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Chapter 2: Gesture, of the grand persuasion.
Janet sat at Hannah's table drinking coffee and telling her the whole story.
"So where did this take charge Janet come from? I love you to death but you're not exactly known for being...forward."
"And with Eddie Latekka for crying out loud! I mean come on Eddie Latekka is the guy that every girl in the ridge wanted to be with in high school, and i hate to say it but the line for the Eddie train hasn't really shortened over the years." Janet said matter o' factly.
"Janet, who cares how many girls want to be with Eddie? From where I'm sitting he's standing in line for you."
"I don't know about that. Sure in a empty bar he wants me but about when its full of people? He was embarrassed to take me to that party Hannah, what is gonna stop him for feeling that way again?"
"Well I guess we will just have to wait and see what that grand gesture is."
"If there is one" Janet said sadly. "Well thanks for the coffee but I got to get to Sully's."
"Alright, i'll see you later. Girls night tonight!" Hannah said while doing a little dance.
Janet laughed and joined in. "Girls night for sure is what I need. Meet me at Sully's 9pm, I should be off by then. Gotta love working doubles."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~SULLY'S TAVERN~*~~*~*~*~**~*~~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*
Janet's day had gone pretty much as it usually did. She filled the salt and pepper shakers, sanitized the keg lines for the draft beer, and waited on several regular customers. She was busting one of the booth tables when she saw Eddie's truck pull up through the window. "Oh God" Janet whispered to herself.. She kept her back to the door on purpose and continued to grabbed the empty glasses off the table. She walked behind the bar with the dirty glasses and dropped them off in the kitchen. When she walked back out Eddie was leaning against the bar.
"Hey Janet."
"Eddie, you drinking?" Janet asked casually.
"No, still on the clock."
"Menu?"
"No, I'm not eating." Eddie leaned closer to Janet from across the bar. "I just wanted to see you actually. Can I tell ya something?"Janet nodded her head urging him on. "I was laying in bed last night after I saw you and I wished you were with me. And I know what you're thinking, but it wasn't sexual. I just wanted you to lay next to me. I literally fantasized about what it would be like to cuddle with you. And then it hit me that I don't even like to cuddle, but with you I just know it would be different. Janet, I really like you."
Janet took a deep breath and sighed. "Eddie, I do-"
"Don't say anything. I just wanted to let you know that I think about you all the time, and I know whatever this is between us is good. I can feel it in my gut."
"Eddie about last night, well I don't know what got into me. I guess one to many shots of Grey Goose will make a girl frisky."
Eddie shot her a strange look. "Janet, don't deflect me. Trust me when I say I have feelings for you. And I like that you were all frisky last night, it was very sexy." Janet blushed and shook her head.
"I'm sweet or cute, but I'm not sexy." Janet said quickly.
Eddie ran a finger down the side of her face gently as he spoke. "You are sweet and cute, but trust me you are very sexy Janet Meadows."
"You seem to want me to trust you alot today." Janet muttered out.
Eddie smirked. "Yeah well I just hope by the end of the day you'll believe me. I gotta get back to the office. What time do you get off?"
"Like 9, but Hannah is meeting me here for girls night."
"So you'll be here? With Hannah at 9?"
"Thats exactly what I just said Latekka." Janet said as she rolled her eyes.
Eddie's smile broke out into a full blown grin and nodded his head. "What can I say its hard to think when you're standing so close to me. Well I better get back to the shop, those windows aren't gonna install themselves." Eddie leaned over the bar and placed a sweet and chaste kiss on Janet's lips. After they pulled apart he slipped his hand into the inside of his jacket, pulling out a single red rose. Handing it to her. "For you."
Janet couldn't help the blush that spread across her face, or the huge smile that followed shortly after. "Thank you. You're a suave guy for pulling it outta nowhere like that." Janet said after she smelt the single rose.
Eddie shrugged his shoulders and winked at her. "I do what I can." He awkwardly leaned over the bar again and kissed her on more time before turning and walking out of the bar. Janet bit her lip to stop the scream of joy for escaping her lips as she did her 'happy dance'. She was spinning around in a circle when Eddie popped his head back in the door. "Are you twirling?"
"Umm..no, there was a horse fly. It was huge and I thought it might be a bee or a wasp or a hornet maybe and I was just, umm...just...trying to kill it. Did you need something?" She stuttered out.
"Just that I have 11 more roses for you, and I was hoping to catch ya in a twirl." He walked the few feet to the bar and handed Janet the rest of the roses. "Can I get another twirl?" He asked teasingly. Janet glanced down at the beautiful blood red roses and smiled.
"I don't twirl, Latekka."
"Sure you don't." Eddie smiled and walked backwards towards the door. When his back hit the door gently he waved and turned to leave. Janet walked to the window and saw him get in his truck and waited until he drove off before she began dancing again.
~*~*~*~**~*~*~~**~*~*~*LATER THAT NIGHT~*~*~*~**~*~*~**~*~*~*~
Janet and Hannah were sitting in a back booth around ten o'clock when Eddie walked in.
"Janet, he's here." Hannah whispered to Janet from across the table. "Headed this way."
"Fuck, how's my hair?" Janet asked quickly, fighting the urge to turn around.
"Great, you look great." Hannah said reassuringly. "Okay breath, he'll be here in 5,4,3,2...Eddie, what goes on?" Hannah asked.
"Just wanted to grab a beer and maybe steal Janet away from you for a few." Eddie said sheepishly.
"You know I have an early day tomorrow, so I'm actually gonna head out. She is all yours."
Janet's eyes got huge. "What? Hannah its girls night out. Its only ten." Janet plead.
"You're in good hands." With that Hannah grabbed her purse and walked out of the bar. Janet glanced at Eddie and noticed her was moving to sit down next to her. Despite herself she scooted over so he could sit beside her.
"You look great." Eddie said as he took a sip of his draft beer.
"Thanks, and thank you for the roses. They are really beautiful."
Eddie shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, "Beautiful women deserve beautiful flowers."
"Right." Janet said and she readjusted her top.
"So, Ive been thinking about what you said and I want to do this right. I really want to do this right."
"Do what right?"
"Us." Eddie said as he gestured between the two of them. "And I was thinking of how I could rock the stadium of your heart and I gotta be honest, I have no idea how to do that."
"You want to rock the stadium of my heart?" Janet asked
"Well yeah, I promised you a grand gesture. The problem is Ive never done this sort of thing before."
"Look, I know I said a lot of things about your making a big hoorah gesture but like I said this morning I was kinda drunk and it just seems stupid of me to make such a big deal about it." Janet began moving her hands around as she continued to talk. " I mean you made a mistake and you've said you were sorry and who am I to be demanding some huge stadium rocking gesture. We aren't even a couple, I'm not the first woman on the planet to be stood up, won't be the last. Its no biggy."
Eddie grabbed her hands and held them in his much larger ones. "Janet, I am so sorry but you're wrong."
"I am?" Janet asked confused. "What am I wrong about?"
"It is a big deal and I feel like this huge jackass for hurting you. So firstly would you like to be a couple?"
"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?"
"Yeah."
"Okay."
"Yeah? Awesome. Secondly would you please come to my place so I can show you something?"
Janet smiled and nodded. "Am I finally gonna meet Ralph?" Eddie just threw his head back and laughed.
TBC...