The little hairs on the back of Janet's neck stood on end the second he walked in. It was as if they knew the familiar footfalls of his boots on the hard wood floor of the bar. With her back still turned to the patrons' side, she closed her eyes for a minute to relive the previous night.

"Maybe some time you wanna come on out, meet Ernesto the singing koala bear who lives in my attic?" he smiled sheepishly. He looked almost vulnerable, which was such an odd sight. Eddie was about the most confident guy she knew. Something… something about the way he asked her made her feel like this was different. For him too.

Still. She wanted to be sure.

"Are you asking me out Eddie?"

That look again. He shuffled his feet awkwardly and didn't meet her gaze, "I dunno… I guess?"

She felt her heart physically sink and the smile on her face dim. What was going on here? This was Eddie Latekka! He doesn't get nervous when he asks a girl out, and he certainly doesn't get nervous asking a girl like her out. In fact, he doesn't ask girls like her out, period. She wanted to ask him if he was kidding but before she could, he added, "Just…just think about it," with a shy smile.

She said the only words that required minimal brain function to articulate, "Tell you what… I'll think about it."

Now, she opened her eyes and they blurred slightly. She didn't realise they'd been closed that long. She felt a presence next to her and looked over her shoulder to see Sully standing here his hands on his hips, "What's going on? Are you okay?" It was more of a demand.

"Yeah, fine," she replied. This was ridiculous. She was way over thinking this. He drank so much the previous night he would barely remember the whole thing anyway.

She turned on her heel and came face to face with Eddie, who seemed quite comfortably perched on the bar stool by the taps and he looked like he'd been watching her for some time. She smiled nervously, "Hey Eddie, what goes on?"

"Nothin'," he said casually, though his stare was anything but casual. He was studying her.

"What can I get ya?"

"I just thought I'd come by and say you know, hi, but I didn't realise lunch is the busiest part of your day," he replied.

"Oh, okay," she wasn't paying any attention to what he said, "I'll get you that draft." She spun around and slammed right into a server holding a tray of empty dishes. She instinctively tried to steady the girl but instead got pulled down with her and landed flat on her back, the server and the dishes on top of her.

"Oh!" Eddie jumped up in alarm and ran around the counter to help them up. First peeling the server, who Janet noticed was only too happy to be lifted by big strong Eddie Latekka, Eddie then set to work on the dishes blanketing Janet. "Are you alright?" he asked, his eyes worried.

"Yep fine," she said, sure she was now blushing like a tomato. She tried to sit up when Eddie extended his hand, "Here, let me give you a hand."

"Nope, nope that's okay," she insisted, finally sitting upright, "I'm afraid if I took your hand you might be the next one on top of me," she joked and then her eyes widened, "Not that I'm thinking about you being…"

Eddie grinned, "That doesn't sound so bad," he joked back and Janet turned a deeper shade of red, "But I'd feel a lot better about it after you agree to go out with me," he eyed her comically, "and ideally there was less spaghetti sauce involved."

Janet swatted his arm, "Stop it," she relented and stretched out her arm, "Okay fine help me up."

Eddie effortlessly yanked on her arm and she was on her feet within seconds, "Anything hurt? Broken? Bruised?"

"You mean apart from my ego, no," she said rubbing her rear.

He grinned, "It'll heal," he shrugged and took his spot by the taps again, "So? Did you think about it?" he eyed Janet carefully.

She winced in pain and rotated her hips, "Think about what?" she looked at him and the wince was gone, "Oh, the date. Uh, you know you don't have to go through with it," she waved, "I get it. You had a few too many and you just struck out with the brunette… I totally understand if you want to rethink the whole think. No harm, no fowl."

Eddie drooped his head and then gazed up at her, "I see."

"Yeah, I mean I know I do all kinds of crazy things when I'm drunk so…"

"Except I wasn't drunk," he interrupted.

"What're you talking about?"

"I came in here and spotted Aubrey 30 seconds into my first draft. We talked a little and we left to see Ernesto. That's it." Eddie paused as he watched it dawn on Janet, "Janet I asked you out because we get along really well. We laugh at the same stuff, we hang out a lot and…", there was that shyness again. It was starting to grow on her, "I think you're pretty great, is all."

"Oh." Janet said lost for words, "I thought that maybe… maybe 'different' to you meant a different waistline."

Eddie frowned, "Well it didn't. C'mon now. Say yes."

Yes, to what?

"Yes, to what?" she asked aloud.

"Say you'll go out with me!" he shouted exasperatedly. A few patrons turned in alarm and once they worked out what'd been going on, their surprise turned into knowing smiles.

"Yeah okay," she shrugged but the corners of her mouth tugged into a smile she couldn't hide.

"Okay?" he made a face, "Okay is what you say if I offer you a stick of gum."

She laughed, "Cool your jets, I'm saying yes under caution. I still have my reservations about this."

"Why?"

"Why? Because you're Eddie freakin' Latekka, that's why!"

"And you're Janet Meadows, big whoop," he replied.

"Yes, and the two names don't exactly go together in a conversation about dating."

"Until now," he winked tossing a peanut into his mouth.

Janet kicked herself for gawking. She shook her head and snorted. Incredible. One man's ability to make the most trivial gesture look provocative.

"Friday night at 7. I'll come by your place and pick you up," he said as he shucked on his jacket and sauntered out the door.