Eddie had made a choice the other night to trust her heart after talking with her mom, and she called Jamie. He answered immediately, and she asked if his offer was still good, and he was quick to assure her it was.
He was curious how she got his number but figured she had her ways and it was best to let it rest. He was just glad she had called.
Eddie was feeling a mixture of emotions tonight. Jamie would be there to pick her up in less than an hour. She was excited, she really liked him, but she was nervous too. She hadn't agreed to a date since Jake, and she was scared. She was afraid to let her guard down and trust anyone still.
She wanted to believe that Jamie was a good guy. He seemed so sweet and kind every time she had seen him before, but that wall she had built around her heart was standing tall tonight, and she wasn't sure she would be able to put that behind her and enjoy the evening. She really wanted to, she just didn't know if she could.
Jamie offered to pick her up at her apartment, and she agreed but said she would meet him downstairs. That was just an attempt to protect herself a little. She wanted to make sure he didn't know exactly where she lived, she wasn't ready to trust him that much. He offered no objection, respecting her as he did, and told her he would see her downstairs at seven.
Eddie is wearing a beige summer dress with a soft pink floral pattern and thin shoulder straps. It is warm out, and her California tan is still glowing. Her makeup is light, and her long blonde hair is down in waves. She is a vision.
She can't stall any longer, there is nothing left to do except head downstairs to meet her date. She opens the door of her building to see Jamie standing at the bottom of the steps. He is so handsome, she thinks, and there go those butterflies again.
Jamie is wearing khaki pants and a blue short-sleeve button-up collared shirt. As soon as Jamie sees her, he heads up the stairs, and now he is the one with the flutters in his stomach. He is smiling at her as he approaches and she is smiling back, both feeling like teenagers again, both trying hard not to let it show.
He greets her sweetly, asking if she is ready, and he places his hand on the small of her back to guide her down the steps. The gesture warms her heart and she relaxes a little.
Jamie had taken Eddie to a charming Italian restaurant not too far from her apartment. He wanted a soft setting. Every time they had spent together before this point was so impersonal. He wanted to be able to talk to her, to get to know her. He hadn't wanted that from a date in a while and it made him nervous, but he wanted it tonight.
He also couldn't shake the feeling that none of it would matter when Eddie found out he had a daughter. He pushed that to the back of his mind, for now, determined to enjoy the evening.
They are both indulging in the Italian cuisine and thoroughly enjoying their time together. Eddie was able to sit across the table from Jamie and not once feel in fear of what kind of guy he could turn out to be. She really likes him. Something still makes her wonder why Erin would say he was unavailable, but she doesn't dwell on that. She is having a great time.
"This place is amazing, Jamie," she smiles as she twirls a small amount of pasta on her plate.
"I'm glad you like it," he says, smiling back. He wants to say his daughter loves spaghetti too, but he doesn't.
"Have you lived in New York long," he asks her. He remembered his sister mentioning Eddie hadn't lived here long, and he is curious.
"No, I moved here a few months ago, well, almost six I guess. The time has gone by fast," she says, gracefully taking another bite of her pasta.
She doesn't offer much more, but Jamie has more questions. He really is interested in her.
"So where are you from," he asks as he cuts another piece of his chicken parmesan.
She sets her fork down and reaches for her glass of wine, taking a sip before answering.
"Los Angeles," she says, getting a little nervous now, but trying to hide it.
Their conversation continued through the rest of their dinner, Jamie asking about why she moved to New York and Eddie lying about her answer. She told him she always wanted to live in New York, so she researched how she could transfer her license here and finally made the move. She didn't give him anything else. She didn't want him to know anything about her life in California.
Jamie told her about Harvard and that he was a lawyer for a year before he decided to become a cop, and he was surprised when she found that fascinating rather than ridiculous. He almost expected the same reaction from her that he got from Sydney since Eddie was a lawyer too, but it was clear to him very quickly that Eddie and Sydney were nothing alike.
Jamie found himself enjoying Eddie's company so much, he didn't want the night to end. He thought a couple of times of telling her about Gracie, but he never did.
When their dinner is over, Jamie settles the check despite Eddie trying to pay for her own, again. He certainly isn't going to let her do that this time. They leave the restaurant, walking with no destination in mind, neither of them is in a hurry to get home.
The weather is beautiful, and the sidewalks are busy, and they continue to talk. They tell each other about their families and their hobbies, but Jamie still leaves out the part about his daughter. He feels the urge to reach for her hand or drape his arm across her shoulder to pull her closer to him, but he resists. He isn't sure if it is too soon.
He sees a street vendor with gelato just ahead of them, and this time he does reach for her hand, only to guide her towards the vendor, and she accepts. There is no way she would protest. She has wanted him to do that all night.
"Come on," he says as he tugs her gently.
"Where are we going," she giggles. She finds herself trusting Jamie completely in this moment.
"Gelato," he says, and his eyes grow wide with excitement.
As he orders for them, he spots a hanger on the side of the vendor cart containing stuffed animals. He quickly grabs a small pig, and after paying for both, he shoves the stuffed animal in his pocket.
Eddie sees the exchange thinking it is a little strange, but she doesn't have a chance to question him about it before he is handing the cup of Gelato to her and encouraging her to taste it. She moans melodiously at the deliciousness of the cold dessert as it melts on her warm tongue and it makes Jamie's heart race a little.
They find a bench near the park where they finish their dessert. Still in no hurry, they sit there for a while longer, enjoying each other's company and learning as much as they can about the other. Still, neither shares the most important parts of their past.
It is getting late and Jamie feels as if he should walk Eddie home. He knows he plans to ask her out again when they reach her apartment and now he is getting nervous. He feels confident she will say yes, he is mostly nervous because it is the first time he has wanted to see someone again.
Jamie finds himself following her up the steps of her building, but he isn't sure why. He knows he is not going inside with her, he is not that kind of guy. She doesn't stop him though, and she lets him walk her to her own front door.
As they approach her apartment, Eddie stops, letting him know this is the one, and he smiles at her as she turns around to face him.
"I had a really nice time Jamie, thank you for tonight," she tells him sincerely, as she is fidgeting with the key in her hand.
She is hoping he will ask her out again, she really does want to see him again.
"The pleasure is all mine," he tells her softly, with a gentle smile he can't tame.
He is nervous. He is about to ask her for a second date, and then he thinks about Gracie. They stand in silence for a few seconds when Eddie turns away to unlock her door, taking his silence for her answer. As she twists the doorknob, he says her name quietly, and she turns around again.
"Will you go out with me again," he asks, his eyes are locked with hers now and his grin is wide.
"I would love to," she responds, maybe with a little too much excitement.
Neither one of them has moved. Jamie thinks now would be the time to tell her about Gracie but he can't bring himself to do it. He wants to see her again, and he is still afraid that she will change her mind if she knows he has a baby. So instead, he leans in and brushes a soft kiss against her cheek and tells her he will call her tomorrow.
Eddie is inside her apartment now, and she kicks off her heels as she hangs her purse. She is about to call her mom and grandma and tell them how well her date went, but she has to change first. She walks to her bedroom and flicks the switch for the light, climbing out of her dress and reaching for a tee-shirt and pair of pajama shorts.
Jamie is walking out of her building, thinking about their date that just ended, and how he can't wait to call her tomorrow. He is about to start down the steps as he shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans and feels the small stuffed animal he bought for Gracie earlier. He stops immediately and thinks to himself, what am I doing? He shakes his head as he turns to catch the door of the lobby before it swings shut and locks.
Eddie is on her couch now, it didn't take her long to change, and she is about to call her mom when she hears a tap at her door. She is startled by it, even though it's soft, wondering who could be on the other side.
She gets up slowly, and peers out the small hole in the door that she has to press on to the tips of her toes to see through, and Jamie is standing there with his hands in his pockets. She starts to panic a little thinking about the clothes she is now wearing and doesn't think she wants him to see her like this, at least not yet. But there he is, with a desperate look in his eyes, and she opens the door.
"Jamie," she questions quietly.
"I have a daughter!" he blurts out and exhales the breath he was holding.
Eddie is about to say something, but he keeps going.
"Her name is Gracie, and she's eighteen months old," he pauses, "and she loves pigs," he says, pulling the pig from his pocket, briefly holding it out for her to see, before shoving it back in.
Eddie is standing in front of him, and she is smiling. The pig makes more sense to her now.
Jamie is confused, she doesn't look like his admission bothers her at all, and that is not what he was expecting. She steps back further, silently inviting Jamie inside her apartment. She can tell he has more he wants to say.
Eddie is a little surprised to hear about Gracie, she didn't really see that coming, but she isn't affected by it in the least. She actually respects Jamie even more now. He follows her to the couch and sits down next to her, leaving very little distance between them.
"I wanted to tell you all night, but I didn't know how or when would have been a good time…and I was afraid if I told you that it would scare you away, and I had a great time with you tonight…" Jamie is rambling and she thinks it is cute.
She lets him continue, smiling softly at him.
"I really wanted to see you again, and when I left your apartment and didn't tell you about Gracie, I felt guilty. Like you have a right to know, you know?" Jamie continues, still rambling, but a little slower now.
He is not looking at her either. He isn't sure he wants to see the expression on her face just yet. She reaches out and rubs his knee with affection that lets him know she is ok with this and then he looks up. She is compassionate and understanding and not scared away at all.
"I had a nice time tonight too, and I still want to see you again," Eddie assures him. "Thank you for telling me about your daughter. You seem like a great father, and…maybe one day, I'll get to meet Gracie," she smiles genuinely as she finishes.
Jamie is captivated by her in this moment. He leans in slowly towards her and she meets him for a slow, tender kiss. It lingers as he brings one hand up to cup her cheek. Eddie drapes her arms around his neck and his other hand slides around to the small of her back, landing just above her waist and he pulls her closer.
They have just ignited a spark between them and the sensation they both feel in this moment is electrifying as they deepen their kiss.
Neither of them wants the kiss to end, but neither will go any further tonight. They break their kiss when the need to breathe forces them apart, and they press their foreheads together gently, holding the position for a moment.
Breathing heavy, they separate, and Jamie is the first to speak.
"I should go," he tells her, as he attempts to steady his breath.
She knows he should. Neither of them wants to mess this up by rushing into anything tonight, but the pull is strong. They stand in unison, and Eddie follows Jamie to her door.
He is such a gentleman, he didn't make any mention of her new attire and she is thankful for that. He opens her door to leave and she is right behind him as he turns slowly for another soft peck on the lips before he tells her he will call her tomorrow.
Eddie was so caught up in the events of the evening that she forgot to call her family, and after Jamie left, she went straight to bed. She tugged her blanket up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her pillow, snug and cozy, and thought about Jamie.
He wanted to see her again, and he trusted her enough to tell her about his daughter. She wondered if she should share the details of her past in California and the real reason she moved to New York but decided she would wait for now. She didn't want him to look at her any differently.
She was falling for him hard and fast. She couldn't get her mind off the kiss they shared moments earlier in her living room. He was soft and gentle and when she closed her eyes, she could feel his lips on hers again.
For the last two years, she feared she would never experience that feeling again, but Jamie Reagan had changed that, and she fell asleep with a smile on her face.
Jamie had similar feelings as Eddie after he left her apartment. While he made the long trip back to Staten Island to pick up his daughter, he thought about her. He thought about how beautiful she was. Sweet, kind, smart, and successful, but not extravagant. She could easily afford to live a different lifestyle than she did, but she wasn't that kind of girl.
Jamie was still in awe of how accepting she was when he told her about Gracie and he couldn't wait to see her again. He picked his little girl up from his parents and was spared the many questions he was expecting. They could tell without asking that something was different this time.
His mother and father watched him walk down the driveway as they stood arm in arm smiling, hopeful that this woman would be the turning point for their son.
Eddie wakes up happy the next morning. It is Saturday, and she doesn't have any plans. She thinks about calling Jamie and then decides against it. He said he would call her, she will wait for that and calls her mom and grandma instead.
They will be thrilled to hear about her date, and that she is going out with him again, and if she is honest, she is excited just to talk about him. His name coming off her lips results in a smile she can't suppress, not that she wants to, and she tells them everything. Everything except the part about him having a daughter.
She thinks there is a good chance at a real relationship with him, but she also knows it is too soon to tell for sure, so she figures she will save that small detail for later. Eddie's grandmother is thrilled at the excitement in her granddaughter's voice and is hopeful she is beginning to put her past behind her.
Jamie wakes up early with Gracie and fights the urge to call Eddie first thing Saturday morning. He reaches for his phone during pancakes and cartoons but decides it will be best to wait until Gracie naps. He will never break his promise to her, she will always be the most important girl in his life, but after his date with Eddie last night, Jamie's heart is opening for the first time in a long time, and he thinks maybe he will have room for two girls after all.
After breakfast, the same puzzle three times, a brief game of hide-and-seek in their backyard cluttered with toys, and a few trips down the slide, Gracie and Jamie are finally snuggled on the couch, and Gracie demands her dad read her the new book about pigs he had picked up recently.
She dozes off just before lunchtime, and Jamie adjusts her slightly, replacing his body with a pillow and lets her nap. Now he can call Eddie.
As soon as Eddie's phone rings, she darts across the room for it, hopeful that it is Jamie. She wants to answer on the first ring, but instead, takes a deep breath and lets it ring a few more times in an attempt to sound casual, and not like she was sitting by the phone waiting for his call.
She exhales slowly and then answers. She is not sure it works and chastises herself silently for sounding like Jamie is the first boy to ever call her back. Oh well, she is smitten. She is smiling, and she sits cross-legged on her couch, fidgeting with a loose thread on the cushion as Jamie speaks.
He is nervous too. He isn't sure why, but then he is apologizing to her for taking so long to call and immediately shakes his head at himself as he realizes how ridiculous he sounds. It isn't long before they are both able to fall comfortably into casual conversation with each other and Jamie asks her if he can take her out again the following Saturday.