Lee yawned wearily as he eased the Corvette into it's familiar 'visitor' place
in front of Amanda's house. After a week away doing a stakeout alone, he was
eager to spend some time with his wife and family, even if the family part was a
secret to most people.
A sudden noise drew his attention to the driveway where he found his oldest
step-son enthusiastically slam dunking his way into a sweat.
"Hey Philip how bout a time out?" Lee chuckled as he saw the boy all but
collapse into a heap.
"Yeah," Lee replied as he followed Philip into the kitchen.
"Where is everyone?" he asked, puzzled at the quiet of the normally busy
household.
"Grandma's at a flying lesson and Mom and Jamie are at school meeting with Coach
Jones for a Parent Teacher interview."
"Oh, okay, said Lee suddenly wishing he'd called ahead.
"They should be back soon, well Mom and Jamie anyway. I can't see her wanting
to make it last any longer than necessary you know?" Philip laughed to himself.
"Is there a problem with Coach Jones?" Lee asked, curious at what Philip found
so amusing.
"Ahh well," said Philip looking everywhere but at his Step-father.
"Go on Philip."
"Coach Jones thinks he's a bit of a ladies' man and sometimes he tries to flirt
with some of the moms."
"Flirt?" he ground out through clenched teeth.
"It's not like he's trouble or anything, more like a pain," Philip added not
liking the turn the conversation had taken and fervently wishing he'd kept his
mouth shut. "Jamie and I were just talking about how gross he was this
morning."
"I think I might try and catch them at the school. You know, offer some moral
support."
Philip barely got out a goodbye as Lee hurried out to the Corvette.
************************************************************************
'Now what?' Lee thought as he sat idling in front of Jamie's school. He
couldn't very well go in and terrorize this Coach Jones, as much as the idea
appealed to him.
He trusted Amanda, of course, but had an overwhelming urge to knock this guy's
teeth in. Remembering something useful, he began fumbling around in the back of
the car, he knew it was here somewhere.
'Finally!' he thought as he found the small metal dish and began snapping the
pieces together.
The innocuous looking gadget was a new toy, courtesy of Leatherneck. If pointed
in just the right spot and with a little luck involved, conversations could be
heard from a relatively safe distance. Lee had intended to show it to Amanda
privately but maybe this was a way to both test it out and find out about, 'Good
Ol' Coach Jones.'
He wasn't really spying on his wife, he figured wryly, especially if she didn't
find out. As he pondered her possible reactions if he was discovered, Lee
suddenly heard a crackle of static and then his wife's voice from inside the
speakers.
"Oh Coach Jones, that's my work beeper, I have to take this, do you mind?"
A male voice suddenly boomed, sounding smarmy and sleazy at the same time.
"You just go right ahead Amanda there's a phone in the office down the hall
we'll be fine, and please, call me Brian."
Lee heard the sound of a door being closed and then the voice of Jamie filled
his ears.
"Coach Jones?" Jamie King's voice brought the Coach back to reality and away
from the nicely retreating form of Amanda King.
"Yeah Jamie?" he sighed.
"Can I ask your opinion on something?"
"Sure, shoot," said the Coach, with one eye on the hallway for the boy's
wandering mother.
"I need to buy a birthday present for a special friend of my mom's and I think I
need a man's advice."
'Special friend?' could the PTA gossip about Amanda having a new boyfriend be
true?
"Sure," he responded slowly, "what's this special friend like?" he asked,
fishing line firmly cast.
"Well, he's tall and pretty fit," Jamie began.
"Into sports and stuff hey?" Coach asked knowing that his profession kept him in
shape as well, 'so far so good,' he thought.
"I guess so," said Jamie.
"But he doesn't go much for team stuff, more like Martial Arts and Endurance
stuff."
The mention of Martial Arts brought the Coach's concern up a notch.
"Is he any good?" Jones asked as nonchalantly as he could.
"He must be, to have earned all those black belts," said Jamie.
"More than one?" squeaked Coach Jones, suddenly very interested in a description
of this guy.
Jamie nodded enthusiastically, "yeah at least a few, you know, Kung Fu, Karate,
Tae Kwon Do, and then there's the kickboxing and stuff."
Coach tried not to panic at this new information.
'So what?' The guy was probably only good in a lesson type situation, no good in
the real world.
'Bruce Lee wanna be,' he thought sarcastically.
"Well maybe he has some hobbies, you know stuff he likes to do when he's not
working," said Coach still determined to find out more.
"Lee works with my mom at a film company, he's a director so he has to fit in
hobbies in between a pretty full schedule."
"Sounds pretty busy," Coach agreed, 'workaholic, she'd never get to see him,' he
thought gleefully.
"But when he's not overseas or interviewing royalty and stuff he likes to do
things with us." Jamie continued.
'Overseas, royalty?' Just how connected was this guy?
"Like what?" Coach Jones prodded.
"He knows a lot about guns, he showed us some of his collection once, so we
wouldn't try and touch them or anything. That was interesting."
Jones did a quick mental evaluation, 'Martial Arts expert who's also a gun
fanatic?'
Not looking promising.
"What about clothes or aftershave? Something to make him look good." said
Jones desperately hoping for a sweaty, work- obsessed slob.
"Oh, he usually looks pretty good," replied Jamie. I suppose he can afford a
good wardrobe with his job and all. Leather jackets and tuxedos would be pretty
expensive don't you think?"
"Yeah," agreed Coach felling suddenly under-dressed in his poly cotton t-shirt
and track pants.
Jamie brightened. "Maybe something for his car? Yeah, man does he love that
Corvette." Jamie said as he shook his head in wonder.
Coach Jones slumped into his chair.
"I suppose that would be fine Jamie," he replied defeated and suddenly very
eager to finish this particular interview.
There was no way he's have a chance with Amanda King now.
A rich, good looking and worldly guy who could probably kill him where he stood.
'No,' he thought, it would be foolish to even try.
Finally, Amanda breezed back into the room.
"I'm sorry I was gone for so long Coach Jones," she gushed. "Work I'm afraid,
no rest for the wicked I guess."
"Not to worry Mrs. King." Jones said.
"We're finished really and Jamie has been keeping me company."
Other than a raised eyebrow, Amanda showed no obvious reaction to the sudden use
of her last name instead of her first. After promising she'd see that he
practiced his basketball, Amanda and Jamie left the room and headed for home.
They never saw the silver car pull silently away from the curb. Lee barely
managed to arrive home before the two of them.
************************************************************************
"Hey sweetheart," Amanda greeted him with a quick but heartfelt kiss as they
entered the kitchen a mere twenty minutes later.
"Hi guys!" Lee responded brightly, "How'd it go with Coach Jones?" he asked
watching their reactions closely.
"Wonderfully!" Amanda said, thinking of both the good report and the sudden but
welcome reprieve from the amorous attentions of Coach Jones.
"Pretty good, I guess," smiled Jamie.
"Glad to hear it sport," laughed Lee.
Just then they were interrupted by Dotty telling them that dinner would be ready
in about twenty minutes. As Amanda went upstairs to find Philip for dinner,
Jamie studied Lee a moment then leaned over and asked, "Hey Lee, do you think
that after dinner you can help me practice my hoops?"
"Sure we can sport," said a surprised but pleased Lee. "We wouldn't want to
upset Coach Jones would we?"
"Oh, I don't know," replied Jamie, his eyes twinkling beneath his glasses.
"one man's disappointment is another man's happiness, I guess."
"Definitely Jamie, couldn't agree more," beamed Lee as they began to set the
table together.
The End
Story Notes:
Disclaimer: I only own the character of Coach Jones. He’s enough for me to handle!
Timeline: 6-8 months after series end, Jamie has gotten to like Lee.
Timeline: 6-8 months after series end, Jamie has gotten to like Lee.