Chapter Six

Jordan sighed with relief as she entered the door to her father's bar. A beer and some non-work related conversation was just what she needed. Hopefully, Nigel would show up after he had made his rounds at the Goth clubs and be willing to talk with her and maybe, if she was lucky, dance. He wasn't the best dancer in the world, but at least with him she didn't have to worry about anything getting out of hand.

"Hi Jordan. How are you doing, hon?" asked Max from behind the bar. Jordan went over and kissed her dad on the cheek.

"Better now that the Buchanan has about been solved."

"So it went well today, did it?"

"Yeah. Eddie turned it back over to Woody. The MSBI is satisfied...so far. Hopefully with the information that Nigel and I have him today, Woody will be able to catch this Cynthia Hough and we will be through with this chip case."

"Nigel joining you?"

"Maybe later. He's seeing some chick at the Goth club first."

Max shook his head. He didn't understand Nigel, but he liked him. And he liked the fact that he was Jordan's friend even better. Nigel looked out for Jordan...in much the same way that Garret did. For that, Max was thankful. Thankful for the extra eyes on his daughter and thankful that both men were her close friends. Jordan didn't have many and frankly, Max was worried about her.

Jordan's life was her work. She didn't go out often. She was by herself most of the time. Max worried that she was lonesome, but even more worried that she didn't care that she was lonesome...that she never really tried to date anymore. When Woody left homicide, he had broken Jordan's heart, as well. She had hoped that after some time, they could put Devan behind them and maybe go on in some sort of way. But when Woody had left, he had left everything behind and didn't look back. Max didn't know it was possible to loose someone in the city of Boston, but Woody had been very effective at hiding. And he knew that for Jordan, seeing Woody this week was hell. He watched his daughter sitting alone on the barstool, nursing a Guinness. She looked tired and worn out.

The bell over the door jingled. Max looked over to who had entered his bar. "Hey Eddie," he called out.

Jordan turned around as he entered. He spotted her and went over to her. "Hi Jordy. Fancy meeting you here..."

"Yeah, imagine." She had really hoped her time with Eddie and Woody was over.

"Eddie, you still take your Scotch neat?"

"Sure do. Thanks."

Max poured him a drink and left him and Jordan alone. He liked Eddie...maybe they were trying to rekindle the old flame....maybe she'd knee him in the groin and send him back home. Who knew? Max sighed and turned away from them. She's a grown woman, he kept repeating to himself. He watched as the couple made small talk.

Jordan tried to focus on Eddie, but the truth be known, she was so tired she really just wanted to go home and go to bed. He asked her to dance and she did do one round on the dance floor with him and then pleaded exhaustion and sat back down. Eddie knew when he was whipped.

"There's no chance, is there Jordy?" he asked.

"No chance for what?"

"You. Me. Us again."

"So that's what this is about?"

"No... not all of it. I came to make sure you were all right. You've worked really hard the last few days and you look tired. But yeah, I did want to see if you would ever consider going back out with me."

"Eddie, you don't even live in Boston anymore."

"Yeah, but for you, I'd move back."

Jordan looked at him, thinking he was joking. The man was dead serious. "I'd move back....buy a house...with a fence and a swing set in the backyard."

"Why Eddie? Why me?"

"You're beautiful...you're intelligent.... And I've never really gotten you out of my head. I can't tell you how happy I was to be working with you again....what it means to see you. And I meant what I said the first day. You're still just as beautiful as I remember...."

Jordan never once heard him mention love...and as much as she liked Eddie....she knew that she couldn't lead him on and let him think that he could be the one in her life when her heart, or what was left of it, still belonged to the detective from Wisconsin. "I'm sorry, Eddie...but no. There's no chance."

Eddie sighed. He had heard rumors about her and Hoyt. Evidently, they were true.

"Ok, Jordan. I understand. I'll go now...would you walk with me out to my car?"

Jordan stood up and grabbed her coat and walked him out to his vehicle. He paused before he got in and gently ran a hand down Jordan's cheek. "Look, Jordan, if you change your mind...if you need me...if anything happens, will you call me? I'll always be there for you...no matter what. Okay? I know you may not feel about me the same way I do about you, but I do care for you, Jordan. Deeply." Eddie bent his head and let his lips gently brush hers. "Hoyt was stupid, you know that?" he whispered.

Jordan looked at him disbelievingly. "What makes you say that?"

"Because...he didn't realize what could have been his...or maybe he did. And if he did and he just pushed you away...then I do question the boy's sanity."

Jordan smiled up at Eddie. "Thanks...."

"Jordan, I meant what I said. If you change your mind....if you get tired of waiting on Hoyt...Let me know. I could make life very sweet for you. I promise." Eddie let his lips caress hers once more. "Bye, Jordy," he finally said, after one last kiss. He got in his car and drove away.

Jordan watched his car disappear into the cold Boston night. Eddie was a good guy. She cared for him. But she didn't love him. She knew he would make life sweet for her, but what could she offer him....parts of a broken heart? The fear that when they were making love, her mind was on another man? No. He deserved far better than that. A woman that would love him unreservedly and fill that backyard of his up with children. From what her doctors had told her, she wasn't even sure if she could have children any longer. Wearily, she decided to re-enter the bar. She was going to tell Max good night and go home. Maybe she could find some peace this weekend. She turned around and nearly ran straight into Woody. He had been standing no more than five feet from her and Eddie and she had never noticed.