Part 4

Eric had accepted a cup of coffee from Sam as Sookie finished tidying up. Sookie could see Sam eyeing him up, and Eric not actually minding a bit, as if he had nothing to hide, which Sookie figured he probably didn't. At least she wanted to believe that of Eric. Popping back into Sam's office she folded up her apron neatly (after removing everything from the pockets), and placed it in the bottom of the little basket Sam left for laundry. Merlotte's certainly wasn't large enough to warrant a service for such things. Sam took the basket back to his trailer when it got full and did it himself.

There was a little mirror in the office over the lockers Sam had installed for the ladies, Sookie checked her hair, smoothing a few strands flat atop her head, and decided that she looked a little pale (there wasn't much she could do about the weary look) and put on a little bit of lip gloss. Arlene had lingered in the short hallway that led from the bar, past the bathrooms and to Sam's office; in just the right spot to watch Eric a little longer. Sookie was a bit thankful for that; not that she was eying up Eric, but that Sookie had those few minutes to herself. She was sure Arlene would have said something about the lip-gloss; and that would have just made Sookie flustered when she got back to Eric. She really didn't want that. After all, she'd fallen (or fainted) twice on the man already, she could only imagine how helpless Eric must have thought she was, not even able to get home by herself. But part of her was a little flattered that he'd come back for her; sort of like the heroes in the trashy romance novels she read to escape. And then she stopped herself from thinking that way. Romance heroes weren't real, and everybody had secrets and vices and sins. Well, except maybe Hoyt, he was a pretty innocent guy, but definitely not a romance hero.

She passed Arlene in the hall, wished her a good night and went to sit beside Eric for a moment. He and Sam were talking about the challenges of running a bar. Sookie didn't want to interrupt.

"It's a lot for one person to manage; bills and stock, and HR. A little place like this, I can just about do it on my own. But a bigger place, like in Shreveport, you'd need help, probably a real accountant and a manager."

Eric was nodding thoughtfully. Sookie could see he was making mental notes as Sam spoke.

"Well thanks for the advice Sam." Eric stuck out his hand and Sam took it, a well-meaning smile and nod to accompany the handshake.

"Are you ready to leave Sookie?" Eric turned on his barstool to face Sookie, ever present grin, blond hair strands falling into his eyes again.

"Yes, thanks." Sookie half leaned past Eric and waved at Sam. "I'll see you on Thursday Sam? Unless you need me earlier?"

"I'll call if I do. Have a good night Sookie, you too Eric. Make sure she gets home safe." Sam's eyes narrowed just a little as he looked at Eric.

"I promise."

Standing, Sookie felt Eric's hand briefly light on her waist, just guiding her, then it slipped away.

"So, how was work?" Eric had gotten himself seated beside Sookie in the cab of his truck and was just about to turn the engine over, so he wasn't looking directly at her, but rather out the front windshield as he spoke.

"It was okay. Not as horrible as I thought it would be."

"Good to hear. Did you make a decision about your car?"

"Well, I think I better get it fixed; not like I can afford a new one. Hopefully the repair costs aren't as expensive as the replacement ones."

"Well we can find out tomorrow."

The truck's engine purred to life, Eric shifted it into reverse and turned to look over his shoulder to back up. He smiled at Sookie as his gaze passed by her. She felt herself reciprocating.

"And how was your day Eric?"

"Just did some tidying, watched some TV, made up a stew for dinner."

"Sounds nice."

"Yeah, it has been, I mean it's been relaxing and all, being out here."

"Good."

"Don't we sound like an old married couple just now eh?" Eric's glance was back out the front windshield as he prepared to pull out onto the county road; headlights reflecting off the leaves of the trees that bordered the road.

Sookie heard herself giggle a little nervously. She watched Eric's smile broaden, not really realizing that she'd been staring at him the whole time.

"So? Why didn't Hoyt come to pick you up after work?"

"I didn't actually ask him." She shrugged.

"But he's your boyfriend, he should just know to do that kind of thing."

"Hoyt isn't my boyfriend."

"He isn't? I just thought, when we were back at the house?"

"I've known him since I was little, since before my parents, I mean, he's my brother's best friend, I never really thought, and he never, sort of, asked, I mean, I don't know." Sookie knew that she must have sounded quite scattered, unable to finish any sentence or any thought. But truthfully that was exactly how she felt. "I don't have a boyfriend." She finally said: feeling more than just self-conscious as she did. Being single was part of the way she was judged by the people in Bon Temps. She wasn't anyone's girlfriend, wasn't anyone's ex-girlfriend, nobody quite knew what to do with her in that regard.

"Well then the men in this town are idiots." Eric said under his breath.

Sookie didn't answer, she wasn't quite sure if she was supposed to hear that statement or not. Inside though, it made her feel a little warm. There certainly had never been much whispering of that sort around her. Boys her age (maybe because they'd been frightened of Jason) had never approached her in school; probably the whisperings of their parents that kept them away from the 'odd' Stackhouse girl. And as she had aged, she'd certainly had attention; but mostly because of her body type, big breasts, nice curves at her hips, not because of who she was; 'perky', she'd heard that more than once. No one who talked to her came across as particularly sincere, except for Hoyt, and for Sam, at least when they asked you a question they genuinely wanted an answer.

Eric hadn't needed directions to get back to her place and the ride was over far more quickly than Sookie had wanted it to be. She was faced with trying to determine how she was going to pass the time till she could fall asleep, alone. Eric pulled the truck into one of the visitor parking spaces and that time Sookie waited until he came around to her side to open the door; lingering in that in between realm where she didn't have to think about her Gran, or her anxiety or the men of Bon Temps, or even what she was going to have for dinner that night before she went to bed. The warm air dispelling the air-conditioned cab forced her out of it.

"Do you have any plans for the rest of the evening Sookie?" Eric offered her a hand to step out of the truck.

"Just going to make some toast or something for my dinner."

"Toast? That's not much of a dinner."

"I haven't been to the grocery store since I got back; so I just have a loaf of bread I thawed out and some preserves. I'm not much into tinned soups or packaged pasta."

"Well you can't survive on that. Come back to the house, I have lots of stew left, and that way I can take you to the market in the morning, and over to the garage."

"But I'm sure you have things to do Eric."

"I was going to run into Shreveport, but I can just make some calls instead. Go and grab up a bag and your pajamas, and let me take you back to your Grandmother's place. I owe her that much, to look after you. You know she'd be unhappy if she found out you weren't looking after yourself."

Sookie sighed. Eric was right, and she was tired, and the though of being back in her old bedroom, and just that little bit closer to her Gran was comforting. She nodded, feeling that familiar warmth run through her as Eric smiled at her.

"Good. Can I help you fetch anything?"

"Um, no, I think I'll be okay. I'll be right back."

It turned out that Eric was quite a good cook; not that Sookie had been worried about that; he could do a bit of everything it seemed; except repair little foreign cars that was. He was gracious enough to plate dinner for her, and provide rolls and butter, as well as a coke. He even sat down and joined her in a second dinner for himself so that he wasn't just staring at her as she ate: not that she hadn't caught him looking her way quite a bit, perhaps a little worried about his culinary skills. But being tired; both from work and the full belly, Sookie didn't much mind.

"It's really good." She assured him with a smile.

"Thanks."

"Where did you learn to cook?"

He spooned the last bit into his mouth, smiled crookedly, swallowed and answered.

"The army."

"You were in the army?"

"Yeah. Came home about 6 months ago."

"Wow. Were you overseas?"

He nodded.

"Do you talk about it?" Sookie wasn't sure if she should ask the question or just drop the subject, but the latter choice seemed a bit rude, as if she didn't think that serving his country was important.

"Not much, it wasn't nice over there, but I did my job and then I came home, which is better than a lot of guys got to do." The response sounded just a little rehearsed but not insincere.

"And now you're a handyman?"

"Needed something to fill the time since my discharge and the next adventure." He took a long drink from the glass of water in front of himself.

"And what's the next adventure then?"

"I was thinking of opening up a Bar in Shreveport."

"So that's why you were talking to Sam?"

"Always good to get advice from someone who's been there."

"And he's a really good boss." Sookie added, as if to reinforce whatever advice Sam had provided.

"Maybe one day you can tell me what he does that makes him a good boss?"

"Well, this is the only job I've ever had, so I don't know if I can compare him to anyone else."

"This is your first job?"

"Yeah, I mean, I know how to do other stuff, I just never had a real job before Sam."

"I guess your Grandmother kept you busy?"

"She did, and I used to have some trouble being around a lot of people at once. It made working pretty hard."

"Well you wouldn't know."

"You're kind Eric, but you've already had to pick me up twice when I got flustered. I know I still have bad moments. It's okay."

"We all have bad moments Sookie."

"Yeah." Looking down at her plate Sookie realized that she'd been pushing around a bay leaf with her fork absentmindedly as she'd been speaking, and it had created an odd little pattern of swirls on the china. She was a little surprised at her own candor.

"Fireworks." She heard him say out of the blue.

"I'm sorry?" She looked back up at him.

"Fireworks. Guess that's my Kryptonite."

Sookie was still confused, and it seemed as if Eric understood because he clarified.

"I went to a ball game as soon as I got back, they had fireworks at the end of the game. Just about completely lost it, the sound of the explosions threw me right back there."

Eric didn't have to explain where 'there' was.

"How did you manage?"

"I had a friend there with me, her name's Pam."

"Oh, your girlfriend."

Eric began to laugh.

"Pam isn't my girlfriend, just my friend. She has, different tastes."

"Oh."

"Pam helped calm me down, got me out of there so I could breath again. She knows how to part a crowd pretty quickly. So you see?"

"Yeah. Thanks. You're good at making people feel better. Has anyone every told you that?"

"I guess I'd make a good bartender then?"

"Yeah, you sure will."

"Well that's step one. I'm going to have to send a few emails tonight and reschedule those meetings, if you don't mind me leaving you for a bit?"

"No, of course not, I should make a list for myself too, so I know what I need to do tomorrow, so I don't forget anything, and I don't waste too much of your time."

"Let me clean up the table for you then." Eric reached for her empty plate. "And don't worry about wasting my time." He put the dishes into the sink with a bit of a clatter. "Nothing about you is a waste of time."