41. Business trip

A few weeks later

Elliot can't stop grinning the first time he swings by to pick Olivia up from her new home to go straight to a crime scene. She swats his arm playfully when he declares he'd never expected to pick up his partner from the Upper East side.

"I'm still the same person and I am still armed, Elliot," she tells him sternly, but she can't help grinning with her partner. She had never expected to get a life like this either. Her work hours may still be the same, but everything else has changed. Having an actual life outside of work makes such a huge difference and she understands better now why Elliot keeps fighting for his marriage and his family. He's not the only one with plans and family obligations anymore and it feels great.

The only thing that feels less great about this new life she is embarking on, is the cramps. That's one thing she hadn't missed, but she knows it will be worth it in the end. After her IUD had been removed she'd had some mild bleeding, probably due to some tissue damage caused by the procedure, so they had told her. But this … this is the real deal. It takes her all the way back to highschool. She'd never missed a day of school though, and she's not going to miss a day of work either. She's not sick. She's just having her first period in years and it sucks. On top of that, Gene is out of town, almost as if he'd planned his trip to coincide with her period. She knows it's a coincidence but it hasn't stopped her from teasing him on the phone about running away because they can't have sex right now.

Gene has told her he definitely would have preferred staying with her if he had known, and he's promised to come back as soon as possible to make her tea, fluff her pillows and whatever else she needs. She smiles at the thought and stares out of the passenger window. She feels her phone vibrate in her back pocket and knows he's sent her yet another text. If it is anything like the last few she'd gotten, she isn't going to read it in front of Elliot. The man has taken sexting to a whole new level and is almost making her regret getting rid of the IUD. She'd hop on a plane to Miami just to satisfy the need in her body, he's making her that crazy with his descriptive texts. But taking out the IUD has been a huge decision. If they manage to conceive, they will be even more linked to each other than they already are. Olivia has never felt this close to another human being in her life.

Her phone vibrates again and she bites her lip to keep herself from grinning. The man is insatiable. He should have no trouble knocking her up.

"Got plans for the holidays?" Elliot inquires, and she's happy to say that she does.

"Yeah. Seems the 4th of July is a huge thing for the Butler family."

"Everything is a huge thing for them, it seems."

Olivia chuckles.

"You're not wrong! Those people don't know how to keep things simple."

Elliot glances at her when they stop at a traffic light and asks her sincerely,

"Looking forward to it?"

She knows what he's really asking her. Is she okay with these big, expensive parties? Does she feel at home with these rich people and their rich friends?"

She smiles reassuringly at her partner. The Butlers have really become her family.

"Yes."

Elliot nods slowly and focuses on the road again when the light changes to green.

"Good."

They've never needed a lot of words and that hasn't changed. Her partner is just making sure she's happy. And she is.

…

Gene is feeling restless and he shakes his head at himself. He can't wait for his meetings to be over so he can go back home. He can't remember the last time he's felt like this. He's always prided himself in being an in-the-moment kind of person, a very useful trait in important meetings where a lot of money is at stake. He used to be like that off the clock as well, completely in the moment wherever he went, and whomever he was with. It's a relaxed way of living but something is fundamentally different now. He misses Olivia. He has already set the purchase of a new building into motion and he can't wait to make the sale they are currently negotiating on location, and then be on his way home with his assistant Jonathan.

Jonathan's wife Angela is due to give birth to their second child soon and both men share a look of understanding when one of the people they are negotiating with asks for yet another recap of all the terms. Gene smirks at his assistant when Jonathan puts on his most patient face and sits up to sum up the terms and agreements of the sale that they've agreed on during the meeting one more time.

They are sitting in a makeshift office around a large table on the top floor of the building they are aiming to sell, and the potential buyers have already admired the view of the ocean. They plan to turn the building into a small, exclusive hotel and Jonathan explains once more that any costs with regards to permits will be on them after the purchase but that all necessary maintenance has been completed and the building is in tiptop shape.

Gene and Jonathan share another glance when the buyers, a group of three women and two men, finally say that they will need to go over all the details one last time with their investors, and ask for another meeting the next morning. To say Gene is disappointed is an understatement. Now he will have to spend another night in Miami instead of flying home tonight - back to Olivia.

After the others leave, Jonathan claps his boss on the shoulder.

"I think they'll bite, Gene. Don't worry about it."

Gene nods.

"Yeah. I think so too. I guess I'm just a bit too eager to get back home this time."

Jonathan smiles knowingly.

"When am I finally going to meet her?" he asks.

Gene's assistant is 35, just a few years younger than his boss, and they've worked together for eleven years. Regardless of their completely different lives, they are a perfect business match and have developed a solid friendship over the years. Until now, there hasn't been an opportunity to introduce Jonathan to Olivia, but he's told him a lot about her, of course. The change in him was pretty hard to miss and Jonathan is really happy for him.

"I'll call her later to set something up," Gene says with a smile. "I have to call her anyway to let her know it's going to take a bit longer here."

Once they are outside, Gene checks the time. It's 4 pm and there is still time before dinner at their hotel to run a very special errand. He and Jonathan part ways, since Jonathan is eager to call his wife to see how things are at home. Gene checks his phone to locate the store he had Googled before today's meetings and decides to walk, since it's a beautiful, sunny day. There is a bounce in his step and he is feeling light and happy. If someone had told him a year ago that he would be doing this today, he would have said they were out of their mind. And yet here he is … on his way to a jewelry store.

…

Their workday had started with a flurry of activity. Just as they had returned from their crime scene, Fin and Munch had dragged in a suspect of another rape as well as a couple of potential witnesses, and it was all hands on deck to interview all of them. Their own new case would have to wait. It had been lunchtime before they knew it but now, by the end of the afternoon, things have died down and they are doing paperwork. Olivia sighs and rubs her eyes, blinking a few times until she can focus on the page in front of her again.

"Gene coming home today?" her partner asks from across their desks.

"Hope so," Olivia sighs. "He wasn't sure if they could wrap everything up in three days."

She checks her phone for any missed messages, but she guesses Gene is still in his meeting. If he manages to seal the deal today, he'll fly home tonight so she keeps her fingers crossed. She tries to focus on her work again but Elliot decides they need caffeine first and offers to make a quick coffee run for everyone. While he's away, Olivia leans back in her chair and checks her phone again out of habit. She's surprised to see a text from Gene.

#MissYou

She smiles. He must be out of his meeting and she decides to call him while she waits for Elliot to return with their coffee. Gene answers on the third ring.

"Hey baby!" he answers cheerfully and she's instantly grinning from ear to ear.

"Hey yourself. How's it going over there?"

"Bad news I'm afraid. Our potential buyers want to confer with their investors one more time and have asked for another meeting tomorrow morning."

"Oh no."

Olivia can't hide her disappointment. It's only been two nights and she skips nights herself when the job demands it, but she has gotten used to sleeping next to Gene and she misses him. It's not even about the sex, they can't have actual sex right now anyway, she just craves the closeness.

"Yeah, I know. I really wanted to head back to the city tonight, but that's not in the cards for us. Sorry, Liv."

She can hear some shuffling in the background and can tell that Gene isn't alone, wherever he is. She can even hear it in his voice, which is a bit more guarded than usual. His assistant is probably with him, she thinks.

"So where are you now?" she inquires.

"Oh, you know … just seeing the sights. Got some time to kill before dinner is served at the hotel so …"

Olivia arches an eyebrow, wondering why Gene is being so vague. There's something in his voice that makes her wonder if there is something he isn't telling her. She bites her lip, willing her thoughts not to go there again. They've been over this. He's changed his phone number for her, cutting ties with all the other women he's been with.
But still. That won't stop him from meeting new people. She swallows when she hears a woman's voice filter through the phone. She can't hear what is being said but she feels her stomach clench. He says he's done with his old ways and that she's the only one for him now. But he's been gone for two nights and women are still going to notice him. And she's pretty sure Gene was covering his phone just now so she won't hear what is being said to him.

"What kind of sights are we talking about Gene?" she asks, trying very hard to sound lighthearted. But her voice betrays her just like his voice is betraying him and he falls silent for a few moments.

"Baby … don't do that. Please."

He sounds genuinely hurt but she hears that woman again and she feels like she has some right to question him right now. Just then, Elliot returns with coffee for the four of them and she tries to sound chipper when she tells Gene,

"Yeah. Well, be safe out there, alright? And let me know how things go tomorrow."

If he is surprised that she's cutting him off, he doesn't show it. He tells her he loves her just before she ends the call.

"Everything alright?" Elliot asks, and from the look on his face she can tell he knows the answer already. She glances up at him and takes the coffee he is holding out for her from his hand with a sigh.

"Is it time yet to break his legs? That was the deal, remember? He hurts you, I break his legs."

Olivia can't help but laugh despite herself. Leave it to Elliot to cheer her up in his own way.

"Let's wait until he gets back before we stone him, okay?" Olivia chuckles. "I'm just disappointed that he's not coming home tonight. Extra meeting in the morning."

Technically, she's not lying but the partners both know there is more to it than just disappointment. But this is something she needs to work out with Gene. Maybe she's overreacting. Just because there is a woman with him, that doesn't have to mean he's interested in her. They're trying for a baby, for crying out loud. So why is she still so insecure? Part of her still thinks it might be better to run for the hills. She still has her old apartment. Maybe she should go there tonight. But she shakes off that thought immediately. She's jumped in with both feet and this insecurity is something she will need to overcome. She doesn't want to hurt Gene with her suspicious nature but if she wants this to work, she will need to talk to him when he gets back and tell him about her concerns.

Her phone buzzes again and she checks it, thinking Gene must have sent her another text. Elliot watches her intently for a reaction. Her face relaxes when she sees it's a text from Anne, her mother-in-law. Anne is asking if they're still on for Saturday. She is actually going out shopping for dresses for the 4th of July party with her mother-in-law on Saturday. And just like that, her smile is back. Across from her, Elliot sets his coffee down and goes back to work. He's seen enough and she follows his lead. The work day is almost done, and tomorrow Gene comes home.

…

To be continued …

A/N: Oh Olivia. She still can't believe anyone would want her and only her. We are inching closer to the finish line of this ride. I'd love to know your thoughts. Any ideas what Gene is up to?