My First - Jason & Katie by Melanie Shawn Page B

changed all the numbers on the corsages and boutonnieres! I really need to get over there and straighten this out, but my Buttercup has just started getting her dress altered. Can you give her a ride when she is finished?”
    Jason began nodding before Wendy had even finished talking. “Of course, of course, Wendy. Get over to the florist, I’ll take care of Katie.”
    “Thanks Romeo,” Aunt Wendy swooned, giving him a little chuck on the chin, “You’re a life saver.”
    “No worries, it’s my pleasure.” Jason couldn't help adding a silent 'literally' to himself, but managed to keep even the hint of a twitch of a smile from showing on his lips.

Chapter Five

    Katie walked back to the waiting area of Mona’s wearing her street clothes and looked around the empty space. Everyone was gone, it seemed. She stood alone in the room with Mona, who was reading a magazine, seemingly unconcerned.
    “Hey Mona, did you see where Aunt Wendy went?” Katie asked, puzzled, as she continued to glance around the shop and then to strain her neck to look into Richard’s side of the space. Maybe, Katie figured, Aunt Wendy had stopped by to help the men out.
    Nope, it was empty. Hmmm....
    “I don’t know where your aunt is, sweetie pie, but it looks like you DO have a driver waiting on you,” Mona said, and the playful tone in her voice set off red flags of warning in Katie's mind.
    She turned slowly and saw Jason leaning against his black Chevy truck, looking like he was a living breathing movie poster.
    She was so stunned by the sight of Jason that it took her a moment to register anything about his truck. It wasn’t the truck that he had in high school.
    Again, she felt a rush of emotion. That was becoming the theme of the day.
    Of course, it made sense that he wouldn't be driving the exact same vehicle ten years later. She certainly wasn't. But, somehow, it had never even entered her mind that Jason would drive anything but his black Chevy truck, the one which had formed a matching set with Nick's. The idea of Jason had become inextricably linked in her mind with the thought of that shining, beautiful black truck.
    He and Nick had bought their matching set of trucks on the same day, even. They had nicknamed the identical pick-ups “the twins.” They thought that double entendre was pretty clever. It had always annoyed Katie to no end, but looking back on it now, she could certainly see why sixteen year old boys would find that particular nickname pretty amusing.
    Katie steeled herself for another conversation with Jason and determined that she was going to keep it light, NO MATTER HOW INFURIATING (or sexy) HE WAS! She breathed in deeply and put on a bright smile, then stepped confidently out the door.
    “Hey Jas, have you seen Aunt Wendy?” Katie asked, cheerful tone firmly in place.
    “I did, actually. She asked if I could give you a ride. She had a floral emergency that she needed to attend to,” Jason said as he gallantly opened the passenger side door of his truck.
    “Oh, okay,” Katie said, resolutely refusing to abandon her cheerful tone even though she now felt virtually bathed in regret for not insisting that she drive her own car here. As she walked past Jason to get into the truck she felt goosebumps rising all up and down her arms, and she realized that riding in this truck with Jason – even if it wasn't technically one of “the twins” - might be too much for her.
    “On second thought Jas...it’s a beautiful day. I think I'll just walk,” Katie chirped, scampering away from the truck and down the sidewalk as quickly as her feet would carry her.
    “Really?” Jason's laconic tone made Katie stiffen as called after her, “You think that you have enough time to walk all the way back to Harper Lane, change your clothes, and then make it back downtown again by the time the luncheon starts at Salvatore's?”
    She knew Jason was just pointing out the obvious, but that irritated her even more, because he