Sunday, October 30, 2016
Colleen made a final swipe with a soft cloth to the marbled gray and white Formica counter. In her small diner of only eight counter seats and six four-top tables, she had one lone patron sitting at his usual corner booth, facing the door while currently reading the local weekly paper. Knowing he would want one last cup of coffee, she lifted the glass carafe but her steps were stopped by the jingle of the bell above the front door. Colleen quickly sized up the new customer, a short blonde woman, dressed in an expensive coat, a large black designer purse on her shoulder.
Holding up a cell phone and dangling power cord, the woman looked at Colleen and practically pleaded, "Any chance I can charge my phone?"
There were four spots in Colleen's diner for customers to access an outlet: the two corner booths and the two end barstools. "Sure, honey, right here," she said, pointing to the counter barstool closest to the occupied booth. "Coffee?" She was already pouring into a clean white ceramic mug.
"Yes, thank you." The woman gratefully responded, while she distractedly plugged in two charging cords to the floor outlet and then attached her phone and a tablet. She swooped her hair out of her face and sat on the stool with an audible sigh of relief. "Can I get a menu too please?"
"Sorry, dear, no. I close up in fifteen minutes. Six o'clock on Sundays. I'd stay open later but I've got to get over to Margaret's for bridge." Colleen studied her, the blonde whose shiny eyes flickered side to side as she tried to figure out the dilemma ahead of her. "Let me see what I have in back though."
"Oh, um, no that's okay. I'll just have the coffee." After a brief pause she then asked, "My phone's completely dead and I'm waiting for a tow truck. Can I just hang out here and I promise to be out by 6?"
"Sure." She patted the younger woman's hand sympathetically. "Let me at least see if I have some pie."
"Thank you. I forget how much nicer people are here than in the city," gratitude filling her face as she took a sip of coffee.
Colleen returned from the kitchen with a slice of chocolate rum pie. The woman was now on the phone, explaining to the person on the other end that she didn't have much of a charge on her cell battery and detailing her current dilemma. Colleen placed the cake with a fork in front of the newcomer and was thanked with an appreciative nod. She carried the carafe of coffee to the corner booth and filled her regular customer's empty cup.
"Everything okay over there, Colleen?" he said quietly without looking up from the paper.
Colleen McGuire had known Jamie Reagan since he was a baby. She was the first person who wasn't a Reagan or a nurse to hold him. She'd watched him graduate from high school, Harvard law school, and been there for the death of his mother and grandmother. Colleen and Vick McGuire had retired to the Adirondacks for only a few years when Jamie moved upstate and she was thrilled to have him nearby so that she could treat him like another of her grandsons.
"Waiting for a tow," she murmured in a quiet response, with her back turned to the woman still chattering away on her phone.
He glanced into the parking lot noticing the expensive Porsche angled in two parking spots. "Hm. Thanks for the coffee."
"Maybe you could find a way to help," she innocently suggested.
Jamie looked at her from under his cap, knowing her intentions all too well. "She looks pretty independent, Colleen."
Colleen had spent too long watching Jamie slowly turn into a hermit. "Jameson." She leveled her eyes firmly at him as she did when he was a child.
"Colleen, she's a spoiled rich girl from the city. Bet she bought those pricey hiking boots to go sit in a lodge all day. Obsessed with her phone. She clearly can't drive that car; it's way more than she can handle. I love you for trying to marry me off, but don't bother with this one."
"All that from one look, huh?" A small smile twitched on her lips and she narrowed her eyes playfully at him. She quietly continued, "I see a smart resourceful pretty girl who was probably here for a weekend in these mountains you love-"
"Colleen." He cut her off, noticing the woman had ended her call and was silently digging into the piece of pie in front of her.
After a brief moment Colleen, still staring pointedly at Jamie but speaking to the woman said, "Honey, maybe Lieutenant Reagan here can help you." She returned to her post behind the counter and offered a manicured hand, "I'm Colleen, by the way."
"I'm Eddie. This pie is amazing."
Jamie watched Colleen animatedly share the origins of the family recipe while throwing expectant looks his direction. He sighed heavily as he pushed himself out of the booth and readjusted his NYS Forest Ranger cap. He approached the end of the counter and extended his hand, "Hi. I'm Lieutenant Reagan, uh, Jamie."
"Eddie," she mumbled through a mouth full of pie. She shook his hand and gave a friendly little nod.
"So Colleen says you're waiting for a tow?"
"Oh, yeah." Eddie looked from Jamie to Colleen and back again, "My car has been having trouble since I left Bearclaw Lodge and I was coasting into the parking lot here." She glanced out the window at the black Porsche. "Ugh. That explains the crappy parking job. Sorry. Any way, the only tow that can get me back to the city tonight won't be here for another three hours or so."
Jamie gave Colleen a look that said 'I told you so.' Bearclaw Lodge, a nearby luxury resort was what rich people considered a getaway to the mountains. The smallest room in the off-season was more than $700 a night and the closest to nature most of them got was at one of several heated pools.
Colleen just shook her head dismissively at him and said to Eddie, "Where do you live in the city?"
"Park Slope? It's in Brooklyn."
Colleen's face lit with recognition. "Erin lives in Park Slope. Jamie's sister. Me and Jamie are from Bay Ridge."
"Hm." Eddie looked at Jamie out of the corner of her eye as she took a bite of pie.
"You sure you didn't run out of gas or something?" He glanced at the car before settling his look back on her.
She narrowed her eyes as she licked a bit of chocolate from the corner of her lips. Her irritation was clear when she flatly replied, "No. I'm certain I didn't run out of gas. Thanks for the mansplaining, though."
Jamie didn't miss the look Colleen shot him. "I didn't mean it like that." Eddie didn't look at him as she focused on catching all of the remaining crumbs onto the fork with the last bite of pie. Colleen would never let it go if he didn't find a way to help this woman. "It'll take a tow truck another five hours to get you home. Do you want me to give you a ride someplace else where you can wait? Or you can get a hotel?"
"No," Eddie sighed. "I have to be here when the tow company gets here or they'll leave and this doesn't seem like the kind of town I can get an Uber that late. And I have to be back in the city early tomorrow to teach a class."
"Oh? What do you teach?"
Noting genuine interest in his question she gave an embarrassed laugh, "Oh, I probably oversold that. I teach spin at SoulCycle. I don't usually teach on Mondays, but my friend was in a jam and needed a sub, so-" she trailed off and turned to Colleen. "If I can just stay until you have to close up so that I can have a full charge on my phone. I have a book and I can hang out in my car."
"Honey, it's supposed to get below freezing in an hour. It's that time of year up here." Colleen sent another piercing look Jamie's direction.
Jamie pondered a moment before he took a breath, hoping he wasn't going to regret this. He lightly tapped his knuckles on the countertop as he spoke, "So, I live about ten minutes from here. I have to head home and feed my dogs, but if you want to hang out for a bit until the tow truck gets here I'll bring you back." He attempted to keep his tone even and clear about his intentions. She probably thought he was hitting on her, which was the furthest from his intentions, despite Colleen's hopes. He couldn't help catching Eddie's blue eyes for a minute too long while she studied him.
"You're not some creepy murderer with a cabin in the middle of the woods?"
"What?"
"You know, on Criminal Minds or whatever the murderer always ends up having a cabin in the woods that nobody knows about until the last minute and the intelligence analyst comes running in and says, 'The unsub's uncle died six years ago and left him a cabin in the middle of the woods and we just found it under his tax records AND the girls started disappearing six years ago' and I'm always like, 'Hey didn't you guys think to check tax property records right away.' Then at the last minute they find the creepy cabin with a bunch of skeletons or body parts or whatever. It's annoying. But also creepy when, ya' know, I see an old cabin in the woods."
He briefly narrowed his eyes at her trying to discern if her way of prattling on was something that amused him or annoyed him. Settling on a combination of both, he also had to admit to himself that he was intrigued by her and wanted her to say yes. She was looking at him with an earnest face and interrupted his thoughts by saying, "So are you? A murderer who's going to chop me up and feed me to your dogs?"
"Only if we don't get there soon so I can feed them their regular food. And it never happens like that. That's TV." He kept a gentle lock on her eyes in a showdown that let her know he was playing along as she squinted playfully in return.
"How many dogs do you have?"
"Four."
She let out a small whistle in surprise. "Do you have internet?"
"I do. Even have running water if you can believe it."
She slowly broke a smile. "Okay, let's go then." She pulled on her coat and began gathering her things. Jamie carried his cup from the table to Colleen who had remained in her spot behind the counter, observing their exchange. "Oh, Colleen, what do I owe you?" Eddie was pulling out her wallet.
"Nothing, hon. Reagan will put it on his tab. You two kids have fun. Bye!" Colleen called as she watched Jamie hold the door for Eddie.
He didn't catch Colleen's smug smile right away. He was caught by how good Eddie smelled and this little smile on her face as she looked up at him.
Glancing back he huffed out a short laugh and rolled his eyes once he registered Colleen's know-it-all expression. "Goodnight, Colleen," he called over his shoulder. He pointed Eddie toward the New York State Forest Ranger truck parked at the end of the small lot. "I'm down here."
"Let me grab my laptop." She unlocked the Porsche Boxster and pulled out another black bag.
"That's a pretty sweet car." He said admiringly.
"Yeah. Don't judge me on it. It's really my dad's, I just use it sometimes." She followed him toward the truck, but stopped short and turned in a slow half-circle as she looked at the sky. She was talking to herself but loud enough that he could hear her say, "God, it is beautiful here."
Jamie looked up at the familiar patterns of orange and yellow with thin streaks of red set against the darkening blue sky. McGuire's Diner was at enough elevation to offer a pretty breathtaking view of the expanse of sky over the trees, which had taken their own autumn shades for some time. He nodded in agreement that slowly turned to contemplation.
Jamie was aware that he was satisfied, even well-served, with his natural tendency to be a creature of habit. He hadn't expected that after eight years of working and living here, he'd slowly fall into a rhythm that had left him unsettlingly complacent. This wasn't the first time in the last few months he'd taken stock of how he felt a void in this life he chose. He missed the awe of seeing sunset in the mountains, hiking for enjoyment. When had this life become a chore for him? He caught his own sentimental tone as he said, "Yeah, it really is."
Eddie turned her head toward him with a look as though she detected something more than passive acknowledgement. "We better go. It'll be dark by the time we get to my place." She followed him and they climbed in the truck. "Oh, here." He gestured for her to hand him the campaign hat he had forgotten to move, left in its usual front seat spot, that she now had resting in her lap.
"I'll hold it." She was circling the wide brim in her fingers. "Why don't you wear this hat?"
He was looking in the rearview mirror as he backed out of the parking lot. "Sometimes I do. On more official business. Caps are just more comfortable out in the woods all day."
She nodded a little and put the wide-brim hat on her head, pulling down the visor to look at her reflection. "What do you think?" She turned to look at him.
Fuck me, she's cute, he thought, taking in her expression. At first look, she had the irritating air of someone constantly being complimented and told how good she looked. But then, something in the endearing way she glanced away and back at him, slightly shifting in her seat, made his core tighten and his jaw clench as he swallowed hard wondering what he'd gotten himself into. He cleared his throat. "It, uh, works for you."
XX
"So this is your place, huh?" Eddie wasn't sure what she expected as they walked up the steps into Jamie's cabin. From the outside it was very rustic, complete with a long front porch looking into the depth of the woods through which they had driven. She was pleasantly surprised with the urban farmhouse vibe she got when they entered. Muted gray walls with built-in bookcases. A large brown leather couch on top of a large neutral rug covering original wood floors. It was clean and there was a place for everything, no clutter. She was thankful that she wasn't overwhelmed with the buffalo plaid and bear motif she was expecting. There were definitely signs that this was a bachelor's place though. She gently touched the heavy bag hanging nearby as she walked past and said, "Could use a woman's touch though."
"Couldn't we all?" He emerged from the small closet where he'd hung both of their coats and walked to the kitchen.
Not missing the self-satisfied smirk on his face, she cheerily lobbed back, "Oh, look at you! Home at last and now you're funny." She followed him through the living room and into the kitchen, where she leaned comfortably against the counter. "You were such a serious Boy Scout when Colleen was practically forcing you to help me out. You looked like you were at risk of losing all your merit badges if you didn't take her 'white knight saving the damsel in distress' spiel."
"It wasn't like that."
"Hm. You don't think so? I definitely got a match-making vibe off her."
"I've known Colleen my whole life. There's no telling with her," he answered a little too quickly. "You hungry?"
"I'm starving. What do you have?"
"Colleen's soup from yesterday. Sandwich stuff. Well, just cheese and bread. Cereal. Damn, no milk."
"Colleen's soup, it is."
"Smart choice." She watched him put a pot on the burner of the tiny gas range in the kitchen. He brushed past her as he moved out of the kitchen. "That'll take a bit to heat up."
"You can just microwave it."
"I don't have a microwave."
"Oh. I don't think I know anyone who doesn't have a microwave."
He nodded as though he'd heard that before. "Well, now you can say you do." He adjusted the heat to the wood pellet stove near the table and turned back to her. "I'm going to change," he said as headed down the short hallway and then poked his head around the corner. "There are outlets all over but by the table gets the best wi-fi reception," he offered before heading up the stairs hidden at the end of the hallway.
Eddie pulled out her two cell phones, work tablet, personal laptop, and chargers. She carried them to the table, appreciating the warmth filling the room, and plugged in her devices. She was checking power on her tablet when she glanced up at hearing Jamie, now in a gray T-shirt, jeans, and hoodie, enter the room. Shit, she thought, it wasn't just the uniform. When he'd opened the door to let her out of the diner she got a solid look at him and felt the same little tingle she was now experiencing. She'd simply chocked it up to some not-previously-tapped uniform fantasy and knew that once she got into his smelly cabin it would wane. Nope, she thought. He's actually good-looking. He'd taken off the ratty cap he was wearing and brushed out hair that was just long enough to put your fingers through. Stopstopstopstopstop. She shook her head to dismiss the thought. She was taking a break for herself; this little fantasy she was having was all about that stupid uniform and the dry spell she had mandated herself to take.
"I'm going to let the dogs in, brace yourself. They're gentle. They just don't see a lot of other people so they get really excited. If they get to be too much just let me know." He was opening a back door and took two steps down into a darkened room. After a few seconds, two little boxer-mix puppies waddled in, tripping over their own big paws, followed by an excited German Shepherd. "Hopper, sit." She heard Jamie quietly say as he walked in, carrying an old golden retriever. Impressively, the German Shepherd sat, his excited tail thumping loudly against the wall.
"Oh my God they are so cute." Eddie was sitting on the floor in front of the couch, having followed both puppies who were now wiggling in her lap. She was giggling at their gentle nips and how their wet noses kept pushing on her hands for more petting. She watched Jamie gingerly put the old retriever on the couch, and she swore the older dog rolled her eyes at the puppies.
"They are, but let me feed them or they'll pee on you." He smiled as he pulled both pups from her hands. "That's Hopper," he gestured to the Shepherd, "and that's Maxine," nodding with a little sadness to the dog now sleeping on the couch. "Maxine's deaf and has a hard time walking and she's pretty mean, but she's almost thirteen years old, so — And if I don't let you pet Hopper he's going to go crazy. But he thinks he's a pup so if you stay down there he will likely climb in your lap." He walked to the kitchen and called over his shoulder to her, "I have beer and whiskey. Or water. Want something?"
Eddie stood up and walked to Hopper who excitedly nuzzled into her as she rubbed behind his ear. "I'm usually a wine and coffee girl, but a beer sounds great. You're a good boy, huh, Hopper? You're a good, good boy. Why do they call you Hopper? You're so good."
Jamie handed her the open bottle of beer. "My niece Nicky named him. He was kicked out of the NYPD K-9 as a puppy and instead of running he hopped so she thought that was a good name for him."
"Aw. Why did they kick him out?" The Shepherd was leaning his head against her thigh as she moved to rubbing the back of his neck.
"He's too enthusiastic. He's good for me, but not police-worthy. And I better feed him, too, or he'll never leave you alone. You show him a little attention and he's gonna be on you all night." Jamie gave a simple command to Hopper who moved over to his filled bowl near the almost-empty bowl the two puppies were sharing.
Eddie quietly moved toward the couch and whispered, "Maxine." Eddie put a gentle hand at the dog's neck and slowly rubbed down to her midsection. Maxine opened one eye and closed it again with a huff. Eddie let out a little laugh at the crotchety old dog and repeated the slow rubbing motion. Maxine, eyes still closed, lifted her snout, sniffing Eddie's direction.
She didn't realize Jamie was watching her until he hesitantly said, "She wants you to pet her chin. Just, go slow. She really is mean." He tipped his head again, watching Eddie. "You have dogs?"
"No. No pets for me. Actually I never had any pets. I did always want a dog. Four, though, is a lot." She was still petting Maxine but looked at Jamie expectantly.
"Well, I took Maxine and Hopper off my parents and the puppies are just rescue puppies. Hopefully they find homes soon. You want one?" He offered hopefully.
"No, I'm afraid my life doesn't suit a puppy too much." She looked around, hoping to find something to fill in these awkward pauses. She noticed his shirt, "What do you follow? Are you a basketball guy? Or lacrosse?" She read his puzzled expression as he slightly shook his head. "Your Harvard shirt. What's your sport?" She lifted the bottle to her lips but stopped as he answered.
"I, uh, I went to school there. Undergrad and law school." He took a sip while she looked at him skeptically. "I did run cross-country and box while I was there though," he added as if that were more understandable logic.
"Ohh-kay," she said, not hiding the doubt she had in his claims of graduating from one of the most prestigious law schools in the country.
"You don't have to believe me. But my diploma..." he pointed the beer bottle to a wall behind her.
She studied him with hesitation. He just shrugged and smiled before tipping the bottle to his lips. She walked to the wall and slowly surveyed the items hanging on the wall. "Okay, I believe you." She pointed to one of the photographs of Jamie, in uniform, with several other people in suits and dresses. "Is that you with the New York City Police Commissioner? What, did you win an award or something?"
He moved beside her and pointed to each person he identified, "That was a couple of years ago at my Lieutenant promotion. That's my sister, Erin, she's an ADA in Manhattan. My brothers, both detectives, their wives. Erin's daughter, Nicky. My nephews. My grandpa, who was the Commissioner —"
"And your dad who IS the Commissioner."
"Yep." After a brief pause he said, "I bet soup is ready."
Eddie gave Maxine a small scratch on the top of her sleeping head as she followed Jamie to the kitchen. She washed her hands while he pulled out a bowl and a spoon. She rolled her eyes. God, such a bachelor, he doesn't even think to get two bowls. She opened the same cabinet he had retrieved the bowl but only saw a single plate, glass, and mug. There was no dishwasher in the primitive kitchen and no dirty dishes in the sink.
"Jamie?" He looked up from the pot he had moved to the table. "Do you only have one bowl?" He only responded with an unapologetic shrug. "What will you eat out of? The pot?"
"I ate at Colleen's. I'm not hungry."
She moved to the table and sat down in front of the bowl he left full, having returned the pot to the stove. "So you're like a real deal bachelor, huh? One plate, one cup. Probably one towel."
"Yeah, I guess." He sat across from her and folded his arms onto the table. "I do have more than one towel," he clarified.
She blew on a spoonful of the perfect broth swimming with pieces of sausage, white beans, and kale. "So what's the story with Harvard lawyer turned forest ranger? Couldn't pass the bar? No offense, I've dated two lawyers and they both had to take it twice."
He huffed out a little laugh at her presumptuous tone. "No, I passed the bar the first time," he added pointedly, "and I can practice in New York State. But when my mom was sick with cancer she talked to me about what I really wanted. She knew I never really wanted to be a lawyer. All growing up I toyed with cop or ranger. I always felt like it would be one of those two. So I worked as a lawyer for a few years, did what else I needed for this job and made the decision to go to the Academy. DEC. And I've been here ever since."
She could tell he would be happy to leave it at that but she was compelled to figure this guy out. "So why do you hang your diploma if it doesn't mean anything to you?"
"It means something," he shrugged and looked toward the wall, almost like he was trying to convince himself of that. "I guess I keep it up there because I did work hard for it. And it's the most expensive piece of paper I own."
She giggled lightly. "I bet. So at which law firm did you work?"
"Baxter Chase."
"Wow. That's a pretty nice —"
"Yeah." He gave a small nod and tight smile in recognition that he'd left a top law firm and all the material benefits of that for the far less prestigious profession of forest ranger.
"So, how's your mom?" He shook his head and kept a perfectly composed blank face. "Oh, sorry. I-"
"It's okay." He gave one of those polite smiles people give to someone who has just embarrassed herself.
They sat in silence while Eddie ate, contemplating this. She was trying to think of anyone she knew who had really followed their dreams and sacrificed the type of lifestyle Baxter Chase would offer. She was drawing a blank. This is actually making him more attractive, she thought. "That's pretty admirable. Most people wouldn't go after what they are really passionate about and leave that kind of life behind. And that your mom encouraged that is impressive. I can't imagine my parents being that way." She paused and then asked, "Your dad didn't want you to be a cop? Sounds like it's kind of a family business."
"Dad was good with whatever I wanted. I think he kind of likes it. I'm still in law enforcement but I'm out doing something different every day, stuff I love. I couldn't be cooped up in an office all day and he knows I love it out here. He kind of has a thing for Teddy Roosevelt, who loved nature or whatever. My brothers give me shit for not being a real cop and my sister wishes I lived closer, but they're pretty good with it. My sister also gets a lot of shit for being a lawyer so I can only imagine what they would have done to me if I'd stayed in private practice."
Jamie reached down and picked up the puppy with the brindle markings to break up the fight he was starting under the table with his brother who was white with dark splotchy marks. Eddie realized that she might have been staring at the absurd adorability of this sight when he said, "You want more soup?"
"Yes, please." Hopper had flopped down at her feet. Both puppies were now on the floor trying to pin Hopper's tail to the floor with their oversized and inexperienced paws while Jamie stood and took her bowl.
"So most people who recognize my dad from a picture like that work in politics or law enforcement. I can tell you're not law enforcement." He set the full bowl in front of her and gestured toward the pile of electronics stacked up on a spot at the table. "Besides teaching, what do you do?" He smiled as he picked up her empty beer bottle and carried it to the kitchen, returning with another for each of them.
"I definitely don't work in politics. And I work at SoulCycle just to keep my ass in shape and make myself wake up early." She rolled her eyes and took a bite. "I own a couple of companies involved in lifestyle trends, digital branding. I work for my dad's company, too. I do a lot there with social media and event networking."
Jamie nodded slowly while she continued to eat. He gave this wide smile she was learning indicated he had something he wanted to say but was working to put the right words together. Just as she was about to tell him to spit it out, he laughed lightly and said, "I still don't know what you do for work."
She appreciated his honesty. "I have a background in marketing so I have my fingers in a lot of pies. At my dad's company, Janko Investment Securities, I do their social media and I decide where the best places are for us to put our name to build up clients, get exposure, that kind of thing. I decide what events we go to with an official company representative. That's actually how I met your dad. My dad golfs with your dad's DCPI, Garrett. We were at an event at the University Club for the mayor and Garrett introduced me to your dad. I told him that our company's charity of choice this year is the NYPD Widow and Orphans Fund, and we were making a lot of progress with fundraising so far."
Jamie, knowing Frank Reagan's disdain for political events, tentatively asked, "And what did he say?"
Eddie sat up to her full height and lowered her voice as much as possible, "That'll be fine, Ms. Janko." She returned to her normal demeanor and giggled slightly as she continued, "Then he stared at me for like a whole minute, literally. Then he just looked at Garrett and said he was only staying ten more minutes but I think he stayed for another hour. He probably doesn't even remember it."
"I wouldn't count on that. The man remembers everything."
Eddie ate the last bite of soup and asked, "So what would you be doing if you didn't have to entertain me?"
He took her empty bowl and washed it at the sink. "Probably just watch the Jets game."
"Can we?! I assumed everyone up here was a Giants fan." She picked up her beer and unplugged her personal phone, lowering herself to the floor in front of Maxine. "They're playing the Falcons at home so I really want to see this one."
Maxine nudged Eddie with her nose. Using one hand to power up her phone, she reached behind her head with her free hand to pet the old dog's head. She readjusted and Maxine rested her snout on Eddie's shoulder and closed her eyes with another huff. Eddie turned her camera on herself and was completely melted by the dog sleeping on her shoulder. She took a selfie of her and Maxine and began posting it to her social media feeds but stopped when she realized she was being watched as Jamie, sitting on the couch at the opposite end, asked in confusion, "What are you doing?"
"I'm posting a picture with Maxine. Is that okay? I can tag you. What's your handle?"
He looked back at the TV. "Is that like Instagram or something? I don't do any of that. But, yeah, you can post it or whatever it's called."
"You don't do any social media? I can set you up. It's super easy, give me your phone."
"I don't think it works on my phone," he said absently, trying to separate the two puppies who were now tumbling at his feet, each one occasionally distracted by chewing on the shoelaces of his boots.
She rolled her eyes and held out her hand. "Come on. I do this for a living just give it to me and I'll figure it out."
He returned the eye roll which was intended for her as much as the puppies. Pulling the phone from his jeans pocket he handed it to her, simultaneously lowering himself to the floor so that he could wrangle the puppies, tucking his beer on the floor beside hers.
"Whoa! I didn't know they make these any more. Can you even get internet on this thing?" she asked as she was genuinely taken by his old flip phone. They both watched the game silently until a commercial came on and she began again, "It must be a bitch to text with this thing, huh?"
"You sound like my boss. And my niece and nephews." He shook his head but smiled. "They are the only reason I know Instagram or any of that exists."
"So are you, like, against, technology? No microwave, this old ass phone." She handed the phone back to him, acknowledging with a shrug that she couldn't, in fact, set him up on social media.
"No, I'm not against technology." His embarrassed smile fell as he became more serious saying, "I just value privacy. My niece twitters —"
"Tweets. She tweets on Twitter."
"Okay, so she does that about everything she thinks or does or eats. My nephews are almost as bad. Last time I took the three of them out they took a picture of their food, the movie, a wall. Us, just while we were sitting at the table. Sean does this stuff that's like a video that adds weird voices and hats and shit." He was shaking his head in complete disbelief.
"Those are filters. Probably Instagram or Snapchat. Or both." She opened Instagram on her phone and showed him the picture she had posted of her and Maxine. "Come on. Look at how cute your dog is. Everyone should see that. Dogs of Instagram was made for moments like this."
Jamie looked at the picture of Eddie and Maxine, trying not to linger too long on Eddie's face perfectly relaxed against Maxine, who usually hated everyone, before he looked back at the TV. "Well, she is cute. But. I still don't get it." He paused for a minute and then started again, "If it were to preserve the memory that would be one thing but they don't. They just take pictures of stuff solely to post on social media. And they're always talking about followers and how many likes they have. I don't get it."
"My lifestyle company is pretty into that. We just hit 400,000 followers on Instagram and my friend Van, he's also my business partner, he is obsessed with getting to 500,000."
Jamie's mouth slightly fell open and his eyebrows knitted together in disbelief. "400,000 people are going to see that picture of my dog and you and care about it?"
The game had resumed and Eddie's attention was focused there. She absentmindedly said, "No, I just posted it on my personal stuff so only like 150,000. Damn, it's Atlanta's ball." She briefly looked away from the TV and saw him watching her, still in disbelief. "Well that's just followers. Some people don't even pay attention once they follow you." She reached over her shoulder to resume rubbing Maxine's head. "Quit looking at me like that. You know, you're actually the weird one here. Everybody has social media. Besides, really, you're just getting everyone's highlight reel so privacy is up to the person. What they want you to see, how they want you to see it." Despite his dismissive head shake, she continued. "But it can be a good thing. I mean, how do you keep up with your niece and nephews?"
"I make them talk to me on the phone."
"What?! Nobody talks on the phone anymore."
"I do. And I'm their favorite uncle so..." God, there he goes with that smile, Eddie thought, watching him stand up. "I'm going to feed Maxine now that these two are sleeping." He carried Maxine into the other room and Eddie heard him teasingly admonish her when he returned. "You're hopeless."
He returned to see Eddie leaning forward on her knees, taking pictures of the two puppies wrapped together in a snoring adorable tangle.
"I bet I can find you a home for them," she shot back over her shoulder, settling back to her position leaning against the couch.
He lowered himself to the floor beside her, despite the puppies no longer needing his interference, and handed her another beer as he stretched his legs in front of him. "You do that and I'll owe you more than beer and soup."
"Tell me more about these cuties."
"Uh, not much to tell. My buddy owns a production company, AeroShots, and they go down to the Islands to raise awareness after hurricanes and natural disasters. They're always picking up pups and I take whatever the bigger rescue camps can't take." Jamie glanced at Eddie who was typing away on her phone in deep concentration. "I just want them to go to a good home, ya' know? Nice family, maybe with kids, a yard."
The sentimentality in his tone caught her attention. She made a couple of edits to her adoption summary and handed him the phone. "Approve?"
She studied him as his eyes swept over what she'd written, pleased when he handed the phone back to her with a genuine, "That's really good. Thanks."
"Well," she shrugged lightly and confidently raised her eyebrows, "I usually charge for this kind of thing, but this one's on the house. Next time you'll have to pay with more than beer and soup." She typed in a few more edits, searched a couple of applicable hashtags, tagging AeroShots. "So, how often are you in the city? Just, like, if someone there wants to adopt and you need to bring them in?" She hoped her casual tone sounded more convincing then it felt.
"I go in about once a month, some holidays. My family eats dinner together every Sunday at my dad's house in Bay Ridge so as long as I'm there once a month they stay pretty happy."
"And other than that you just live up here like a lonely bachelor?"
"Yeah. Well, my nephews come up some. That's the only reason I spent a small fortune to install internet. But they don't come up as much now. They're older and have sports and girlfriends," he shrugged and took a sip of beer.
"No girlfriend for you?" She'd been dying to figure this out and she let the question tumble out as soon as she saw her feeble opportunity to seize.
His eyes only briefly left the TV as he glanced at her before he said, "No. No girlfriend." As she studied him, Eddie pulled her knees up to her chest and let her phone fall into her lap, narrowing her eyes his direction. He glanced at her again ever so briefly and blew out a little exasperated laugh, "What?"
"Ex-wife?" He just shook his head and did that infuriatingly cute habit she'd picked up on where he hid a little smile behind sipping on his beer. "Boyfriend?" Another head shake while he watched the game. She spent a moment appreciating that his demeanor didn't change when she asked that. "I'm beginning to return to my original serial killer theory."
He turned slightly toward her. He exhaled a long breath and finally spoke, "I was almost engaged. Sydney and I met in college and we ended up wanting really different things. I used the sign-on bonus from Baxter Chase to buy and remodel this place and that was probably the beginning of the end. She hated it here, she couldn't stand the quiet. When I moved up here permanently she stayed in the city. So we tried to make it work and then she went to London for six months. She came back, we tried to see each other a few times, but the travel from here to the city was..." he shook his head and paused. He shrugged and continued, "So we just officially ended it and I decided —"
"That long-distance doesn't work." He slowly nodded and looked at her. She considered how he approached her earlier at McGuire's Diner. "So Colleen hasn't tried to set you up with anyone?"
"Oh, Colleen's tried. She hasn't, well, in all fairness, she hasn't found the right girl for me. I work a lot. I guess I've gotten used to being alone and I don't do well with baggage and drama. So, yeah, she's tried. Plenty of nice girls, just not for me."
"Honestly, is that what this thing was?" She gestured between the two of them. "Was she trying to make a love connection?"
"There's no telling what this thing was," he lied.
She weighed for a minute how much she wanted to push him. She knew he knew Connie's motives, but he was easy to talk to and seemed to be a genuinely nice guy. There was no need to resort to her typical MO of breaking a guy down as early as possible for self-preservation when she was never going to see him after tonight. Keep telling yourself that, girlfriend. That wasn't the first time that night she had the fight the urge to want to see him beyond tonight. "Well, it was lucky for me. Good beer, good food —"
"Good company," he was watching the screen but smiled proudly at his own comment.
She shrugged, "Decent company. Maxine was sweet though."
"Ouch," he said softly with feigned hurt. The game was winding into the last couple of minutes and they were watching intently. "Okay," he began as soon as a commercial came on, "your turn." Eddie shook her head, not understanding. "Boyfriend? Ex-husband? Ex-wife?"
"Oh," she smiled in understanding. "No, none of the above. I'm, uh, I'm taking some me-time. I'm not dating anyone for a while." She pursed her lips and nodded slowly. "I haven't been in a serious relationship since," she looked into the air for an answer, "college? And that wasn't a serious adult relationship. No almost engagement, even." She playfully nudged his shoulder with that one. "I think I need to just work on me for a while. So." They were both looking at each other equally aware of how close they were sitting, shoulders occasionally brushing. "If Colleen was playing matchmaker..."
Jamie picked up where she trailed off, "She picked the two most unavailable people in the state."
"Yep."
"Yep."
Eddie could feel her heart pounding hard as they stared at each other during their whispered response, both nodding in slow acknowledgement. He was looking at her with a heated intensity that made her stomach tighten. She licked her lips nervously and ran a hand through her hair, no longer concerned about the expensive blowout she had paid exorbitantly at the resort salon. Eddie took a breath telling herself this is some guy, some stupid guy, who cares if you have a little makeout with some stupid guy. She was just about to lean into him when she yelped at the phone that suddenly rang from her lap. They both pulled back breathing out embarrassed nervous giggles and she scrambled to her feet, walking into the kitchen to take the call. "Hello?"
Upon reentering the living room, she saw that Maxine was sitting on the middle of the couch, head resting on Jamie's thigh where he was firmly planted at one end with an open space for her at the other end. I get the hint, Romeo. "Chaperone?" she asked him pointedly with a teasing smirk as she sat down and began to slowly pet Maxine from neck to rump in a steady rhythm.
He attempted to ignore her point by gesturing to the TV, "Atlanta won." She was keenly aware that he glanced her way a little too long, a little too interested.
"Ah. It's hard to be a Jets fan." She held up her phone. "That was my best friend, Vance. He was wondering if I was home yet. He's worried you're a serial killer." She cut her eyes at Jamie.
"He didn't go up to Bearclaw with you?"
"No, I go away on a girls' trip once a year with five of my sorority sisters. We try someplace new every year. It's really nice there. The food was so good and the views were like a postcard. But some of the people were a little, I don't know, uptight?"
"That's not your typical scene?"
"Well," she took the last long sip of her beer as she considered his question. "I guess it is, I just never really feel like I fit into it. I actually like the grind and hustle of the work, but I'm not used to the showing off. I still get surprised how snotty people can be who have money. It just makes me tired how it's all about having the latest just to say you have it." As if the thought exhausted her so much, Eddie dropped her head against the back of the couch and closed her eyes, lost in the comforting rhythm of petting the dog.
"Says the girl waiting on her Porsche to get towed back to the city. I can't imagine how much that's going to cost."
Eddie lazily rolled her head his direction and barely opened her eyes. "I told you that it's my dad's car. Ugh. When I say that out loud I sound so fucking spoiled." She looked at her watch and yawned. "I have to be up at 4:30 to teach. I'm going to get, like two hours of sleep."
"You can always sleep on the way home."
"Yeah, no. I don't sleep in front of strangers like that. I don't get how people sleep on the train. Besides what if the tow truck driver is the serial killer?" she asked after another yawn. She watched Jamie pick up one sleeping puppy and both empty beer bottles and head to the kitchen.
He returned and picked up the other puppy, presumably to put him to bed, as Eddie mumbled that she was going to close her eyes for just a couple of minutes.
XX
"Eddie. Eddie," Jamie repeated louder, shaking her knee. She opened her eyes and looked around the room, bringing her hands to her face.
She blinked a few times to focus on Jamie. "Did I fall asleep?" she thickly mumbled.
"Yeah," he was instinctively still speaking quietly, having been tiptoeing around for the last hour. "The tow truck called your phone but you wouldn't wake up to answer so I did. They're about twenty minutes out."
"M'kay," she was still holding onto the quilt he had draped over her while she slept. After a minute she bitterly muttered, "I guess I should get up." She stood, eyes still half-closed, she stretched her neck, her arms, swan dove down to her feet and didn't miss a beat as she rubbed Hopper, who had taken up residence on Eddie's feet while she slept, behind the ears. "Where's Maxine? Can I see her before I go?"
"Uh, sure. She's out back in the sunroom." Eddie followed him through the back door and down two steps into a large sunroom. She blinked heavily as her eyes adjusted to the light as she sat on the floor and lowered her head down to the old dog. Maxine lifted her head and, eyes closed, pushed her forehead against Eddie's in a lovingly submissive gesture.
Jamie's mind flickered to the electric charge he felt earlier when they were sitting on the floor beside each other like a couple of teenagers. Remembering how his abs tightened and his breathing sped up in a way that he hadn't fell in a really long time, as all he could think about was moving in to kiss her. He hadn't missed, in that same moment, how her eyes, glittering and sparkly blue when she had been teasing him earlier, possessed a soft smokiness as she slowly leaned closer to him and he knew he wasn't going to stop her. God, she smelled good. And she had this habit that he was pretty sure she was unaware of, where she lightly bit her bottom lip when she was a little nervous and he couldn't stop himself from staring at her mouth every single time. Earlier, while Eddie had been asleep on his couch, he had paced the sunroom, thinking about that minute right before her friend called. Jamie certainly believed in divine intervention and his pacing was an attempt to convince himself that was what had stopped him from kissing her. He told himself that when she woke up he would not think, in any way, about that moment. Now as he sat watching her he knew that was a hopeless cause.
Catching his look, she gave Maxine one final rub and stood, saying, "I should get my stuff together."
As they walked down the steps of Jamie's cabin, she headed toward the truck, but stopped when Jamie said, "This way. We're gonna take my car this time." She rerouted her course and followed him to the Mustang parked by the shed near the cabin.
She made a low whistle under her breath, "Now who's talking about a sweet ride?" She lowered herself into the car, which had a new leather smell and tightness, that she had to speculate meant that it wasn't driven as often as a car like this should be.
They were making their way out of his long driveway and onto the long gravel road to the main highway, occasionally slowing or braking for skittish deer. Eddie and Jamie had started talking easily about baseball once they realized they were both Mets fans. At seven miles distance, it took just over ten minutes to get to Colleen's diner.
"What the hell?" Jamie asked more to himself than to Eddie, cutting off her assessment of Jose Reyes, as they pulled in to the parking lot. The diner was still lit inside and out with three familiar cars parked in front. They both noticed as the tow truck pull in behind them.
"What is it?" She bent her head just as he did, craning her neck to look into the diner, trying to figure out what had his eyebrows knit and the grimace now on his face. She recognized Colleen and two other women sitting at a table. "Guess she never went to bridge?"
Jamie shook his head and good-naturedly groaned, "You were right. Colleen was definitely playing matchmaker."
"Wanna go make out in front of the window?" She winked and smiled playfully in his direction.
He hissed out a short laugh, "Watch out, she'll have us married next week." He glanced to the driver ambling their way from the tow truck. "You go deal with this guy. I'll go in and get some coffee." He leaned toward her and conspiratorially whispered, "And I bet I can squeeze her for another piece of pie for you."
She dramatically raised her eyebrows and inhaled deeply. "You would do that for me?" She said as she exited the car, glancing over her shoulder at the smile he was sending her way as he walked toward the diner.
Colleen, her daughter, Meara, and Margaret Dutton were already out of the booth they had been occupying all evening while they gossiped, played cards, and slowly sipped wine. It was Margaret who approached Jamie first, greeting him with a hug that he returned while commenting, "Mayor Dutton, I thought bridge was at your house tonight?" He gave her a skeptical look while she and Colleen gently shook their heads at each other in mutual agreement to stay silent. Meara's light hug was met with a look of faux admonishment. "You, too, Mear? I thought I could count on you to keep these two out of my love life?"
She laughed gently, "Jamie, I'm weak! And we had to see her for ourselves so we canceled bridge and camped out here. Want a drink? Something to eat?" Almost instinctually she moved behind the counter and tied on the same waist apron she wore every morning.
He sat on a stool and leaned forward on his forearms, clasping his hands casually. "You have any of that chocolate rum pie of yours left?"
A proud grin spread on her face, "I heard Mom got her with my pie earlier. Coffee, too?" They both, along with Colleen and Margaret, looked toward the door as the bell jingled. Eddie stood in the threshold for a brief moment, an almost undetectable smirk on her lips as she surveyed the room.
She offered a nod in greeting to Margaret and Colleen as she crossed the small diner to sit beside Jamie. "Hi," she said toward Meara, before turning to Jamie with, "Fifteen minutes." They both held a look that said — something. Fifteen minutes and you'll never see me again. Fifteen minutes to make your move. Fifteen minutes to soak up whatever this is.
Margaret and Colleen made their way behind the counter. Meara introduced herself to Eddie and explained she was making coffee and bringing out pie, despite Eddie's token protests. "Here we go," Jamie prepared her, leaning in and just whispering in Eddie's direction.
"Hon, I'm so glad Jamie got you taken care of. Damn'st thing, bridge got canceled. Not enough girls showed up. So, we decided to break out some Rosé, play some cards. You understand?" Colleen was just slightly tipsy, enough that she was reaching under the bar for five small juice glasses and the bottle of Irish whiskey everyone knew she hid underneath for special occasions.
Mayor Dutton extended a hand across the bar and in her raspy voice said, "I'm Margaret, the Mayor. Mayor Dutton. You call me Margaret. Jamie will only call me Mayor Dutton so I try to remember to call him Lieutenant Reagan, but you know —"
She was interrupted by Colleen placing glasses in front of each of them, pouring generously, and, as she poured Jamie's winked in his direction and stage whispered, "Irish courage."
Eddie dipped her head and started giggling, intensified only as Meara cheerily returned with two plates of pie but then stopped short with, "Oh, Ma," under her breath when she saw her mother pouring for all five of them. She shook her head in admonishment and mouthed her apologies in Jamie's direction.
"Can I have an ice cube for mine?" Eddie asked sweetly in an attempt to recover from her giggle fit.
"Mine, too!" Margaret called to Colleen who was moving to fulfill Eddie's request. "Ah!" she inhaled enthusiastically. "I love this song! At laaaast, my looove has come alooong. My lonely days are ooover – Col, let's have a seat – At laaaaast the skies above are bluuue..." Colleen and Margaret swayed back to the table, glasses in hand, proudly singing off-key.
Meara offered an apologetic smile as she placed two cups of coffee and cold cream in front of Jamie and Eddie, who then made silent work of pouring, opening packets, stirring. Eddie held a tight smirk, exchanging glances and small head shakes with Jamie. "I'll leave you two," Meara encouraged, "alone." She carried her own glass of whiskey and returned to the booth her mother and Margaret were holding.
Eddie was subconsciously humming along to the Etta James tune when she interrupted herself to murmur to Jamie, "Hey, you can go. You don't have to stay if you don't want."
He let out a little laugh and then sipped his coffee pensively. "I'm not leaving you alone with these three. Then you'll never get out of town."
"You want me to get out of town?" Neither of them missed her flirtatious tone and slightly raised eyebrows as she looked at him over the juice glass, taking a slow sip.
Jamie slowly wiped his hand over his mouth and chin, not as quick as she was to come up with subtle innuendo. Again, everyone in the diner turned toward the door as the bell overhead jingled. "We'll go soon. I'm gonna hit the head," the driver mumbled as he moved to the back of the diner.
"Some fifteen minutes." Eddie mumbled before she shoved the last two bites in her mouth. Meara swiftly moved behind the counter and asked if Eddie wanted coffee to go. She nodded and quietly said to Jamie, "I'll be right back," and she quickly slid off the stool, making her way to the bathroom.
When she returned, Jamie was standing outside the diner. She took quick stock of him, hands shoved in the pockets of the leather jacket he wore over that zipped up hoodie, bouncing lightly to keep warm.
Eddie moved to the counter where Meara had a paper cup of coffee with a lid waiting for her. She shook hands with Mayor Dutton and gave an awkward hug to Colleen as she half-stood from her seat in the booth. She thanked them and then made her way out of the small diner.
"Well, I'm out of your way," she said to Jamie as she walked toward him. "Thanks again." She held up the coffee in an awkward toasting gesture.
"Hey, um, give me a call when you make it home, okay?" He glanced at the driver who had just entered the tow truck.
She raised a single eyebrow and coyly held his gaze for a moment before she said in a low voice, "If you wanted my number, Lieutenant Reagan, you could've just asked me for it?"
He huffed out a single embarrassed laugh as he glanced at the truck and back at her, "Fine. But if HE is the serial killer with a cabin in the woods then I'm the one who's going to head up the search and rescue and you'll have to see me again —"
She almost couldn't stand the playfulness in his tone so she was gruffer than intended as she said, "Give me your phone." When he did she opened it and began to tease him as she typed, "My God. It would have been quicker to write it. This is taking forever. Reagan you should really get a new phone." As he reached for it she pulled the phone toward her, still typing, "I'm texting myself from this number. That way I will have it to call you and let you know I'm safe and you will have a note to remember who I am." She snapped the phone shut and handed it back to him saying, "Okay. So I'll call you." She patted his lapel with her free hand and rested there for a brief pause. "Talk to you later."
Jamie felt immune to the dropping temperature as he watched her walk to the tow truck.
XX
Monday, October 31, 2016 2:17AM
Jamie shook awake at his phone buzzing from somewhere underneath him. "'ello," he said thickly as he answered. After the number of search and rescues he had done, he had trained himself to sleep in fifteen minute increments when necessary. He had put this into practice when he returned home from the diner, chastising himself for the need he felt to have Eddie call him and ensure him she was fine.
"Hey," she whispered, "sorry I woke you."
He sat up on the couch and glanced at his watch. "No, um, you home?"
"Yeah. It took a bit, but I'm home. He wasn't a serial killer after all." They both laughed lightly. "You wanted me to call. So. Thanks again."
He rubbed his eyes and sat up straighter, remembering her earlier message. "Yeah. No problem." He took a steady breath, remembering her eagerly texting something on his phone, more than a number, and how he wanted to know what she typed. "So, apparently I sent you this text earlier, I mean it came from my phone, that suggested I get a drink with the hot blonde girl I hung out with tonight-"
"Was that me?!" She eagerly whispered. She was slowly climbing into bed, exhausted and cold from the frigid air.
She could hear the smile in his tone as he said, "Yeah, it was." A silent pause hung.
It could be infuriating and intoxicating how forward and then how passive she could turn the conversation. "I'll be in town this weekend," Jamie said it before he knew the words were tumbling out. He had just been to Brooklyn, telling his family not to expect him until Thanksgiving. He was certainly going to get grilled for showing up so soon again, but he realized he didn't care. Settling deep in his gut was a need to see her again.
"Okay, then, I'll text you."
"Call me. I don't text." She chuckled quietly in response. "Goodnight, Eddie."
"Goodnight, Lieutenant Reagan."
