Chloe walked into her building and went over to the boxes to check her mail. She saw Richard checking his mail as well.

"Hey, Richard," Chloe said cheerfully.

He turned around. "Hey, Chloe. How are ya?"

"Good. You?" Chloe smiled as she sifted through her mail.

"Great. So uh, how are things going with your new Australian boyfriend?" Richard grinned widely.

Chloe looked suspiciously at him. "What has Zoey been telling you?"

Richard looked up at her. "Well, she said that you said you two were pretty…'hot and heavy.'"

Chloe's jaw dropped. "Zoey puts words in my mouth!" Chloe followed Richard into the elevator.

Richard laughed. "She does tend to exaggerate a bit."

"A bit? Richard, we've kissed twice! Okay? Twice! I hardly think that qualifies as 'hot and heavy.'"

Richard laughed again.

"What else has she been saying?"

"She hasn't told me too much, although I have the feeling she is hoping you will name your first born daughter after her."

Chloe shook her head in disbelief. "She never stops, does she?"

"So really, how are things with, what's his name, Jax?"

"Yeah. He's a great guy. He's really nice and sweet. The other day, he invited Molly and I over to his place for pizza."

"Ooo, I don't know, Chloe. I'm beginning to think Zoey was right after all. I think that qualifies as hot and heavy."

Chloe playfully hit him in the shoulder. "Does not! Really, he's a great friend of mine. Especially after what he did for Molly. He'll always hold a special place in my heart."

They stepped off the elevator.

"Hey yeah, how's Molly doing? Is she okay?"

"She's fine. She bounces back very easily. Me, on the other hand, I'm still replaying that horrible scene in my head. But Jax was there, just at the right moment. He's my hero."

"Hey, maybe Zoey and I'll take Molly to the park sometime this week."

"That would be great."

"Good. Alright then, I'll see you."

Just as Richard was about to go inside his apartment, Chloe turned around and stopped him.

"Hey, Richard?" she asked.

"Mmm-hmm?" He turned around.

"Do you believe in angels?"

Richard smiled. "Sure."

"Well, do you think that there are angels watching over us? You know, protecting us, keeping us safe?"

"Oh, definitely. Angels are real. They're all around us. Everywhere actually. You may not be able to see them, but they're there."

Chloe smiled. "That's what I think. And I think that there was an angel that day, looking over Molly. There had to be."

"I'm sure there was."

"And you know what?" Chloe smiled.

"What?"

Chloe had a dreamy look on her face. "That angel…was Jasper Jacks." Chloe grinned widely. "Bye," she sang as she walked into her apartment.

"You two are going to be hot and heavy, Chloe!" Richard called out. "I just know it!"

As Chloe closed up the boutique on Friday afternoon, she suddenly had an idea. She picked up the phone and called Jax's number. It was funny how she had already memorized his number. She usually had a terrible time with that. But then again, she had been calling him several times that week already, and he had called her.

"Hello?" Jax said on the other end.

"Hi, Jax. It's Chloe."

"Chloe, hi." Jax knew his voice must have gone up a bit. He couldn't help it; just the sound of her voice made him very excited.

"Is this a bad time?"

"No, not at all. I actually just got back home."

"Okay, great."

"So what's up?" Jax asked.

"Well, I remembered that you said you couldn't cook, so I'm guessing it's been a long time since you've had a home-cooked meal. Am I right?"

Jax grinned. "Are you offering to cook me dinner?"

Chloe twisted the phone cord between her fingers. "Maybe," she said timidly. "Would you like for me to cook dinner?"

"Sure, I'd love it!" Jax said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, you bet! I'm actually salivating right now at the thought of it."

Chloe laughed. "Okay. Is there anything in particular you would like me to prepare? I can make just about anything."

"Hmm, you know what, surprise me. I'm sure it will be delicious." Jax laughed.

Chloe knew she was grinning widely. "Wonderful. Well, can you be at my place, say, six-thirty?"

"I'll be there."

"Great. Okay, I'll see you then."

"Okay. Bye, Chloe."

"Bye."

Chloe hung up the phone. And being the only one left at the boutique, she felt free, so she screamed out loud, "WOOHOO!" She then sauntered out of the shop with a huge grin plastered to her face.

Chloe struggled for an hour and a half getting dinner and herself ready at the same time. She didn't want to overdress. It was, after all, just a simple dinner. So Chloe decided to go with her favorite black skirt and a nice black blouse.

For her hair, she opted to leave it down. Putting it up would just take too long. But looking in the mirror, she felt she needed to do something with it, so she clipped back the sides with a barrette.

By the time Chloe was ready and was waiting for the food to cook, she heard the buzzer on her door. "Jax, is that you?" Chloe asked on the intercom.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Great. Come on up." Chloe rushed over to the mirror to check her appearance one last time.

A few minutes later, Jax knocked on the door. Chloe took a deep breath and opened it. "Hi," she said with a smile.

"Hey." Jax walked in and handed Chloe a red rose.

Chloe smiled and took the rose. "Thank you. Wow, where did you get this?"

"There were some guy selling them outside the building, so I thought, why not?"

Chloe laughed. "Thank you. It's very pretty." Chloe put the petals to her nose to smell its sweet aroma.

Jax followed Chloe to the kitchen as she went to find a vase to put her single rose in. After putting it in some water, Chloe set it on the kitchen table. "This makes a perfect centerpiece."

Jax looked around, noticing something obviously different. "Where's Molly?"

"Oh, she's spending the night with Ally's little girl Bianca. They're the same age and best friends; it's really cute. Well, it'll be a while before dinner is ready, so maybe we could wait out in the living room?"

"Sure, that's fine. So, what are we having for dinner?"

Chloe turned around and smiled. "I thought you wanted me to surprise you."

Jax laughed. "Alright, I'll wait until dinner time." Jax looked around Chloe's apartment. He never really got a good look at it before. "Chloe, I never got the chance to tell you before, but you have a really nice place."

"Thank you. I love it. It's certainly a lot nicer than the two-bedroom apartment I use to have! When I started making money with my designs, I went all out and bought this place."

"It's really big, especially for a place in the city. And I thought my penthouse was big!"

Chloe laughed. "That's the best part of it! I like that it's spacious. I actually feel I can breathe better in here than I can outside! Would you like the grand tour?"

"Sure."

"Well, this is the living room, obviously, and you've seen the kitchen." Chloe led Jax into the room beside the kitchen. "Here's the dining room. We usually only eat in here for dinner. For all other meals, we eat in the kitchen."

Chloe left the room and walked to the back of the staircase. She led Jax to a small room off to the side. "Here's my work room, although I don't really use it. I usually just keep things like my fax machine and extra sketchpads and fabric samples in here. Now it seems to have become another playroom for Molly." Chloe picked up a sketchpad from the desk and showed it to Jax. Molly had decorated it with her own art. "See what I mean?" She laughed.

Jax laughed. "That's actually a pretty good picture. She must get her talent from you."

"Aww, thanks. She is like me a little bit. She loves to draw. You probably noticed the refrigerator decorated with her artwork."

"Actually yes, I did notice that."

Chloe led Jax out of the room. She pointed to the room beside them. "Bathroom, obviously." Then she led him up the stairs. Chloe walked over to the door straight ahead of them and peered cautiously inside before letting Jax in. She turned around. "Just checking to see if it was still clean. It is." Chloe then led Jax into the room that was clearly Molly's.

To Jax, the room looked exactly like one straight from a catalog. The comforter and curtains matched and were decorated with colorful blossoms. The walls were a light yellow color and dotted with pink flowers. The carpet was plush and white. Toys were placed neatly on a shelf, although Jax assumed that this was not always the case. Stuffed animals were everywhere. It was definitely a little girl's room.

"This is Molly's room. I usually have to clean it about everyday." Chloe laughed.

Jax looked around at the things Molly had: a computer, television, VCR… It was a lot for a three year old.

"She has her own computer?"

Chloe laughed. "Yes. Actually, that was a free one. My mom's work was throwing out all of the old computers for brand new ones, so my mom took it and gave to Molly. And I bought her that little desk. It's perfect for her. See, she has all of her little CD games stacked up there." Chloe pointed to Molly's collection. Jax was impressed. Things had definitely changed since he was a kid.

"And over there is her little television and her movies."

"She's got the whole Disney collection, doesn't she?"

Chloe nodded. "Yes! My mother spoils her so bad! I've bought Molly maybe five movies; my mother has bought her the rest!"

Jax laughed. "Well that's a grandparent's job…to spoil."

"It is so true."

"Does she even know how to work the VCR?"

"Oh yeah. She'll come in here, put in a movie and watch it, and I don't have to do anything! She's really smart."

Jax took a closer look at the walls. At first glance, he thought it was all wallpaper, but he then realized that it was all paint. Even then flowers were hand-painted.

"Who decorated the walls?"

"I did." Chloe beamed.

"You mean to tell me that you painted this whole room?" Jax was astonished.

Chloe shook her head. "Mmm-hmm."

"And you painted the individual flowers too?!"

Chloe nodded.

"How long did that take?!"

Chloe shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe a little less than two months. I worked almost every day on it though! I wanted Molly to have the room that I always wanted."

"I'm sure she must love it."

"She does. She'll spend hours in here playing. It was even her idea to get the stars."

"What stars?"

"Look up."

Jax looked up and saw hundreds of glow-in-the-dark stars stuck to the ceiling. Suddenly, that familiar little pang of sadness hit him. He had missed out on this with his child. He never got the chance to experience the joy of decorating his child's room and watching him or her grow up and play in it. The nursery that he and Brenda had set up for their baby was never used.

Chloe showed Jax the other rooms, saving her room for last. "And last, but not least, my room."

Chloe's room was just as Jax had expected it. It was truly feminine in nature, with flower patterns, scented candles, and fashion magazines everywhere. It smelled of vanilla.

"And that's basically it. That's my house." Chloe smiled.

"It's really nice."

"Thank you. Unfortunately, I don't have any great views of the park like you do."

Chloe led Jax downstairs back to the living room. As they passed the end table by the couch, a picture Jax did not notice before suddenly caught his eye. It was a picture of Chloe and a young Molly in her lap. Sitting beside them was another blonde woman, who resembled Chloe very much. In the picture, they were sitting on a bench in what appeared to be a rose garden. Jax picked up the frame and took a closer look. "Is this your mother?"

Chloe sat beside him on the couch. "Yes, that would be mom. That picture was taken about…I think about two years ago."

"Your mother looks just like you."

"I know, everyone says that. Some people have said before that we look like sisters."

"Yes, you do!"

Chloe laughed. "Well, my mom was only twenty when she had me, so we're only twenty years apart."

"Molly sure looks different."

"Oh I know. I have so many pictures of Molly from when she was younger, and I swear, she looks like a different baby in all of them! Would you like to see Molly's baby pictures?"

"Yeah, I'd love to."

Chloe got up and left the room, When she came back, she had a photo album. She sat down beside him and set the album between them.

Jax watched with gentle amusement as she pointed the pictures.

She pointed to a picture of an infant Molly lying in the hospital nursery crib. "Here's Molly, just a few hours old."

"Aww, how adorable."

"And here are some more pictures from the hospital. Be warned, I look horrible in all of them."

"No you don't." Jax smiled at Chloe.

Chloe wondered if he was being honest of if he was just saying that.

"And here's when we brought Molly back home. This was at my old apartment. And there's my mom holding Molly. And then there's me holding Molly. And Molly sleeping in her crib. And me nursing…oh how'd that get in there?" Chloe quickly turned the page. "Thanks, Mom," she muttered under her breath. Jax just laughed. Chloe looked cute when she was embarrassed.

Chloe showed Jax several more pictures of Molly from her infant and toddler years. Jax was amazed at how much Molly had changed in the span of a few years.

"So tell me," Jax asked as Chloe laid the album on the coffee table. "How did you come up with the name Molly?"

Chloe thought it over. "Well, when I found out I was pregnant, I immediately started thinking of names. I bought a baby book, I asked people what their children's names were, I asked people for suggestions...I did everything. But I just couldn't think of the perfect name. But the moment that nurse laid her in my arms for the first time, I just knew. The name just came to me, all of a sudden. Molly."

Jax smiled.

"Now, her middle name is Patience." Chloe started to laugh. "I know, what I was thinking?! She's not a very patient child…at all!"

Jax laughed. "How did you come up with the name Patience? What kind of name is that? I've never heard of it."

"You know, I'm not sure what kind of name it is, but it was the middle name of one of my childhood friends. And I always thought it was a pretty name, you know, for a middle name. I wasn't about to make it her first name because you know how kids tease other kids with unusual names."

"Oh, don't I know it! Try having to grow up with the name Jasper!"

"I like the name Jasper. I wouldn't have teased you." Chloe smiled. She then laughed softly and Jax smiled back.

"Okay, Chloe, I'm anxiously awaiting to find out what I have been smelling for the last half hour!" Jax called out from the table in the dining room.

"Well good things come to those who wait," Chloe replied and walked into the room with a tray of food. "Dinner is served. We've got stuffed chicken breasts on a bed of fried rice, with Caesar salad, and steaming rolls served with hot butter. For wine, a vintage blush. And for dessert…well, you'll see."

"I can hardly wait!"

"I take it that you like all of this?" Chloe asked hesitantly.

"Chloe, if it tastes even half as good as it smells, I will be one happy man."

Chloe laughed and took her place at the table.

Jax practically inhaled the food, so she knew he wasn't lying.

When they finished up with dinner, Chloe brought out dessert. "Now, it's just something simple, but very delicious." Chloe set before them a bowl of strawberries and some sugar and whip creamed. "I don't know about you, but I have a sweet tooth."

"Have you been talking to my brother or something? How could you have possibly known that strawberries are my favorite fruit?"

Chloe smiled. "I guess great minds think alike; it's my favorite too."

After dinner, Jax offered to help Chloe clean up. She refused, telling him that he was her guest, but Jax wouldn't take no for an answer.

"All right, if you insist," Chloe said.

When the kitchen and dining room were back in order, Jax and Chloe went to the living room.

"So, Jax, would you like to stay and watch a movie or something? I mean, if you need to get back home, I understand. But if you like, you could stay."

"Actually, a movie sounds really good."

"Okay, great. We could stay here and order something on Pay-per-view." Chloe turned on the television to the check what movies were playing. "What are you in the mood for? Comedy? Action? Drama?"

"I'm leaning toward something funny."

Chloe smiled. "Me too."

About halfway through the movie, Jax decided that the movie really wasn't as great as he expected it to be. It was actually kind of stupid. But oddly enough, he was having the greatest time. In the week that he had known Chloe, something about him had changed. He looked forward to getting up in the morning, or thrilled when he heard his phone ring. And she was cooking him dinner now! Jax glanced over at Chloe and quickly looked away before she noticed him staring at her. He had been doing that all night.

Chloe leaned forward. "Hey, Jax, do you like this movie?" In her voice was a hint of doubt, like maybe she was hating it just as much as he was.

"It's not really what I had expected," Jax admitted.

"Yeah, me too. It's funny, but it's stupid funny, which is…stupid." Chloe laughed softly.

"Maybe we should have watched one of Molly's movies."

Chloe laughed again. "Yes, they are much better than this one! I'm sorry I picked it; I thought it would be good."

"No, don't apologize. I picked it out too."

The two sat there for a moment, not really sure what to do. The movie was still on, but neither of them had any interest in watching it.

"You know what, Chloe?" Jax suddenly asked.

"What?"

"I'm still full from that dinner you made."

"Really?" Chloe smiled.

"Yes. And you were right, it has been a long time since someone has made me a home-cooked meal."

"Well, when have a preschooler, you have to know how to cook!"

Jax gazed at her intently. Then without even thinking, he reached out and felt her hair. "Your hair is really pretty like that." As soon as the words slipped out of his mouth, Jax felt himself getting hot. Where in the world did that come from?

"Thank you," Chloe blushed. She stared out him for a few seconds, trying to think of something to say. The compliment on her hair was completely unexpected. She couldn't think of anything to say, but that didn't matter, because suddenly, Jax was kissing her.

And she was kissing him.

They kissed for a while.

A long while.

Their kisses deepened, and Chloe eventually reclined until she was resting against the couch cushion. Jax laid over her gently. The movie was still playing, but they were oblivious to it. They kissed, and it was hard to breathe, but they didn't care.

Jax heard that faint voice in his head, that voice that told him not to do this. He pushed it back as far as he could, completely ignoring it.

Chloe felt dizzy, wondering if this was actually happening. They were kissing so much, and so fast. Chloe felt as if she were floating.

They kissed so much that their lips were starting to feel raw, but neither cared. And an hour or so later when the credits of the movie rolled past the screen, they were both surprised at how much time had passed.

To be continued…