Episode Report Card Jessica: B+ | 2 USERS: D- YOU GRADE IT Love Bites
By Jessica | Season 6 | Episode 18 | Aired on 04.08.2003
Across town, Pacey strides purposefully into his office, calling Joey on his cell phone. "Is this Potter's House of Pain?" he asks when she answers, and I am taking that as a shout-out, thank you very much. She smiles weakly, and he asks her what happened to her last night. Joey yammers something about being too exhausted to come over, and he says he understands. "Last night we were very old people," he agrees, suggesting that they "act like young people" tonight. Joey mealy-mouths that she has plans to chaperone the Milton semiformal. "Consider my arm twisted, I'll be there," Pacey says. Joey raises her brows and purses her mouth up and asks if he's sure. "Sure as rain," Pacey says, and Joey tells him to pick her up at six. "I'll be there, shoes shined, suit pressed," he chirps. She hangs up and looks perturbed.
Dawson strolls into Boiler Room, Inc. at this point, and Pacey welcomes him to "the dream machine." Dawson grins, as Pacey asks him if he can "smell the money growing." Dawson snorts. "If it smells like Drakkar Noir…yeah, big time," he retorts. Snerk. Can I admit something? Something I may be fired for? I don't really hate Dawson anymore. I think he's sort of boring, but I don't hate him. He's not all going around telling people how to live anymore. I appreciate that. ["I actually agree that the writers have done a pretty good job of rehabilitating the character since Season Three." -- Sars] Anyway, he hands Pacey a check. It's all the money he's saved from his days in Hollywood. "I need you to make it grow," he says, telling Pacey that he needs the cash to finance his indie movie. "You up for it?" he asks. Pacey just furrows his brow and asks Dawson to step into his office. "Sure," Dawson chortles, the way you do when you realize that somehow your childhood friend has totally grown up.
The two of them head into Pacey's office, where he tells Dawson that he was sort of kidding about that whole Give Me Your Savings, I'll Make You A Fortune thing. Dawson's like, "Isn't that what you do here?" Pacey lowers his voice to a whisper. "Technically, yes," he says. "Why are you whispering?" Dawson asks, and Pacey explains that it could hurt his reputation if word got out that he was turning down a client for "moral reasons." He's unsure about mixing a business and personal relationship, especially since they're only recently on good terms. Dawson reminds him that they've certainly weathered "awkward" times, and they can handle a little money changing hands. Oh, Dawson. Don't you know that money breaks people up more often than sex does? Pacey takes a sip of coffee. "We've been through Awkward, but we've never been through I'm Broke And It's All Your Fault," he says. Hee. And let's all take note of this entire exchange in anticipation of the Pacey Loses All of Dawson's Money plotline which is surely just over the horizon. Dawson yammers that he has "a really good vibe" about his little movie project and he's learning to trust his instincts and blah blah earnest blah. "The only holding all this up right now is you," he tells Pacey, and grins. Oh, Dawson. You're still not irritating me, but you'd best remember that you totally talked Pacey into this after all your money goes up in flames and you're forced to work at the Capeside Quik-E Mart, where you're reminded of your father's tragic demise every time you prepare an ice cream cone.