Patience Pays

She looked over her shoulder and smiled sweetly at him then glanced back down fondly, "Read it every morning and it kinda gives me spunk, y'know?" Jesseye asked quietly, her soft voice terse with fear. She didn't talk about this side of her often. She hadn't been a Christian for more than a year so she wasn't sure how to explain it. She hadn't even really told Jazza yet. "It's, um, encouraging, comforting. When I'm reading and studying alone," her body began to relax as she spoke, the nervousness of her voice seeming to fade out, "I feel His presence, His joy. I feel like I can do anything cuz I've got the big guy on my side," she giggled at herself then shrugged.

He smiled and kissed her cheek softly. "Yeah, that's great." He said, slowly letting go to get himself some coffee.

She blushed deeply, smiling like an idiot as she stared at her leather Bible. "Yeah," she knew he didn't understand what this book truly meant to her, but her mind was too clouded with warm, fluffy feelings to care.

"It's good that you have something like that to keep you going." He took a deep shaky breath and against the counter for support. He lifted his shirt and frowned at the large bruise while waiting for his brew to pour. He touched it and winced. "I'm gonna need to get some more ice. How's my eye?" He asked curiously. He knew it was bad since he could barely see out of it.

"Okee dokee," she snickered lightly and bounced out of her chair to look in the freezer for him. She smiled and handed him a pack, "Bad. But the swelling will go down if you keep ice on it." she assured softly, her heart aching for him.

He sighed and nodded. "Yeah."

"Where'd you put the one I gave you last night?" she asked him, climbing the stairs of her loft.

"The other one's on the couch." He explained with a sigh. "It's melted, sorry." She waved him off from the top step and quickly put all of her Bible study stuff up.

While she hurried to change into something fresh, Shane fixed his coffee the way he liked. He then sat in the stool next to hers and waited. How was he going to confess? Maybe if he just kept giving her the attention she deserved then she'd get the point? He leaned his head on his hand while he thought.

Jesseye returned. He looked up and smiled, patting her stool, "Got your seat saved," he said with a wink. She giggled lightly but decided not to take his offer.

"What do ya want for breakfast?" She asked with a small grin.

He shrugged and sipped his coffee. "Something sweet, like you." It felt good to be this sweet to her, to finally give into his feelings.

She nodded and mixed her batter before looking at him with her eyebrows knit in confusion and slight concern. Wait, was that an attempt to flirt with her? She bit her lip while pouring the liquid pancakes onto her small, portable skillet. It couldn't be. But since when was he this lovey dovey with her? She had woken up in his arms. He kissed her cheek, hugged her, pet her sides. Oh gosh her face was warming just thinking about it.

He was normally so grumpy when he first woke up. Worriedly she glanced back to him. He waved, she looked back. He didn't seem to be manipulating with her... Was it just gratefulness?

A frown framed her face upon flipping the first couple pancakes. They were burnt, to a krisp. Sighing deeply, she sets it aside to eat it herself when she was finished with his.

Jesseye quietness worried him. Was he doing something wrong? Normally she was talking his head off first thing. He hoped it was just tiredness. Shane wrinkled his nose at the light scent of smoke. *That* was unlike her.

"Lemme heat up the syrup and you can eat," she assured him, sticking a mug of maple in the microwave.

He nodded and switched the plates so that *his* were the burnt ones. Jesseye looked back to him and frowned before sliding the syrup to him. How many times did they argue about this? "C'mon, Shane." She gave him a look, reaching for the plate in front of him.

He, of course, slapped her hand away. "No, these are mine." He said stubbornly.

"No," she objected adamantly, placing a hand on her hip, "You switched them. They're mine."

He shook his head while pouring syrup all over them. "Nope."

"Shane. Please," she requested tiredly, "Those will taste horrible."

"Not with syrup."

Jesseye sat herself on her bar stool and sighed deeply. He was so stubborn. "But you don't like syrup that much. I do." How could she let him eat her failures?

He shrugged, sticking the first bit of pancake in his mouth, "Yeah, but you deserve better than a burnt pancake."

He said it so calmly that she nearly fell off her stool, laughing, "What does that even mean??"

Shane smiled at another opportunity to show her how much he cared. "You don't deserve something acrid and bitter like me." She didn't seem to understand, so he continued, "You're so special, Jess. You're kind and compassionate inside and outside." He said sweetly, placing his free hand over hers. Jesseye looked shocked, touched, "We both know you're not, but you hold this sort of innocence that is meant to be cherished." He sighed, thinking about the day before, "To have it ruined, burnt by some stupid temptation would be horrible."

She didn't know what to say. Where was this coming from? Was it just to get a reaction from her again? Was he, was he… she prayed he wasn't. Yesterday had been one of her worst days in years. "Shane…" gulped her bite of pancake then blurt out, "What, what am I to you?" while looking into his eyes with shy anxiety.

He nearly spit out his coffee. "Um." He yawned while rubbing his eyes. "I don't know. You're my best friend."

"Oh," her face fell. Pain stabbed her heart like a dagger. She sighed deeply at her plate of pancakes, returning slowly to cutting it into bits. Why would she be more? She was a fool for hoping. He just.. how could he do this again?

He bit down on his fork. "But I...." he trailed off unsuredly, rubbing the back of his sore neck. It was now or never. He drew a slow breath then stuttered, "I r-really like you too."

Jesseye's entire disposition changed in the matter of seconds. Her eyes lit up with hope, a smile bounced into her face, even her voice lightened, "You, you do?!"

He sipped his coffee and shrugged. "I do, I just..." He said, holding his mug tightly, "I'm sorry I h-haven't told you. I..I guess I'm just scared." His tired eyes stared with shame into the hot, chocolate brown liquid.

She shook her head, jumped up, and hugged his shoulders, "No, no! I don't care!" Both her warm embrace and kind words relaxed his battered body, "It killed me to think you'd only see be as a friend, Shane. "

Tenderly he pet her forearm, "You're much more than a friend, Jess." He whispered with a small grin.

"I'm sorry I doubted you. Yesterday I thought…" she cleared her thought and reluctantly returned to her seat, "Well, it doesn't matter. I've liked you since jail," she admitted with a shrug, playing lightly with the pony tail poking out of her simple ball cap. "Since we first met, honestly."

He looked a little surprised,"Really?" he asked through a mouthful of drenched flapjacks.

"Yeah, and.." she paused to actually eat some of her breakfast, "I've been scared too." She confessed as if he didn't already know, "I was so scared that if I let myself relax for second, I'd.." she shrugged and watched him fondly for a second, "I dunno. Say something, or do something annoying, and lose everything. Yesterday hurt.., but Shane I.. I don't know what'd I'd do if I lost you." She said softly, nearly tearing up.

He reached over and took her hand with a soft smile. "I should've said something sooner, I'm sorry."

She wiped her eyes, giggling lightly. She felt so silly spilling her guts like this. "It's okay." She just, couldn't believe that he really liked her. And she had probably missed all the signs. She stood up to grab the paper towel from the other side of the counter and he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Grasping thin towel, she snickered as he buried his face in her stomach. "You won't lose me." He said mumbled into her tummy.

How tenderly her gaze was when she looked down at him, "I'm so glad," she couldn't help whispering, gently petting his hair. She was joyfully surprised how soft it was. He looked up at her and laughed.

Biting back a wince, he slowly stood to his feet and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Jess, will you be my girlfriend?" He asked softly as he smiled up at her.