Jack, the first move needs to be followed by a second, and a third, and ... I think you get my drift

I'm after Donna!

Come on Jack!

Em

You tell him Bobby! Now Jack, get on track before you get a whack or a few since there is a group of crazy ladies lining up! GO JACK GO!

Fantastic story Averil!
I hope to read soon the next chapter!
Keep it up!

love this story please continue soon

Oh you girls!!! Don't whack him too hard Poor Jack...

O'seam

Sorry this comes a bit late... for most of the day, I felt like I was dying, but tried to finish this part to be able to post it.

- What happened? – Lucy asked, seeing her friend’s face.
- Nothing, just… I was expecting something a little different – Sue replied, still under the influence of the surprise, and started reading the letter.

My Dear,
I have always known that time would come once when your heart is captured by a man, when you find the love of your life. This recipe goes on in the family from generation to generation; mothers give it to their daughters, when they find their true love. Now it is me who is sending you this family inheritance. Keep this recipe safe and take care of it, once you’ll give it to your daughter as well.

Follow the instructions and you won’t be disappointed, the recipe always helps capture the heart of the man who was ordered to you by Fate.

I love you,
Mum

After getting to the end of the letter, Sue glanced at the recipe again, which took her by such a surprise a few moments before. Seeing the still surprised face of her friend, Lucy stepped closer to her, looked at the recipe in Sue’s hand, and after glancing at it, a large smile appeared on her face.

- I believe this recipe will surely be a huge success in capturing Jack’s heart… - she gave her friend a knowing look. – Although I know for sure that there is no need for old family recipes for that, Jack’s heart has been yours for a long time – she added, and Sue immediately blushed. – But let’s see this miracle recipe – she said, and both of them started reading it.

Recipe for love & long-lasting relationship
Ingredients:
unconditional love
full acceptance
faithfulness in all circumstances
trust above all
deep sincerity

true friendship
strong attraction
great attentiveness
a bit of humour

- Women in your family knew how to capture the heart of the man of their dreams… - Lucy smiled. – This recipe is perfect… Maybe I’ll borrow it too… in the present situation, it seems I’ll need it.
- Strange to hear this from you, a professional matchmaker… - Sue smiled.

- Well, sometimes life has its surprises – her friend replied. – But it seems this miracle recipe always helps… I hope it will do so in my case as well. But first let’s pay our attention to you and your knight in shining armour. You’ll meet him tomorrow… And you can start trying out the recipe. Although one just has to look at you two and it is obvious that you are in love with each other without this as well.

- I hope you are right – Sue sighed. – And I trust that with the help of the recipe, Jack will find this out too.

Love the ingredients in your recipe Averil. I can't wait to see what happen's when Jack and Sue get together tomorrow.

Wonderful ingredients, Averil!! A recipe everyone should follow!!!

Joy

love the recipe

cath

Love the ingredients in your recipe -- and it's even low cal too!

kav

Perfect ingredients!

I agree with Joy...this recipe should be followed by couples yound and old!

Wonderful post! This recipe is perfect.

Perfect!

Yeah I agree with all others. This recipe sounds very promising...
Perhaps I'll borrow it too...

O'seam

That recipe sounds perfect... I may try it on the boy whom I like...

Averil...Just found your story. I'm confused after the first three posts...but, that's not unusual, I get confused often! I'll keep on reading. No, no, it's not Lucy and Jack...! I'm glad to see that Joy is confused too!

Okay, Joy, you think you have this figured out. I have a theory; but, I don't know about it! I'm still a little confused.

Ok, my theory was right...there was more than one person involved....now, I'm curious about Sue's mom's reply and why Sue is surprised too! However, I'm even more curious about Lucy. I thought she was thinking about Myles...but, if she has his picture on her desk...hmmm...who could it be?

Agree with everyone: Fantastic ingredients in the recipe!

Great story Averil. Can't wait for tomorrow to see how Sue implements the recipe. However, with Jack having set his course on telling Sue he loves her, I'm not sure she will need her recipe!

Lynn

Averil, this is very good!

Jack couldn’t wait to get home from his friend. Stepping into his apartment he threw his keys down and hurriedly kicked his shoes off, not caring at all about the disorder caused by this. He quickly switched on his laptop, hardly being able to wait until it finally connected to the internet. He ignored the news which appeared on his starter page, and which he usually read carefully. But now he had something much more important to do… He had to make the first step to capture the heart of the woman he loved.

He signed in to his mailbox and started typing. I hope she’ll read the email as soon as today… after all, she usually checks her messages at this time of the day. And I really trust she’ll reply this evening… He took a deep breath, and clicked on the Send button. Now I only have to wait…

To keep himself busy while waiting for the reply, he put a frozen pizza to the microwave oven, then with his favourite food in his hand he sat down on the couch, and searched for a hockey match on TV. But in a short time he had to realize that he cannot pay full attention not even to his favourite sport; his thoughts kept returning to the same woman who had owned his heart for three long years.

I hope she’ll write back really soon and answers my question, otherwise I’ll go crazy from waiting… I love her so much… And I really trust that soon I’ll have the recipe with the help of which I can gain her heart.

Not being able to wait any more, he jumped off the couch and hurried to his laptop. He signed in to his mailbox again, and acknowledged with a fast beating heart that the email which he had been waiting for had arrived. She replied quickly… She knows how important this is for me – he smiled, while opening the email. But when he looked at it, he found surprised that the message didn’t contain a recipe, at least not in the traditional way. His gaze wandered to the picture under the email, and he immediately understood the message. The first step to capturing the heart of the beloved woman… - he smiled. She has always known how to give advice in important questions.

I wonder what the picture is.


Great job Averil!

Great Averil, and I do want to know more

Awesome job Averil

what's the picture?

cath

This is very good, Averil!! I'm also wondering about the picture!!!

Joy

Great post! What's the picture? Looking forward to the next post!!

Jack was glad to see that he had received another email. The first was followed by the second one in a short time… But she knows exactly how important this is for me. He smiled, when he saw the picture on the bottom of the email. Another ingredient to the recipe for love… He recalled the picture he received yesterday evening… a man and a woman, holding each other’s hands. Yes… The basis of a relationship. A man and a woman, who stay beside each other, and no matter how serious trials they have to endure, they never let go of one another. His glance fell on the beautiful woman sitting a few metres from him. Our relationship will be just like this, my dear… I love you with all my heart and I will always be beside you, whatever life brings us.

He turned his attention to the message and picture he had just received… A heart… symbol of unconditional love. He smiled, as he tenderly looked at the woman whom he loved the most. You are the most important person for me in this world… I love you more than anything. And I trust this recipe helps me win your heart. The recipe for love, step by step… Mum really knows how to share the secret recipe with those who want to capture the heart of the love of their lives.

- Sparky, why are you smiling? – Bobby’s voice brought him back to reality.
- Pardon? Well… umm… the weather is beautiful, the sun is shining, we have just solved another case, why couldn’t I be happy? – his friend tried to utter a meaningful sentence.
- And of course, this has nothing to do with the email you have just received… - Tara gave him a knowing look.
- Is everyone here so free of work that you have so much time to talk about my messages? – Jack burst out.

- So you indeed got some really good news… - D stated. – Would you share that with us too?
- No – the man replied determined. – But now seriously, don’t you have anything else to do than talking about me? - OK, I’ll rather let you talk about this, eventually you’ll get bored by it… - he sighed.

- Sparky, you won’t get away with this so easily! – Bobby laughed.
- Jack! – Lucy stepped over to the man. – Would you like to come over to dinner?
- What’s this sudden turn? – the man looked at her suspiciously. – Usually you don’t just call me to dinner…
- I was just thinking you would be glad about having good company… - the rotor said with an innocent face.

- And who will cook? – Jack asked curiously.
- Sue, of course – the woman smiled.
- Then I’ll be glad to come.
- Great – Lucy replied. – Tomorrow evening?
- I’ll be there – Jack replied. Dinner with the love of my life… Now the only thing I need is Lucy to leave us alone… And then maybe I’ll have enough courage to make the first step.

- Sue! – Lucy stepped over to her friend’s desk. – I invited Jack to dinner for tomorrow… - she said, as if this was the most natural thing in the world. – No, you don’t have to be grateful – she winked at her. – Just put on something sexy, cook something delicious, and get him off his feet – she smiled, then not even giving time to the shocked woman, she left the bullpen.

It took several minutes until Sue recovered from the shock. Dinner with the man whom I love more than anything… Lucy really takes care of things if they turn out not to be the way they should. Now she should only leave us alone… But as I know my friend, she has a ready plan for this as well.

Her glance met that of the love of her life… but both of them took their look away immediately when realizing they were gazing at each other. Now what is he thinking of me… I hope he doesn’t believe it was me who asked Lucy to invite him to dinner, hoping we would get closer this way… I would surely not survive that.
I hope I don’t seem too pushy that I go over for dinner, while she has to cook… even if her best friend and flatmate invited me.

They both knew that the time until tomorrow evening would seem an eternity, when they can be alone at last, and hopefully their relationship enters into a new phase.

The advice Jack got in the email was great!

I can't wait for dinner!

i love jack's mum

cath

Just caught up with the last 2 posts -
Jack's mum sounds great and Lucy... way to go, matchmaker girl!

Between Jack's mother and Lucy, this might just work!!!

Joy

Great post! I can't wait for dinner!

- Are you still thinking of tomorrow’s dinner? – she was brought back to reality by Lucy’s voice. – Although it wasn’t moments ago I told you about that… Of course I can perfectly understand if the thought of an evening with Jack has such an effect on you – she grinned.
- Lucy, you are scaring me to death! – Sue put her hand above her heart.
- Of course I understand if you are so much in love with the prince of your dreams that you don’t see anything else around yourself… - she grinned.

- Lucy, do you really have nothing better to do than organizing my activities and teasing me? – Sue burst out.
- I thought you would be glad… - the rotor replied. – A romantic evening together with the love of your life… How long have you dreamt about this? Three years?
Lucy, you know me too well… Great that if I don’t dare to make one of the most important steps of my life, you take care of this as well… What would happen to me without you…
- Lucy, have I told you that you are a real blessing in my life?

- Great that someone values my efforts – Lucy winked at her friend. – Sorry, phone – she said, and hurried to her desk. Sue couldn’t miss the brightening of her friend’s face.
- What happened? – she asked a few minutes later, when Lucy hung up. – You look very happy.
- I am – Lucy said with a beaming face, as she hurried back to her friend’s desk. – Imagine… Jason has just called… and wants to meet with me!

- Jason? – Sue asked uncomprehendingly.
- You know, the guy about whom I’ve been dreaming so much, whose photo is on my table for a long time… - she pointed at the picture. – The great love of my life… he came back to Washington a short time ago and called me on a date! – she continued with the same enthusiasm.

- This is great! – Sue exclaimed. – And, when will you meet?
- Tomorrow evening – Lucy replied. – So I don’t have to invent some excuses like going to the cinema to leave you two alone… - she winked at her friend.
- Rather think of your own date, not our dinner tomorrow. After all, Jack just comes over in the evening, like so many times before, but you’ll have a date! – she smiled.
- Hopefully after tomorrow evening your further meetings will be dates too – Lucy grinned, and Sue blushed immediately, as the possible consequences of the evening appeared before her.

- What is so funny? – Bobby said. – Would you share it with us?
- Lucy is having a date tomorrow evening – Sue shared the news with the team.
- The love of your life is back in Washington and called you on a date? – Tara asked enthusiastically. – How romantic…
- The love of her life? How come we didn’t know about this? – Myles asked uncomprehendingly.
- There are so many things you don’t know… - Tara gave him a meaningful look.

- Yes… I’m meeting Jason tomorrow … - Lucy said. – But I’m not the only one who’ll have a date tomorrow – she gave the two people in love a meaningful look. – Jack is coming over tomorrow to have dinner together with Sue.
- You are dating and don’t tell us a word about this? – Bobby asked surprised, and the two people concerned blushed immediately. – Jack, I thought I’m your best friend.

- We are not dating, Lucy just invited me for dinner - Jack tried to close the conversation which was becoming uncomfortable.
- Which you’ll spend together with Sue … - his best friend grinned.
- And Sue will cook for him… - Lucy added.
- You know that at such important occasions you cannot prepare just any kind of food – Myles said in his usual aristocratic manner. – Take care not to misread something in the cookbook in the great enthusiasm and poison our Jack…

- Oh Myles, shut up! – Lucy gave him a piercing look. – Jack surely doesn’t care what he gets for dinner, if Sue prepares that for him – she smiled at her friend, who blushed again.
- Myles, it is nice of you that you are so worried about me, but a simple food poisoning is far not enough to harm me – Jack said. – And Sue cooks really well, so we don’t have to be afraid of that.

- Then I’ll ask for the detailed account of the evening! – Tara smiled.
- How good that no one has anything important to do, so much that what they are interested in the most, is our dinner tomorrow… - Jack shook his head.
- Well, we’ve been seeing for a long time what you didn’t realize, not even in three years – Lucy smiled knowingly, and Sue felt she could as well paint her face red. Why do they always get us in such embarrassing situations… But if only they were right… If only he loved me as much as I love him…

- Could we return to work at last? – Jack burst out. – We did close the previous case, but paperwork won’t do itself, so as team leader, it is my obligation to put everyone to work.
- Well-well, how strict you have suddenly become, Sparky – Bobby grinned. – But we understand you want to impress the lady who holds your heart – he gave the couple in love a meaningful look, who in that moment wished the floor to open and swallow them. – But you are right, the sooner we throw ourselves in the pile of files, the sooner we’ll finish it – he said, and sat to his desk sighing.

- I’m glad you agree – Jack looked at his team contentedly, whose members resumed paperwork, sitting back at their desks. But if only they were right… If only she loved me as much as I love her…
Although there was more than a day left to his dinner with Sue, he was looking towards the next evening with great expectations, when he can hopefully reveal his feelings to the beloved woman at last.

cute post

cath

I love Lucy and Bobby... and this story!!!

Poor Sue and Jack...

Averil it's a great post! I can't wait for the next chapter!

Cute post again!

Myles! Suggesting that Sue might poison Jack! Go stand in the corner!

Very cute!

Very very cute!!!!

- I’ve finished! – Lucy said hours later, sighing relieved by the fact that the boring paperwork was over for today. – Sue, what about you? – she looked towards her friend’s desk.
- Finished! – the woman replied, placing the last file on top of the others. – I think we really need a little rest.
- I agree – the rotor said. – Doing so much paperwork almost counts as a heroic act.

- I could have thought that a little paperwork already causes problems for you… - Myles said. – But this is part of our job, so it would be good if you didn’t make a face, whenever you have to organize a few files.
- A few files? – Lucy burst out. – Myles, you are completely out of your mind. But you obviously love office work better than fieldwork, and thus I assume that in the future you will be happy to do our share of the paperwork as well… - she looked at his teammate, who gave her a „you will never improve” – look.

- That’s right, Myles, all of us would be glad if you took our part of paperwork over, especially now that it turned out how much you love it… - Bobby grinned. – And we would never deprive you of your favourite pastime…
- Sometimes I really think about whether it was a good idea to place me into this team… - Myles mused.
- We have also been thinking about this for a long time – Lucy gave him a piercing look.
- Surprise-surprise… - Bobby said.

- Jack! – Lucy looked at her team leader. – If there is nothing else for today, we would like to go with Sue.
- Sure, go if you want – the man replied.
- You have plans for today? – Sue looked at her flatmate.
- That’s right – her friend smiled. – Now we’ll do the shopping for your dinner tomorrow.

- They are dating tomorrow evening and you already want to obtain everything necessary? – Bobby asked wondering.
- One cannot start early enough, and this will be an important evening anyway – the woman smiled.
- But this won’t be a date, he’s just coming over for dinner – Sue objected.
- That’s right, I’ll just go over for dinner, it will be a simple meeting of friends – Jack said.

- Well OK, if you are saying this… - Bobby said. – But in this case you won’t mind if we ask for a detailed account about the evening, will you?
- Crash, I thought this is the task of Lucy – Jack groaned. – I didn’t know you also intend to join the team of the forever curious.
- I thought the asking for an account was my idea… - Tara said.
- And what a good idea! – Bobby smiled at her.

- Couldn’t we leave this topic alone at last? – Jack burst out. – There are other interesting things here as well, beside our dinner tomorrow.
- Well-well, Agent Sparky is anxious about tomorrow evening’s date… sorry: meeting – Myles said. – I’m starting to get curious about this one…
- Perhaps you could start a gossip magazine… - Jack mused. – It would bring more money than your current job, and you would definitely enjoy obtaining interesting news about a variety of people…

- I didn’t think about this before… - Lucy replied. – This is an idea worth considering… But until then I have to perform a much more important mission – she gave the couple in love a meaningful look, who immediately blushed.
- Can we go, Lucy? – Sue asked, who started feeling really uncomfortable.
- Of course. Everything has to be prepared perfectly, and this takes time. Tomorrow you’ll experience a truly memorable evening – she added with a knowing smile, and Sue blushed again.

- Then see you tomorrow – Sue said, looking at Jack.
- Yes… tomorrow – the man replied, while the love of his life left the bullpen together with her friend. I can’t wait for that…

Poor Jack. They are having some fun teasing him!

poor jack i feel sorry for him being teased like that

cath

Yeah, but he's so much fun to tease. He just sets himself up for it.

I just love the team's banter, and teasing of Jack and Sue!!!

Joy

Great post! Poor Jack!

Great post! I love it!

Poor Sue & Jack!

I love the team!!!

Can't wait for the next chapter!

You know, Myles wouldn't be bad as a gossip magazine editor!

kav

- Where are we going? – Sue asked, as they exited the building.
- Buying the ingredients, of course. As I have said, this evening will be really important – Lucy grinned.
- But only a good friend is coming over for dinner! – Sue objected. – There won’t be anything special, we’ll just have dinner, talk, and that’s all.
- It will turn out – her friend replied with a knowing smile, while they entered the food department of the shopping centre. I believe this is the hardest case of my career as a matchmaker… And I’ll need all my knowledge for these two hearts in love to get together.

- Lucy, it isn’t the English Queen who comes to dinner, you needn’t buy half of the department – Sue said an hour later, glancing at the full shopping cart. – I couldn’t eat all this even in a year. Did you really mean to buy all this?
- A much more important person is coming over than the English Queen – Lucy smiled. – And you’ll spend a perfect evening with the prince of your dreams.

- Lucy, we have talked about this lots of times – Sue replied, but she knew that her friend would not be satisfied until her matchmaker activity is successful.
- We have, but it seems that it didn’t help too much – her flatmate shook her head. – So expect a few more similar conversations – she gave her a knowing look.
Sue sighed. She knew that if her friend really wants something, she will carry that out.

- OK, but let’s go now, before you buy the whole department – Sue tried to change the topic.
- Good idea, and we still have to go somewhere – her flatmate winked at her.
- To another place?! – Sue exclaimed. – But Lucy, I’m dead tired anyway – she tried to object.
- One more reason for going there… You’ll certainly like that – her friend smiled.

Not much later they arrived at the clothes department of the shopping centre.
- Lucy… What do you want here? – Sue asked suspiciously.
- To buy some clothes, of course – her friend replied, pretending incomprehension. – After all, tomorrow evening will be really important for both of us.
- But I’ve already told you that… - Sue started objecting, but Lucy was quicker.
- I know, merely dinner between friends… Well OK, but you can still look breathtaking… And it will be so. Jack will be unable to utter a single word when he sees you – she winked at her friend, who immediately blushed at the thought.

- Look, how great this would be for you! – Lucy pointed at a red dress, looking at it enthusiastically.
- But Lucy, this is too sexy… - Sue replied.
- This is just the aim… With this, you’ll surely knock Jack off his feet – her friend winked at her, and Sue blushed again, while imagining the man’s gaze on her.

- But I don’t want a new dress! – Sue objected.
- You are having dinner with the love of your life and you say you don’t want a new dress? – Lucy asked shocked. – You don’t know what you need… But fortunately I am here, and take care of everything – her face brightened.
- If you insist that much… - Sue said, giving up. – I like this green one.

- No… This isn’t the one you need – Lucy stated with a single glance. – You need something which makes Jack be unable to take his eyes off you all night. Although, if I think more about that, his glance is always at you, there is no need to buy a dress for that.
- Lucy, what makes you think that… - Sue said embarrassed.
- I have eyes – her friend replied. – Of course I understand you don’t realize he is always gazing at you, when you are dreaming all about him… - she gave her a meaningful look.

- What about this one? – Sue pointed at a blue dress, rather going for dress shopping, than to listen to her friend’s remarks again about her and Jack passing to one another so well. But you are right… I love him more than anything… And I would do everything for him to feel the same.
- Perfect – Lucy smiled, looking at the dress. – I knew you would eventually realize how special tomorrow evening will be – she winked at her friend. – Go and try it on, I’ll check if there is something which would be good for tomorrow’s date with Jason.

- What is it like? – Sue came back a few minutes later.
- Wonderful – Lucy smiled. – Jack won’t be able to utter a single meaningful sentence. Although I’m not sure this is good… But you’ll help him – she winked at her friend. – I think he’ll need that.

- And have you found a dress? – Sue tried to change the topic.
- Yes… I think it will be perfect – she pointed at the black dress in her hand.
- Perfect… - Sue said. – I don’t know this Jason guy, but he’ll surely be enchanted.
- I hope so… - Lucy smiled. – I’ve been waiting for so long for us to meet…
- Everything will be all right – her flatmate replied. – After all, you are the queen of matchmakers… - she smiled.

- And the queen of matchmakers organizes the most wonderful evening of your life – her friend smiled back. – So let’s get home, we have to prepare dinner, so that tomorrow you only have to take care of looking breathtaking – she said, then not even giving her friend a chance to object, directed her towards the cash desk, after which they would head home to prepare for the next evening, which, they hoped, would be a turning point in the lives of both of them.