Bartoli's is slower than normal, but then again, it's a weeknight so not really that surprising. Hailey trails after Jay as the waitress leads them to a table and finds herself suddenly hyper aware of the atmosphere the dimly lit restaurant provides. It certainly isn't the first time they've been here together, but something about tonight feels different. A least for Hailey. Her time away in New York has really done a number on her ability to shove down her feelings for Jay and now that she's back with him, face to face, the task is becoming harder by the minute. They settle into the booth and place their drink order. Once the waitress disappears, Hailey looks to find Jay staring at her, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"What?"
She asks, feeling suddenly embarrassed under his gaze. Thankful for the dim lights as she once again feels her cheeks begin to blush.
"Nothing."
He replies, shifting his eyes elsewhere. Before she can push him for more, the waitress returns with their drinks and they place their order. The usual, just like old times. As they are once again left alone, Hailey finds herself picking at the wrapper of her straw. With her attention focused elsewhere, she doesn't see Jay's antics before his straw wrapper darts into her face. She looks up at him, chuckling with confusion, as he quickly dunks the straw into his drink and takes a sip. The way his eyes light up mischievously sets her heart thumping away at it's new pace around him and she smiles, squinting her eyes in mock annoyance.
"So, is this everything you dreamed about in New York?"
He asks and she's thankful for the start of conversation.
"I'm not sure, I haven't eaten yet."
He takes another sip before he continues, his eyes darting away before he speaks.
"We know the pizza won't disappoint. I meant the rest of this."
She sends him a quizzical look, unsure of what he's getting at and he merely waves his hand around in response.
"Well, I suppose I did miss the art work here."
Hailey smirks, nodding towards a picture beside their table. Jay eyes her, gauging her before he continues.
"Anything else you missed?"
He loses confidence about half way through and she watches as his attention shifts to his drink and he plays with the straw, spinning it around the rim of the glass. Her heart stutters for a moment as she debates how honest she should be, wanting to lay it all on the table but also not wanting to cross that line. She knew that by agreeing to come here with him she would have a harder time pushing her feelings down but she didn't anticipate it this soon.
"A few things…"
She trails off, not feeling very confident herself. She watches him closely and smiles when he glances up to meet her eyes.
"Like what?"
He challenges and her breath catches in her throat. She glances around the restaurant, hoping to be saved by the distraction of the waitress bringing their food but the younger girl is nowhere to be seen.
"Well, of course I missed the wind. And the Unit. Platt. My own bed…"
He nods along with her list, watching her carefully.
"You."
She says it so quietly, it's almost a whisper. But he doesn't miss it and his smile grows when she says it.
"You missed me, huh?"
He smirks. It's not the first time she's said it, once on the phone it slipped out before she could stop it. But saying it now, with him right in front of her, felt totally different.
"Yeah, it's hard to find a good partner."
She decides to take that route, before she ends up spilling everything out for him and crossing so many lines.
"It is."
Jay nods again, his smile still tugging at his lips. His eyes have a little sparkle in them and Hailey forces herself to look away. He looks like he wants to say something more but the waitress finally brings their pizza, setting the steaming dish in front of them and handing each a plate. They both settle into eating, a lighter, easier banter starting between them. Jay laughs when Hailey melts at the first bite, there truly is nothing better than Chicago's pizza. They finish the pizza off between the two of them and then Jay pays the tab, shooting Hailey a look when she starts to protest. She follows him back out to the truck and happily climbs into her side, finding even his truck a source of comfort for her. Something she didn't realize she missed. Jay starts the truck but makes no move to shift it into gear, instead turning to look at her in his seat.
"So...beers at Molly's? Or on the couch?"
He asks and she smiles, knowing neither of them are ready to end the night. She doesn't really feel like going out, but she isn't sure taking him back to her house, somewhere free of distractions and then consuming alcohol would be the best idea. Hailey agrees to Molly's and Jay happily points them in that direction.
Molly's is also slower than normal but there's still a few people Hailey recognizes that come up to welcome her home. They settle into the bar with a beer each and both let their attention shift to the tv on the wall above. It's a replay of some game Hailey wasn't really interested in but she was thankful for the distraction for the time being. Another voice joins them and Hailey looks over to see Will shoving Jay's shoulder playfully. He turns to her then with a genuine smile.
"Hey Hailey, welcome back! How was New York?"
She smiles in return and welcomes his one armed hug.
"It was good. Not home though."
He settles into the stool beside Jay and orders his own beer.
"No nothing beats Chicago and the people here."
Hailey nods and doesn't miss the way Will playfully leans into Jay as he said it, Jay instantly shooting him a look of warning. Hailey picks at the label on her bottle, once again pushing down thoughts. The three of them fall into an easy conversation and Hailey loses track of time. When she finally yawns and glances at her phone she notices it's well after 11pm. Jay notices her yawn and motions the waitress to pay the tab. Hailey shakes her head as he once again picks up her bill as well. They head out to his truck, climbing in quickly now that the temperature dropped in the dark.
"You didn't have to pay for everything tonight, ya know."
She says and it's a statement, not a question. He sends her a smirk, starting the truck and aiming them towards her house.
"Think of it as my welcome back gift. I told you it'd be a Bartoli's date when you got back."
Hailey knows he doesn't really mean anything by the word 'date' but her heart still skips a beat when he says it. They fall into a silence as he makes the drive and Hailey watches the street lights out her window. He pulls into her drive and Hailey notices he shuts the truck off, jumping out behind her. He follows her up the steps and lingers behind her as she fumbles with the key. Once her door is open she steps inside and turns to let him in but he just stands in the doorway. He looks down at her sheepishly and she braces herself for whatever he's about to say.
"Thanks for hanging out with me tonight."
He smiles down at her and she feels a lump catch in her throat. Her palms instantly go slick with sweat and she clenches them beside her. Sure, they've had nights like these plenty of times, but Jay's never ended them like this. This was different.
"I should be the one saying thank you."
She smiles up at him, her cheeks blushing under his gaze.
"I'm glad you're back Hailey."
He says her name and the way it falls off his lips does nothing to slow her heartbeat.
"Me too."
She whispers, thankful her hair is down because her ears feel like they're on fire. He takes a sudden step forward and pulls her into a quick hug. Before she can fully embrace it or even really register what's happening, he backs away, giving her a sheepish grin.
"I missed you too."
He says quietly, staring into her eyes for just a moment before he gives her a nod and a small wave, before turning and heading down her steps. She watches him get to his truck, returning his wave and then shutting her door. She turns around and leans against the solid surface, letting her body slip down the door until she's sitting on the ground. Her head falls into her hands as her knees come up to her chest. Hailey forces herself to take some deep breaths around the hitch in her throat. Her heart is threatening to beat out of her chest. Hailey moves her hand up to run it through her hair before sliding it down to rest on her neck. Her head falls back against the door and she just sits there, letting all her thoughts from today finally catch up with her. This was turning into a mess. She was a mess. And Jay? Well, Jay was perfect.