Situationship
Chapter 3
Author's Note: I needed to place them in a couple-situation but make it Keenler-awkward because we're in a very awkward place with their situationship. Let me know what you think.
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Don Ressler sat at the front of the church playing an instrumental guitar piece that seemed to fit the occasion; he was secretly hoping Eva wasn't listening because she was a perfectionist and his guitar skills were far from perfect. But their instrumentalist had come down with gastroenteritis overnight and Mitch had called him in a panic this AM asking him to play. Ressler had practiced for an hour before the wedding hoping he wasn't too rusty and showed up to help out.
The song their instrumentalist was supposed to play was not one he was familiar with, so he suggested Canon in D and Eva seemed okay with that. He wasn't even sure he was going to come to this wedding and now found himself playing at it in front of everyone. Probably half the people there knew he was Eva's ex and that didn't make sitting in front of them any easier. But he parted ways well with her and she and Mitch were better together. He worked a cushy desk job at Defense and would let her control his life until the day he died. It was a match made in heaven.
This morning he had called Liz and asked her if she wanted to come to the wedding reception with him. He knew it was last minute and told her it was fine if she couldn't come; explaining he wasn't even sure until today that he was going and joked about now having to go because he was pinch hitting playing at the wedding. Surprisingly, after her initial chastisement for waiting so late to ask her, she agreed and he quickly took a picture of the invite that was laying on his kitchen counter and texted it to her, asking her to meet him because the reception and wedding were at a Mill outside of the city and he wouldn't be able to drive in to get her in between. This was not how he normally did things with women he was seeing but he wasn't really sure what he was to Liz. He doubted she'd refer to him as anything other than her partner although they had done a lot of things that violated the FBI professional code of conduct with each other.
He was still nervous about them whenever he took some time to really think about them. Was this something that would end badly? Would they be awkward around each other for months or years afterwards like he and Eva were for a long time? Would he secretly want to beat the shit out of any man she may go out with after him? Was he in too deep?
But when it was them, and he wasn't thinking about anything but that moment, it was good. Really good. Ridiculously good. Which is why, in his moments of consternation he knew he was going to fall hard when this ended. It had to end at some point, right?
He watched Eva and Mitch leave the table they signed their wedding certificate at and started to wind down the song. The organist took care of the marching in and out music and his contribution was for a few times during the service when the patrons needed to be occupied with song; when they signed, when communion was offered, and when the priest sat and thought for a bit after communion. He managed a decent version of Ave Maria for communion and now Canon in D and that was it, his part was done. He just needed to sit and see them kiss and march out, which they did a few minutes later. After they were gone, he heard the other family and friends start to exit and then began to pack up his guitar.
"I've always wanted to hear you play," Liz said from behind him.
He turned around and looked at her surprised.
"You're here?" He asked, caught off guard.
"You sent me the invitation," Liz smiled up at him. "Getting ready for a reception or a wedding and reception is relatively the same process, so I thought I'd come to both."
He looked at her amused.
"So, you decided to hop in your car and come out here even earlier on even shorter notice?" He asked, surprised.
She smirked. "What else was I doing today besides laundry. And this dress…it still had the tags on it. It needed a full day's wear after a few years of sitting at the back of my closet."
"It's a great dress," he smirked at her as she posed in her navy dress for him. It looked like a camisole on top and had a pleated skirt that was chiffon and fell just below her knees. It looked amazing with her hair and complexion and was sexy without being distracting.
"And I uber'd," Liz said. "No use the both of us driving back later tonight."
He chuckled and looked over her shoulder; the only people left in the church were some old people being helped out by their sons or daughters. He walked up to her and placed a hand at the back of her waist and pulled her slightly closer before he kissed her softly.
"Be careful," she smirked and winked as they parted. "I don't know the catholic rules…does kissing at an altar make us married?"
He chuckled and released her before he turned around and clicked his guitar case shut.
"You play beautifully," Liz said as she watched him. He was wearing a grey suit she'd seen on him a million times before, but this time there was no tie, just a very fitted white shirt undone at the collar a couple of buttons. It was damn sexy.
"I don't, but thank you," Ressler said as he gestured for her to go down the steps so they could leave and walk across the park to the Mill where the reception was being held.
"I have noticed the guitar in your living room for years and when I asked you about playing you pretended you hadn't picked it up in years…" Liz said.
"I hadn't," Ressler chuckled. "That was an hour of harried practice before I drove out here."
"Then you have a gift," Liz said. They made their way out of the church and walked toward his car to drop off his guitar. "Really, you do if that's after only an hour."
Don shook his head and didn't argue. He knew he only played passably today but appreciated her being so kind with her compliments.
"So how do you know the lovely couple?" Liz asked him after he put away his guitar. She had looped an arm through his and they were starting to walk down the park path to the Mill.
"Mitch and I were in the Academy together," Ressler hedged. "He left to work at Defense in HR."
Liz nodded and seemed satisfied with the answer. He was feeling guilty for not telling her about Eva and was just opening his mouth to do so when he heard Eva's mom call to him.
"Don, thank you for stepping in today!" She said with a broad smile. "Eva was beside herself thinking there would be whole sections of the service with total silence. How awkward."
"Glad I could help Betsy," Don smiled at the older woman.
"And who is this? You finally settled down?"
Don looked at Liz and she looked back at him alarmed.
"Uh, this is my friend and FBI partner Liz," Ressler said, thinking that was a decently accurate introduction of Liz. "Liz, this is Eva's mom Betsy."
"Nice to meet you," Liz smiled. "She looks stunning."
"That dress cost an arm and two legs, but Eva is all legs and, well you know Don how awkward she has always been finding clothes that fit." Betsy chuckled.
Ressler cleared his throat. "Uh yeah, glad she found something."
"Well, thank you again for playing, I need to go and tell that photographer that we don't want pictures on the deck but by the water," Betsy said, distracted by the bridal action up ahead. "Honestly, aren't photographers supposed to have an artistic eye?"
She was gone before Don started to say goodbye and Liz turned to look at him strangely.
"You know Eva too?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
Ressler swallowed. "We dated for about a year."
"Excuse me?" Liz asked.
"We parted on good terms and she and Mitch really hit it off," Ressler explained.
"When was this?" Liz asked.
"After Audrey dumped me," Ressler said. "She was my rebound that turned into a year-long relationship and regular dinners with Betsy and Hugh."
"Hugh?" Liz inquired.
"Her dad," Ressler said. "He and I still play golf once a year."
"Jesus Christ, Ressler," Liz said. "You just played at an ex's wedding to a good friend?"
He shrugged.
"You're a better person than I am," Liz snickered.
"It's all in the past," he shrugged again. "And I was the one to call it quits. She knew Mitch through me, and they started to date months after we went our own way. He actually called me to make sure it was okay before they went out. It worked out for the best."
"You have carnal knowledge of the bride?" Liz snickered as they approached the wedding party all taking pictures by the water.
"And her friend Gail," Ressler nodded toward a blonde in the wedding party. "But that was just a one-night stand long before Eva."
"Jesus Christ Ressler," Liz smacked his shoulder playfully. "Anyone else here you have slept with?"
He gave her a devious grin and pretended to really look around at everyone there before his eyes settled right on her and his smile broadened.
"Okay, that's a given seeing as I was the one who asked," Liz chuckled.
He chuckled.
"So, you and Eva dated for a year, but now she's married to your friend and you're playing music at her wedding?" Liz asked.
He nodded. "Look, I know it sounds fucked up when you say it like that but…"
"Do you get along that well with all of your ex girlfriends?" Liz asked.
He shrugged. "Pretty much."
She looked at him amazed.
"Look, I'm not saying it wasn't awkward between me and Eva and Mitch for a while, but we're all grown-ups…"
"No, I'm incredibly impressed," Liz said. "Most of the time I want my ex boyfriends to just disappear."
"And guys who you've slept with?" Ressler asked.
She shook her head slightly and smiled.
"Oh, so we're allowed to stick around?" Ressler chuckled.
"We?" Liz asked.
He furrowed his brow and looked at her confused. Did she classify him as a boyfriend?
She leaned in close and whispered. "I've only ever…Ressler, I know I asked for light and easy, but I've only ever slept with boyfriends or my husband. You're the first…undefined…relationship I've ever had."
He turned his head slightly to look at her face and see she was being honest.
"Really?" He asked.
She nodded and turned slightly pink.
"No one-night stands?" He asked quietly.
She shook her head in the negative.
"Huh," he said.
"You've had a lot?" Liz asked.
He adjusted his shoulders and whispered, "my fair share."
She swallowed hard and nodded.
"You were married for years, and I was single for years," Ressler reminded her. "That does make a difference."
She nodded; it probably did.
They went inside the venue and Liz could see why they chose it. It was a quaint old mill with big wood beams, large windows, and stone walls. It was beautiful and rustic and elegant all at once. They grabbed a couple of drinks and circulated around talking with each other for a few minutes before a woman in her thirties approached them.
"Don, it's been forever," she said as she hugged him.
"It has Shayla," Ressler said as he hugged her in return. "How's Max?"
"Who cares?" She smiled at him. "We divorced."
"Oh," Ressler swallowed. "Sorry to hear that. Uh, Shayla, this is Liz."
Liz nodded and smiled at Shayla who she noticed still had an arm wrapped around the back of Ressler's waist and was tucked into his side as if she belonged there.
"Nice to meet you Shayla," Liz smiled at her.
"You're his work partner?" Shayla asked. "From the Bureau?"
"Yeah," Liz smiled at her. She wasn't sure she liked being just Ressler's work partner in that moment.
"If I knew you needed a date we could have come together," Shayla said as she fixed his tie.
Ressler turned red.
"Liz was nice and came," Ressler said as he met her eyes.
"You're still single, I guess?" Shayla asked, again her hand rested on his chest as she asked.
Liz quirked an eyebrow. This woman was obviously completely sober, very into Ressler, and not caring that he had a date standing a few feet from her.
"Uh, more or less," Ressler said, not meeting Liz's eyes.
Liz swallowed hard. That was accurate. She wanted easy, no commitments, no established relationship. She got it. But now, after a couple of months of this…situation with Ressler, she wasn't sure that's what she wanted.
"You both should come sit at our table," Shayla said, still not leaving her spot snuggled into his side.
"I think we'll not complicate things and just stay where we are," Ressler smiled at her. "But we can catch up later with you and…are Henry and Leona here?"
"Yeah, they're around somewhere…" Shayla said as she looked over his shoulder.
"Well, I better introduce Liz to the happy couple," Ressler said, pulling away from her. "Nice seeing you again."
"I expect to see more of you, later," Shayla said with a wink. "Nice meeting you Liz."
"Nice meeting you too," Liz said, disconcerted by the entire interaction.
Shayla walked away with, possibly, more sway to her beautiful ass than was necessary.
"Another one of your conquests?" Liz asked him, a little edge to her voice.
"Shayla?" Ressler chuckled. "God no, she was…well, she's not my type."
"What is your type?" Liz asked as she looked around the room. "Eva and Gail and Audrey were all sort of tall and statuesque, professional looking…"
"Liz, don't…" Ressler sighed.
"But Eva is African American, Gail is blonde and looks almost Nordic, and Audrey was a brunette…"
"I like people's personalities," Ressler said, slightly defensive.
"And they are all gorgeous," Liz added.
He sighed.
"What?" Liz asked.
"Why does it matter?" He asked.
Liz could hear the annoyance in his voice; she struck a nerve of some kind.
"Fine," Liz sighed, she was going to drop it. "I'm getting another drink do you want one?"
"No, I'm good," he said, sensing the tension between them.
Liz nodded and walked to the bar to get another glass of wine. She was standing there looking over at Ressler thinking how she could make this better. Fucking Shayla had hit a nerve with her, and his reply that he was 'more or less single' really hit a nerve. She had retaliated by getting under his skin with past girlfriend analysis. She knew what she did and why she did it; it didn't make it any better. She needed to go over to him and apologize for her beahviour. She had no right to him; she had no right to judge his past relationships or his future or present ones. He seemed fine with things being casual and she needed to be fine with that too.
"Oh Liz," Shayla said as she walked up next to her at the bar.
"Hey Shayla," Liz smiled at her. She kept thinking 'play nice' in her head.
"So nice of you to come with the resident bachelor," Shayla said. "I'm sure it's hard coming to this alone. It's wonderful that you're such a great friend."
Liz nodded and smiled.
"How a man that hot isn't locked down…" Shayla said with a slight growl. "You two drive here together?"
"Uh, no," Liz said, not sure where this was going.
"I've got a room at the Inn," Shayla said. "And you would be okay driving back to DC on your own if I can finally convince him to give me a chance?"
Liz gritted her teeth; there was playing nice and then there was ridiculous.
"We're sleeping with each other," Liz said as she picked up the wine the bartender put down in front of her. "We're keeping it quiet because of…you know, work. But we're together."
"Oh," Shayla said, honestly surprised. "He didn't…"
"Work," Liz nodded as she drank her wine and wondered how much she needed to drink to make sense of what just came out of her mouth and the implications of it.
"Oh yeah, I get that," Shayla said, still obviously surprised and disappointed.
"I just thought you should…be aware," Liz said meeting her eyes.
Just then Shayla's wine arrived, and she seemed happy to have the distraction.
"It was…uh, nice talking with you," Shayla said courteous before she nodded and walked away.
Liz watched her walk toward a couple of the bridesmaids and not very covertly seem to share the information Liz had just told her.
"Fuck," Liz said as she gulped back her wine and set down the empty glass.
She walked back toward Ressler, and he looked at her funny.
"I thought you were getting another glass of wine?"
"I did," she said absently. "I drank it."
"Oh," he said, surprised.
"Look, I just…uh, I'm sorry," Liz said awkwardly as she shifted before him.
"Sorry for what?" Ressler asked.
"I may have given Shayla the impression that we were together, as in a couple," Liz said. "I may have ruined your chances with her."
"Excuse me?" He asked.
"I'm sorry," Liz sighed.
"Why are you sorry?" He asked her.
"Uh, she was pretty much a sure thing," Liz said as she gestured toward the woman talking with a few others.
"A sure thing I didn't and haven't ever wanted," Ressler said.
Liz looked at him confused.
He placed his hands on his hips. "You said we were a couple?"
Liz bit her lip and nodded slightly. "I don't know why…"
"Do you think of us that way?" He asked her.
She shifted again. She wasn't sure if he sounded pissed or pleased.
"Do you?" She asked him.
He shifted. Why did she always put the questions he asked her on him?
"I asked you," he said as he narrowed his eyes at her.
"Uh, not really, but maybe…sometimes?" Liz hedged. She needed to give as obscure an answer as possible.
He sighed.
Someone rang a bell and all the attendees looked up.
"Dinner is served!" A waiter called.
"We better get inside," Liz said before she turned and started to walk toward the dining room.
To be continued…