Jamie and Gracie woke up early Sunday morning, and Jamie wanted to spend time with his daughter before he dropped her off with his parents. They went to the park early and stopped in at Gracie's favorite pizza place for lunch, before heading to the grocery store to pick up the few items Jamie needed for the dinner he was cooking for Eddie later.
He wasn't the best in the kitchen, but he certainly wasn't the worst, and he did have a special dish that his mother had made sure he could master to perfection, for moments like these.
He never made it for Sydney though, she had to have fancy dinners out every night. Tonight, he would make it for Eddie, and he hoped she would appreciate it. He hadn't been this excited in a long time, maybe not ever.
He and Gracie finished at the grocery store just in time for Jamie to put her down for a nap, and he was unloading the contents of their trip when his brother pulled into his driveway honking his horn obnoxiously, alerting his arrival.
Jamie glared at Danny through his windshield, hoping the unnecessary notification didn't wake his sleeping daughter. Danny hopped out of his car just in time to grab a bag from Jamie's hands and follow him inside with it.
"What are you doing here," Jamie asks his brother, accepting his help with the grocery bag.
"Heard you have a big date tonight," his brother chortles, setting the bag down on Jamie's kitchen counter.
Jamie shakes his head in mild frustration, wondering why his mother and brother feel it necessary to invade his personal life the way they do.
"Figured I'd come by and give you some pointers, you know…so you don't screw anything up tonight."
Danny is serious, and Jamie is annoyed.
"Yeah, what makes you the expert…when was the last time you had a serious relationship," Jamie jabs back at his brother.
Danny is a typical playboy who might be good at getting dates and wooing women, but he certainly isn't the master of successful relationships, and Jamie has no interest in his advice.
He knows exactly how Eddie deserves to be treated. Their budding relationship isn't just about their physical attraction, Jamie feels a soulful connection with her, a connection he is sure he has never felt before.
"Ok, fine. You have a point," Danny agrees.
He knows Jamie is right, and he doesn't have a problem with it.
"But I figured since I am responsible for this match-making, I should at least be entitled to all the juicy details."
"What? How do you figure that?"
Jamie is cackling at his brother now as he unpacks his groceries. Danny's work is done though, he offers no help after setting down the one bag he carried in. He nods at Jamie as if to say you know I'm right.
"If it weren't for me, you never would have met her that night, it's not like you would have gone over to their table on your own," Danny finishes arrogantly.
"Maybe not, but the only thing you are responsible for, Danny, is making her uncomfortable that night."
"Yeah, well…clearly, you are making her very comfortable now," Danny says, raising his eyebrows suggestively towards his little brother.
Jamie's back was turned away from Danny for most of the conversation as he continued to put things in their place, but he did catch the eyebrow gesture as he turned around.
Resting his palms on the edge of the countertop directly across from where Danny sat, Jamie leans towards his brother.
"It's not like that, Danny. She's special. I really like her a lot, and I respect her. So, if you want me to thank you for whatever part you think you have played in this, then thank you. But that's all you're getting," he finishes as he goes back to his task.
Danny didn't stay much longer, and Jamie was grateful for that. He cleaned up around his house and threw a few things in a bag for Gracie while she finished her nap.
Jamie had a couple of hours before he had to take Gracie to his mom. They sat on the floor of their living room playing with her farm animals as Jamie began to tell his daughter about Eddie.
She doesn't understand what he is talking about, he knows that, but he still feels like he needs to explain himself to the almost two-year-old that he loves so much.
Jamie is sitting with his back against the couch, his legs stretched out, and Gracie is walking her plastic pigs up and down his shin as he tells her that he has a new friend who is very special to him.
The little girl continues to play, using her father as part of her make-believe farm when he assures her that even though Eddie is special to him, she will never take the place of her.
Gracie is listening to him as she plays, she is young but very bright, and when she repeats Eddie's name back to her father, his heart melts a little. He wonders if it is time to introduce the two of them but decides he will wait to see how tonight goes first.
Eddie had spent most of her Sunday mentally preparing herself for the night she was about to spend with Jamie. She was ready, she knew that, but she was nervous that whatever happened with Jamie's past involving Gracie's mom, might be holding him back.
She also knew she had to confess to Jamie that she had a moment of weakness after he left the night before and called his sister when she should have talked to him instead. She hoped he wouldn't be angry and that her mistake wouldn't have any effect on their evening.
Eddie wasn't sure if he expected her to spend the night at his house, or if he just planned on dinner only. She assumed he had to work Monday, so it was probably the latter. She took a leap of faith anyway and decided to ask Erin for Monday off, just in case the night went as she hoped it would. She didn't want to have to rush back from Staten Island early enough to make it to work on time.
Erin figured she knew why Eddie was asking for the day off, but it didn't matter. Eddie had been there nearly six months and hadn't missed a single day yet, so as long as she was spared the details of her friend's new relationship with her little brother, she would give her the day off.
Now that she didn't have to worry about work the next day, Eddie was struggling with the decision to pack an overnight bag to take with her. She wasn't sure she wanted to show up with a bag, especially if that wasn't part of Jamie's plan tonight. She didn't want to seem that bold, but she did want to be prepared.
She had an oversized shoulder bag that would easily pass off as a large purse, and it would have plenty of room for her essentials so that is what she decided on. She figured if the night did go her way, it wouldn't be so bad lounging around in one of Jamie's tee-shirts anyway.
Then she thought about a gesture of her own, and since he was cooking dinner for them, maybe she would pick up dessert.
Jamie wanted to surprise Eddie on the Manhattan side of the ferry, he didn't want her to have to ride across by herself, and he left with enough time to drop his daughter off and take the ferry across to Manhattan by 4:15.
Since Eddie was expecting him to meet her on the other side at 5:00, that would give him enough time to catch her before she boarded. He knew exactly what train she would need to take to get down to the terminal and pulled off his hasty plan perfectly.
Jamie is leaning against the railing outside the entrance, watching for Eddie through the buzz of the crowded streets. He doesn't notice her right away, but she sees him. She wasn't expecting him to meet her on this side, and her heart is overflowing with adoration for this man right now as she starts towards him.
Once Jamie sees her approaching, he pushes himself from his spot on the rail and meets her, greeting her with a smile, a gentle kiss, and a long hug. He takes the sack from her, containing their dessert for later, and leads her to the ferry entrance.
The ride was about a half-hour, and Jamie had taken her to one of the outside decks so she could enjoy the scenery as they crossed the Upper Bay. He figured this was her first time on the ferry which was part of the reason he wanted to ride across with her.
They stood near the back for the view of Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge, and Jamie took the opportunity to slide his arm low around her waist and tug her a little closer.
She followed his lead, leaning into his side and smiled. She was falling hard. Every touch from him sent shivers down her spine and honestly, she couldn't wait to get to his house.
Jamie holds open the front door of his home for Eddie to enter, and he follows in behind her. His hand is resting on her back as he guides her to the kitchen to stash the dessert in the refrigerator and she sets her purse on his table as she looks around.
His house is charming and tidy but still cluttered with baby items that he had noticeably tried to move somewhere out of the way. She thinks it is adorable and her feelings for him are multiplying with every second that passes.
He sees her examining his living room where Gracie's toys are, and then the highchair that he forgot to move to the closet, and he worries for a second that the reality of it all is starting to hit her.
A nervous feeling washes through his body as he follows her movements with his eyes, holding in a breath, until she walks over to the shelf in his dining room, admiring a picture of him and his daughter. He doesn't take his eyes off her and she turns to him with the picture in her hand.
"She's beautiful, Jamie."
Her smile is wide as she sets the picture back down, and he is relieved as he smiles back at her.
"Do you want to see the rest of the house?"
She nods in response and follows him down the hallway.
They walk slowly, and Eddie is admiring the pictures on the wall. They are mostly of Gracie, or Jamie and Gracie, and a few of his family, but she doesn't notice any of Gracie's mother.
She knows that she must broach that subject eventually, but she will wait a bit longer. He shows her the guest room, points to the bathroom and then Gracie's room, and she pokes her head inside. It is beautifully decorated and she wonders if Jamie did it himself?
She can see the devotion he has for his little girl, just by glancing around her room and it warms her heart. She doesn't linger there long, she is curious about his room, so they move on.
Once again, they stop in the doorway and she notices that Jamie's room is spared the decoration that his daughter's room has. It is very simple and plain, a basic furniture set and solid comforter, and it is obvious to her now, he undeniably had help with Gracie's bedroom.
He steers her back into the main area of the house. She had already seen most of it when she walked in, so he quickly shows her the backyard, which is also cluttered with evidence of an adored small child, and she finds herself thinking that this is something she could get used to.
Jamie heads back to the kitchen now, ready to start their dinner, and Eddie follows him asking if there is anything she can do to help. She feels a bit awkward since no man has ever cooked dinner for her, and she doesn't really know what to do with herself.
He won't let her help though, but he does pour her a glass of wine and tells her to sit down and relax, as he points to the stool on the other side of the counter. She rolls her eyes at him teasingly and he loves it. She hasn't moved yet, despite his urging, she is still standing in front of him, looking up at him over the edge of her glass as she takes a sip and he can't help it any longer.
He takes the glass from her hand, gently placing it on the counter behind her and pulls her into him slowly. Her arms reach around his neck and her chest is pressed against his, and time stands still.
He is gazing deep into her eyes when their lips meet for a tender kiss. It's long and slow, and his hands are no longer behaving at her waist as his fingertips crave the softness of her skin.
She presses up on the tips of her toes to get closer to him. Her eyes are closed and she is programming this feeling in her mind. Their kisses grow more passionate, but Jamie maintains his slow and sensual pace.
He appreciates everything about her in this moment, and there is no need to rush, but he knows if he doesn't stop now, they may not make it to dinner and he really wants to make her dinner, so he pulls away. She opens her eyes when he does, and pouts at his separation, a look he finds adorable.
His breathing is unsteady when he smiles at her and speaks softly.
"You are going to have to go sit over there."
He points across the counter at the stool he had intended she already be sitting in, and she smiles back at him as she picks up her wine. He needs her to sit out of arm's reach if he is going to at least get their meal started.
Maybe they can pick up where they left off while it cooks, but he needs to get it in the oven first. He is making oven-roasted chicken, potatoes and asparagus, and a small salad.
Fortunately for them both, he had prepped the chicken before he left earlier, so it has been marinating nicely in the fridge for a few hours now, and all he has to do is place it in the roasting dish and garnish the sides with the small red potatoes and asparagus, and stick it in the oven. Once that is done, they can do whatever they want to, for an hour at least.
Jamie pours himself a glass of wine and rounds the counter to meet Eddie again. He reaches for her hand and leads her to the couch while they wait for the oven to chime. They have about an hour for conversation…or whatever.
Eddie sits down gracefully on his couch, having already removed her shoes for comfort, and she snuggles into the corner. The pillows hug her body, she brings one leg underneath her, and she faces him. She would love nothing more than for her body to be parallel with his right now, but she thinks she should probably admit her moment of weakness from last night, and now is better than later.
He sits down next to her, and she was really hoping he would leave a little more distance than he did because it is going to be difficult for her to keep her hands and mouth to herself. She almost can't resist the magnetic pull between them and needs to get this off her chest first.
She takes a deep inhale as the cushion dips beside her at the weight of Jamie, and looks into his eyes. Here we go, she thinks, and she hopes he is understanding.
Before she has a chance to speak, though, he is apologizing to her for last night. He reaches for her hand and laces his fingers with hers, and the look in his eyes is sincere. She wants to say so many things to him, but it is definitely too soon for that, so she will listen to what he has to say and then offer an apology of her own.
"I'm sorry about last night. I never should have gone inside with you."
And now she is thinking what the hell? She holds his gaze, wondering what exactly he is sorry for and hoping she didn't get the signals completely wrong.
"I shouldn't have let things move as fast as they were last night."
He pauses and can tell she is confused, or maybe hurt, he is not sure, but he squeezes her hand softly, hoping to reassure her, and continues.
"I mean, I knew I had to leave, I shouldn't have led you on like that."
He is smiling at her, and hoping he is doing a good job of explaining himself, or apologizing, whatever he is trying to do, he is not sure right now.
Jamie takes another deep breath and exhales. He might as well put all the cards on the table here.
"Truth is, I didn't have to pick Gracie up, my parents wanted to keep her overnight, but I respect you so much, Eddie, and I want you to respect me. And I didn't want you to think that yesterday was just about sex, you know?"
My god, this man is so genuine and honest and sincere, she thinks. She is appreciating him more and wondering how she got so lucky.
"I do respect you, Jamie. You are so kind and gentle, and caring…and I was the one who invited you in," she laughs a little, hoping to make him see she doesn't blame him for anything.
She lets go of his hand and sets her glass on the table in front of them. She takes a deep breath of her own and looks back into his eyes again.
"I have a confession of my own to make," and she is scrunching her nose, embarrassed and a little disappointed in herself.
He smiles at her, encouraging her to continue. He is very curious about what she has to say because she looks adorable to him in this moment.
"After you left, I called your sister."
She squints her eyes and looks away for a second, and he creases his brows in confusion. She doesn't know how to get the next part out, mostly because she feels like a complete idiot right now, and she is not sure how he is going to react to what she says next.
He wants to ask her why, but he knows they are friends, so it doesn't surprise him too much, and he waits for her to continue. He can tell she feels guilty about it and he is curious about what else she has to say.
"I…um…"
She feels terrible and she is shaking her head at the disappointment she has in herself.
"Hey," he says softly as he reaches for her other hand in an attempt to console her, for what though, he isn't sure yet.
"I asked her about Gracie's mom," she finally admits, and she blinks hard again.
He tilts his head slightly, silently wondering why she would do that.
"I asked her if she died. I'm so sorry, Jamie…I don't know. I just…when you left, I was confused and scared …and I guess I thought maybe you rushed out because of something that happened with her before. Like maybe she died and you realized you weren't ready to move on."
She is ashamed of the insecurity in her voice as she tells him everything, and he feels bad now too.
"And now I feel like an idiot. I should have talked to you instead of calling your sister, and I'm sorry."
She finishes what she has to say, and she is relieved that he never pulls away from her.
Jamie hasn't let go of her, but he has moved his hands up some and is softly caressing her forearms with the pads of his thumbs.
"I'm sorry that I made you feel that way, I never meant to hurt you."
She is smiling at him sweetly, but she hates that he is still apologizing to her.
"I know that. I was just being stupid and insecure."
Jamie spends the next few minutes telling her everything about Sydney and how he came to be a single father, and Eddie thinks she is falling in love with him.
She shifted her position on his sofa, relaxing into his side, and he has his arm draped around her shoulder, rubbing gently. Her legs are pulled in, resting against Jamie's thigh and his are stretched out on the table in front of him, one foot crossed over the other.
They are done explaining and convincing, they understand each other now. Eddie reaches for her wine again, but not before leaning into Jamie for a kiss. He meets her halfway, and it is a kiss that assures them both of a promising future together.
A/N: Up next, Jamie and Eddie finally get their night together, I don't think this next chapter qualifies for an M rating, hopefully I'm not wrong. Also, a personal note about Danny's character in this story, I liked the idea of Jamie being the only one with a child, and something about Danny being a 'playboy' and not a happily married, or even widowed father sounded more fun and lighthearted for this story. I hope you're all still enjoying it.