Chapter 2

Hannah called to reschedule their talk for after work. She asked Janet if they could meet at her place so they could have privacy. Janet agreed, albeit reluctantly since what she really wanted to do was have Eddie over for some hot butt-naked-we-haven't-seen-each-other-all-day-sex. Hannah really sounded like she was in a bad way and could use a friend. Janet sucked it up and told herself she would have a lifetime with Eddie. One evening apart wouldn't kill her.

Once at work, Janet waited for someone, anyone to notice her ring. It took Karen (who had been dating Carter Bump hot and heavy for months now) all of 10 minutes to notice the new sparkle on her hand. From halfway across the bar, Karen screamed out "OH-MY-GOD-IS-THAT-A-RING????" all in one breathe. Janet smiled and laughed.

"Uh, yeah."

"Eddie? Proposed?? Janet, Oh my goodness, congratulations. I am so happy for you! You two are so awesome together. I really can see the love and the attraction simmering between you two whenever you are in the same room. It's like got a life-force of it's own! I…. wow Janet, just WOW! I want details, all of them!" Janet and Karen looked around and decided that their customers were all taken care of for the time being. They sat down and Janet proceeded to tell her the whole story. About Stacy showing up, being in Eddie's room, the hurtful things they said to each other, the short "break-up" and the even faster make-up, everything. Once she was done, Karen was misty-eyed. She congratulated Janet again and got up to work. Janet was surprised at herself. She felt a little sad that Hannah wasn't the first person she told, or the first person that she wanted to tell. It was like, even though they were trying, they just had this wall between them that they couldn't seem to get around.

Later in her shift, Eddie walked in the door of Sully's. He had a bright smile on his face, the smile that was just for her. Karen smiled at him as he walked past her and said congratulations. Sully came over to him, before Janet could make it to his usual spot and gave him a draft on the house. He slapped him on the back and told him he was proud of him. Eddie smiled, beamed was more like it. When Janet finally made it over to him he said to her…

"You know, you told me once that I would do something worthwhile. Apparently I have in choosing you!" He bent down to kiss her, a nice long slow kiss that made her lose all sense of time and place.

"Wow Mr Latekka, you might just get us arrested you keep doing things like that in public. I can't be held responsible for how I react. In fact, " she lowered her voice so only he could hear, "I think it's time for a break, meet me out back by my car." She winked at him, and bustled out the back. Eddie tried to hide his grin, but he just couldn't do it. He headed out the front door and around the back so fast, he almost broke a sweat!

Janet was standing next to her car. Eddie couldn't believe once again his luck. His heart still thumped extra hard in anticipation of seeing her.

"Now, where were we?" She grabbed his jacket front and started kissing him in earnest. His arms went around her waist and halfway lifted her body till she was sitting on the hood of her car. He then pulled her closer till her legs had no where to go except around his waist. He sighed and wished to hell they were someplace more private. Slowing them down he whispered her name, as he feathered kisses down her nose and around to the nape of her neck.

"Mmmmm. Don't stop…"

"We better stop or else we might actually get arrested for public indecency."

"Fine. Spoilsport!" Eddie laughed, because that is what he always seemed to be doing when Janet was around.

"So, what say I come by your place tonight and we can pick up where we left off."

"Sorry Eddie, I told Hannah she could come by tonight. She sounded really horrible and like she really needed me. So I said yes."

"Tonight? Oooh. I mean, is she gonna be there long?"

"I don't know. I think…" Janet hesitated. She hadn't told Eddie about the Gavin Goddard not being Sam's father conversation. Hannah had sworn her to secrecy and she just couldn't be sure if it was okay to tell Eddie. But, they were engaged now and there should be no secrets between them. "I think she has been struggling about what to do about Ray wanting to adopt Sam. She... she told me that Gavin Goddard isn't Sam's father and that now she would have to tell Ray in order for him to adopt Sam. If it's not Gavin, then who is it Eddie?"

Eddie's whole world titled on it's axis. She lied. All these years, she lied to him repeatedly. So, it was all a lie and now he knew that Nick was Sam's father. Damnit, and here he was thinking that the biggest secret Hannah held was the fact that they slept together.

"You know what Janet, I think I will be stopping by your place tonight. Hannah and I have some things to discuss and I think you should be there for it." Eddie knew this was a gamble. But Janet had just trusted him enough to tell him something and it was time he did the same.

"But Eddie, what could you and Hannah…Oh God, are you Sam's father??"

"What? Are you kidding me? Hell no! It's nothing like that. Don't worry. I love you and I just want to be there in case Hannah pulls any of her crap again. Okay?"

"okay Eddie, but Hannah won't like…"

"The days of me giving a damn about what Hannah would like are well and truly over."

"Eddie, is everything okay? Why are you so mad at Hannah?"

"It's more myself that I am mad at. Listen, I gotta run. I have some work to do before tonight. See you at your place. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay…." Eddie kissed her again, a quick distracted kiss. And then, he was gone. She stood there in the alley where her car was parked and wondered what the hell just happened.