Slow and Steady Wins the Race

"It's a very good start," she said very sweetly. "Trust me."

He closed her door and they stood there staring at each other. "So...good night," she said.

Royce didn't answer her. He just kept looking into her eyes. "Just how slow and steady should I go?" he asked her as he took her hands in his.

"Well...too slow might be almost as bad as too fast," she told him with an air of certainty.

"So...it's a delicate balance then, right?" he said as he looked down into her eyes.

"Very delicate," she replied softly.

He looked up and saw her mother still peeking out of the window and said, "Since we're being watched by a very protective mother, perhaps I should settle for hugging you goodnight as a way of striking the proper...delicate balance."

"That sounds very...pragmatic," she told him.

"Goodnight, Jaydan," he said as he let go of her hands and put his arms around her.

She raised hers underneath his and put her hands on his upper back. "Goodnight, Royce."

As they let each other go, she stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek.

"Oh, my. Did you just upset the balance?" he asked with a smile.

"I hope not," she told him as she backed up then walked away.

"What time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow?" he asked just as she opened the door.

"Right! Tennis. I got so wrapped up in preserving this balance thing I nearly forgot. Is 2 o'clock okay?" she asked.

"I'll make sure we have a court," he told her.

They once again wished each other a good night, then Jaydan opened the door and stepped inside. Before she could even close it, her mother started in with a barrage of questions. "Who was that? Is he someone from work? What kind of car was that he was driving? It looks very expensive. Where is your car? Did he kiss you? It sure looked like he did. Why didn't you invite him in so I could meet him? Does he want to get...."

"Mom. Please!" she finally said. "That's enough, okay? He's just a...friend. And yes, we do work together."

"Oh, okay. So where is your car?"

Jaydan explained what happened and why she got a ride home and that they would be playing tennis tomorrow afternoon.

"At his country club? How interesting! Maybe I should just stay over tonight."

"Would you mind?" Jaydan asked hopefully. She knew her mom would be happy to stay, she just hated taking her good will for granted.

"Of course not, honey. Anything I can do to jumpstart your love life is a privilege!"

"Agh! Mother...please!" she said again. Jaydan took a deep breath then told her mom, "He lost his wife and their unborn child a couple of years ago so...be nice, okay?"

Her mother grew uncharacteristically quiet before saying, "That poor man. How awful." She did feel terrible for him, but she was pretty sure he must like children, and as it just so happened, her 29-year old daughter had one was the love their lives.

"Mommy? Why are all your clothes white?" Peyton asked as her mother got out the tennis racket she hadn't used in years the following afternoon.

"I'm playing tennis today," she told her.

"With Nana?" Peyton wondered.

"No. Not with Nana, sweetie. Mommy's playing with a friend from work."

"Oh. What's her name?" she asked.

"Well, it's not a her, honey. It's a he, and his name is Royce."

"Oh, okay. Are you gonna marry Roish?" she asked trying to get the name right.

"Um...not today, Peyton. We're just friends going out to play tennis." She turned around and picked her daughter up high in the air causing her to laugh loudly. She lowered Peyton just enough to blow on her tummy and the farting noises and the tickle-like feeling made her laugh hysterically.

"Mommy, STOP!" she shrieked after the second time.

She put her down just as the doorbell rang. Peyton eyes got big as she hollered, "I'll get it!" and ran for the door.

Jaydan walked quickly behind her and noticed her mother peeking out from the kitchen. "Mom!" Jaydan said with that voice.

"What? I just want to make sure it isn't some stranger. You can't be too safe these days, you know?"

Jaydan just shook her head as Peyton reached up high to turn the knob. "It's locked, honey," her mom said flipping the deadbolt. "Now try."

Peyton used two hands to turn it and with some help from her mom, the door opened.

"Hi there!" she heard Royce say as he noticed the little person holding herself off the ground by the doorknob.

"Hi, Royce. Please come in. This little monkey swinging on the doorknob is my daughter, Peyton."

Royce leaned down a bit and said, "How did you get so pretty so fast?"

She let go of the knob and said, "I just did, that's all."

"Can you say hello to Mr. Jones, Peyton?"

"Yes, I can," she said matter of factly.

After a few seconds of silence, Royce smiled and asked Jaydan, "Any more questions, Mom?"

He closed the door and stepped inside. "Again, hi," he said. There was an awkward moment before Jaydan opened her arms for a hug. As Royce gave her a quick squeeze hello, he saw Denise in the kitchen.

He let go of Jaydan and said, "So who's the third beautiful woman in this house?"

Denise was almost on him before he could take two steps that way. "Hello! I'm Denise Archer, Jaydan's mother."

"Royce Jones. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Archer." He gave her the same kind of perfunctory hug then quickly looked at all three 'girls' and said, "Aha! Now it all makes sense." He looked at Peyton and said, "You're grandmother is as pretty as you and you mother so now I know how you did it."

"I already told you I just did it," Peyton said with great authority.

"She's very precocious," Denise said.

Jaydan was getting ready to suggest they go when Denise said, "Royce? Won't you please come in and have some tea or coffee?"

He looked at Jaydan who gave him the 'let's go' signal with her eyes. "Um, well, we have a court reserved for 2:15 and if we're late, we'll lose it. Perhaps I could take a raincheck?"

"Of course," she told him. "I'll make some more when you bring my daughter home."

Jaydan grabbed her racket and gave her mom another look. "What? I'm just being hospitable, dear." She leaned over and whispered loudly enough for Royce to hear, "You didn't tell me he was so handsome."

"Mom? Isn't it time for Peyton's nap?"

"I don't want to take a nap! I'm a big girl and big girls don't take naps," Peyton announced.

"I'll take care of her, honey," Denise said. "You and your handsome young man run along and play tennis. Oh, and take your time afterward. No need to hurry home. I can make a cup of tea in a jiffy!"

"You ready?" Jaydan asked trying not to shake her head.

Once they were on their way Jaydan said, "I apologize. My mom is kind of anxious to marry me off again."

Royce laughed and said, "Wait 'til you meet mine! As soon as she sees you she'll be asking me when to reserve the chapel."

Jaydan laughed, too, and said, "I know they mean well, but it gets kind of old, doesn't it?"

"Old? Did you just say...old? I resemble that remark, you know."

Jaydan laughed again and said, "You're not old." He started to thank her when she said, "You're just very well preserved."

Royce shook his head and said, "Wow, I stepped right into that one, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you kinda did," she said with a smile. He smiled back at her the offered her his hand which she immediately accepted.

"You look great," he told her. "White is your color."

"White as in wedding-dress white? Et tut, Brute?" she teased.

"Not me," he told her. "The tortoise always takes him time."

By 4 o'clock their time was up, and Jaydan was exhausted. "I am so out of shape," she complained. "I'll be lucky if I can walk tomorrow."

"You could have fooled me," he said. "You played very well for someone who doesn't play regularly."

Jaydan had held her own. He won the first set 7-5 and the second 7-4 and she didn't get the impression he was taking it easy on her.

"Not bad yourself for a guy who's got about a million years on me," she teased. She wiped her face then asked, "Just how much older than me are you if you don't mind me asking?"

"I turned 41 last night," he told her.

She eyed him up and down and tried not to stare before saying, "Like I said, you're well preserved." She took one more quick look then said, "Very well preserved."

He laughed for a moment then said, "I really enjoyed this, Jaydan."

"Me, too," she said sweetly as she grabbed her racquet and got ready to go.

"I should probably drop you off and head home," he told her. "Do you think your mom will be upset?"

"Upset? She'd kill me!" Jaydan looked toward the locker room and said, "Something tells me you have a change of clothes here."

"Um, well, you'd be right," he replied.

"I'm happy to wait for you while you shower," she suggested without being directive.

"I could do that," he told her. "Just promise me you won't run off with some hot, young tennis instructor."

His smile touched her but she remained playful. She got very serious and said, "Why would I do that? I don't want someone young and hot." She moved closer and put a hand on his cheek and said even more seriously, "Why would why I want young and hot when I have you?"

Royce immediately did Three-Stooges voice. "Oh, wise guy, eh?" as he pretended to raise up like he was going to 'get her.'

Jaydan shrieked and ran away as he chased her for a few steps before she stopped and let him catch her. "You see? I'm not too old to catch you."

As their eyes met, she put her arms around her neck and said, "You only caught me because I let you."

He put his around her waist and asked, "Are you telling me you wanted to be caught?"

She stood on her toes and pulled his neck down slowly. Her eyes closed and her lips parted just before his met hers. Two seconds later she let him go then said, "Does that answer your question?"

"I believe it does," he told her never breaking eye contact. "I should probably to take that shower now."

"If you must," she said as she lowered her arms. "I'll be right here when you're done."

He put his hand on her face and ran his thumb across her cheekbone. "I'd like that."

As they pulled into her driveway Jaydan asked, "Will you be okay with my mom and her endless questions while I'm the shower? You're not gonna run off with her or anything, are you?" she teased.

"Hmmm. She is pretty cute," he said very seriously. "And she is more my age so...."

"She's 58...smarty pants," Jaydan said pretending to be annoyed. "But she is pretty, isn't she?"

He parked the car then leaned over and kissed her. "She is. Just like her daughter."

It was a short kiss but as it ended Jaydan saw her mom looking at them from the edge of the window. "Uh-oh," Royce said. "Busted."

"I am so gonna hear about this," she said as he came around to get her door. "And so are you," she told him as he helped her out.

She took his hand as they walked in and Jaydan said, "I meant to say this earlier, but you look very nice."

He was wearing a dark-blue, button-down shirt with a navy-blue sweater and black pants and he really did look very nice.

"Thank you," he said as the door opened for them.

"Hi, Mom," Jaydan said as they walked in. "Is Peyton sleeping?"

"Of course," she said proudly. "We read a story and she went out like a light." She was smiling at Royce while talking to her daughter. "Don't you look even more handsome than before!" she said ignoring Jaydan.

"I had to do something to try and at least get close to you in terms of beauty, Ms. Archer," he said without missing a beat.

"Oh, I like this one!" she said as she slipped her arm inside his. "And please call me Denise."

Jaydan smiled at Royce and said, "Good luck. I'm going to go shower."

For the next 45 minutes, Denise managed to tell most of her life story along with Jaydan's with a good dose of Peyton's thrown in for good measure. All in all, she was a very pleasant, very charming woman clearly interested in her daughter's well being in much the same way his mother was interested in his.

When Jaydan finally came back downstairs, Royce did a double take when he saw her. The first time, he'd been answering one of Denise's many questions and just glanced her way. When his brain realized what he was seeing, he stopped talking and just stared.

Then he stood up and said, "Wow. Look at you," in a way that told Jaydan it had been worth the time to do her hair and makeup again.

She was wearing a mint-green colored, long-sleeved sweater over a white blouse with a pair of very nice-fitting jeans along with a single strand of pearls and matching earrings.

Denise put a hand on Royce's forearm and said, "I can't remember the last time I saw her wear pearls."

"Mom!" Jaydan said in a protesting kind of way. "They're just...a necklace." Royce saw the way her eyes met his even as she was trying to convince her mom it was no big deal.

"Oh, okay. Whatever you say, honey!" Before Jaydan could comment, Denise said, "How about that cup of tea now?"

She got up to make it and Jaydan took her place next to Royce. "Wow. You really do look beautiful, Jaydan."

Before she could thank him, she heard a tiny voice say, "When did you get home, Mommy?"

"Hey, there! Come here!" she said stretching out her arms. Her little cheeks were still rosy red from her nap and she buried her head in her mom's neck after being picked up and set on her lap.

"Nana made me take a nap," she said pouty-like.

"That's because Nana knows what's best for you. This way, you won't tired so early and you can stay up and play."

Peyton pulled back and was suddenly wide awake, "I can stay up passed my bedtime?"

"Oh, well...we'll see about that."

Royce waited for her to turn around and see if she felt like talking before saying hello. "Hi again," he said once she did.

"I can stay up late tonight," she told him.

"I heard," he replied without agreeing.

"Mommy, I'm hungry," she said.

"Well, let's see what we can find to eat."

Before she could stand up, Royce said, "I'd love to take all three of you beautiful ladies out to dinner." Peyton sucked in a deep breath and her eyes got wide. "If that's okay with you."

"Mommy? Can we? Can we, please? Pleeeeease???"

"Um, well, I guess that would be okay. Let's ask Nana if...."

"I'd love to!" she called out having heard every word. "The tea can wait!"

Jaydan helped Peyton change clothes then brushed out her tangled hair and helped her with her coat then came back downstairs and said, "We're ready."

She grabbed her own coat and the spare car seat on the way out and all of them piled into the Land Rover. "Now this is a beautiful car!" Denise said as she got in back with Peyton.

"It was a birthday present," Jaydan said knowing he'd never mention it.

"A what?" she asked. "This is a birthday present? I want to meet Royce's friends!"

The adults laughed before Royce said, "Um...maybe all but one of them," which caused Jaydan to laugh even more.

"I guess we should decide where we're going, huh?" he said as he backed out.

"MitDonalds!" Peyton said loudly.

"No, not tonight, honey. We want to go to a nicer restaurant."

"Goltun Corral!" she said. "I love Goltun Corral!"

"Fine by me," Royce said.

"Mom?" Denise was onboard and they were on their way to a buffet-style meal.

As they went through the line, Jaydan said to Royce, "Something tells me this isn't the kind of place you'd ever catch Brandon in."

Royce laughed and said, "No, I don't think there's much chance of us running into him here tonight." He paused then said, "Or...ever."

An hour and a couple of dozen more questions from Denise later, they were all full...no, stuffed...and on their way home.

"I hope you're coming back in for tea, Royce," Denise said just before they pulled into the driveway.

"I wouldn't miss it," he told her with a smile.

Jaydan let Peyton stay up an extra 30 minutes but gave her two warnings on the time remaining before telling her it was bedtime at 8:30. She'd spent the last half hour on Royce's lap and nearly cried when she had to get off and say goodnight.

"I'll put her down," Denise said. "You two sit and talk."

Jaydan gave her daughter and hug and kiss then she put her arms around Royce and told him goodnight.

"She's beautiful," Royce said once she was back upstairs. "I envy you."

Jaydan took his hand and said, "Is this hard for you?"

"A little," he told her. "But it's also pretty wonderful. Peyton is amazing and so is her mother."

She saw him looking into her eyes and her tummy did a flip. She saw him lean in and her heart melted as his lips met hers. This time the kiss was long and slow and...delicious. Jaydan slipped her arms around his neck as Royce pulled her closer.

"You're so beautiful, Jaydan. And not just on the outside." He gently stroked her face and said, "You're really incredible."

"I wish you didn't have to leave," she told him after another very nice kiss.

"Jaydan? Would it be blowing the delicate balance all to hell if I mentioned I have a cabin up near Greenwater?" Greenwater was a tiny little place out on Highway 410 at the base of the Cascade Mountains on the way up to Chinook Pass and Crystal Mountain Ski Resort.

"I don't think knowing that could do any harm," she whispered as her heart beat faster.

"But do you think asking you to spend some time their...alone with me...might?"

"I can't see how just spending some...time there could do any damage."

"Then would you consider spending some time there with me next weekend? It doesn't have to be the whole weekend, of course."

"It doesn't?" she asked wistfully. "But...it could?"

"Anything is possible," he told her.

"I like possibilities," she admitted.

He kissed her again then said quietly, "I...like you, Jaydan. A lot."

"You do?" she asked as her heart was pounding out of her chest.

"Yes, I do."

"I see," she said without breaking eye contact. "That seems to be going around."

"It is?" he asked between kisses.

"It must be because I've got it, too," she said before pulling him on top of her as the next kiss became something more.

Neither of them heard Denise coming downstairs. She was talking without looking as she moved. "Okay, she's down. She should be out pretty...." She looked over and saw them and heard her daughter moan softly. She smiled but didn't speak. She quietly turned around and walked back to the top of the stairs then said much too loudly, "Well, goodnight, Peyton! Nana loves you very much!"

Jaydan's eyes shot open and Royce raised up like a shot. Both of them smoothed their clothes and adjusted their seating as they saw first Denise's legs, then the rest of her come downstairs.

"So do you need to go finish that proposal for Brandon?"

"Right. Yes, yes I do. I really should get running." He looked at his watch and said, "Oh, my. Look at the time!"

Jaydan wasn't sure why her mother was smiling as she went into the kitchen, but she stood up and walked Royce out to the porch. It was chilly but they'd only be out there for a minute. "That was close!" she said trying not to laugh.

"No kidding. That would have been embarrassing."

"So are you serious about this cabin thing?" she asked as she put her arms back around his neck.

"I am," he said with certainty. "No pressure, Jaydan. And...no expectations on my part. I...I just really want to spend some time with you." He brushed her short hair back and said, "I like spending time with you. A lot."

"Me, too," she said smiling at him. "A lot."

They kissed for several seconds before he finally said, "It's cold out so...I'll let you go."

"Even if I don't want you to?" she asked as she shivered.

"I don't want to," he told her. "It just seems like I have to."

"It's going to be hard to work around you now," she told him.

He smiled and said, "Welcome to my world. You've been my biggest distraction since the day you walked in." He touched her face again then said, "At the risk of blowing things all to hell...I'm pretty crazy about you, Jaydan Kennison."