Chapter Forty Seven

Jon left his kids after spending a few hours with them and drove around to Richie’s, he knocked on the door before entering as it was wide open, music flowed through the house leading Jon into the studio where he was sitting editing some of the guitar tracks that Jon recognized he’d laid down since Nashville.

“Knock Knock” he knocked lightly on the door as he walked in, Richie looked up and grinned.

“Hey Frank” he looked up. Jon shook his head and laughed.

“You’re turning into me doing all this perfectionist stuff, were you not always the one that said the first time you do it was the best?” he teased Richie.

“It’s your guitar work I am tweaking” Richie jested.

“Asshole” Jon slid into a chair and watched him.

“What’s happening Frank, I thought ya’d be with your little lady” Richie commented as all he had talked about for the last week in Nashville was Jesse and how he couldn’t wait to get back home to her.

“I had to see the kid’s bro, time to tell them all about her” he leaned back and closed his eyes remembering it went seemingly well.

“Wow, that would have been intense, how did they take it?’ Richie asked knowing that Jon would have been nervous.

“Yeah, the boys, Romeo and Jake probably don’t understand yet, and Stephy was great, she’s more excited to meet a real live fashion designer though truth be known, and Jesse wasn’t there” he explained.

Richie raised his eyebrow “And Dot?”

Jon nodded “Yeah she was fine”

He watched as he continued to tweak the controls on the soundboard.

“Soo what are you doing tonight? Fancy, going out to dinner bro?” Jon asked casually, trying to put the plan into action.

“Do I get to go for dessert afterwards?” Richie snorted. Jon rolled his eyes.

“Fine! Don’t come, thought we could spend some time together Dean” he said.

Richie laughed “What? I just spent the damn week with you, spit it out, what’s going on, you haven’t had a fight with Jess have ya?” he asked worried.

Jon shook his head, Richie wasn’t stupid “Nah man, I am meeting her for dinner, she’s bringing a friend of hers, and we thought that you two would get on, she’s a lil sassy fireball” Jon grinned admitting the plan.

Richie chuckled “Oh, I see, think the King can’t get his own dates now huh?”

Jon laughed “You know that’s not true, but hey, she’s nice enough, she’s raked me over a few coals since I have known her” chuckling remembering the memories.

“Ok you convinced me, who am I to turn down a pretty lady?” he asked with a smirk.

“Nope, didn’t think so, okay we’re meeting “accidentally” at Delanio’s tonight, she will be there with Kia” Jon explained.

“Gotcha Kidd, will be an interesting night for sure, plus I get to hang with my favourite rock star hustler” Richie’s tease came through.

“Dude that was so last week, get a new joke man” Jon punched him in the arm.

Richie dissolved into laughter as the men made plans for that evening.

~~

“Wow this place is awfully swanky” Kia commented as the waiter showed them to a table and placed a napkin on their lap. She glanced around; the restaurant definitely had an Italian flavour to it.

“It’s nice” Jesse agreed, having never been there herself but just went along with the plan.

Kia read the menu as a bottle of wine was placed on their table, Jesse looked at the waiter.

“I didn’t order that” she shook her head. The waiter smiled.

“Mr Bon Jovi always has this wine when he attends” he replied politely. Jesse’s eyes widened and looked at Kia who had a questionable eyebrow raised.

“Mr Bon Jovi? I didn’t know Jon was joining us” she teased.

Jesse laughed “I am hopeless aren’t I. Jon is coming and he’s bringing Richie, to meet you” she admitted, she could never keep anything from Kia for more than five minutes.

Kia laughed “Ohh a set up? With Richie Sambora?” She asked, leaning back into her chair and a devilish grin sneaking across her lips.
“And was this your ideas or his?” Kia asked curiously.

Jesse laughed “A little of both but after meeting Richie last week I am sure that you will like him, he’s a honey”.

Before Kia could actually reply two men were being shown to the table. She watched as they walked over, Jon who she recognized walked along Richie, he was taller than she expected from what she had seen, and his rich brown eyes were warm, complemented by his smile. The silk blue shirt he was wearing was unbuttoned almost to his navel, revealing his bare chest which was centred by the leather pendant he wore around his neck.

“Jesse? Kia? Well this is a surprise?” Jon said as they arrived at their table smiling at Jesse who looked as radiant as ever to him.

“Games up Bon Jovi, I know ya plan” Kia stood up and put her hand out to Richie.

“I’m Kia Richie, and it seems these two want us to become better acquainted and go bump ugly” she winked.

Jesse bit back a laugh, that was Kia, but she watched as Richie snorted and took he hand and pressed it to his lips.

“It seems so, please to meet ya lil Darlin, I’m Richie and the bumping ugly thing, and well we can work on that” he teased. Kia just laughed, he was adorable, no doubt about it.

Jon shot a knowing glance at Jesse as they all took their seats; he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
“How’s your day been baby?”

She smiled “Good, missed ya though, how did the kids go?” she asked as she had wondered all day what had happened still a little on edge from what happened with Jason’s parents.

He smiled “They were fine, Stephy is most excited to meet you tomorrow, now that she knows you’re a fashion designer, she knows your work” he nodded as he watched the waiter all pour them a glass of wine.

“Really? Well I hope I exceed her expectations, what about the others?” specifically she meant Dorothea but didn’t want to ask.

Jon flicked through the menu as he replied “Romeo and Jakey were fine, they are probably too young to understand until they actually see you with me, and well Dot was good, she was pleased I was moving on, it seems she has been on a few dates as well”.

Jesse breathed a little sigh of relief as she sipped her wine. “And Jesse?” she asked.

“He wasn’t home so I guess Dot will tell him and we will see him tomorrow, along with my parents”

Jesse’s eyes widened “Your parents? I mean, of course they would be there but I just didn’t think of it, wow big day tomorrow” her mind racing off into all the scenarios possible.

Jon took her hand “Jess, don’t worry, you know that they are ex marines themselves, it's not going to be like his parents, they would never do that to me, or treat you like that” his clam blue eyes tried to reassure her.

She nodded “I know it will be fine” putting her wine back down she tried to conceal the bundle of nerves in the pit of her stomach as she watched Kia and Richie. God damn if they weren’t all ready clicking, Richie had his arm around the back of her chair and was excitedly tell her something, his hands waving about before Kia dissolved into a fit of giggles.

Jon cocked his eyebrow and Jesse just nodded as Richie pulled out his cell phone and flipped it open to show Kia something. She looked up at Jon and peeled with laughter once again.

“Oh Shit King, why have you got a copy of that?” Jon asked feeling his cheeks slightly flush knowing exactly what it was.

Richie wiggled his eyebrows “Back up”. Jon groaned and shook his head and leaned into Jesse as his lips tickled her ear lobe, his voice low and husky.

“You know, every time this is mentioned, I’m keeping count you know, and that’s gonna be how many…” he trailed off his mind concocting. Jesse placed her hand on his knee.

“That I get spanked?” she asked hopefully licking her lips.

Jon chuckled “You’d like that hussy wouldn’t ya?” his eyes darkened with a lust that made her shiver.

Jesse didn’t have a chance to reply as the waiter came to take their orders.