Chapter 1:
"hey...sheridan...what are you doing back here...i thought you were going..."
hank came out of the showers followed by luis (guess which one looked more
appealing..lol..)
"well...i left in such a hurry...i forgot your flowers..." she said as she
went over to the carton of roses...
"well you can't forget those..."luis said sarcastically...and she gave him a
secret smile...just them a man delivery man came to the door...
"is this where i can find a ms. sheridan crane..."
"yes that's me..."she said with alarm
"well i was just instructed to have these dilivered to you wherever you were
at this moment..." he went outside and brought back a bouquet of orchids..."
"oh...brazilian orchids..."sheridan said curiously..."their my favorite
flowers...though i doubt that they sell any here..."
the dilivery man came back with two cartons of white roses...and kept going
outside abd bringing in all sorts of flowers...
"hank you didn't have to do all this...i'm not the kind you have to bribe to
get on a date with..." she said almost with annoyance because the room was
begining to be filled with flowers....
"i didn't send this..." hank said...obviously furious that someone had
outdone him
"then who did..."sheridan looked at all the flowers for cards...hank looked
at luis...
"hey don't look at me...this guys must have bought out the whole flowershop..."
when the guy came back sheridan stopped him..."listen...i don't want allthis..."
"i'm sorry ms. it was just my instructions...""well...who instructed you..."
"don't you like the flowers" the voice came from a well dressed, handsome man
at the door
"ace..." questioningly "oh my god...ace..." she ran to him...but instead of a
hug...he pulled her in for a long and passionate kiss...which caused hanks
jaw to drop and luis's to tighten....
after the kiss was over she punched him in the gut playfully "i cannot
believe you did this...now i want you to return all these flowers...i have no
room for them...and besides all the men of harmony are going to be in big
trouble if there's no flowers at the shop..."
"all right...okay..." he nodded at the delivery guy who started packing
everything up..."wait...i want to keep the orchids..."
"i knew you would...they've always been you're favorite...after our
expedition through the costa rican rain forest..."
"oh...don't remind...giantic spiders...do not ever want to go back
there......so what are you doing here ace..."
"gee...and i thought you'd be happy to see me...as i'll have you know i'm
here to have a date with you..."
"ummm...well..." she looked nervously at hank..."i already have a date for
this evening.."
for the first time ace noticed hank and luis..."ahh...i see you already have
the men lining up around the corner...but i will not take no for an
answer..." he looked at hank threateningly...
"ace...you know i can't go back on my word..."
"sheridan..."he said more seriously..."i'm only in town for tonight...and you
don't exactly go to europe much..."
she turned helplessly at hank..."it's okay sheridan...we can go out some
other time..." she went over and kissed him on the cheek..."hank thank you
for being so understanding..."she whispered in his ear...
"well i'd better go back to my hotel room and suit up..."
"where are we going for dinner..."
"the eiffel tower..."he said smugly..."i'll just have to kidnap you for the
evening...""noo...i don't think so ace...we'll find a place here..."
"okay well let me go to my hotel room and change into something that doesn't
make me look like a bum..."
"an armani suit and he looks like a bum?" hank whispered sarcastically toluis...
"oh and sheridan..." she smiled at the doorway "put your makeup on..put your
hair up pretty...and meet me tonight in atlantic city..." he sang
"i love it when you do that bruce springsteen impersination" she turned to
luis and hank "i love bruce springsteen..."
"cause he's so depressing" they heard ace echo out as he left...
(and i'm not trying to make fun of bruce springsteen...i love that man...he's
like my soulmate when it comes it come to his lyrics...)
"well i'd better go also...hank you don't know how much i appreciate
this...ace is such a good friend of mine...and i just haven't seen him in so
long" she left the two with the orchids in her hands...and she forget hank's
roses again...
"luis...do you think...that i just gave her away...i mean didn't you see the
way she looked at that guy..."
"well she said they were just best friends..." luis went back to his
office...hank didn't get to see the jealous look on his face...
To be continued...
Chapter 2:
ace has just left the youth center....
"okay mind explaining all of that..." hank looked at sheridan
"you said it was okay if i went out with him....i'm really sorry hank....but
trust me...you guys...." she looked at luis nervously and finished off
quickly "you have absolutely nothing to worry about...ace is..."
"hey guys..." beth walked into the youth center "i thought i'd bring you guys
something to eat..." she was already eyeing luis in the i-want-you sort of way
sheridan took a deep breathe when she saw this....all of the sudden she
thought of ace....and a smile slowly crept across her face
"you know what i have to go home and get ready....ace is probably pulling out
all the stops for me..."
hank gave a sarcastic laugh as she left walked out the door...
"am i crazy luis...i have just driven the woman of my dreams into another
man's arms..."
"it okay buddy...i think she means it when she says they're just friends..."
even luis had a doubtful look on his face
half an hour later...beth, hank and luis were still at the center eating
dinner and talking about the old high school days....when sheridan and ace
came in...to their surprise ace wasn't wearing an arnani suit and sheridan
didn't have on a classy dress....instead both were in loose sweaters and
jeans...."i love small town food...everything is so much more flavorful..."
"i told you they have the best chicken sandwiches..." they were playfully
laughing"hey sheridan what are you doing here..." luis looked her up and down in
bewilderment..."when you said pulling out all the stops...i thought he'd
actually take you to paris..." he laughed...
"are you crazy...no way...i meant you hardly ever see this man in comfortable
clothes...always in a business suit..."
"and besides....i wouldn't want to be an accomplis to commiting a
felony...sheridan here has told me about her "run-ins" with you...."
she punched him..."as if you were any better....i learned from you..." and as
if they both remembered the same moment...the burst out laughing....
he looked at her seriously..."we had some good times back then didn't we..."
and hank fearful of the way they looked into each others eyes....
"hey you know...we were just talking about the good old days here too...."he
pulled sheridan down beside him...
"luis, beth and i we used to do crazy things together....we were the three
musketeers...""oh that was just like max, sheridan and myself....le trois
musketeers....n'est pa?"
"well you guys probably had more classy adventures...." luis said almost with
disgust as he pictured sheridan as a teenager...she was beautiful...but
preppy....hanging out with her preppy friends....
"classy!!..."she laughed "if you would have seen us you wouldn't think so..."
"you see...in the boarding school that we went to....boys and girls had
separate quarters...and separate classes..."
"god it sound like a prison " hank was trying hard to join their conversation
and not allow ace even a second on eye contact with sheridan...
"trust me that's exactly how it was....we used to have to break out....max
and ace here...would come to my dorm and oh god....i remember how i used to
get out of the window..."her face was turning all red...
"we basicallly made her jump two stories down....and trust us to catch her..."
"yes and i remember more than once you guys missing....and we all wound up
rolling down the hill...."and they all laughed...
beth looked at luis lovingly "i recall luis used to do that when we were
going out....he used to throw pebbles at my window...and we'd sneak out in
the middle of the night..." sheridan threw luis a hurt look....and looked
down....she had no right to be jealous she thought to herself...
"that reminds me sheridan...we haven't caught up on your love life yet...."
just as the words came out of ace's mouth hank had his arms drawn around
her....and luis could see the discomfort on her face.....
To Be Continued...
Chapter 3:
sheridan slowly eased from hank's embrace....
"well i haven't had very good luck in the past so i'm not rushing into
anything right now..." she threw hank a get-off-of-me-you-jerk look...which
of coarse he didn't seen to notice...
"well love was never with the package remember..." luis looked at ace
curiously....
"what ace means...is well...we made this pact that if we never found the
right person...we'd just get married..."
"and to my calculations...you're times running down sheridan..."he said
almost with pity
she turned away from all of them "i know...it's just that...i've always
believed in love...you know that..."
ace put his arms around..."don't tell me you're actually giving up...and
going with the deal....come on sheridan...both max and i have broken it
already...." he lifted her chin
she pouted..."i should have just married you....if fact i should just marry
you..."
"and what will max say about that...you know he'll get jealous....i can just
picture all three of us now..." he laughed
"well maybe i can marry both of you....we can all get along..."
"yes...but then how in the world would we our sex lives be..." he smiled at
her..."remember how horrified max was when he founf us in bed together..."
she saw the looks on both hank's and luis's faces..."we weren't actually
sleeping together....we were just really drunk and pasted and helped each
other pass out"
"that's the terminology for it...."they both laughed "he didn't talk to us
for a month....claiming that i betrayed him...and that he trusted you with
all his heart..."
"max was always the dramatist..." she looked at him and smiled..." you're
right everything has just been so hectic since i came home....it's just so
good to have someone i know who cares about me here....i've really missedyou..."
"hey hey...remember...no getting mushy.....tell you what...you said you
learned how to play basketball....lets see how much...."
"okay...why don't we all play..." she looked at hank luis and beth...
"well how will we team up..." luis asked....looking at sheridanand beth and
nodding his shoulders that there were three guys....
"oh no you didn't..." she yelled at him playfully..."beth and i can beat all
three of you...""oh come on sheridan it won't be fair...."hank added....
"alright...i think the two male chauvinists in this room should be on the
same team....and beth ace and i will be on another..."
"you're on....."luis laughed...they shared a look and smiled at each other....
To Be Continued....
Chapter 4:
all the men had broken into a sweat already....ace was actually....a better
player then hank....sheridan,beth and ace were winning....20-18.....
just as sheridan did a lay-up....she ran into luis and both fell down.....
"doesn't this feel familiar..." he hadn't meant to say it out loud and when
she looked at him...he gave her an embarassed smile...
"okay i think it's time we call it quits..." ace helped them both up....and
gave sheridan a sly smile as he lifted his eyed brow to luis.....sheridan
gave him a stern he-might-notice-were-talking-about-him glance.....
"no i don't think so buddy...we're going to finish this game..." hank was
already was infuriated
"come on hank..."luis got him to caml down a bit....just then ace's cell
phone ran...."ace rielly....okay...i'll be there in an hour...." he hung up the
phone....sheridan was already looking down....
"well looks like we'll have to finish this game some other time....."he
turned to sheridan..."my plane's here...."
tears were stinging her eyes already...."well...you know how i hate airport
goodbyes...."
"yeah i know....."he pressed his forehead against hers "i'm gonna miss you
kiddo...""oh ace...." she felt a tightness in her throat from holding back
tears...."god...i just wish you could stay longer...it feels so good....to
have something familiar....."she ran her hands on his shoulders
"i love you...." he said slowly....he cupped her face and kissed her
softly...then on her head...."now....remember we always say...no getting
mushy...." he let his chin rest on her head....they stayed like that for a
few minutes...."arghhh...i'd better go...hey....don't worry i'll be here for
you always..." he drew away from her slowly...and walked out....she didn't
turn around or lift her head up until she heard his car pull away....
she gave a deep sigh...."i'd better go home and get cleaned up..."
"yeah...i need to go back to the book cafe too...."beth gave sheridan a
little hug and left...
"hey...thanks luis...hank...for making this day...just fun...you really made
ace feel at home..."
"yeah well i hope not too at home...no offense but i don't want to see that
guy in a while...." hank said putting his arm around sheridan....
she brushed his arm off roughly "why do you say that....ace is my best
friend...."
"well i just don't like the thought of another competitor...it's bad enough
with luis here..."
"is that what i am to you...a prize..." she stood in disbelief....
"no....it's just that he's had a history with you...and they way you two were
getting so close....okay so i was jealous..."
she wasn't looking at hank when he said this...instead she looked at
luis...and watched the change of color on his face...which told her that he
too was jealous....she started to laugh..."you had nothing to be jealous
about..."she was talking to hank but threw luis a quick glance....which told
him she was talking to him too...."ace is defineltely not a problem..."
"but the way he touched you...and all that talk about marriage...."
"hank...ace is gay..."
both luis and hank just looked at her with absolute astonishment...."he's
what...""you know...he's gay....him and max have been together since i can
remember..."
"you mean that whole talk about max being jealous...." hank was looked dazed
andsmile krept onto luis's face...he was laughing because of his ownjealousy...
"yeah...i can't believe you guys didn't know that..."
"well it wasn't like it was obvious...besides...the way you guys talked it
appeared you had a history together...as well as with that max
fellow..."luis was trying to defend hank's feeling but couldn't keep the
smile off of his face
"what did you guys want me to do...sing it to you...boy has been an
intresting day and i'm exhausted....so if you boys don't mind i'm going
home..." she gave luis the
why-don't-i-leave-first-then-you-follow-and-we-can-rendezvous-at-my-cottage
look....okay i don't want anyone getting upset about the whole gay senario....i
happen to have an uncle who's gay....it wasn't suppose to be offensive in any
way....
To Be Continued...
Chapter 5:
the next night sheridan was working with luis at the youth center....
"hey sheridan....you've worked long enough today don't you think..." he was
thinking if she worked this long everyday she'll finish her hours soon....
"oh...weell...." she leaned close to him and whispered "let's just not count
today..."
"but that's not fair sheridan....i won't have you..." she interrupted him....
"really luis...i don't mind...i love working here...and the company's a lot
better then my cottage..." she smiled at him and he drew closer to
her....their faces were almost touching when hank came through the
door...they jumped away from each other...."hank..."sheridan said nervously....
"hey beautiful...."luis rolled his eyes and turned away...he hated seeing the
way hank manipulated women by using pillow talk...."i brought you
something...i know you'll love..."
"really..."she didn't sound too intrested instead she looked back at luis...
"tada..."hank brought out a bouquet of orchids...
"oh my god hank...."she was thrown back "you really shouldn't have..." she
started to sneeze....
"i know....but as i found out yesterday you love orchids..." he saidproudly...
"no hank.." she continued to sneeze..."the only reason" ::sneeze:::"that i
love..."::::sneeze::::"brazilian orchids" ::::sneeze:::
"yeah i know you love orchids...he tried handing them to her but she was
sneezing so much that was stubbling all over the place and finally into
luis's arms...
"hank...get those away she's allergic to them...." luis was trying to shield
her from the pollen by holding her tightly....
"i'm so sorry sheridan...it's just that ace had said orchids were you're
favorite..."
"no brazilian orchids....they're the only one's i'm not allergic...and
because they remind me of a great adventure i had " she had calmed down
now...."i've got a headache...i hate these allegies..."
"you want me to drive you home sheridan..." hank offered but as soon as he
was a few feet away from her she started sneezing again..."oh i guess the
stuff's still on my...i'm sorry sheridan.."
"luis can please take me home...i really don't think i can drive myself..."
she was already in his arms and they were walking to his car...
when they got to her cottage....her head was aching so much...
"do you want me to make some tea..." he offered when the walked through the
door...
"no thanks luis...i think i just want to lay down....oh my head feels like
it's going to break open...can you go into the kitchen...on the counter
there's a bottle of pills...can you get it for me and a glass of water..."
he read the label on the bottle...."sleeping pills?"
"yeah well...i have trouble sleeping...." she took two pills and laid down on
the couch...."yeah i bet...i remember in new mexico..."
"that was quite an adventure we had...huh...." she smiled at him as he put a
blanket over her...."luis can you just stay with me for a little while..."
a few minutes later the pills were doing their job...she felt medicated...
"you know something luis..." she said drunkenly...
"yes i know lots of things..." he smiled at her.."but what is it that you
want me to know..."
"i love your smile...and i love your eyes...and i love....." she had drifted
to sleep before she could even finish..." luis tucked her blanket aroundher....
a flashback of new mexico went through his mind...that was when he first
realized she was different from the cranes...he laughed at the thought of
what he did for her....but she's right the did have some adventure in new
mexico....he wanted to stay with her...but the time wasn't right yet....but
he did have a way to show her that he was thinking about her....without
having to say it...
when sheridan woke up it was already dark....she remembered falling asleep on
the couch...and looked around for luis....
"why would luis stay here...." she walked into her bedroom to settle in
there....on her pillow she saw a stem of a yucca flower....and she
smiled...luis was here after all...and now she had a new favorite
flower...the state flower of new mexico....
