Jax parked his Dodge Ram in Kate's driveway. He dressed casually which consisted of jeans, a blue t-shirt, and a black jacket. He approached the front door and knocked.
Kate grabbed her purse and looked at herself in the mirror. She decided to wear jeans, a loose Lucky Brand shirt, and a denim jacket. Nancy volunteered to babysit Ava. Scott is having a poker night with his friends.
"Mommy, someone's at the door!" Ava announced. On the other side of the door, Jax chuckled when he heard Ava talking. He thought she's a total sweetheart. "Can I open the door?"
"Okay, but first ask who is at the door." Kate said. "Nancy, keep an eye on her." Nancy got up from the couch and stood a couple of feet away from Ava.
"Who is it?" Ava asked.
"It's Mr.Teller." Jax said.
"Mommy, it's Mr.Teller." Ava said.
"Okay, you can open the door for him." Kate said.
Ava opened the door and was greeted with Jax looking down at her and he smiled. "Hi, Ava." He greeted her.
Ava's face lit up. "Hi, Mr.Teller."
He crouched down so they're at the same eye-level. "Is your mom ready?"
"Where are you and my mommy going?" Ava asked.
Jax chuckled. "You already want answers? Wow, straight to the point. We're going on a date. We're going to have dinner and talk a lot." He replied.
Nancy and Kate are trying not to laugh at Ava's interrogation. They stood away from the door and Jax couldn't see them. Nancy turned toward Kate and mouthed the words: What is happening? Ava just became an interrogator. Kate had a small smile and shrugged her shoulders.
Suddenly the topic in the conversation shifted. "Are you going to be nice to my mommy?" Ava asked Jax.
Jax is taken back by Ava's question, but he quickly recovered. "Absolutely 100% yes." Jax answered. "Your mom is a kind lady and I will treat her very well. I promise."
Kate couldn't believe the questions she is hearing. Ava suddenly became overprotective.
"Good, because my mommy used to be sad before." Ava said. She stuck her pinkie out. "Do you pinkie promise that you will be nice and won't make her feel sad?"
"Of course, little darling." Jax smiled at Ava and his pinkie wrapped around hers.
"Okay." Ava seemed satisfied and their pinkies untangled from each other.
Nancy and Kate are stunned at the interaction happening between Ava and Jax. Both debated if they should stop it or let it continue.
"Did I pass the test?" Jax asked and waited for an approval.
Ava grinned at him. "Yes, Mr.Teller."
"Ava, you're tough little cookie." Jax mentioned.
Ava giggled at him. "Mr.Teller, what happened to your hair?"
"I decided to get a haircut. My hair got too long. I decided it was time to change it." Jax ran his hand over his hair. "Your mommy actually did the haircut."
Ava turned her head to the side and looked at Kate. "Mommy, Mr.Teller's hair is gone." She dramatically mentioned. "He looks different."
Kate decided that she had to end their interaction and walked toward them. Jax looked up and his eyes are filled with amusement from the conversation and seeing Kate approach them. She picked up Ava and held her. "Ava, I hate to cut into your conversation with Mr.Teller, but he and I have to go on our date." Kate said while she looked at Jax.
He had gotten up and is now on his feet. "It's not a problem. We had a pleasant conversation, didn't we, Ava?" He teased.
Ava suddenly felt shy and buried her face against Kate's chest. "So, that's how it's going to be? You get shy when you don't want to answer a question." Ava turned her head a bit and looked at Jax.
"You won't always be shy." Jax said to Ava. "Your mom is right. We have to go, but I enjoyed our conversation. I was wondering if someday I could get another sweet pea from you? It seems that the one I have is starting to lose its magic."
Ava smiled and nodded her head. "I will find another one for you." She said.
"Thank you. It would mean a lot to me." Jax said.
"Ava, you have fun with Nancy. I will see you in the morning." Kate said.
"I want to wait for you." Ava said.
"You have a bedtime. By the time I get back, you will be asleep." Kate explained.
"Okay." Ava gave in.
Nancy stepped until she stood near Kate. "Jax, this is Nancy. She's my best friend. She's babysitting Ava tonight."
"Nice to meet you, Nancy." Jax said.
"You too. My boyfriend has already met you before Kate and I did." Nancy mentioned.
"Scott is your boyfriend?" Jax asked.
"Yes." Nancy confirmed.
"We should get going." Kate said and lowered Ava until her feet touched the floor. "Ava, you listen to Nancy. She's in charge." Ava nodded her head and stood next to Nancy.
Kate stepped out of the door and stood next to Jax. They started walking toward his Dodge Ram. Jax turned around at the last second and smiled at Ava. "Bye, Ava."
#
While they're driving, Jax let out a soft chuckle.
Kate heard him laughing quietly. "Something funny?" She asked.
"I was just thinking about the interrogation I went through." Jax said. "I never thought I would get so much anxiety from being interrogated by a three year old." He joked.
"Sorry about that. I didn't expect this from Ava. She has never talked to anyone like that." Kate said.
"You don't have to apologize. I guess in her own unique way she's looking out for you. What did she mean exactly when she said you were sad before?" Jax asked.
"I went on dates before and they usually didn't end well. I had been on blind dates or my friend Nancy would try to match me with men she thought would be good for me, but just like the blind dates they didn't well." Kate explained. "Also, after losing Ben I had a hard time putting myself out there and trying to start a new relationship with someone."
"If you don't mind me asking, why did the dates fail?" Jax wondered.
"I guess because I come with a package deal." Kate answered. "Probably it was a major turn off for the men I went out with."
"Ava?" Jax asked.
"Yeah." Kate confirmed.
"Opie, my former best friend, had a son and daughter when he married his second wife. She had one son." Jax mentioned.
"So, Ava isn't a deal breaker for you?" Kate asked.
Jax shook his head and turned his head briefly to look at Kate. "No. She's a sweetheart. I enjoy talking to her." He softly smiled.
#
Jax and Kate approached the small podium where the hostess stood. "How many?" She asked.
Kate stood beside Jax and he pointed to her and himself. "This lovely lady and I." He answered. Kate blushed and shyly smiled when she heard his answer.
The hostess directed them to a booth in the corner. Kate and Jax sat across from each other. "Your server will be with you shortly." She put the menus on the table. She said and walked away.
They looked over the menu. The server arrived. "Hi, I'm Abby. I'll be your server. Can I get you started with drinks?" She asked.
"Pink Lemonade for me." Kate said.
Abby turned toward Jax. "For you, sir?" She asked.
"Iced tea." Jax said.
"Okay. Do you need more time with the menu or you know what you want?" Abby asked.
"Actually, we're ready to order." Jax replied.
Abby took out her notepad and got ready to write. "Go ahead."
"I'll have the grilled cheese sandwich with a side order of French fries." Kate said.
"I'll have the Tex Mex Burger with a side order of Chili Cheese Fries." Jax said.
"Sounds good." Abby wrote down the order. She grabbed the menus and went to the kitchen.
Jax leaned back against the booth and looked at Kate. She softly smiled at him. "So, tell me about yourself. You know everything about me. I think it's time I learned about you." He mentioned.
"I'm 32. I was born in Harmony and so were my parents. Their names are Lisa and Henry. I do have one younger sister. She lives in New Jersey. Her name is Zoey. She's 28. She went to Newark for college and she ended up liking the town. That's where she lives now with her boyfriend whom she met at the college she attended."
"Does she visit often?" Jax asked.
"She does for holidays and birthdays." Kate said. "When we were younger, she always said that she felt trapped in Harmony. The big city was calling out to her." Kate said. "To each its own, I guess. I can't judge her decision. Everyone has a destination that is meant for them."
"Maybe you're right." Jax agreed. "So, why did you decide to be a hairstylist?" He asked.
Abby brought the drinks and interrupted their conversation. "The food will be ready in fifteen minutes." She walked away.
"I've always had a creative side. I wanted to do something that would make people happy. It's going to sound corny, but I like making people feel happy. I get clients who want to look pretty for a wedding, prom, high school graduations, and many other occasions." Kate explained.
"It's not corny." Jax corrected. "It sounds like you really love your job."
"I do. It offers variety of things to do. It's not just a simple haircut. Clients want different styles. Some want highlights. Others want a drastic change to their hair." Kate agreed. "Why did you want to be a mechanic?"
"I like being able to fix problems. My dad was a mechanic, so I was always around him whenever he was fixing a car or a motorcycle. One perk of the job is that I'm not stuck sitting behind a desk. I get to move around frequently at the auto shop. I get to walk around and talk with the other mechanics. I get to be under the vehicles I'm trying to fix. I also can fix my own vehicle without having to ask someone else for help." Jax explained.
"I completely get it. I feel the same freedom in the salon. I like interacting with my co-workers and clients." Kate agreed.
"Do you enjoy working at the salon?" Jax asked.
"Yes. My best friend works there, so I always see a familiar face. The other women are nice too, but..."
"But you want something else." Jax added.
"It's a dream I had for a while, but I know it probably won't ever happen." Kate said.
"What's the dream?" Jax asked.
"I want to have my own salon." Kate said. "The salon's salary is not bad, but I've worked overtime whenever I can. I try to give Ava the world on a single parent income. It's not enough. I do try to save money, but it can't be done all the time. I want to do it on my own without any type of charity from people. I mentioned to you before how I left Harmony for the first time when Ava and I went on a road trip to Wisconsin. Harmony is a great town, but she deserves to see other places outside of it." She admitted.
"Never say never. Maybe your dream will come true someday." Jax said.
"Like I said, it's just a dream." Kate mentioned.
"Okay, let's switch gears to fun topics." He suggested. "What do you do for fun?"
"Like hobbies?" Kate asked. Jax nodded his head. "I like to read. I like to dance. I enjoy swimming. I used to do photography when I was in high school."
"For the yearbook?" Jax asked.
Kate shook her head. "Just for fun. I bought a camera when I was 16. It was used, so I had it for almost three years and one day it stopped working."
"What did you photograph?" Jax got curious.
"My family, friends, and the main street. Just anything around me." Kate said. "Everything interested me, so I wanted to capture it in a photograph."
"Do you have the photos?" Jax asked.
"Yeah, I keep them in a box in my basement." Kate said.
"Why did you stop taking photos?" Jax wondered.
"I guess I wasn't that curious anymore. I went to college and beauty school. I met Ben. We got married and bought a house. I started working at the salon. He started working as a contractor. I got pregnant and eventually my priorities changed. My hobbies went on the backburner for a while. Don't get me wrong. I love being a mother. Ava is a wonderful kid. She's so much like Ben when it comes to her personality. Whenever she smiles or runs around the house, it's like she's channeling him. Sometimes I do have moments when I wonder if I'm a good parent."
Jax reached over and held Kate's hand. "You're an amazing parent." He said. "She's so polite and kind. You've raised her right."
Abby returned with the food. "Grilled cheese for you." She put the plate in front of Kate. Their hands separated. "The Tex Mex Burger for you." She announced after putting the plate in front of Jax. They thanked her.
"Can I ask you something?" Kate said.
"Go ahead." Jax said as he took a bite from his burger.
"Why did you come to the salon for the haircut? There are barbershops that could have provided the same service." Kate asked.
Jax's gaze focused on Kate. "It's because I feel comfortable with you. I knew you would do it if I asked. You've seen me at my worst and I'm starting to trust you. I think when you showed up with the housewarming gift, I knew that was the moment I couldn't stay away from you. I knew that you had good intentions, but I was afraid to let my guard down."
Kate reached over and grabbed his hand. "You have made a breakthrough and I'm proud of you." She praised him.
Jax smiled at her. "Kate, you really are an amazing woman."
Kate smiled back. "You're amazing, too." His free hand went over hers. "I'm glad we're on this date."
"Me too." Jax looked at their hands. "Now, I've got a serious question for you. This could make or break the date." He had a smirk on his lips.
"Uh oh. Hopefully this won't be the end of the date. I'm having a wonderful time." Kate laughed. "It would be a terrible shame if we had to end the date over this important question." She playfully pouted.
They both leaned in close and their faces are a few inches apart. "In your opinion, which is the greatest rock band that you would listen to over and over and never get bored of their songs?" Jax asked. "On the count of three, we say the name of the band and see if we're on the same page." Kate nodded her head in agreement. "One...Two...Three..."
"The Eagles." They said in unison.
"Really?" Jax's face lit up.
"Of course. Is there any song that could surpass Hotel California? That is an absolute classic and I can listen to it on repeat for an entire hour and not get tired of it." Kate remarked. "So, did I pass your test?" She teased.
"You did." Jax confirmed. "Name your top five Eagles songs."
"That's easy. Number one is Hotel California. Number two is The Sad Café. Number three is I Can't Tell You Why. Number four is One of These Nights. Number five is Witchy Woman." Kate smiled. "How did I do?" She lifted up one eyebrow in curiosity.
"You did very well. My top five are: Hotel California, Take It to the Limit, The Sad Café, Life in the Fast Lane, and Desperado." Jax smiled back.
Suddenly the song Hotel California started playing over the speakers. They smiled at the odd coincidence.
They started singing along.
"On a dark desert highway
Cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas
Rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance
I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night"
They laughed at the corny moment, but they couldn't hide the joy they felt at this moment for their favorite rock band. Some of the customers gave them odd looks, but they didn't notice. They even hummed the guitar solo.
#
Kate and Jax arrived at the bar. Jax chose to be the designated driver so he ordered a club soda and Kate ordered a Coors Light. The bartender put a big bowl of peanuts in front of them. They sat on the bar stools.
"So, how did the Eagles become your favorite band?" Kate asked.
He turned his entire body to face and she did the same. "From my dad. He used to play their songs whenever he worked at the auto shop. What about you?"
"My mom took me to see them live when I was 15." Kate answered. "If you don't mind me asking how old would your dad be if he was still around?"
"That's awesome. Your mom has good taste in music if she took you to see them live. I don't mind the question. He was 50 when he died. He would be 71 today." Jax mentioned. "Today is his birthday."
"Let's do a toast for John Teller. I'm sure he's here in spirit. If he's listening, I want to thank him for sending his amazing son to Harmony and allowing us the opportunity to meet. Jax Teller, you're a good man and you're definitely your father's son. The past doesn't define you. Mr.Teller, I hope you have peace wherever you are. Your son is in good hands. I'll do my best to heal him from all the pain he has endured. Happy 71st heavenly birthday to you. It would have been great to meet you, but I guess it wasn't meant to be in this lifetime." Kate finished and clinked her bottle against Jax's glass.
Jax is surprised by Kate's toast. It was so honest and sincere. He didn't know what to say. He can't recall any of his SOA brothers saying such a heartfelt toast for John Teller's birthday. Jax also recalls that during the last years he was still in SAMCRO member, his brothers completely stopped the toasts for his dad. Jax now thinks they were trying to erase him from the club's history. With each year, John Teller was just a distant memory that faded away with time and eventually no one will remember him. "Thank you for the toast." Jax finally spoke up. "I'm sure he would have loved it."
"You're welcome." Kate smiled at him. "Just because he's not here physically, his birthday shouldn't be omitted. Who knows, maybe he's lingering around this bar."
"Maybe you're right. He did like hanging out at bars. He loved all kinds of celebrations." Jax agreed.
The Sad Café by the Eagles started playing.
Kate's face lit up when she recognized the song. "It looks like we summoned them this evening." She teased. "This is the third Eagles song of the night."
Jax suddenly got an idea. "Do you want to dance?" He got up and stuck his hand out. Kate got up from the bar stool and took his hand. They walked to the dance area of the bar and it didn't take long for other couples to join them.
Jax put his right hand on Kate's waist. His left hand is on her back. Her hands looped around Jax's neck. Her head is against his shoulder. They're swaying gently to the song's slow rhythm.
Kate liked how close they're at this moment. She didn't want to let go of Jax. She couldn't help but think how an Eagles song led them to slow dancing on their first date. On the other hand, Jax felt joy spread throughout him after Kate's toast and holding her in his arms. It finally hit Jax just how much he likes Kate. It's only the first date so far, but Jax knew that he was just denying his feelings toward Kate.
She closed her eyes and leaned into his jacket. His left hand joined his other hand on her waist. Jax felt truly relaxed and at peace. He only focused on holding Kate close to him. Everything else just disappeared around them.
He slightly moved and she looked up at him. "What is it?" Kate asked.
His fingers tucked back a strand of hair that is near her eye. He smiled at her. "I like you." He admitted.
Kate had a big smile when she heard what Jax just said to her. "I like you, too." She said.
#
Jax parked his car again in Kate's driveway. They got out of the Dodge Ram and stepped on the front lawn. Nancy saw them standing on the lawn from the window in the living room. She got up from the couch and went to the other end of the house to give them privacy. They seemed to be talking and Kate stepped a bit closer to Jax. They moved from that spot and walked to the front door.
"I had a great time. This was a nice first date." Kate mentioned.
"I did too. Thanks for agreeing to go on the date." Jax said.
"How could I refuse?" Kate teased. "Having dinner at one of my favorite restaurants and talking about the Eagles. The date was perfect."
Jax couldn't stop himself and he wrapped his arms around Kate. Her hands landed on his shoulders. "You're also perfect." He whispered. "I was wondering if you wanted to do this again."
"Sure. I would like to go on another date. Maybe it could be another Saturday?" Kate wondered.
"Yes, but the upcoming Saturday I'm going to be working overtime again. So, it would have to be the next Saturday." Jax said.
"That's fine. We'll figure it out by then." Kate said.
His arms pulled Kate in even closer and she felt his cheek against hers. Jax's head dipped lower and Kate felt his forehead pressing against her neck. His breath grazed her skin and Kate slightly shivered in his arms. She closed her eyes and her hands gripped his biceps. Jax's lips lightly kissed her neck. Her hand slid up to his neck and touched his now short hair. His hands wrapped tighter around her waist and she felt every muscle and ripple on his body. Jax's lips made their way up her neck, and Kate suddenly felt her legs were going to give out on her. One of his hands slid up from her waist and slid into her hair to steady her.
"Whoa careful there, darling." Jax chuckled. "I better hold you. We can't end the date with you falling on the ground."
Kate felt her face heat up. She couldn't believe how she reacted from Jax's gentle kisses on her neck. "I feel so embarrassed." She admitted.
"Forget about that because we're not done yet with the date." Jax said. His lips now moved on to her jaw and cheek. He heard Kate take in a shaky breath. Jax moved his head back and met her eyes. Her lips are parted and her eyes are filled with wonder. His eyes melted at what he's seeing in her eyes. No woman he has been with has given him this type of a look. Jax's eyes shifted from Kate's gaze down to her lips. He smiled at her. She felt a flutter in her stomach. It wasn't from nervousness. The feeling is from anticipation and excitement. She stepped back and Jax took a step forward. She is leaning against the door and Jax's body is almost pressed against hers.
His eyes locked on her lips and he leaned down to kiss her. He cupped her face with one hand. His other hand slid to her waist. The kiss started out soft and slow. Jax's lips moved gently against hers. Kate couldn't believe how gentle he is right now. This is nothing like the kisses they shared on the night he stayed over at her house. When Kate's lips parted, his tongue slid into her mouth. Jax stepped forward until he was pressing himself completely against Kate. Jax's hand on her hip wrapped around Kate as it pulled her tighter into him.
Kate's hands slid to his hair and she couldn't stop herself from pulling Jax closer. That was all she wanted. Just to be closer to him. His lips started to move faster against hers. His tongue flicked inside her mouth and she let out a soft gasp at the feeling. Her body felt like it was on fire. No man has ever kissed her like this on a first date. Her hands slid down and cupped his cheeks, while his hands tangled in her hair. Suddenly, he pulled back and his mouth peppered kisses on the side of her neck causing Kate's hands to grip his shoulders. He gently sucked on the spot just below her ear. "Jax..." Kate whispered. "The neighbors might see us. This is getting too intense." She said.
Jax lifted his head and playfully smirked at Kate. "Well darling, it's not my fault that you're irresistible."
Kate's face lit up at his comment. "This is the first date. We can't be having sex on the first date."
"I suppose I have to agree with you. I guess we're being very impulsive. One day when we're kissing like this again, I hope you won't tell me that I have to stop." Jax fingers brushed her cheeks.
"Well, it's not my fault either that you're irresistible." Kate teased back. Her hands moved to his chest.
"That's just the Teller men DNA. We can't control it." Jax joked.
"Oh, is that right?" Kate's smile grew.
"Afraid so, darling." Jax confirmed. "You're too attractive and it's hard for me to stop kissing you."
Kate looped her arms around his neck. "What you're saying is that I'm in trouble." His arms wrapped around her waist and he smirked while nodding his head. "Well, I'll risk it."
Jax chuckled. "Okay. We will try to restrain ourselves from being impulsive."
#
After Jax left from her driveway, Kate walked back into her house. She closed the door and leaned against it. She couldn't stop smiling.
Nancy walked into the living room and saw that Kate hasn't moved from the door. "I'm assuming the date went very well." She mentioned.
Kate stepped away from the door and walked to where Nancy stood. "It did. We had a wonderful time." She said.
"That's great. I'm guessing the date went on a little longer because you were in the driveway for quite some time." Nancy smirked.
"We were talking." Kate said.
"And making out." Nancy teased. "First dates always end with a kiss or two. "
Kate couldn't hide her happiness. "Nance, he's so nice. I can't recall when I had such a nice first date. We talked, slow danced, and talked about our favorite Eagles songs. He was a complete gentleman."
"I'm happy for you, Kate." Nancy said. "You deserve to have a nice guy. Now, how is he when it comes to kissing?"
"He's amazing. He definitely knows what he's doing." Kate said. "So, how was your night with Ava?"
"She's an angel. We watched a movie. We had dinner. She did tell me how she gave a special gift to Mr.Teller."
"Right. You know how she likes giving sweet peas to people." Kate said.
"He must have made quite the impression on her because once in a while she would ask me if I think he's being nice to you." Nancy said.
"I will give her a full report tomorrow." Kate joked.
"I have to get going. She followed her curfew, so there was no issue about that." Nancy said.
"Thanks for babysitting her." Kate said.
"No problem. What are friends for?" Nancy said. "I'll let myself out." She opened the door and stepped out of the house. Kate locked the door after her.
#
Jax got ready for bed and sat down on the couch a.k.a. his temporary bed. He looked at the Harley Davidson alarm clock that is on the small table beside the couch. The clock represented a new connection to his dad after not being able to fix the motorcycle.
"Happy birthday, dad." Jax mentioned. "I hope you're having a good time wherever you are. I also hope you liked Kate's toast to you. I wish you could meet her because she's so sweet, funny, and a good person. I really like her. She brought me back to life. I feel like I have a purpose again." Jax touched the clock before lying down on the couch and eventually falling asleep.