Back to Fallon's

[Stuart LaRoche]

((Timeline: Friday, July 18))


After what felt like the longest week ever, Friday evening finally rolled around. Stuart had asked Nicky if she wanted to go out with him again and she agreed, although after only two dates he was already running out of things to do. Cat's Claw wasn't exactly a hotbed of activity. It was pretty much go out to dinner or walk around and window shop, so it was back to Rory Fallon's for the two of them this evening.

Thinking about Nicky certainly helped him not to dwell on the more painful memories of Hannah and Ainne, so during the week he took refuge in thinking about her. Whether he was at work or home, Stuart found his thoughts drifting back to her -- the way she talked, laughed and moved, the way her brown eyes looked when she gazed at him while he held her hand in the restaurant, the way she tilted her head when they kissed, the way she touched him and set him on fire. That he was spending all of his time thinking about a girl who he had previously considered merely a friend slightly weirded him out. This was Nicky who was taking up his every thought. He had shoved her from his mind so many times before that it felt strange to allow himself to think of her in a romantic sense.

Stuart came home from work on Friday afternoon, washed up, and dressed in a light brown long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of darker brown pants and dark brown suspenders. He had found that because of working at the campground and in the garden and all of the horse-back riding most of his pants no longer fit him, and he had taken to wearing Marcus St. James' pants with suspenders. They were still too big on him but at least they weren't falling off like the rest of his pants. Stuart certainly wasn't the most fashionable guy around. One of these days, when he could afford it, he was going to get Nicky to help him pick out some new clothes.

He worked Lucy into a trot to get to the St. James house as quickly as possible, and arrived at around 5:30. After untacking his horse he walked in through the back door to find Anne in the kitchen preparing dinner for herself, Holly and Patrick. It smelled great, and after greeting Anne he helped himself to a taste while he waited for Nicky to come down.

[Nicolette St. James]

Nicky had spent most of the following week in light spirits.  Nicky was never really seen without a smile.  She loved to smile, but some of her co-workers had noticed a nice skip in her step that hadn't been there the week prior.  Nicky didn't divulge.  She only shrugged and went about her day.  She allowed the gossip to start and turn into an inquisitve flame.  She wasn't about to tell them she was with the American.  Not because she didn't want people to know, but she didn't want to soil his name.  There was still talk about Stuart and Hannah, there was still whispers about that when the gossip became stale.  So she wasn't going to throw fuel to the fire and allow them to further degrade Stuart, by saying he was a whoremonger who slept around with any and every woman.  Furthermore they hadn't slept together anyways.  She couldn't even see how the gossip could have possibly started.  Stuart was a gentleman, and he took his time which interested Nicky.  Sure the two said goodbyes while being completely fueled up and ready for a nice sweaty session, but neither did, they just left.

The week buzzed by with new talk about the mysterious fire, the fact that Hannah had been beheaded and furthermore her body dumped into the river.  So many thought it was a way to wash away any bad luck that could have come to the prison.  Perhaps the fire had been because of the bad luck that followed the bad luck queen.  While others believed it wasn't really Hannah that had died.  Oh the speculations was thrown one way and then another.  Perhaps a werewolf had slaughtered her and fearful to let the family see the inner remains she had been tossed to the swamp creature.  Nicky offered her own suggestions, but nothing was a theory, just a way to fuel the fire and get nice big tips.  And she was doing a very good job steering any and all conversation away from the American. 

Nicky had gotten off shift and immediately had busied herself with some errands that Anne wished for her to run.  She had picked up fresh meat from the market as well as more bread.  She also had to pick up more soap and some headache cream.  After getting everything she had returned to the house, dropping it off for Anne and Patrick and whirling upstairs to get ready for her big night out.  She had showered and dressed.  Her hair was already touching her shoulders and she was liking the feel of it slipping past her neck and onto her shoulders.  It was an odd feeling and at first had even spooked her when she did certain things.  But she was getting used to it.  Plus, she noticed she had a natural wave to it and allowed her hair to kink and curl naturally.  Putting on light make up today she had gotten into a deep brown skirt and a light green top, that matched Stuart's eyes. 

Already she was running behind, slipping into shoes she rushed down the stairs, catching Stuart sampling supper.  She just couldn't help smiling.  Shaking her head she walked over to him and let her hand fall onto his forearm.  "Ready to go?" 

[Stuart LaRoche]

Stuart looked up from the small dish of stew that he had been eating as Nicky walked into the kitchen. He took in her clothes and her hair, noticing the way the colors flattered her. She looked exceptionally lovely tonight, but maybe that was just because he had been thinking of her all week. His heart pounded as she walked over and laid a hand on his arm, and he returned her smile, his eyes only on her. He wanted to kiss her but held off while others were around. It would never do for them to start making out in the kitchen in front of Anne.

"Yes, I'm ready," he replied. Anne had poured him a glass of water and he finished that off, rinsing the taste of the stew from his mouth, and he put his dish and glass in the sink. "I just want to check on Lucy first." Truth be told, he didn't need to check on Lucy at all, but he couldn't go out the front door. The black hellsbane was lying in wait there; he hadn't used the front door in months.

After heading outside and making a pretense of checking on Lucy, Stuart and Nicky made their way around to the front. They passed peppermint growing along the side of the house and he pulled off a leaf to chew. He had arranged for a covered cab to pick them up and so they waited for a few minutes until it arrived. He held the door open for her once it did, gave the driver instructions and climbed up behind her.

Once inside and sitting on the seat beside Nicky, Stuart pulled her close and gave her a long, lingering kiss. He'd been waiting to be with her again all week, and now that they were alone together he wasn't going to hold back. His hand was in her hair as he continued to kiss her. He kept his mouth closed for now but didn't back off, loving the way she responded to him and the feel of her body pressed up to his. Maybe we should just skip dinner and go to my place, he thought.

They might have been going to the same place as they did last week, but this was not the same carriage ride. Last week he had been nervous and anxious about being out with Nicky and so had sat, tense and silent, as the carriage rumbled down the street. Not tonight. Tonight he knew what he wanted, and what he wanted was to be as close as possible to Nicky. He never wanted to let go of her.

He pulled back for a moment and smiled at her. "I missed you this week," he said. He leaned forward for another kiss and then moved his way from her mouth, along her jaw and to her ear. He hoped that she had been thinking of him as much as he was thinking of her, and whispered in her ear, "What was your week like?" He softly kissed her neck as he waited for her reply.

All too soon they arrived at the pub, although Stuart would have been happy to ride around all night in the carriage with Nicky. Instead, when the driver announced they were there, he helped Nicky from the cab and paid the driver. Turning to smile at her, he put his hand on the small of her back and moved towards the pub doors.

[Nicolette St. James]

Nicky had followed Stuart outside.  She thought it was sweet how Stuart had connected to Lucy and wanted to make sure she was alright.  She didn't stop him, just stood and waited for him.  Once he had finished they made their way to the front.  It only took a few moments for the covered carriage to arrive.  Her brows lifted and turned to him nodding in approval. 

Soon the two were off, and she had not seen this side of Stuart before.  In an instant his arms had wrapped around hers and her body was pulled closer to him while he kissed her with intensity.  However, this more aggressive and forthright Stuart, was not at all a bad thing.  Her own arms wrapped around him kissing him fully.  Her hands had slipped beneath his and she had moved her hands up and down his back while his own moved casually through her hair.  The kinks and curls loosened from the oils on his fingers but still did not alter it drastically. 

When Stuart pulled back, Nicky was flushed and had given a small laugh at his words.  She had noticed he had missed her.  But the laughter stopped the moment he kissed her again.  Her lips touched his but for only a moment.  Instantly his mouth moved along her jaw to her ear where he began to ask about her week.  Nicky had to breath out with a heavy breath, trying to get her mind on what had happened instead of him.  "It was good, but felt like it dragged.  I missed you too."  Eyes rolled upwards as he hit a spot that drove her absolutely wild.  Her head tilted a little more as he kissed just below the ear and near her jaw line filling her with goosebumps.  But before she could even respond the carriage had come to a stop and she was escorted out.

Leading the way to an open table, she sat next to him and shoved away the other chairs so that the two could sit alone in the private corner like they had done the other night.  Reaching for a menu that was already on the table she thought about doing something new, but wondered what all they had for the evening.

[Stuart LaRoche]

Stuart had wanted to tell the driver to keep going around the block a few times so he could be alone with Nicky a little longer, but it was too late. They were there. They untangled themselves from each other and exited the cab for the restaurant.

Nicky, just like last week, found a table for them and lead the way. It was in a private corner again and they pushed the chairs next to each other so they could sit together. Nicky picked up a menu and he put his arm along the back of her chair as he did the same. So much looked good, but he decided that tonight he was going to order the salmon.

Having decided what he wanted, Stuart put his menu down. He was starting to feel a little sheepish about having been so aggressive in the cab, and he turned to her. "I'm sorry if I came on too strong back there. I won't do it again if it bothers you." He paused, looking around at the people around them. It seemed to be the usual Friday evening pub crowd. He rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. "It was a long week and I was just looking forward to seeing you. I'm glad you missed me, too."

The waitress came and he ordered the salmon and an ale for himself and waited as Nicky ordered her food. He leaned back in his chair and smiled at her. "Are you letting your hair grow? I notice it's a little longer."

[Nicolette St. James]

Nicky would have been more then ready to have the driver ride around for longer.  She had just gotten started to have fun with Stuart.  But then again, perhaps it would have been for the best.  She had worked so hard keeping Stuart out of the local gossip lately that she didn't need that to be ruined by her being a complete floozy.  Nicky had taken her seat and immediately took note in the menu, as a way to get herself calmed down and remove the heat from her body.  But still the smell of Stuart was all around her.  On her clothes, next to her and in this proximity she wanted to reach over and kiss him, yet refrained. 

As he started to apologize, her brow knit and she looked at him confused.  "Why are you apologizing?"  Her question rather blatant.  "If I was bothered Stuart, I would have pushed you away.  Do not start back peddling now mister."  She teased poking him in the side.  "No more apologies for things that do not need them.  Now if you had hurt me in some way sure, perhaps, but you didn't.  Really, do you think I would have let you do that, if I didn't want it too?"

Her lips curled mischeviously but it soon died away when the waitress arrived.  Stuart ordered the salmon and ale and Nicky pointed down and looked back up choosing the smoked cod pie and tonight taking the newest addition to beers a black and tan.  It was a mixture of the darker stout beer, and a lighter more honey tasting beer.  The two were poured in such a way that the black settled just below the tan with a distinct line.  Nicky was going to be a brave soul and have a taste this evening.

When the waitress left she looked to Stuart and nodded.  "Well, maybe a little.  I haven't decided yet, but so far I haven't gotten it cut.  Haven't actually gotten it cut since I moved here, so been a couple months but it is touching my shoulders."  She shook her head letting him see how the hair slipped back and forth across her shoulders.  "I don't know, feels weird after having it short for so long."  But perhaps it was time for a change, she thought.

[Stuart LaRoche]

Stuart hadn't really thought about the fact that if Nicky didn't want him to kiss her she would have let him know. He'd been so used to feeling like he was coming on too strong with Hannah that even the slightest hint of being too forthright with Nicky felt like he was going too far. As usual, Nicky was as easy-going about this as she was about everything else when they were together. Why didn't he remember that she always let him know what she was thinking? She would never have let him do that just to be polite. He laughed as she gave him a poke. "You're right, you would have pushed me away. I know the way you operate. You never let anyone make you do something you don't want to do."

God, she was good enough to eat. Stuart was regretting that they were out in public. He wanted nothing more than to go back to kissing her, but he wasn't about to tackle her in the middle of a crowded pub on a Friday night. Gossip and rumors had gone everywhere just because he left Hannah's apartment on the morning after the storm; if he started making out with Nicky in public they'd never hear the end of it. Still... the way she was looking at him and the way she was making his breath come fast and shallow just made him want to pull her to him again and never stop kissing her.

They had placed their orders, both going for the fish this time, and Stuart glanced at her with a raised eyebrow when she ordered a black and tan. "You're brave tonight," he teased. "Next thing I know you're going to be ordering a double shot of whiskey for yourself. That wouldn't be a bad thing, by the way." He leaned closer to speak into her ear. "Then I could get you up in that hayloft."

Stuart pulled back and looked at her as she spoke about her hair. "You should grow your hair out," he said with an appraising look. "You would look pretty with long hair. Not that you're not pretty now. I just like long hair on women. I think you'd look great."

[Nicolette St. James]

((Haha I'm listening to a suiting song.  "Devil's Daughter"  haha))

Nicky laughed, "Exactly, and you should remember that."  She teased him with that mischevious look.  Oh but it all came to an end when the waitress came their way.  Her elbow landed upon the freshly cleaned tabletop and her head soon followed into her open hand.  Smiling up to him she shrugged giving an almost teasing look.  "Well, I thought it was time for something more then my bailey's since you said it was too weak."  Brows rose with enthusiasm about her bravery but soon she felt that all too familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach as he teased her about the hayloft and that double shot of whiskey. 

"Perhaps, next weekend?"  She said with a hint in her voice.  "Never know, I am getting edgier."  She said with laughter in her voice.  Of course she couldn't help but feel a bit warm with his naughtiness and bit of his desire mingling into their conversation.  He hadn't been this bold on their last two dates, but she was not complaining.  The teasing was dished out frequently enough that she could take it.  And why not?  They were both sexual people and they both liked each other, why not tease and allow the flirtation and sexual tension rise between them, it made things like the ride home all that more fun.

As the conversation turned to her hair, she raised her other hand and pulled at the bottom ends, as if trying to tug them and make them longer, alas she did not have those qualities, even being a witch you couldn't do things like that.  "Well, maybe.  Though I don't know.  Don't usually do things just for a boy"  She gave a dramatic sigh and rolled her eyes before laughing.  "Maybe though.  Bama has hinted about my hair.  I know my mother would love it but still.  I just don't know."  She said softly and shrugged.  "I guess I could always cut it if I didn't like it, right?"  She said looking at him seriously.

[Stuart LaRoche]

((Oh yes, very fitting))

Stuart had no idea how he was going to keep it in his pants on the ride home in the carriage. He said he wasn't going to go any further than kissing her and he was going to stick to it, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain that resolve. He really needed to back off with the teasing -- it wasn't doing him any favors. He was just glad they were seated right now and he didn't have to get up and walk around anywhere. It would have been entirely too embarrassing.

Their drinks had arrived and Stuart eyed Nicky's black and tan for a second before looking over at her with an intrigued expression. "You're going to drink all that, are you? Sure you can handle it? That's a lot of beer there -- it would never do for me to bring you home cracked off your ass." He'd been about to suggest she could sleep it off at his place and stopped himself just in time. He lifted his glass, "Well, bottoms up."

He was enjoying this evening; he'd been waiting all week to be with Nicky again. One of the things he'd missed after Ainne had died was that he had no one with whom he could sit and talk about normal, every-day things, like how their day was, or how long one's hair was, or any of the things that Nicky and he had talked about on their other dates. These quiet moments meant as much to him as the physical contact he'd had with Nicky. The best was combining the two, which is what he was doing now as he leaned towards her, his arm wrapped around her and his knee touching hers as they sat side by side. He was listening to her talk about her hair, which was interesting to him because he'd had this fantasy of her with long hair ever since they started dating.

"Well, you don't have to grow it for a boy --" here he gave her a look, because he was far from boyhood, "but I'd like to see it long. And of course, just cut it if it gets to be too much. I would think longer hair would be easier because you could just pull it back, couldn't you?" He rubbed his hand on her shoulder. He was debating if he should tell her that he'd seen Jarek Ivanov at the campground on Monday but decided against it. He didn't want to bring up Hannah's name unnecessarily.

"Anything new in the garden?" Stuart asked as he took another sip of ale. "I'll be by again tomorrow. I figure the tomatoes are still going great guns. How's the squash looking?"

[Nicolette St. James]

The large ale was set in front of her and she looked at the drink a moment surveying it and then looked back to Stuart and laughed softly.  "I'm going to attempt"  She raised a finger into the air.  "Attempt."  She repeated, not wanting to make an promises.  Clearly her eyes had been bigger then her stomach now that she looked at the tedious drink.  However with the tell tale bottoms up, she lifted her drink and took a few healthy sips tasting the first part, a hint of honey and as she tipped the glass a little more the stout ale came rushing in and mingling with the honey and not a bad mixture at that.  However it wasn't even a fourth of a way gone when she put her drink back down.

Nicky too had been enjoying herself with Stuart.  It was always easy conversations, no one felt pressured or were there awkward silences, because even in silence they worked well together.  They were able to talk and laugh and even tease and it left Nicky feeling delighted as well as laid back.  She hated feeling stuffy and was grateful that Stuart did not make her feel that way.  Again he made his contribution to her hair and she could only smile.  "I will grow it out, yes.  Just take me a while."  She laughed suddenly.  "Though maybe by Christmas it will be to my shoulder blades?  You think?"  She couldn't even remember how quickly her hair grew, always thinking that once it reached a longer length it took a longer time to grow out.  Silly, right?

"You are right, it could be pulled back.  I do like that idea."  She said thoughtfully.  It was true, right now it was in the way, either tucked behind her ears or having to constantly be pushed backwards so she could work properly.  The topic turned to the garden and she nodded immediately.  "They are looking very yellow.  And are starting to curve.  Just need to firm up a little and I think they'll be good."  Nicky smiled, she had read some of the gardening book that Stuart had dropped off at the house last Saturday and was finding it a good read on the side.  Giving her a chance to figure out what else could be grown as well as what they needed to look for on the plants they already had.

[Stuart LaRoche]

Stuart leaned back and looked at Nicky's hair. It had grown nearly to her shoulders in the few months that he'd known her, so maybe it would reach her shoulder blades by Christmas. "Sure, Nick. I don't know. I'm not really sure how long it takes to grow out hair -- I've never had to do it before." He lifted his hand from the back of the chair to tangle his fingers gently in her slight curls. He'd never been with a blonde before. He loved the way it caught the light as he twisted it in his fingers. "It looks pretty now, though." He loved the idea of Nicky pulling her hair back and then undoing it while they were in bed together, her pretty blonde hair falling over him as he....

Stuart shifted in his seat and brought his attention back to what Nicky was talking about. He listened as she talked about the squash. "Did we ever decide what we're doing with the excess from the garden? Are you giving it to the neighbors or anything? Because I think we've got a ton, don't you?" He stopped and thought about the chickens. "How many eggs are we getting every day?" If he calculated right, they should be getting about five to eight eggs a day from the hens. "Are you letting the hens out to help you in the garden? They could get rid of a lot of bugs for you."

He liked talking to Nicky about the garden and chickens. He had never had a either before and was finding that he enjoyed reaping the benefits of his hard work in the spring. The terrain was too rough in North Carolina for a proper garden and his mother had just never bothered with raising chickens. Stuart decided that no matter where he lived he wanted to have a home with a yard big enough for a garden and chickens. Maybe even beehives.

"You know, there's something I wanted to talk to you about the last time but we didn't get the chance to," Stuart said, reaching over with his free hand to take one of her hands in his own. "You said something before about having your own bakery. Do you think you'd really want to do that?"

[Nicolette St. James]

Nicky shrugged thoughtfully.  "I don't know either, I had long hair.  It was to the middle of my back until I lopped it all off last year.  I just continued to keep it short to get the parents mad, and it worked wonders.  But then I sort of liked it, but hated going to get it cut, you had to do that a lot.  So when I got hauled off."  She paused for a moment and shook her head, not really liking to talk about it.  "I had stopped.  Not for fear but more just too overwhelmed with everything else to think about trimming it.  And I got here and I still didn't think about it."  She shrugged again.  "Maybe, I don't know.  I guess we will wait and see."

There certainly was a perk to long hair.  And he was doing it right now.  His fingers curling into her hair, and tugging on it just gently enough that her scalp tingled and buzzed.  Her eyes even had closed momentarily until the subject was changed to the garden.  Opening her eyes she looked to him for a moment, her lips twisted as she became pensive and thought about his question.  "Oh right, Bama decided to give some to the neighbors but only the nice ones."  She laughed suddenly about how funny her grandmother had been with everything.  "Plus you and Zippy get some, of course.  She says to save the best for us, and give away the rest."  Nicky had laughed again, she loved her grandmother and sometimes loved to egg her on just because she was such a hoot when she got all fired up. 

"Oh of course, they get out every morning to pick out the bugs.  It makes my life so much easier.  Plus they are giving me about half a dozen a day.  Really it isn't bad.  Its enough for each of us to have one, with two left over.  Usually Bama has two eggs and I give Anne two eggs.  Patrick never eats very much, so one is his limit and I like toast with mine so one is my limit as well.  It is very handy."  She nodded.

Nicky enjoyed their conversations.  She loved out it flowed, and sometimes it didn't flow at all but was like the jumbled mess in her own mind.  She loved how easily they could switch topics though and craved that.  They went from hair to gardening, wouldn't make sense anywhere else but to them it was a great conversation.  Her hand reached out and gently touched him, as he was so busy playing with her hair and being close to her. 

But the topic turned and her eyes cast to the table, almost nervously.  Nicky was not a nervous person, but this was her secret dream.  She was unsure about discussing it.  She did not want it to be refused right before her eyes and have that single dream come tumbling down, plus she did not actually want to attain it, knowing, in truth how dedicated and difficult it was going to be, plus the money to start it, to run it, and to keep it running was just as overwhelming as everything else.  It was a dream.  Perhaps one she'd never reach but a dream just the same.  Nicky shrugged still staring at the table, though her eyes moved to the drinks seeing how much more he had drank then her.  She lifted her own glass and drank a healthy bit more, more as a way to pause and think then to actually quench a thirst.

"I don't know.  It is probably some stupid pipe dream that will never come to pass.  I am not a very good business person and my last four jobs can attest to that.  I only put my heart half into things, always ready to run off and save the next victim.  And I like that role.  I like being involved.  I like fighting for a cause.  But Bama made a point.  I need to grow up.  Oh sure she had not meant it that way, she had been buttery and sweet about it but the signs were there.  I can't live with her forever, it is ideal now and I know she'd never throw me out but one of these days I must choose.  Am I going to be some wayward fighting woman that goes after every cause, or am I going to buckle down and make something for myself?  I just don't think I could handle it.  The finances, the business, the baking, the customers, being open all day, having to bake before we open.  I just don't know if I could cut it.  I told myself I never wanted to be one of those people that was married to my job and I never got to see my family, and this idea puts me into the very position I don't want to be."  Finally two dark, timid eyes looked back to him.  She had not even given him a chance to but in or to talk.  She just rambled on pushing her own dream further and further away.

[Stuart LaRoche]

Stuart loved playing with Nicky's hair, short as it was. It was silky and soft in his fingers, and it glowed in the low light of the pub. She seemed to like it, too. Her eyes closed and she seemed lost in the feel of his fingers in her hair. He smiled. He loved seeing her get lost in what he was doing.

She opened her eyes when she began to speak about the garden, and he had to laugh at the thought of Holly only giving the excess produce only to the neighbors she liked. He could imagine her meting  out the vegetables, telling Patrick only to deliver to this house and that house. "Well, don't set aside too much for Zippy and me. It's just the two of us and she doesn't eat much. Actually, this week I'll take a little extra because we're going to do a boil." He thought about what vegetables he could use from the garden for the boil. Certainly the potatoes. Squash and green beans weren't traditional but they'd work. He'd have to pick up corn somewhere since they didn't grow that this year. He had been thinking of this when Nicky began talking about the hens in the garden, and he simply nodded as he listened.

They sat in silence for a moment as talk of the garden and the hens trailed off, and he took the opportunity to ask her about having a bakery of her own. He had wanted to talk to her about it since she'd brought it up on their first date, but he hadn't had the opportunity. It was something that intrigued him about Nicky. He didn't see her as a business owner at first, but the more he thought about it the more he thought it might work, especially if she took on Zippy as a partner. The two of them together would turn out some incredible food, as long as they could both keep their tempers in check.

Stuart listened as Nicky gave him excuses for not pursuing her secret desire. She began to tick off her reasons, and all of them were valid. He let her run out her thoughts, not commenting or questioning, merely listening and sipping his ale, which was nearly gone already. He looked down at their clasped hands as he formulated an idea for her, trying to pull together the right words.

"Well, you're giving a lot of reasons why you don't want to do it, but you also have a lot of reasons to do it. Your grandmother is right. As noble as it is for you to want to go off to fight for a cause, that doesn't pay the bills. If you're going to have to work for a living, you should do something you like. So you can stay at the bakery now for a while, but if you ever get the opportunity to open your own place you should take it. And if you take on a partner, you wouldn't be chained to it." He held her eyes for a second before speaking again. "Someone like Zippy. You two should think about opening a place together. I haven't talked to her about it and I'm totally speaking for her, but I think a joint venture like that would be beneficial for both of you."

[Nicolette St. James]

"We will set aside enough for the two of you, we won't leave you out."  Though she would tell Anne not to give them a whole bushell like they had first been thinking, they would give a lot less.  "A boil?"  She asked looking at him. Sure they boiled foot, boiled meat and vegetables but usually to make something like a stew or a casserole or a meal not just boiling food for the fun of it.  Certainly there had been more to that statement then boiling for the sake of boiling.  And she chalked it up to one of his funny American sayings that she was growing so fond of.  "Actually you know how Bama is.  She is going to give you all more then enough so don't worry about it, you can give it to Tristan and people at work.  And Zippy can give it to anyone she chooses."

Nicky had spent the next few minutes explaining why her having a business of any sort just wouldn't be good.  She would get too burnt out plus she'd never have any time for anyone and she didn't like that idea, she wanted to be in the thick of things.  She didn't like to be solely in the back.  But just like her grandmother who always had faith in her, Stuart too was now in her corner cheering her on.  Her eyes locked on his as he explained the basic truth that fighting for causes did not pay the bills.  And maybe he was right, perhaps now that she was getting older she needed to worry about other things other then saving the planet, and saving the house elves and every other little thing she was on about.  But a bakery?

Nicky gave him a skeptical look unsure about the idea.  She liked baking, she liked Zippy, but what if Zippy didn't want to do it?  And hadn't Stuart been the one to call Zippy lazy?  She certainly couldn't run the business with a partner that she had to push about.  Sighing she kept that fear to herself and shrugged finally.  "I just don't know.  It won't be for a while anyways.  Any money I had saved up back home went to bailing me out of jail.  And paying off my parents so I was sent away to etiquitte school.  I have only now started to earn my money at the bakery and I am starting to save it up.  I want to do this for a time and make sure I like it.  Maybe a few months from now.  And she could figure it out herself too, have her work there as well.  I've put in the word to my boss, they are interested in the American girl.  Thinking it may draw customers, her unique accent." 

The food arrived and Nicky had let go of Stuart to return to her drink, drinking it down, the level had gone down drastically but still was now only filled to the half way mark.  She did not order another as the woman stood there asking them politely what else they'd need or like.  Nicky instead got started on her meal.

[Stuart LaRoche]

Stuart liked the idea of giving excess produce to the people at work. "I'm sure Tristan would take some off our hands." He was also was amused by the confused look on Nicky's face when she wondered what a boil was. Of course she wouldn't know. "Yes, a boil. It's where you take a bunch of vegetables, usually potatoes, corn and whatever else you happen to have, and throw them in a pot with water, sausage and seasonings. Let them cook and then throw in crayfish or shrimp. I found a good spot on the far side of the lake for crayfish so when we get enough vegetables Zippy and I will have a boil." He winked at her. "You're welcome to join us if you want to try some foreign food." He excused himself and stood to head for the men's room before the food arrived so he could wash his hands.

When he returned he took his seat and they resumed talking about the possibility of Nicky owning a bakery. He put his arm around her again and sat close as he listened to what she had to say. She was right to be hesitant and cautious. He liked that for once she wasn't just jumping into something, but he was surprised to hear she had no money saved due to it being used for bail. She must have needed a lot of bail money to run through savings like that. He sighed, thinking that this woman was going to be a handful. When she said that she was sent to etiquette school and he nearly burst out laughing. "Etiquette school? Are you kidding me?" God, she really was a high class girl; he wouldn't have been surprised if she'd been a debutante. What was she doing with him, the American dog? "Well, you don't need to make any decisions about owning a bakery or a coffee shop of your own this minute. It's just something to think about. For right now, though, if you could get Zippy a job at the coffee shop that would be a godsend. She's just been sitting around the house for weeks now. I hope the owners do like her unique accent -- any time anyone hears mine they head for the hills."

As he was speaking the food arrived, and not a minute too soon. He was starving, despite having a small dish of stew at the house. His salmon filet looked delicious, simply prepared with lemon and dill on a bed of mashed potatoes and green beans on the side. Stuart ordered another ale for himself and noticed that Nicky declined ordering another black and tan. "Too much for you there, Nick?" he asked, teasing. Her food looked interesting. "What did you get again? Can I have a taste?"