Jesse watched the shock and wonder on Pearl's face melt into the most gorgeous smile that almost always made him forget how to speak. It sent warmth flooding over the nerves that decided to attack the moment he'd said the first 'us'. Her next words brought more emotion rushing in.
"I think 'us' is a great idea. We should definitely try it out."
That's when he smiled.
Directly at her.
It was so brilliant Pearl blinked and suddenly felt butterflies take flight in her stomach. He really was a pleasure to look at.
Green eyes sparkling, Jesse let go of her hand to pick up a fork.
"Let's try some cake."
Pearl nodded and picked up the other utensil. Saying a quick prayer- thanking God for her answer- she put her fork through the spongy cake.
Jesse watched her put the first bite in her mouth, seeing her lips close over the fork and her eyes widen in perfect HD. The groan of delight emitted a second later hit him in the gut.
"Is it that good?" he managed to ask nonchalantly.
Pearl motioned that he should try it.
"Okay," he cut through the cake, laughing a bit, trying to shake the feeling of awe the last two minutes was instilling.
Taking a bite, he had to admit it was pretty close to perfect. Saying as much out loud made Pearl chuckled.
"You can trust my taste buds," she said, sticking out her tongue briefly.
Almost immediately, Jesse put his fork down and put his hands up. "I have to confess and warn you right now."
Her brow crinkled slightly, but she looked amused. "What is it?"
"Now that there's an 'us'," he started with slight humour, "you need to know that I'm seriously attracted to you."
"Isn't that a good thing?" she teased.
"In general, yes," he watched her face as he said slowly, "but when you start talking about your taste buds and sticking out that pink tongue of yours, you're threatening to drive me mad." Pause. "That's the warning."
"What is?" her eyes didn't leave his.
"I might be more inclined to share some of the less orthodox thoughts I have about you."
"I see."
"You just be prepared to tell me if I go too far and shock you."
"Okay," she said softly. "So… no sticking out my tongue?"
"Not unless I say I want to examine your tonsils, please. I think I have a weakness for your mouth."
She flushed, letting out a breathless laugh. "Gotcha."
Jesse smiled slightly and picked up his coffee cup. "This is so crazy. Last week I was resisting the urge to call you, now we're talking about a budding relationship."
"You were? Why didn't you just call, Jesse?"
"I missed the way we used to talk a lot in Brazil, but I had no reason to call. I didn't want to weird you out."
That made her laugh. "I know what you mean. Like Brazil was a secret place and we had to be normal once we got home."
She told him how all her friends had teased her about the kisses at Sam and Dana's potluck.
"No kidding. Dana brought it up at Mom's house too. Everyone has been tormenting me since."
"So I heard," she chuckled. "Sam let it slip at lunch."
Jesse only nodded. "I didn't want to fuel their imaginations because you've never done anything suggestive. I tried to tell them it was friendly."
"Me too," she giggled. "But now they'll never believe us."
"True," he grinned. Then he shrugged. "It doesn't matter anymore. The pearl has agreed to be my sweetheart."
She smiled but sobered as a thought crossed her mind.
"Does that have any bearing on your pending career choices?" she asked softly, as he took another sip of his coffee.
Placing the cup down carefully, his eyes met her serious brown ones. "I guess it does."
"Would you," she began hesitantly, "stay here if I asked you to?"
Jesse was quiet for a long moment. The whole time, he contemplated her solemn expression.
"You wanting me to stay," he finally said, "is a factor I've considered before."
"It is?"
"Yes. I won't lie. I've wondered on occasion if you would miss me if I went away."
"Wow, Jesse. Obviously I would. It'd suit me well if you stayed."
He smiled. "I know that now. But I'm inclined to ask you why you'd want me to stay here in California."
"Apart from the fact that this is my base?"
"Yes. Are you so attached to Long Beach, Pearl?"
It was her turn to think for a moment.
"Before you answer swiftly," Jesse put in, "If ever I relocate, I envision a scenario where I travel ahead and if we're still together after a relatively long period- say a year- I'd love for you to be near me. With your work a measure of transience is expected anyway. You'd be flying out to see me, and I'd do the same for you. Even if I was here, you wouldn't always be."
Pearl knew he was right. The fact that they were discussing long term plans only minutes into their relationship wasn't lost on her. She didn't mind though, she'd asked for it and she loved that he had an answer.
"To respond to your question, I guess I like being near everyone but no, I'm not so attached to Long Beach that I couldn't move. I mean, you were in LA- now you live in San Francisco. That's already distance we have to cover."
"I'm not desperate to hang onto San Francisco either," he admitted. "If I was to stay in this part of America, it'd be more for my family than anything. The most interesting potentially life-changing opportunities are New York and Brazil, to be honest."
"I've been gathering that much," Pearl said. "Well, if you decide to move there, even if it's for a little while, I won't stop you. Just promise you'll call and chat with me as much as you do with Pablo."
His gaze softened. "Count on it."
She smiled. "Alright."
"I do need to decide where I actually want to settle down, though, don't I? As much as I might leave the country, I will probably retire to the US, when I'm old, so I need to look around." He looked at Pearl. "Would you mind helping me with that?"
She looked a little surprised but pleased, too. "Sure. I'd like to."
"Great," he grinned. "Now allow me to go back to staring at you while you eat cake. It brings me pleasure."
Pearl chuckled. "You have to help, Jesse, this slice is huge!"
He picked up his fork with little coercion. "Only because you asked so nicely."
The rest of their late night coffee date was light-hearted and casual.
When Jesse took her home, he walked her to her door where he kissed her cheek and she hugged him. They said goodnight and Jesse walked away from her door the minute she closed it behind her and locked it.
Pearl got another chance to reflect that evening, in her room while she was changing for bed. She wondered mostly how they were going to tell their friends and family the news. They would undoubtedly tease her. She had always said that God would send her a man when she needed one.
Was Jesse God-sent?
She considered that for a moment, as she turned off her lights and got into bed. What were the odds that he would have moved back to town when she had just returned from Brazil? He certainly had come to her rescue quite literally at their first camp together. With a smile, she lay her head down on her pillow. She had needed a doctor, so… maybe God really had sent him to her.