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CHAPTER THREE: SINATRA RECORDS

JESSE' DAY WAS RELATIVELY the same as yesterday, coffee, food, work. Nothing special. Yet today, he had a free afternoon. Once the final period rang out, Jesse quickly ran out of the school, shivering as the winter breeze hit his shoulders. Around half an hour later, he pushed open his front door, taking off his shirt and throwing it to one side.

Rummaging through his coma-inducing box of a wardrobe, Jesse sighed as he pulled out the only halfway decent flannel. Throwing it on, he brushed his teeth, combed his hair, and headed on out to the local café to meet the awe-inspiring Ms Cullen.

"Come on Jesse, don't make a mess of this now." he thought to himself, crossing the street in front of the coffee shop.

Yet when he came to the door, he froze.

"Look what happened the last time Jesse, you don't want her to end up like Grace, do you? Or Kelly?"  a voice taunted from inside his head, a small devil on his shoulders.

Shaking his head as he saw Esme waiting patiently through the window, Jesse whispered harshly though it was more to reassure himself more than anyone around him," That wasn't my fault.

"Then believe it."

Seizing the handle, Jesse opened the door hastily, looking up when the bell above him rang a simple Ding. Esme's waving hand instantly caught his attention as he wandered over to the table she had taken by the window.

"I ordered you a black coffee if that's alright? You look like the strong and simple type," Esme smiled, standing up to hug the man as they sat down together.

"That's fine, spot-on actually," Jesse replied with a smile, rubbing his hands for warmth.

Just as he was about to converse further, the waitress arrived with their drinks," Sorry about the wait miss, here's your affogato, and your coffee. Do you want any sugar or cream?" she asked, wiping away a minute drop of coffee that spilt down the side of Esme's mug.

"No thank you," Esme replied gently, turning over to Jesse for his response.

"All good here, ma'am."

The waitress gave a curt nod and headed back to the till leaving Jesse to spark up the discussion.

"So," he began, taking a sip of the roasted beverage," You got the whole day off?"

"The perks of being your own boss, " she laughed, spinning the teaspoon in her drink, " What about you?"

"I gotta go back for final period, but it's not to bad."

They fell into a comfortable silence, as Jesse began to realize she hadn't touched a bit of her coffee, but chose not to say anything out of politeness.

"So, what do you think of Forks so far?" Esme questioned the man, her golden eyes intently waiting for a response.

Subconsciously rubbing the back of his neck, Jesse sheepishly responded," It's awesome?"

Esme began to laugh uncontrollably as Jesse sat in confusion but rolled with it anyway. Did he say something wrong?

"Ah, Forks isn't known for its first impression that's for sure," the brunette beauty generalized, smiling with her teeth.

Chuckling along with her, Jesse added, "Well, when you've moved around as much as I have, there ain't a lot that surprises me anymore,"

Finishing up his coffee, Jesse took the time to absorb more of Ms Cullen's goddess-like features, from the way her hair rested so perfectly against her heart-shaped face and how her smile was contagious to all those in its proximity.

He was so entranced by her radiance, he didn't even realize she had asked him a question.

"Sorry Ma'am, went into a world of my own there," he apologized, bowing his head.

"We all need to escape now and again, I was just asking you if you listen to Sinatra? You were humming away to 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas',"

"Oh yeah, I love his songs, there's something about Jazz that just doesn't need words to tell a story," Jesse explained, surprised that some else shared his love for the artist.

"Finally someone who agrees with me. I swear my son, Edward, always disagrees with me on his work." Esme recounted with a fond smile.

Catching her bright grin, Jesse opened up more, allowing himself to relax in her presence, "I'm sorry but your son has no idea what he's talking about, I mean he's the greatest singer of the modern time!"

"That's what I tell him, but Carlisle has him entranced in the world of classical music, so it just goes in one ear and out the other," she exclaimed, pushing her cold drink to the side.

Putting up his hands in false surrender, Jesse countered," He's a lost cause, I'm afraid."

She simply giggled at the statement.

"You should come by my place sometime, I could give you a lend of my 'Best Sinatra Songs of All Time',"

"I'd like that."

Checking the watch on her left wrist, Esme gasped at the time being displayed, "Oh, look at the time we've been here for three hours. I must say it's been lovely getting to know you today, Jesse"

" Nice getting to know you, Esme" he responded, walking her outside where fresh snow was falling

" We should do this again, are you free next Friday?" she asked softly, hoping for a second date.

" Friday's great, I'm free Friday"

" Great, I'll see you then" she called out to him, surprised. He advanced towards her, his mouth against her ear as he whispered.

" See you then."

Just like before, Esme headed off towards a very shiny Mercedes, leaving Jesse stunned and flushed as he stood in the falling snow, feeling like an idiot now because he'd forgotten to ask where to meet her.

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964 words

Author's note: Litle bit on the short side, but I thought I'd ramp up the spice a bit. Also, Hi!!!

*The_lost_flower*