her mom replied.
“Sounds great, Mom, see you in an hour.” Amanda hung up her cell phone and looked at Jon. Had she just made a huge mistake?
He grinned his million-dollar smile at her.
“You taking me to meet your mother?”
She nodded, “Seems like I am…you ready for this?” she slanted her eyes at him.
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly. “Yes, I would love to meet the woman who gave me you.”
Cleaning up the kitchen quickly, Jon explained to Richie what they were going to do. His big grin was close to toppling his head off.
“You’re taking him to meet your momma?” he laughed. “Jesus, Jon! How long has it been since you’ve had to impress the parents?”
Jon actually cocked his head at that and then roared with laughter…”Oh my God! What have I done?” he groaned mockingly.
Laughing, Amanda told him she could go by herself and explain.
Still chuckling, he said, “What did I say about letting you outta my sight?”
Richie mumbled in the background, “Oh man! He’s a gonner for sure.”
Why do I have this scene from "Meet the Fockers" running through my head? But then Jon only needs to impress Amanda's mom and he should be able to handle a woman okay-he manages to capture the devotion of women of any age!
Oh, he's going to meet her Mom. That'll be fine, right?
So now Amanda is practicing her aim by using Richie's hard head? Good choice lol. Can't wait to see how Amanda's mom takes to her daughter dating a International Rockstar...