Author Note: ….finally a first official date for the single dad….

T7S

Chapter 10 – I Missed This More Thank You Know

T7S

Eric was putting food on Gabby's tray when Laurie and Fez came in from outside. "Daddy, there's a moving van next door. Do you know who bought the house?"

Red looked at Kitty. "I didn't even know it was for sale." Kitty shrugged. 'That house has been empty for years. I think the realtor showed it twice since that nice couple bought it and never came back."

Fez was curious. "Did someone die in there?" Four heads turned and at Fez like he was crazy. "What! Who would leave a perfectly good house empty for years unless someone died in there?"

The family dinner was interrupted a knocking at the patio doors. A tanned curly head popped in and said, "Heidi-ho neighbors! I'm back!"

Red stood up flabbergasted. Bob Pinciotti bought back his old house? Kitty got flustered and ran around to give Bob a welcoming hug. "Oh, it will be so nice having you next door again!"

Fez stood up "Bob! I missed sneaking into your house!" Laurie looked at her husband. "You were sneaking in his house?" She smacked Fez on the chest. "Basement. Now. We're going to have a talk."

"Aiiyyy….Eric, save me…." Too late, Laurie had taken Fez by the collar and was pulling him towards the basement. Smiling Bob was still taken aback at how familiar the Forman kitchen was and at the same time how changed it was.

"Oh! And who is this adorable little girl? Did Laurie have a baby?"

Red laughed, "No, that's Eric's kid."

Bob looked astonished. "Really!" he looked at Eric, "When did you get married Eric? I had always hoped that you and Donna….one day….never mind."

"I'm a single father Bob. Gabby's two and she's all mine."

"Huh. Well, I was a single dad so I know it's a struggle. But look how well Donna turned out!" Eric almost choked. "Yeah Bob. Donna's successful, healthy... and happy. We just weren't meant to be together."

Bob got down on the floor to appear friendlier to the little girl. "Hi Gabby. I'm Bob... Your neighbor." Gabby reached out and stuck her little fingers in Bob's mop of hair and pulled off his rug. Without his wig, Bob Pinciotti's bald head turned a deep shade of crimson. "Oh, well that was unexpected. I'll be next door. Unpacking. You're all welcome to come over any time. I really missed you guys!"

Bob fled for the door. Kitty looked at her husband. "Why do you suppose Bob moved back? I thought he was happy in Florida."

Red turned back to his dinner. "It must have something to do with the fact that Joanne is working at Price Mart or that Marjorie Wilson is selling Tupperware."

Eric grinned. Bob always did like an assortment of women. He turned his attention to his daughter. "Daddy has a date tonight." He said playing with Gabby's hands.

Gabby didn't have a two year old clue but smiled because she was a good natured baby. "Mom, are you sure you don't mind babysitting because Sophia said it wasn't a problem?"

Kitty smiled, "Honey, I told you a couple of days ago how I felt. Jackie's a nice girl that does good hair and she's polite. She's just not…."

Eric stood up. "She's not like my mom. Don't worry; I'm not trying to replace you. I'm only going on a date. She's my friend and Betsy loves her."

"Oh I adore little Betsy Kelso. When's the next play date? Maybe I can take both girls to the park." Kitty said excitedly. Eric grinned, "I'll check with Brooke, but right now I have to get ready or the dates over."

Red had been listening but now he was curious. "How can it be over before it even begins?"

"She said 6:00 and I have this feeling that if I'm late…."

Red chuckled, "I like a girl that keeps you on your toes." He winked at his wife, "Hurry up and don't keep her waiting."

Eric couldn't believe that his dad was on his side for a change. His mom never really liked Donna all that much but she loved Midge and Bob. She just didn't love their daughter and tried everything she could to prevent the marriage. What Eric didn't understand was her aversion to Jackie Burkhart. What it all related to Hyde and that stripper? Eric didn't know but decided he'd think about that later. He had a dinner and movie date!

T7S

Jackie was putting in her earrings when the buzzer went off exactly at 6:00 p.m. At least he's prompt! She smiled at herself in the mirror and pressed the button that released the security lock. A date. She was on a real date since how long? But the kicker was this was Forman! Through Donna, Jackie already knew what his moves were and she promised herself to refrain from laughing if he tried those same moves on her.

There was a knock on her front door and she tossed her hair back over her shoulder and went to answer it. She opened the knob and was pleasantly surprised. Forman cleaned up nice! He was wearing a pair of dark denim pants, and a black blazer over a crisp white shirt. In his hands was a bouquet of pansies.

Eric was so nervous when the security buzzer clicked open the door. He climbed the steps in trepidation. Was Jackie going to turn him down flat and say she changed her mind? It was when she opened the front to her apartment wearing a soft lacy dress that his mind went to mush. He loved dresses and legs and Jackie Burkhart had both in abundance! He pushed the little bunch of flowers at her while trying to think of something to say that wouldn't make him sound stupid.

She smiled at him and he felt like he was drowning and forgot to breathe. She had always been beautiful but tonight she had dressed up for his date with her and he didn't know he could be blindsided by loveliness.

"You look….look…wonderful." he managed to stammer out. Jackie smiled and took the flowers. "Of course I do. I wouldn't go out on a date looking like an uggo!" Eric stepped into her small apartment and liked how everything was tidy and very feminine. He couldn't believe that she lived above her salon and it looked this nice!

"Let me get my heels on and then you can tell me where we're going."

Eric watched as she slid into some kind of sling back high heel. He missed this. He definitely missed out on being with a real girl!

J & E

Eric closed the car door as soon as Jackie swung her legs inside. He almost whistled with his good fortune. She was buckling her belt when he got in the driver's seat. "So you're good with the steak house?"

She smiled, "Just as long as it's not Fatso's Burgers I'm pretty much open. What was the movie you had in mind?"

"It's that new Clint Eastwood movie, Pale Rider. Have you seen it?" Jackie shook her head no. The last move she had seen was Raiders of the Lost Ark back in 1981! That sounds fine. I like Clint."

They got to the restaurant in record time and Eric just bathed in the envious looks he got from his peers who were waiting with their less than spectacular dates. Jackie pointed to a window booth and Eric's ten dollar bill secured the booth for his date.

They were led to the booth by the waitress and Eric let Jackie slid in first and he sat across from her. The waitress took their drink order and left. Jackie looked at the menu. Everything on it was so expensive. She looked at the prime rib and it reminded her of how many new bottles of conditioner she could buy for the same price.

"Eric, I'm just going to have the salad."

"Aren't you hungry?" he asked concerned. They had plenty of time to eat before the 8:00 showing.

"It's not that, the prices are too expensive." She said in a hushed whisper. Eric had to agree but he wanted a decent meal to celebrate his sale. "What if we order a steak and split it?"

She smiled and it made him feel good. "Does medium-well work for you?" he asked.

"As long as it's not still mooing, I'm fine with it." She folded her menu as the waitress brought her Long Island Ice Tea. Eric opted for a cold bottle of beer. This was nice. Soft pop music, a semi private booth….the low chatter of other patrons having their own conversations and he had Jackie's full attention.

"You're staring at me again." She said.

He sat up, "I'm sorry. It's just you're so pretty tonight."

Jackie smiled. "So…I've never dated a single dad before. Do you have a curfew?"

Eric laughed. "Actually, I don't know. This is my first real date in two years!" The wedding for David Hailey didn't count since he was an usher and escaped the clutches of Chewbacca with Jackie's help of course.

"I guess we're both a little rusty in our dating skills. I won't tell if you don't." she teased. The waitress came back to take their order and left just as efficiently. Eric thanked her and turned his attention back to his date. "I won't tell but if I act like a dork, you've got to let me know."

"Oh, that will be one of the first things I do. But let me ask you as question."

Eric took a swallow of his beer. "Ask away."

"If you wanted a date so bad, why ask me? I could have set you up with a bunch of women."

This was it Eric, Just put your heart out there and see how bad she stomps on it. "Well, you probably won't believe me but I'm going to tell you anyways." He leaned closer over the table, "I've always sort of had a crush on you."

He leaned back ready for the barrage of insults she would sling his way. Instead, she said, "Really? Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Well, in the beginning you were just Kelso's annoying girlfriend but that summer he ran off to California…I saw that you had a vulnerable side. I never expected you to hook up with Hyde… but remember that time I was trying on tuxedos at the mall?"

"I was trying on wedding gowns…." She did remember.

"You showed me that I had real shoulders…."

"You did look handsome." She admitted.

"That clinched it. While you were just a girl that I liked to pick on and one who picked back, your words actually made me feel good. Then Donna came along and made me feel like a guilty dumbass and I regretted now saying anything since then."

"Then I got involved with Steven and my life went on a slow downhill climb. I learned you just can't change people to fit you. Steven and I were not a good match. But now I consider it a learning experience and he's a better person so it wasn't all bad!"

The waitress came back with their meal and Jackie sipped some of her tea. When she thought about it, there were times when Eric was extraordinarily kind to her. How strange she didn't recognize a crush when it was right under her nose!

"Oh, some news you may be interested in." Eric said between bites. Jackie looked up, "Good news?"

"Bob Pinciotti bought his old house back. He's moving in."

"I liked Bob. He's a pretty decent guy. Too bad he got mixed up with mom."

"I never did get a good answer about why he moved back." Eric was thinking how great it was to have an adult conversation that didn't involve the words poop and pee and vomit in the same paragraph! The rest of the dinner was spent in casual pleasant conversation. Eric felt young again and carefree and while he had some guilt about leaving his daughter at home, he knew she was too young to understand.

The movie was nice. It was a typical cowboy picture and Jackie was a great movie companion. She likened the landowner trying to steal the gold claims of the mining camps to the SBA telling the downtown shop owners how to do business. She declared that Point Place needed their very own Clint Eastwood to ride in and take care of the bad guy.

When he parked on the sidewalk outside of her apartment Eric made sure he opened her door and walked her the few short feet to the security gate. She slipped in her key and turned.

"Forman let me ask you a question." She looked up at his dark eyes and just went for it. "If you've sort of had a crush on me and if I never got mixed up with Steven…what would you have done?"

That was easy. "I would have done this." Eric simply stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her shoulders and one around her waist and pressed his lips against her soft pink ones. The only thing he could think of was the way she was pressed against him and the way her hair smelled like fresh honeysuckle.

Jackie brushed a hand against the side of his face, her fingers moving through his hair as she closed her eyes and gave in to the kiss. It was warm and more intense than she was prepared for. Then Eric's hand moved from her shoulders to cup the back of her head and Jackie experienced that sizzling kiss that Brooke and Rhonda had warned her about. The weakness in her knees confirmed it.

Jackie gripped his jaw and returned the kiss and Eric could feel his gut clench. He was electrified. The intensity of what he was feeling was far better than any sex he may have had with Donna on a good day!

Jackie pulled away with a shaky breath. "Damn Forman…where did you learn to kiss like that!"

Eric grinned. "Self taught I think. I better go before I embarrass myself." Jackie nodded and touched her swollen lips. "Okay."

"But Jackie….I missed this more than you'll ever know. Good night."

T7S