"That's funny," Nick says, setting down the phone.
"What?"
"I just called Aubrey to see if she wanted to come by for lunch, and she said she couldn't. She was on her way to the movies."
"And? Some people actually use their free time on the weekends to go do things, like see a movie. Those people aren't us of course..." Eddie frowned.
"Hey, you wanted to come in since Janet and Maddie went to that party at Christine Cataldo's."
Janet had been in a whirlwind for over a month, pefecting every detail of the party for Jasper and Kasper. Between her shifts at Sully's, taking care of a now walking kid and all the time she was spending preparing for the fete, Eddie had barely any time with her. Their lovemaking had taken a back seat for the first time since they'd gotten serious again, and Eddie was feeling neglected and horny. He was glad the damn Cataldo Fiasco would be done today.
"I know." Eddie sips his coffee.
"You could have gone too, Janet probably could have used the help." He and Janet had never even entertained that idea. He knew it would be bad news to be in the same space as Christine Cataldo again.
"No, I couldn't." Nick looks at Eddie oddly. Eddie sighs. "Christine Cataldo."
"What about he...You SLEPT with Christine Cataldo? Ex-wife of Big Cat?"
Eddie nods. "Thanks for the recap chief, I know who she is."
"Man Eddie did you do anything but fuck women while I was away? I have to give you props for that though. Big Cat must have been so creased when he heard that."
"I don't think he knows." Eddie sets down his mug.
"He does. You know she rubbed his nose in that the first chance she got. She probably called him right after you pulled out."
"Dude? Too early for that." Eddie grimaces, shaking his head.
"Sorry. So Janet know?" Nick asks.
"Yeah Christine told her."
"Ouch. That's a bitch move."
Eddie nods, rolling his eyes. "I know."
"How did Janet take that?"
"She was pissed, but only that I didn't come clean from gate. That seems to be a recurring theme in my life. " Eddie says, bitterly. "But no more."
"Tell her about Hannah yet?"
Eddie always forgets that Nick knows he slept with Hannah all those years ago. "No." he says, guiltily. "That one isn't my fault though. Hannah Jane threatened me with bodily harm if I let that secret out of the bag."
Nick paces around the room. "Why would Ronnie not tell me he was meeting Audrey for a movie?"
"Wait? Baby Bro is going to the movies with your girl?"
"Yeah, a Harry Potter fest. All the movies back to back."
"Yawn."
"Can I get an amen?" Nick and Eddie bump fists. Nick notices a paperback book under a stack of papers on Eddie's desk. He pries it out carefully as to not upset the mountain of files.
"Janet leave her book here?" He holds up a well worn copy of "Sense and Sensiblilty".
Eddie's face reddens and he looks down to the file he'd been labeling. "That's her book, but she didn't leave it here, I'm reading it."
"You are reading Jane Austen?" Nick stares at Eddie, amazed.
"Yes." His look challenging.
"'Sense and Sensibility'? You?"
"What's the big deal, Nicky?"
"This," Nick waves the book in the air. "is the big deal. You never read a damn thing in high school. I think I did all your English papers for you." He flips through the book, looking for Eddie's bookmark. "Wait, how far are you?"
"Not very. Those chicks in there? Can't they ever just talk normally?"
Nick laughs. "Eddie, my friend, it was published in the 1800's, that's how they talked."
"Oh, and you're the expert?" he says sarcastically. "Because you wrote a book?"
"No. I've read this." Nick scans the back cover, reading the synopsis of the novel. "Yep, I read this when I was in Rome."
"Really?" Eddie draws this word out as he stretches, lacing his fingers together and resting his hands behind his head. He may just be able to use Nick to his advantage here.
"Yes, really, along with 'Pride and Prejudice' and 'Persuasion'."
Eddie looks at him blankly. "Dude, you just lost me."
"Austen wrote those also."
"Well look at the big brain on Nick." Eddie smiles.
"Why exactly are you reading this?" Nick inquires.
"The other day I went over to Janet's and she was watching the movie, and there's this one scene where that one old chick, what's her name?"
"I believe you are referring to Emma Thompson, and she's not that old. Old is Judi Dench."
"Whatever you say Nicky. Anyway, she's all up in arms about some dude she's in love with, you know that guy that slept with the hooker while he was dating that super hot model...Hurley, Elizabeth Hurley."
"Hugh Grant?"
"I guess. Well, the chick was all bent about him marrying someone else, and when she found out he wasn't married, she just went all crazy, started crying and shit. What the fuck was that all about?"
"I believe she was happy that the man she loved didn't marry someone else. It was his brother."
"Chicks man, they're so... Dude, Janet got all weepy, said it was her favorite scene of all time. Then she launched into this huge thing about how she watches games with me, but I'm always put out when I have to watch a chick flick with her."
"Wait, I thought Janet loved to watch sports. That's why we like her so much."
"She does. But she bet me some serious cash that I couldn't get through the book."
"I take it she's going to win?" Nick spots Eddie's bookmark, a business card from a window salesman, around page ten.
"I gotta tell you Nick." Eddie points to the book. "That's some boring shit right there. That Austen chick? Yawn."
Nick wishes he had a tape recorder for this conversation. "Did you tell Janet this?"
"Hell no. I'd be sleeping on the couch, indefinitely."
"Well she's going to ask if you liked it."
"Yeah, and I'll tell her. I didn't."
"Wrong buddy, THAT will get you on the couch, trust me. Not to mention the loss of your hard earned cash. " Nick sits at his desk, puts his feet up and opens the book. "I think I might be able to help you-just let me skim this again."
"If I didn't know better Nicky, I'd think you played for the other team sometimes."
"Eddie, there's nothing wrong with reading something other than sports mags and Playmate of the Month Data Sheets. Janet will appreciate that you tried."
"I know." he admits.
"That said, if you ever tell the boys about this, I'll kill you."
Fifteen minutes later, Ikey bursts in the front door. "Check it!" he yells as Nick quickly shoves the book in his desk drawer. "I got a date."
Eddie and Nick look at Ikey. "With a bar stool at Sully's?" Eddie guesses.
"Naw, dude. I got a date with Emily."
"Emily? I thought she had better taste." Nick jokes.
"Dude. Shut up. She finally said yes, I musta asked her five hundred times."
"Good for you Ikey." Nick slaps him on the back. "You better be good to her. "
"I will Nicky. Hey it's three. Band practice."
"No can do Ikey, we have a ton of work here. Work you said you'd help us with hours ago. "
Eddie stands and steers Ikey to the filing cabinent. "Have at it man."
Nick looks out the storefront window. Owen's parking his behemoth of a vehicle across the street.
"Ow Ro is here. If we put him to work we might get out of here before midnight."
"Dude, there ain't no way I'm gonna stay here that long. I got..."
"A date." Nick finishes his sentence. "We know. File."
"Who the hell is that with Big O?" Eddie asks, crossing his arms as he stands in the window.
Owen opens the passenger side of the car to help out a figure bundled in a big coat, a scarf, dark glasses and Owen's gangster hat.
"Who the fuck?" Nick comes to stand by Eddie. They watch as Owen helps the mystery form across the street.
The bell on the door jingles as Owen guides the bundled shape over the threshold.
"Hey guys. If the mountain won't come to Phil..." he lets his sentence drift off as Phil takes his glasses off, grinning.
"Thought I needed to get down here and make sure this shop was running properly. "
The guys all crowd around Phil. Never the types to be overly demonstrative with each other, each man took their place in line to hug their friend. Eddie was by far the proudest. He blinked back actual tears as he embraced Phil hard.
"Eddie, I am barely breathing as it is. Can you give me a little air?" Phil jokes.
"Ok Phiz, out with it? What got you out of the house?"
"Pizza Girl. I think I'm going to lose her if I don't make some serious changes in my life. So Owen suggested I start small with a trip here."
"So guys, I think we should celebrate this victory." Owen opens a duffel bag he had dragged in and removes dr umsticks, tennis rackets and a small radio.
"No fucking way are you all doing that here." Eddie says. "People will walk by and see you dorks."
The look on Phil's face makes Eddie immediately change his mind. Ikey plugs in the radio and switches on the song. Eddie sits back down at his desk, shaking his head, praying no one making their way down Maple Street hears or sees his idiotic friends.
The phone rings. "Best Friend Windows, this is Eddie." he yells over the music.
"Hey hot stuff." Janet purrs.
"Who's this?" Eddie jokes.
"Funny. What goes on? You having a party over there?"
"No party, the dorks are here having band practice."
"There? But..."
"Yup, Phiz is here too."
"Eddie, seriously? That's so great." Eddie loves that Janet is excited for his friend. "Hey, what are you doing tonight?"
Lowering his voice, "Hopefully something that involves taking off your clothing. " he flirts.
"Can I take you to dinner first?" She wants the whole evening to reconnect with Eddie.
"Dinner? Where?"
"The Johnson Inn." she suggests. "I just got paid, and Christine included a fat bonus on top of my fee."
"So the party was a success?"
"You could say that. I got so many leads it's crazy. I want to celebrate with the hottest man in The Ridge."
"I think Nick's busy tonight."
"Ha ha, what do you say Eddie?"
"I'll be there. " He's hoping Rooster Russo has the night off.
"Seven and wear that blue sweater I gave you for Christmas."
"I always get lucky when I wear that." he laughs. "I should wear it every day."
"As long as you're only around me. See you soon. And Eddie? I love you."
"I love you too." A comment that brings much ribbing after he hangs up. He realizes the song ended several seconds ago.
"Dude. When's the wedding?"
"What? What are you talking about Ikey?"
"You're all lovey dovey on the phone, you practically live over at Janet's, the only thing left at 32 Gelson is your mail and some dirty drawers."
"Yeah Eddie, when are you going to make Janet an honest woman?" Nick adds.
"I haven't even thought about that."
Eddie was telling the truth. He and Janet were finally in sync, it took forever, but they were good. But marriage? The whole idea feaked Eddie out royally.
"You better start thinking that way, she's not going to wait forever."