As everyone got up from the table, Derrick asked, “Jen, do you still have your pool table downstairs?”

“Yeah,” she replied, standing after JC had pulled her chair out for her, “but I haven’t played in a long time.”

While everyone moved to the living room, Kathy looked over at her friend.  She didn’t understand why Jennifer was lying, when in fact, they had played almost every night after dinner.  She caught Jennifer’s eye and gave her a questioning look.  Jennifer just winked and looked back at the guys.

“Well, then,” Chris schemed, “why don’t we play a couple of games?  We can have teams.”

“Uh, Chris?” Lance cut in.  “There are eight of us, you know.”

“We can go two on two, and have a tournament-type game,” Joey suggested.

“Okay, let’s go downstairs and figure this all out,” Justin said.

Justin, Lance, Joey, Chris, and Derrick walked to the stairs.  Kathy walked back into the kitchen to start the dishes.  JC turned to Jennifer and rubbed his hands up and down her arms.  “Are you going to be okay?” he asked, looking directly into her eyes.

“I’ll be fine,” she assured him.  “You go on ahead.  I’m just going to help Kathy get the dishes into the dishwasher.”  They kissed, and as he turned to go, she playfully patted his butt.

“Hey!” he exclaimed, laughing.  “Watch your hands!”

“I was,” Jennifer replied with a sly grin.

Chuckling, they separated.  Jennifer walked into the kitchen to help Kathy.

“Jen,” Kathy began as her friend and roommate walked in, “why didn’t you tell the guys we’re practically experts at pool?”

Jennifer casually loaded dishes into the dishwasher.  “Oh, I thought we could have a little fun with the guys.”

Kathy thought about that for a second, then grinned.  “I see…pretty clever.  But anyway, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Jennifer had been dreaming up ways she and JC could have ‘fun’ later that evening, but Kathy’s question brought her back to reality.  “What’s that?” Jennifer asked.

“Well, Lance came in here while I was cooking dinner.”

Jennifer quickly looked over at Kathy.  Oh, that’s right, Jennifer remembered.  JC and I told Lance to come in here and ask Kat out.  I hope he did.  “Oh, yeah?  What happened?”

“Well, we kinda talked about stuff at first, like my classes and stuff, but then,” she paused to collect her thoughts, “then he seemed like he was going to ask me something.”

Jennifer’s interest immediately rose.  “Yeah?” she prompted.

“Well, he was going to ask me something, then Joey and Justin barged in here, wanting to know if dinner was ready.”  Kathy took a deep breath, remembering.

Jennifer groaned inwardly.  Oh, brother.  They had to come in then.  Men and their stomachs…oh, well, it looks like I’m going to have to step in again.  “Well, what was Lance going to ask you?  Do you know?”

“I was probably dreaming, but I think he was going to ask me out.”

I think I’m going to have to have a talk with that boy, Jennifer thought.  “Cool!  Just what you want, right?”

“Yeah, but now I’m wondering…” Kathy trailed off.

“Wondering what?”

“Well…do you think I should ask him out?”

Jennifer tried to hide a grin.  Oh, they are perfect for each other.  “Why not?  You want to go out with him, right?”

“Yeah!”

“Then you might as well ask him.  Nothing wrong with that,” Jennifer advised.

“I think I will.  Thanks, Jen.”  The two friends grinned at each other.

Just as Jennifer placed the last plate in the dishwasher, JC poked his head into the kitchen.  “Hey, are you two ever going to come downstairs?  The guys are ready to play.”

“We’re on our way.”  Jennifer smiled sweetly at her boyfriend, then leaned to whisper into Kathy’s ear, “They won’t know what hit ‘em.”

Jennifer, Kathy, and JC entered the rec room and surveyed the scene.  Justin and Chris were practicing their shots, and Lance was giving them tips on where to hit the balls.  Joey and Derrick were playing darts at the other side of the room.  Justin looked up after he took his shot and saw the three walk in.

“Oh, hey, you guys,” he greeted them.  “We were wondering if you would ever make it down here.  Are you ready to play?”

“Yeah, why not?” Jennifer said.  You better be the one ready to play, little boy.

“Okay, Jen, so how about we start with you and Kathy against Chris and me?” Justin asked, trying to hide a smirk.

Jennifer turned to Kathy, who nodded slightly.  Jennifer turned back to Justin and replied, “Works for me.  One thing, though.  Team members take turns between shots.”

“Okay, we can do that.  You guys can break,” Chris offered.  This’ll be too easy.

JC walked over to Lance, who had sat down on a stool near the wall.  “Hey, why do Justin and Chris look so cocky about this game?”

Lance leaned over and whispered, “They think that since the girls haven’t played in so long, they’re going to wipe the floor with them.”

“Oh, yeah.  Real mature,” JC whispered back.  “I guess we’ll have to see what happens.”

Justin slid the rack of balls into place.  “Okay, are you ready?”

“I guess so,” Jennifer admitted, hiding her smile.

“Wait, don’t start yet!  We want to watch!”  Jennifer waited as Joey and Derrick rushed over to grab seats.  “Okay, go ahead.”

Jennifer just grinned and took aim.  She saw Justin and Chris out of the corner of her eye.  They were grinning crazily and slapping high fives.  Jennifer raised one eyebrow at them, then looked back to the table and hit the cue ball forcefully.  Both Justin’s and Chris’s jaws dropped as they watched three striped balls drop into pockets.

“Hmm,” Jennifer said aloud, making everyone’s gaze drift to her, “I guess it’s beginner’s luck.  Go ahead, Kat.”

Kathy took her turn at the table.  She aimed, then hit the cue ball.  She managed to sink two more striped balls on her shot.  Justin and Chris watched in dazed amazement as Jennifer and Kathy went on to empty the table of striped balls.

“Eight ball in the corner,” Jennifer called.  She took aim and hit the cue ball softly, which hit the eight and made it slowly roll into the corner pocket.  She straightened and stood next to Kathy.  “Not bad for a couple of beginners, huh?”

Justin narrowed his eyes at the girls as JC, Lance, Joey, and Derrick began laughing.  Chris just stared dazedly at the table.  “You guys hustled us,” Justin accused them.

“Don’t underestimate the power of a woman, little boy,” Jennifer teased.  She sat down on another stool and burst out laughing at Chris’s expression.  “So, who’s up for another game?  We can make new teams.”

The room then burst with talk and activity.  Lance, Joey, and Derrick surrounded Kathy, laughing and asking her how long she knew how to play so well.  Justin and Chris got into an argument about the game they lost.

“Man, this was all your fault.  It was your dumb idea to try to humiliate the girls, but we’re the ones who end up looking stupid!” Justin yelled.

“It wasn’t my idea, it was yours!” Chris yelled back.

“Hey, chill, you two,” Kathy interrupted from across the table.  “Basically, it was both your faults.”  Everyone laughed.

JC had pulled Jennifer over to a quiet corner of the room.  “Very nice playing there,” he complimented her.

“Thanks.  I try.”

“How did you get so good at pool?”

“Well, think about it.”  She shrugged.  “We have a pool table down here, so we have access to it.  Kathy and I play after dinner a lot.”  She grinned at JC.

“I should have known.”

“Yes, you should have,” she agreed.  She rose up on her toes to kiss his lips, then remembered she had to tell him about Kathy and Lance.  “Oh, has Lance talked to you since you’ve been down here?”

“No, I don’t think so,” JC said, frowning slightly.  “Why?”

“Well, while Kathy and I were upstairs washing the dishes, she told me about what happened after Lance went into the kitchen.”

“Oh, yeah, we told him to go in there and ask her out.  So what did she say happened?”

“Basically, Lance was about to ask her ‘something,’ but then Justin and Joey barged in, wanting to know about dinner.”

JC moaned and shook his head.  “Oh, man.  Lance must have been pretty disappointed after that.”

“Kathy wasn’t too happy about it, either.  But anyway, she then asked me if she should ask Lance out.”

“There’s an idea.”  They looked over to the pool table, where Kathy was teaching Lance how to hit the cue with a little English on it.

Jennifer smiled at the sight.  “They’re cute together.”

“So do you think she really will ask him out?” JC asked.

“I think she would, but I don’t know how soon she would do it.  I think,” Jennifer declared with a grin, “it’s time for us to put them together.”

“Jennifer,” JC warned, “get a hold on yourself now, sweetie.”

“What?” she asked innocently.  “I’m just going to give them a little nudge towards each other, that’s all.”  JC simply raised an eyebrow at her, which made Jennifer laugh.  “Okay, maybe I’ll give them a big nudge towards each other.  Come on, don’t you think they’d be good for each other?”

“Sure,” he answered.

“Then why can’t I just help them along?”

“Well,” JC began, trying to think of any reason why his girlfriend should let Kathy and Lance get together on their own.  He couldn’t think of anything.  “I guess you’re right.”

Jennifer smiled brilliantly.  “Thanks, honey.  Just watch and learn.  Hey, you guys,” she turned her attention to those surrounding the table.  “I’ve got an idea.  How about we play another game?  Kathy and Lance against JC and me.”

Kathy and Lance turned to each other.  “It’s okay with me if it’s okay with you,” Kathy said.  Jennifer must have something up her sleeve.

“Works for me,” Lance agreed.  I sure hope I don’t make a fool of myself.

“Okay, you two can break,” Jennifer offered.

JC tapped Jennifer’s shoulder.  “What are you up to?” he asked.

“Just watch,” she reminded him.  “One more thing,” she raised her voice so Kathy and Lance could hear her.  “The losers have to do what the winners say.”

Kathy looked at her friend.  She didn’t know how well JC or Lance played pool, but Jennifer had the definite edge over Kathy.  Jennifer sent her a wink from across the table.  Okay, Jen, what do you have planned? Kathy wondered.  Oh, wait…she put the teams together…she knows how much I like Lance…she’s going to… Kathy’s thoughts were interrupted by Lance.

“Kathy?” he asked, breaking her trance.  “Is Jen’s bet okay?”

“Um, sure,” she answered.  Might as well go along with it and see.

Kathy leaned over to break.  Nerves about Jennifer’s “plan” must have gotten to her, though, because she didn’t sink one ball.

Grinning, Jennifer walked up to the table.  Calmly, she proceeded to run the table.  Before she aimed for the eight ball, though, JC caught her arm and pulled her close.  “Let me see if I have this straight,” he theorized.  “You are planning to win this game all by yourself, and once we win, we’re going to have Kathy and Lance go out on a date, am I correct?”

“You got it, babe,” she said with a wink.  “I hope you don’t have a problem with that.”

“No, I think it’s a good plan!” he chuckled.  “You’re brilliant.”

“I know,” she joked.  She leaned over the table, took aim, and expertly sunk the eight ball in the side pocket.  “Well,” she began, straightening and looking over at her friends, “looks like we won, JC.”

“More like you won, honey,” JC teased and hugged her from behind.

Jennifer laughed and laid her hands over JC’s.  “Are you two ready for your ‘punishment’?” she asked.

Lance swallowed audibly.  “I guess we are, yeah.”

“We want…” Jennifer paused, looking up at JC’s face.  He grinned and nodded slightly.  “We want you two to go out on a date.”

Everyone laughed at the twin looks of shocked relief on Kathy and Lance’s faces.  “Well, I guess we have to do what they say, right, Kathy?” Lance said, giving a shy smile.  God bless you, Jennifer.

“I guess so.”  Bless your annoying, meddling heart, Jen.  I owe you one.

“Okay,” JC spoke up.  “You guys can decide on the day, time, and where you’re going, but you have to tell us so we can hold you to it.”  Like they’re not going to want to go out together.

Both Kathy and Lance agreed.  They walked over to the stools, sat down, and began talking about the details of their date.  Both of them were beaming, and Jennifer knew she did the right thing.

“Hey, if I get a girl and challenge you and JC,” Justin asked Jennifer, “will you set me up with her, too?”

Jennifer looked coolly at Justin.  “Why?  Can’t you get a date the normal way?” she teased.

“No…I mean, yeah…I mean…well, that’s not what I meant…” Justin fumbled, trying to find the right words.

“Desperate much?” JC joked, enjoying watching his young friend blush.

“I’m not desperate!” Justin asserted.  “I’m just…” He looked around to see Jennifer, JC, Joey, Chris, and Derrick grinning.  “Okay, y’all got me.”  He laughed along with the rest of them.

Derrick checked the clock.  “Wow, it’s already eleven-thirty!” he exclaimed.

“Seriously?” Kathy asked from where she was seated.  “I have an eight o’clock class tomorrow morning.  I better go to bed soon.”

“I have to go in to work at ten and take care of some contracts,” Derrick stated, “but I’m pretty tired from today, so I’m going to leave in a few.”

“Hey, Derrick, are we going to have to go in tomorrow to check that deal?” Lance asked.

“Yeah, but you don’t have to be there until about twelve forty-five or so,” Derrick informed them.  “You’ll have a meeting with everyone about the deal at one.”

“Okay.”

“Why don’t we call it a night, then?” Jennifer suggested.  “I mean, Derrick, you just flew in after a long day, and JC, you and the guys just came back from a tour.  Y’all must be tired.”

Joey yawned loudly.  “Sounds like a plan.  I’ll see everyone in the morning.”  He walked into the bedroom he and Chris were sharing.  “Good night,” he called before exiting the rec room.

The group started dispersing.  Chris went to his room as the rest walked back upstairs.  Derrick wished everyone a good night and left.  Justin and Lance turned to go upstairs, but Kathy hung back for a bit.

“Kathy?  Are you coming?” Lance asked.

“Yeah, you guys go on ahead.  I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Okay, good night,” Justin said.  The two men left the room.

Kathy turned to Jennifer and JC.  “I figured out what you two were doing while we were playing pool,” she started.

“Yeah,” Jennifer said, waiting for Kathy to finish.

“I just wanted to say…thank you…thank you so much!”  Kathy hugged Jennifer, then JC, then flew up the stairs.  She was ready to dream about what had happened that night.

Jennifer and JC watched Kathy race upstairs.  They grinned, then turned to each other.  With their grins turning into soft smiles, they leaned in to kiss.

“Well, it looks like we’re alone,” JC said.

“I know,” Jennifer agreed.  “Why don’t we take that moment alone together now?”

JC swept Jennifer up into his arms.  “You bet we will,” he assured her with a wink.  “Only we’re going to take it where we’ll really be alone.”  Jennifer laughed softly as JC carried her to the bedroom.