Customer Satisfaction [COMPLETE]

Wrong Place, Wrong Time

"Jess, I don't need a date."

"Yes, you do." Jess insisted, popping popcorn into her mouth, her gaze fixed on the reruns of Friends. Her legs were propped over Mark's, who was sprawled on the couch sharing her popcorn, and cleverly keeping out of the discussion, until, "Don't you think so, darling?"

Mark blinked, coming back to earth, "Huh?"

"To our engagement party!" Jess shot him a mock glare, "Don't you think Kate needs to bring a date?"

Mark cautiously reached for popcorn, adjusting his glasses, "Uh, she could bring John." he pointed out.

"Bring her Dad?! That's pathetic." Jess turned to say quickly, "John will be invited, of course. But I fully expect him to bring his own date. Your Dad is--" she rolled her eyes, mock fanning herself, "I would've hit on him if he wasn't your Dad."

"Yes, you told me." Kate said dryly.

"Is there anyone you won't hit on?" Mark interjected.

"Of course, my love. You. Because I wuv you." Jess made kissing faces, and that seemed to mollify Mark, who rolled his eyes at Kate before smiling, obviously besotted.

"So," Jess turned to her, "this brings us to Operation Date. Since you don't seem to be bringing hot hotel dude up to the scratch, I thought we might party!"

"Great, a party." Mark sat up, "I have an excellent one in mind. It's a convention, but you'll love it--"

Jess glared at him, "A nightclub."

Mark frowned at her, "Jess, I'm the man in the relationship...so nightclub it is." he grumbled.

Three hours later, they found themselves gyrating to music and laughing. Jess had let Kate borrow a silk shirt in favor of having to dash to the hotel for a change of clothes, and the shirt was more revealing on Kate's frame than she had realized at first. It was sewn from silver silk so fine it flowed like liquid, cleverly cut so that it revealed a good deal of cleavage, as well as flashes of side boobs as she danced. She kept her arms rigidly by her sides.

Despite his earlier grumbling, Mark seemed to be enjoying himself. "It's because I don't have to impress a girl." he yelled over the music to Kate as they thrashed on spot together, "I can dance anyway I want and I'll still have Jess at the end of the night!"

"Think again!" Jess called, who was infinitely more graceful than the two of them, and attracting a lot more potential dancers.

"She's kidding, she loves me." Mark said, spinning Kate around.

"Yes, she does."

"You don't have to feel pressurized to bring a date, you know." Mark told her, bending his head to talk over the music, as they awkwardly veered about, "Jess just doesn't want you to feel left out. But I know you aren't bothered by these things."

Kate grinned at him, then grimaced when she stepped on his foot. "Ah--sorry. She's just--" she danced around Mark, "trying to help! It's okay. I won't make a bad decision--" she reached forward to squeeze his arm, "I promise."

He grinned, then grimaced slightly, "Well, it won't hurt to try, though." he admitted, "You haven't been in a serious relationship since we broke up, and--"

"Mark!" Kate gasped in shock, laughing, "I see Jess is having an effect on you!"

He grinned shamelessly, "Perhaps she is."

"Drinks?" Jess called, gracefully dancing towards them.

"I'll get 'em." Mark offered.

"No, I'm too afraid you'll drop them." Jess gestured over their clumsy dancing, "I'll get them. Stay here!"