FOURTEEN

“JAKE!  For Christ’s sake!  Be quiet for one minute, will ya?”

Jon growled in exasperation as the boy immediately started counting. “One, Mississippi… Two, Mississippi… Three Mississippi…”

Cate raised a hand to cover her mouth, hiding her smirk and stifling her laugh.  She didn’t want to egg Jake on, but she couldn’t help herself.  Jon’s middle son was his spitting image in more ways than one.

“Anyway…” Jon rolled his eyes and tried to ignore Jake’s countdown as he turned his attention back to Dorothea.  “What do you wanna do?”

“It’s way past the boys’ bedtime.”  Jon’s ex-wife glanced at her watch before running a hand through her hair.  “I think they’re done.”

Jon’s smile gentled as he dropped his gaze to his youngest son.  Romeo slouched against his mother’s side on the stadium bench, staring sullenly at the now-empty football field.  His tired eyes drifted half-shut, then snapped open.

“Mamaaaaa….” Romeo whined.  “Can we go?”

“In a minute.”  Dorothea gave the little boy a reassuring squeeze.  “As soon as we figure this out.”

“Mama, I’m tiiii-errrrrd….”

“I know, Buddy. One more minute.”  Jon reached out to ruffle the boy’s hair.  Romeo squealed disagreeably and turned his face away, burying it against Dorothea’s shoulder.

“Twenty-seven Mississippi… Twenty-eight Mississippi… Twenty-nine Mississippi… THIRTY Mississippi…”

“Goddammit!  Jake!  Shut up already!”

Recognizing his father’s “I mean business” bark, Jacob stopped counting.  His sandy-brown head swiveled toward the field, then he hopped to the bench on the row below.  The metal bleacher emitted a loud, dull clang at the impact of his feet.  Approving of the sound, Jake hopped again, down to the next row.

“Jake, be careful,” Cate warned.

“Let him go.” Jon rolled his eyes and turned back to Dorothea.  “If he falls it won’t hurt his hard head a damned bit.”

“Daddy, why don’t you and Cate just go back with Mom and the Boys?”  Stephanie gave her eldest brother a sideways glance and a conspiratorial half-smirk as she spoke.

Jon’s brows arched with surprise. “Then how are you gonna get to the frat house?  I thought we were dropping you off.”

“Well…” Stephanie’s voice took on a subtly sweet note, the one all daughters saved to wheedle their Daddies.  “You and Cate could ride back with Mom.”

“Mom doesn’t have room for us with the boys.  She only has five seats.”  Jon blinked for a moment, then realized what his daughter was suggesting.  He frowned.  “Oh, I suppose you want to use MY car, to drive to your party?  And then what, drive it back to your dorm?”

“Not exactly.”  Stephanie widened her blue eyes, giving her father an innocent look.  “I thought maybe Jesse could drive me and Brendan to the House, and maybe hang out a little while.  I mean, we hardly got a chance to talk at all today.”

“Jesse?” Jon scratched his head.  “But how would he get back to the cabin?”

“Dad, the Escalade has a GPS.”  Jesse chimed in helpfully.  “I know you have the address for the cabin already loaded.”

Cate saw Dorothea’s head snap up, her quiet soothing of Romeo cut short.  Jesse's mother's eyes narrowed as she stared at her oldest son.  “You want to go to a frat party?  And drive yourself home afterwards?  On your Learner’s Permit?”  She shook her head vigorously.  “Nuh uh.  No way.”

“But Mom!” Jesse protested, pulling his hands from his pockets.  “It’s only ten o’clock!  I don’t wanna go sit around the stupid cabin all night!”

“You brought your laptop.  And you have that history paper to work on.”  Dorothea’s response was a stern growl through her set jaw.

“I worked on it in the car on the way up.  My draft is almost done.”  Jesse crossed his arms across his chest, staring back at his mother.  “Why can’t I go?”

“Because you’re sixteen.  And it’s a frat party.  You are insane if you think I’m gonna turn you loose on fraternity row without adult supervision.”  Dorothea snorted.  “I couldn’t even send you on a school trip to D.C. without you getting yourself in trouble.  And that was with your Stepmother the Cop along as a chaperone!”

Cate bit her tongue and turned to check on Jake’s whereabouts, hiding her amusement.  She didn’t envy Dorothea, having to deal with Jesse.  He was a good kid and a mannerly young man, most of the time.  But he had certainly inherited his father’s wild streak and his mother’s tenacity.

“Jesus Christ, Mom!  That was last year!  And I served my time!”  Jesse rolled his eyes, then took a deep breath.  He knew if he didn’t calm down his cause would certainly be lost.  One thing his mother didn’t tolerate was back-talk.

“Mom, Brendan and I will look out for Jesse.”  Stephanie’s calm and subtly hopeful voice interrupted the discord.  “We’ll be his adult supervision.”

Jon snorted.  “Adult?  Stephie, you’re eighteen.  Hell, you’re hardly old enough to go to a frat party.  And you’re certainly not old enough to chaperone one.”  He gave Jesse a half-admiring, half-serious look.  “Especially not for your horndog of a brother.”

“Daddy, I am legally an adult.  I can drive, I can vote.  I can live on my own.”  Stephanie turned her attention to her father, her blue eyes narrowing as her voice took on an edge.

Cate couldn’t hold in a quiet snicker as she saw Jon shrink from his daughter’s haughty glare.  His reaction was momentary, but obvious.  He quickly recovered.

“But you’re not legally old enough to drink.  And you can’t tell me that won’t be going on at a frat party on Homecoming Night.”

Stephanie hesitated.  She had him there.  “No, I can’t…” she admitted cautiously, then continued.  “But I can promise you that I won’t be drinking.  And neither will Jesse.  He can just hang out with us for awhile, have a Coke, meet some of my and Brendan’s friends, then drive out to the cabin.”

Stephanie turned her little-girl smile back on.  “Oh, and he can drop me off at my dorm on the way,” she added hastily, anticipating her father’s next question.  Stephanie was confident her little white lie would be lost in the bigger issues of the moment.

Jon regarded his daughter for a long minute, then gave Jesse a suspicious look.  “I don’t know, Princess...”

Cate again raised her hand to cover her mouth, trying her best to hide her amusement.  Steph had Jon hook, line, and sinker.  Cate could read her husband like a book, and he was about to cave to his Baby Girl’s sly manipulation.

Dorothea interrupted.  “Stephanie, this is your school, you can do what you like.  And suffer the consequences, if necessary.”  She gave her daughter a stern look.  “But Jesse, there is no way you are going to some college party without your father or me there to keep an eye on you.”

Cate choked on her chuckle at Dorothea’s ultimatum.  She could see in Jesse’s face that he had recognized the opening as quickly as she had.  Cate turned her back to the family, trying to cover her laughter with a weak cough.  As she tried to regain her self-control she heard Jesse’s triumphant declaration.

“So that means if you or Dad comes along, I can go.  Right?”

Stephanie quickly chimed in.  “Daddy, that’s a great idea.  You should come along too!”  She gave Brendan a delighted smile.  “Connor and the guys won’t mind, will they?  If Daddy comes to the party?”

Brendan grinned sheepishly.  Would the Brothers of Sigma Nu mind if he brought a huge international rock star to their Homecoming Party?  Hell, he would be a hero.  “Naw, they won’t mind.  It’ll be cool.  Come with us, Mr. B.”

Cate rolled her eyes as she listened to the conversation.  Apparently she and Jon would be spending the next few hours at a fraternity.  She knew he wouldn’t say no.

But Cate was also sure Dorothea had more to say on the topic, and she wanted to stay out of this discussion.   Her eyes settled on Jake, who was now at the bottom of the bleachers, having hopped from bench to bench all the way down to the wall surrounding the field.

“Jake!”  Cate called.  “Hang on there a minute, Buddy!”  Without excusing herself Cate started down the steps toward the boy, leaving the debate behind her.

Jon glanced sideways at Cate as her movement caught his eye.  He swiveled his head further to locate Jake, then returned his attention to the discussion between his ex-wife and his two eldest children.  “So, you want me to chaperone Jesse… at a fraternity party?”  Jon wasn’t sure exactly whom he was addressing.  He just knew that somehow the conversation had turned quickly in his son’s favor.

 “Apparently your daughter and son think that’s a great idea.”  Dorothea gave Jon a tight-lipped smile.  “I’m not so sure.”

Her sarcasm made Jon bristle.  He crossed his arms over his chest and gave his ex-wife a long look before turning his gaze back to Jesse and Stephanie, standing side-by-side with hopeful smiles.

“Alright,” he relented.  “But I’m driving.  And we’re not staying all night.  Jess, you can go have your fun, but when I say we’re leaving, no bullshit.  Okay?”

“ ‘Kay, Dad.  Thanks.”  Jesse grinned as he stuck his hands in his pockets.  Beside him, Stephanie beamed.  She squeezed Brendan’s hand reassuringly, knowing he was less thrilled than she that her father would be spending even more time in their company.

“Thank you, Daddy!  You’re awesome!”  Stephanie giggled.  “The guys at the House are gonna love you.”

“Yeah, well…” Jon grinned sheepishly.  “We’re not staying long.”

Dorothea sighed and gave Jesse a pointed look.  “No, you’re not.  Home by midnight.”

Jon snorted.  “Midnight?  That’s an hour and a half from now.  Hell, by the time we get there it will be eleven.”

“Jon…” Dorothea’s tone held a subtle warning:  You’ve already undermined me enough tonight.

“Fine.  Around midnight.”  Jon agreed begrudgingly.

Dorothea nodded, though she was sure her ex-husband would completely disregard her curfew.  Once he started enjoying the adulation he was sure to encounter at the fraternity, Jon would lose track of time.  And probably of Jesse as well.  Perhaps at least one adult should be along for the ride.

“Cate, will you be riding back to the cabin with me and the boys, or going to the frat party with the Big Kids?”  Dorothea made the inquiry as Cate climbed the last few steps to their group, Jacob in tow.  Her emphasis on the last two words conveyed her message loud and clear.

Cate chuckled.  “I think I’d better go to the party.”

“I think so too.”  Dorothea and Cate exchanged a smirk of understanding.

“Party? I wanna go!” Jake declared, bouncing excitedly.

“NO!” Jon and Dorothea shouted simultaneously.

*****
 Cate scanned the room as she twisted the cap on her half-empty water bottle and raised it to her lips.  She chuckled to herself at what she saw.  She felt like she had stepped back twenty-five years in time.

All around her attractive young men and women chattered, flirted, lounged, and danced.   More than a few clutched plastic cups filled with various beverages, some of them undoubtedly illegal.  Music bounced off the walls of the big recreation room, just loud enough to maintain the party atmosphere but not so loud as to annoy neighbors into calling the police.

Cate took a sip of water, then replaced the cap.  She reclined against the high back of her barstool, which she had commandeered from a tipsy blonde cheerleader-type.  While Jon was occupied with greetings and posing for smartphone photos Cate had dragged her perch over to a corner and settled down to watch, her back to the wall and one eye on her husband.  Her protective instinct was fully engaged, even now, at this seemingly harmless party.

She chuckled again as she realized this was basically what motherhood would be like -- constant vigilance and quiet patience.  Much like training her students back at the Center.  Only scarier and much more permanent.

And tonight she had four kids to keep under surveillance:  her two stepchildren, Stephanie’s paramour, and her husband.  The eldest of the group would likely be the one who required the most attention.

Automatically Cate’s gaze moved to Jon’s last location.  He was still there by the double French doors that exited to the back yard, circled by co-eds and frat boys, grinning like a fool as he engaged in animated conversation.   Jon had been surrounded by a flock of fawning college kids since he strolled through the front door almost an hour ago.  And he was loving every minute of it.

Cate watched as Jon raised his own plastic cup to take a swig of beer, his second of the evening.  Shortly after arriving at the party Jon had found his way to the iced keg on the back patio and gleefully decanted his own beverage.  That act alone had increased his Cool Factor tenfold among the youthful partygoers.

Shaking her head in amusement, Cate pulled her gaze from Jon and scanned the room for her other charges.

Stephanie and Brendan were easy to spot, standing with a small group of friends engaged in a raucous conversation.  Cate smiled as she watched Stephanie snuggle close to Brendan’s side and give his neck an affectionate nuzzle.  It was apparent the two would be inseparable tonight, whether they stayed here or ended up back at her dormitory room after they finally eluded their chaperones.

As if to punctuate Cate's silent observation, Brendan shot a glance toward Jon, confirming that his girlfriend’s father wasn’t paying attention before dropping a quick kiss onto her lips.

Cate watched the young couple for a few minutes, not really paying attention as sweet memories of her own young romances swirled through her brain.  Her smile turned into a smirk as she recalled some of the more epic parties at Danny’s fraternity, including her own freshman Homecoming.  That had been quite a night.

A loud cheer from the front of the frat house pulled Cate’s attention back to the moment.  She did a quick check of Jon and Stephanie once more, then turned her attention through the big arched doorway with its doors swung wide open.  Through the portal she could see the front entry of the stately plantation-style house that the Brothers of Sigma Nu called home.  Two large young men were being heartily welcomed at the door by an enthusiastic crowd of revelers.  Clearly they were fraternity brothers who were also members of the football team, returning victorious to their lair.

Cate watched the celebration for a brief moment before resuming her surveillance.  Again she scanned the big room, looking for her other charge.  Finding Jesse was more of a challenge than locating Jon or Stephanie.  All evening he had been in full-on "smooth" mode, gliding effortlessly from one group of attractive young women to another.  Just like his father, he knew how to use his genetic gifts to charm and tease, and he did so unabashedly.

It took Cate a full minute to locate her stepson.  She finally found him in a shadowed corner on the far side of a heavy billiards table that had been in constant use throughout the night.  Though the pool table was circled by guys engaged in the game and girls tipsily cheering them on, Cate had a clear line of sight to Jesse and his companion.

Cate snorted quietly when she saw Jesse had culled a doe-eyed brunette from the herd.  She had apparently offered no resistance when he had savvily moved her to the quiet corner where he could fully focus his attention on her.  Judging from her bright eyes and enraptured smile, the girl probably didn’t even recognize there were other people in the room at all.  

Unaware of his stepmother’s watchful gaze, Jesse leaned casually against the paneled wall, his back to the rest of the party and his eyes on the brunette’s cleavage.  He gave her a sexy smile and reached up to draw a finger along her cheek.  The brunette tittered and blushed, giving Jesse a coy come-hither look as she raised the beverage in her hand to her freshly-glossed lips.

The co-ed sipped from the cup, then offered it to Jesse.  With a sly glance in the direction of his father, he quickly took the cup and tossed down a gulp, finishing the drink.  He handed the cup back to the brunette and moved in a little closer, his hand settling on her waist.

Cate couldn’t help but snicker at Jesse’s brazen act.  She knew Jesse routinely tested the boundaries his mother set for him, often requiring Jon to step in and back her up.  Cate also knew Jon was secretly proud of his son’s semi-rebelliousness, recognizing his younger self in his eldest son.  Judging from Jesse’s behavior over the past year, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.  The one difference was that Jesse was a far better student than Jon had ever been, thus earning himself a little leeway in his behavior.

Despite the technical illegality of the act she had just witnessed, Cate wasn’t going to rat Jesse out to his father or mother.  If there was one thing she knew after spending her entire adult working life in the military and law enforcement, it was that "Boys will be Boys."  As long as they could keep themselves under control and take responsibility for their actions, she had no problem with that.

“Well heeeyyy there.”

The slightly-slurred, gruff-yet-happy voice to her left turned Cate’s attention away from Jesse’s flirting.  Her bemused expression didn’t change as she quickly evaluated the source of the sound:  a large, beefy young man with a fake tan, dark hair, and glassy green eyes.  He grinned lopsidedly back at Cate, taking a step closer in response to her acknowledgement of his drawled greeting.

“Hi,” Cate answered calmly.  She had pegged this guy in her two-second evaluation.  He was one of the more senior frat brothers, the gregarious but not-so-bright one that was as much mascot as member.  Though he wasn’t one of the men who had arrived at the door to cheers of welcome a few minutes ago, Cate had no doubt this guy was also a football player.  She had dated her share of them in her youth, and she could spot one a mile away.

“What’re you doin’ over here all by yourself?”  Frat boy’s grin widened and he took another step closer to Cate, swaying slightly and bumping against the wall.  His beer sloshed over the rim of his cup onto his large hand.

Cate’s voice stayed even and noncommittal, though she couldn’t stop a hint of amusement from tinging her tone.  “Just chilling out.  Watching the game.”  She tipped her head toward the billiards table.

“Ain’tcha havin’ fun?”

Cate nodded slightly, her eyes dropping to Frat Boy’s hands to be sure they were in sight.  Though she didn’t feel threatened in the least by this tree-sized guy, it was an automatic response.

“Sure.  I’m having a good time.”

“But’choo ain’t talkin’ to nobody.  Pretty lady like you should have somebody to talk to.”  Frat Boy waggled his bushy black eyebrows at Cate, then took a swig of his beer.

“I’m okay.  Sometimes I like to just sit and people-watch.”  Cate gave Frat Boy a dismissive little smile.  She didn’t mind that he had approached her, and she certainly wasn’t going to make a scene.   But she could see where this was going.

Frat Boy looked around, squinting as he unsteadily surveyed the crowded room.  “You like to watch people, huh?”  He turned his lopsided grin back to Cate.  “I like to watch people too.  ‘Specially pretty girls.  Like you.”

Cate couldn’t stop a little snort of laughter at Frat Boy’s indelicate overture.  He didn’t notice, just continuing to grin back at her.

“Well, thanks.”  Cate accepted the compliment, but didn’t offer more.  She had learned long ago the best way to deal with a drunk potential suitor was to let him get bored and move on.

“You here with somebody?”  Frat Boy persisted, missing Cate’s subtle brush-off.  “I ain’t seen you here before.”

“I’m just up for the weekend.  For Homecoming.”  Cate again twisted the cap on her water bottle.  She took another swallow, leaving only a small amount in the plastic cylinder.

Frat Boy noticed.  “You drinkin’ water?  At a party?”  He swayed away from the wall and pushed his half-empty beer cup toward Cate.  “Here.  Have mine.  I’ll get 'nother one.”

Cate shook her head and gave Frat Boy another tight-lipped smile.  “No thanks.  I don’t drink.”

“You don’ DRINK?”  Frat Boy’s expression was incredulous.  “Then what’re you doin’ at a party?”  He laughed goofily, raising his hands and again sloshing beer on his arm and on Cate’s knee.  “Oh, shit.  I’s sorry…”

Cate chuckled and waved a hand.  “It’s okay.”

“No, really, I mean it.  I’m sorry.  That was rude…”  Frat Boy squinted down at the dark stain on Cate’s jeans.  “Lemme go get a towel or somethin’…”  He reached out a huge stubby finger to probe at the wet spot on Cate’s knee.

“What’s your name?”  Cate smoothly redirected Frat Boy’s attention from her leg to her face, another automatic tactical response to the invasion of her space.

Frat Boy looked up and grinned.  “Scottie.”

“Scottie, don’t worry about it.  It’ll dry.”  Cate gave Frat Boy a direct look, ensuring he understood her unspoken message that his touch was not welcome.  “But thank you for the offer to get a towel.  That’s not necessary.”

“Oh.  'Kay.”  Frat Boy shrugged and took another drink of his beer, more carefully this time.  He smacked his lips, then gave Cate another sly grin.  “So.  You ain’t here with nobody?”

“She’s here with me.”  Jesse jostled his way past a billiards player and stepped up beside Cate.  He gave Frat Boy a long look.  “Everything okay here?”  His question was cool, directed toward Cate but meant as a warning for the big lug who was hassling her.

Cate smiled, stifling her laugh at her stepson’s gallant action.  “Fine, Jess.  Scottie and I were just having a little conversation about people-watching.  He’s going to go find his friends in a minute.”

Jesse gave the would-be suitor another suspicious stare.  Taking Cate’s subtle cue, he nodded.  “Hey.  I’m Jesse.”

“Hey.  I’m Scottie.”  Frat Boy stuck out a beefy hand in greeting.  Jesse gave it a quick shake, then stuck his hands in his pockets.

“I ain’t seen you here before.  You here for Homecoming?”  Frat Boy peered at Jesse, seemingly puzzled by the presence of not just one, but two strangers at his fraternity’s party.

“Yeah.  I’m in from the City.  My sister goes here.”  Jesse stepped closer to Cate and slipped his arm along the back of her barstool.  Cate chuckled at Jesse’s protective action, but didn’t say anything.  She wanted to see how this would play out.

Frat Boy’s brow furrowed in confusion.  “She does?  She jus’ told me she was here for Homecoming.”  The big guy looked from Cate to Jesse, then back to Cate.  “Whaddo you study?

Jesse’s stern countenance cracked at that.  He snorted, then grinned.  “Man, this ain’t my sister.  This is my Mom.”

Cate’s heart warmed as Jesse’s arm tightened around her shoulders in a little squeeze.  She laughed softly, then nodded.  “Yep.  I’m his Mom.”

Frat Boy stared at the pair for a moment, trying to comprehend what they had just told him.  Then it clicked.  “OHHHHH!” he exclaimed wisely.  “I get it.  You’re here with your son.  Dude, that’s cool.”

Jesse and Cate exchanged a look, then Jesse rolled his eyes.  “Yeah, Man.  Cool.”

Frat Boy nodded, then gave Cate a sheepish grin.  “I just thought maybe… well, ya know… you were over here in the corner all by yourself.  Maybe you wanted a little company, ya know?”

“Yeah, my Dad’s here too.” Jesse interjected firmly, shutting down Frat Boy’s renewed attempt to flirt with his stepmother.

Again Frat Boy looked befuddled.  “Your Dad?”

Cate smiled and held up her left hand, prominently displaying her wedding band.  “It was nice to meet you, Scottie.”

“Oh.  Um…”  Frat Boy finally recognized the not-so-subtle brush-off.  “Yeah.”  He stood unsurely in his spot, clearly debating whether he should leave the area.

Cate saw that another prod was necessary.  “Hey Scottie… did you hear who’s at the party?”

Frat Boy perked up at her question.  “What party?”

Cate snickered, but kept smiling.  “This party.”

“Who?”  Frat Boy looked perplexed.

“Bon Jovi’s here.”  Cate heard Jesse snort with laughter beside her.  Her blue eyes twinkled with mischief as she skillfully used her husband as a diversion.  “He just showed up a little while ago.”

Frat Boy’s ruddy face lit up with excitement.  “Dude!  You serious?  Bon Jovi is here?”

Jesse nodded and laughed a response.  “Yeah, Man.  I saw him.  He’s around here somewhere.”

Frat Boy swayed as he again turned to survey the rec room.  “Shit, Man!  I LOVE me some Bon Jovi!”  He turned his grin back to Cate and Jesse.  “You know that song-a his?  It’s My Life?  I love that song, Man!  I was a little kid when it came out, but that’s my song.  It’s… like… My Life, ya know?”

“And it’s now or never?” Jesse agreed sarcastically, nodding enthusiastically back at Frat Boy.  “Ow!” he yelped in surprise when Cate’s elbow dug into his ribs.

“That’s a great song,” Cate nodded.  “You should go find him and tell him that.  I’m pretty sure he’s still here.”

Frat Boy stuffed his hand into the pocket of his track pants and pulled out a mobile phone.  “Man… I saw some shit on Twitter that he was up here, but I thought it was just bullshit.”  He squinted at the screen, then back up at Cate.  “You sure he’s here?”

Cate nodded, smiling broadly.  “Positive.  I talked to him myself.”   She pointed in the direction of the front door.  “Seriously, you should go find him and tell him you like his music.  He loves to hear that.”

“And be sure you tell him you heard ‘It’s My Life’ when you were just a little kid,” Jesse added helpfully.

“Dude!”  Frat Boy held up a giant paw to Jesse, soliciting a high-five.  Jesse obliged, then waved dismissively.

“Go!  Find him!”

Without another word Frat Boy turned and pushed his way past another small group of partygoers, off in search of the celebrity guest.

Cate chortled and turned an affectionate smile to her stepson.  “Didn’t think I could handle that myself?”

Jesse shrugged and grinned back.  “Naw.  I knew you could.  Just didn’t want you to have to.”  He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets.

“Thanks, Jess.”  Cate’s voice gentled as she reached out to give his arm a squeeze.

“Welcome.”  Jesse tipped his head toward the patio door.  “I’m gonna go get a Coke.  You want anything?”

Cate smirked.  “A Coke?  Good.  It’ll cover the beer on your breath.”  She shook her head as surprise registered in Jesse’s blue eyes.  She leaned in.  “I won’t tell.  Just keep it low-key, okay?”

Jesse grinned sheepishly.  “Okay.”  He took a step toward the door, then looked back at Cate.  “Thanks… Mom.”

Again Cate’s heart squeezed.  “You got it, Jess.”

She watched Jon’s son cross the room, skirting around clusters of partygoers.  When he reached the door, he pushed through the throng of students still surrounding Jon.  Cate smiled as she saw Jesse lean in and say something in his father’s ear, then move away.  He slipped out the patio door and out of Cate’s sight.

In immediate reaction to Jesse’s message, Jon stood up straight and glared around the room.  When his gaze found Cate his intense expression relaxed, and he smiled.  Cate watched her husband excuse himself from the company of his fans, then push his way through the crowd until he made it to her corner.

“Hey.  Everything okay?”

Cate smiled at the worry in Jon’s eyes.  “Fine.  I’m just hanging out, keeping an eye on things.”

“Jesse said some douchebag hit on you.”  Jon moved closer, his thighs bumping against her knees as he reached to set his beer cup on the ledge behind Cate.

Cate laughed, shaking her head amusedly.  “It was nothing.  A half-drunk kid, probably one of the football players.  He was fine.  Just didn’t get the hint real fast.”  She reached up to gently brush a finger over the silver charms nestled in the open vee of Jon’s shirt.

Jon frowned.  “And Jesse had to step in?”

Cate shook her head again, raising her eyes to Jon’s.  “No.  He wanted to step in.”  She chuckled softly.  “He was on the other side of the room, flirting with some little chick.  He apparently saw this guy talking to me and decided to come to my rescue.  It was sweet.”

Jon’s mouth curved upward, though he still looked displeased.  “This guy didn’t try any shit, did he?”

“Guy?” Cate snorted.  “Jon, he was a kid.  Maybe twenty-two, if that.”

“Still…”  Jon tipped his head to the side and gave Cate an apologetic little smile.  “I shouldn’t have left you over here all alone.”

“Baby, it’s fine.  You were enjoying yourself, and the kids were enjoying talking to you. I don’t mind in the least.”  Cate smiled as Jon’s hand curved over hers on her thigh.

“So Jesse got rid of that… Kid?”

Cate giggled.  “Kinda.  Actually, we both did.”

“How?”

Cate grinned cheekily.  “We told him Bon Jovi was here and he should go find him.”

Jon rolled his eyes, then laughed.  “Thanks a lot.”  He smiled down at Cate.  “Guess I have to hide out now, huh?”

Cate dropped her gaze to the watch face on Jon’s wrist, tilting her head to read the dial.  “Actually, we probably oughta go pretty soon anyway.  It’s almost midnight.  Jess’ curfew.”

Jon snorted.  “Yeah, whatever.”

Cate frowned slightly.  “You heard what Dorothea told Jesse.  Midnight.”

“Yeah, well... fuck Dorothea and her curfew.”  Jon’s retort was tinged with bitterness.  “She doesn’t get to tell me when it’s time to come home.”  He released Cate’s hand and reached for the leather case on his belt.

“Jon…”

“Babe, I’m having fun.  Jesse’s having a good time, and he's behaving himself.”  Jon frowned as he jabbed at the screen of his iPhone.  “I’m texting her that we’ll be home later.”  He paused, then looked up at Cate.  “Unless you wanna go…”

Cate shook her head.  “Nuh uh.  Don’t you pin this decision on me.  If you want to stay, that’s fine with me.”  Cate gave Jon a little smile.  “As long as you stay with me.”

Jon nodded, his expression gentling.  “Deal.”  He returned his attention to the phone, tapping out his text.  With a flourish he hit the send button, then slid the phone back into its case.  “There.  Done.”  He grinned at Cate, again taking her hand.  “Now, let’s get you out of this corner.”

“Okay.”  Cate waited for Jon to step back, then slipped off her barstool.  She followed him through the crowd and out onto the large brick patio, where a more relaxed phase of the party was in progress.

Several small groups of students reclined on chairs or sat on the low wall, drinking and laughing and celebrating the weekend.  At the far end of the patio a fire burned in a circular pit.  Steps away a jolly group of young men stood guard around the keg and tubs of ice filled with assorted bottles and cans.

Further out on the lawn students gathered in shadowy clusters, engaged in spirited conversations and romantic huddles.  Orange points of light raised and lowered and glowed and dimmed, identifying the smokers.  Cate wondered exactly what they were smoking, then quickly banished the question from her mind.  She didn’t want to know.

“I’m gonna have another beer,” Jon announced.  “You want anything?”

“Water.”  Cate smiled.  “I’m the designated driver tonight, I guess?”

Jon grinned.  “Guess so.”  He pulled their clasped hands upward and pressed a kiss against the back of her hand.  “Stay here.  I’ll be right back.”  With that he turned and strode for the keg.

Cate leaned back against the side of the house as she watched Jon’s interaction with the Keg Masters.  They greeted him enthusiastically, one student handing him a fresh solo cup and the tap’s spigot.  Cate giggled and shook her head when Jon shot a grin back in her direction as he poured his own beer.  When he was done he handed the spout back to a frat brother, then grabbed a bottle of water from a cooler before sauntering back to his waiting wife.

“You’re enjoying this a little too much,” Cate teased gently as she took her water bottle from Jon.

Jon laughed.  “Hey, I never got to do this kinda shit when I was their age.”  He waved a hand toward the young men at the keg.  “I didn’t go to college, remember?”

“Maybe not, but you can’t tell me you never went to a campus party.”  Cate chortled.  “I’m sure you visited your share of sorority houses, back in the day.”

“Maybe….”  Jon took a drink from his cup.  “But then again, I may choose not to answer that question on the grounds that I might incriminate myself.”

Cate shrugged.  “David will tell me.”

Jon laughed.  “Okay, yeah.  I do seem to recall a few college parties…”  He leaned in to brush a sweet kiss across Cate’s lips.  “But what about you?  You’ve been smiling a lot today.”  He waggled his brows playfully.  “A little nostalgia, Miss College?”

Cate chuckled.  Her eyes sparkled as they met Jon’s.  “Actually, yeah.  Today’s been a good day.”

“Mmmm.” Jon leaned in to place his lips near Cate’s ear.  “I like to think it’s because we started it off right.”

“Well, there was that…” Cate agreed, smiling at the memory of their morning tryst.  “But the whole day has been fun.  The parade, the tailgate, the game…”  She giggled softly and took a sip of her water.  “Brings back a lot of memories.”

“Tell me some.”

Cate grinned slyly.  “Don’t think I can.  You know, secrets to the grave, that kinda stuff.”

Jon grinned back.  “Danny will tell me.”

Cate rolled her eyes.  “Touche'.”   She laughed softly at Jon’s pronouncement, though she knew with certainty there were some things her best friend would never tell anyone.  Ever.

“So, tell me.”  Jon looked around.  “How about… Tell me about the frat parties you went to.  Danny was in a house, right?”

“Uh huh.  Sigma Alpa Epsilon.  S-A-E.”  Cate nodded and chuckled.  “Party every weekend.”

“So what were those parties like?”

Cate shrugged.  “Pretty much like this one.  A bunch of guys and girls, music, movies, a couple kegs… a bonfire out back if it was chilly.  People just kinda came and went as they pleased.”  She smiled at the memory as it came flooding back.  “The house was right across the street from the campus, so nobody drove.  They never had to worry about collecting keys or people getting DUIs.”

“That’s good,” Jon nodded.  He smiled as he saw in Cate’s expression that her mind was back in her glory days.  “What else?”

Cate grinned.  “Well, usually people just slept over at the house.  Or passed out, whatever you wanna call it.”  She giggled softly.  “Hell, half the time it was almost sunup before the party wound down, anyway.”

Jon chuckled.  “So you spent a lot of nights in a frat house, huh?  You Wild Girl.”

His tease made Cate giggle again.  “Yeah, well… most of my friends lived there, so it’s not like it was any big deal.  Usually Danny and I fell asleep on the couch on the roof.”

Jon’s expression reflected his bemusement.  “Excuse me?  Couch on the roof?”

“Yep.  There was a couch on the roof.”  Cate chuckled at Jon’s twisted little grin.  “It was a complete piece of shit, out in the elements all the time, but it was kinda nice.  Peaceful.  We’d climb up there with a six-pack and look at the stars and talk.  Just pour our hearts out about the tragedies of our love lives and shit like that.”

Jon laughed softly.  He knew Cate and Danny had dated briefly in college, but then had become best friends.  They were closer than siblings.  “So you both sucked at relationships, huh?”

Cate smiled wryly.  “Apparently so.”

“So did you share details and stuff?  Like sex stuff?”  Jon’s question was only half a tease.

Cate arched a brow at Jon.  “Of course.  How else was he gonna learn?”  Her laughter joined Jon’s at her reply.  “And considering I had a new boyfriend every month or so, I had a lot of… um… shall we say… experience... to share.”  She giggled softly.

“Wow.” Jon shook his head ruefully.  “Guess I wouldn’t have lasted long with you if you’d met me back then.”

“Probably not.  I woulda just used you and tossed you aside, like the others.”  Cate’s playful answer made Jon chuckle.

“So, at these frat parties you basically drank beer with Danny and gave him sex tips.”  Jon rolled his eyes.  “So now I know what Stephanie’s doing.  Awesome.”

Cate tossed her head and laughed musically at his faux-angst.  “I highly doubt that.”  She took another drink of water and shook her head.  “Besides, I was usually with my guy-of-the-month at the parties.  The Rooftop Confessions were just quiet nights when we didn’t feel like studying.”

“Ah, so now we’re getting down to it…” Jon grinned mischievously and moved closer to Cate.  He placed a hand on her hip and smirked down at her.  “So, what did you do at your frat parties when you were with your Flavor-of-the-Month?”  He tilted his head toward the darkened lawn, where at least a few couples embraced on the grass.  “Did ya have a few beers then go roll around in the clover?”

“Mmmm…” Cate hummed in response.  “Well… sorta.”  She smiled coyly.  “Depends on how many beers I had.  Or shots.”  She giggled softly.  “Or how hot the guy was.”

Jon’s lowered his face closer to Cate’s, his smirk turning more devilish.  “You were a little slutty back in the day, weren’t ya?”

“I guess so.”

Jon growled playfully.  “Mmmm.  I kinda like that.”

Cate giggled.  “Oh really?  You were all worked up earlier because some drunk kid half my age was hitting on me in there.”  She tipped her head toward the house.

“Yeah, but now we’re pretending we’re back at one of your college parties.”  Jon’s purr was persuasive.  “And I’m your Flavor-of-the-Month.”  His lips moved to Cate’s ear.  “So, Baby… what are you gonna do with me?”