After Erin's permission, they left Eddie's office, looking forward to spending a few impromptu hours together. Eddie asked Gracie what she wanted to do, and the toddler sweetly insisted on going to the park.
Eddie had a long day at work, and even though it was gratefully cut short by her two favorite people, she was still exhausted. Gracie had her wrapped around her finger, though, just as much as she did her father, and there was no question where they would be spending their afternoon.
Jake had laid low since following Jamie to the bar last weekend once he decided that Saturday was the day we would move in on Eddie. He didn't want his presence to be known for certain until then, so he did everything he could to avoid any situations where he might be seen near her apartment that week.
The mind games he had been playing with her had been fun, but if she saw him this close to her apartment now, it would likely spoil his chances of getting her inside his hotel room this weekend.
For safe measure, he would only move around outside of his hotel during the hours she was sure to be at work, so when he saw Eddie that afternoon, he froze. His feet were like bricks mortared to the pavement. What is she doing here, it's the middle of the afternoon, he thought, as he watched her exit the front entrance of her apartment building.
He couldn't move. He was mesmerized by her natural beauty. He stood on the street corner across from the side entrance of her building, and it took a moment for the realization to sink in, and he was jolted back to reality.
She wasn't alone. Jamie was walking beside her with a small child in between them. The little girl's short arms stretched up to each of theirs, holding both their hands, and the sight of Eddie with the two of them made his skin crawl.
Through the flurry of people, Jake watched the three of them walking hand in hand, smiling and laughing as if they were a real family. It was nauseating for him.
Eddie was so encapsulated by the company she kept, that Jake didn't have to dart back inside or duck behind a crowd of people. She was oblivious to everything around her other than Jamie and Gracie.
Jake watched them from across the street for a few seconds, he knew he should be walking in the opposite direction. If he followed her now, it would be too dangerous. He knew he shouldn't risk being seen but the pull she had on him was strong and he followed them anyway.
Jake had done everything to avoid her, he thought that would make their reunion much more special, and it worked until he saw her today, and now he was following her to wherever she was going.
He told himself he just wanted to watch her, that he would stay hidden from her view, and she would never know he was there. He would still surprise the hell out of her this weekend, and from the other side of the street, he maintained a steady pace behind them
The toddler managed to walk a few blocks on her own before she reached up for her father to be carried the rest of the way. As Jamie rested Gracie on his hip, he closed the space between him and Eddie that his daughter no longer occupied, and slid his free hand into hers. She smiled up at him, happy to be spending her afternoon this way, and from across the street, Jake offered an eye roll that he almost wished they could see.
They engage in casual conversation while they walk, and Eddie is still curious about what Jamie is doing with two days off in the middle of the week.
"So, you're off tomorrow also," she says, but it is a question, not a statement.
She is waiting for Jamie to offer some kind of explanation for his middle-of-the-week hiatus from work, but he gives her nothing. He just nods his head and smiles at her. She thinks he must be up to something, he seemed strange in Erin's office earlier, and he has two days off in the middle of the week that she just found out about, and he doesn't have much to say about it.
He definitely is up to something, she thinks, but she has no idea what. She assumes it has something to do with the charity gala, though and offers a slightly skeptical nod of her own back to him.
Jamie knows he needs to think of an explanation quickly, he can tell she wants more from him. He can't tell her he is off today to pick up her engagement ring that was supposed to be ready but wasn't, so he has to pick it up tomorrow, hopefully, and that he plans to propose this weekend.
His thoughts are rambling inside his own head now, and he catches a suspicious smile from her as he ponders what to say. Gracie's tiny arms are grabbing for Eddie, and as she reaches out to take the little girl from her father, Jamie's thanking his daughter silently for the distraction.
He hands her off and attempts to change the subject, and he is lucky because there is an ice cream cart ahead and his daughter spots it as quickly as he does. That is twice he owes his little girl now, he thinks to himself, and he motions for Eddie and Gracie to sit on the bench while he waits in line for them.
While standing there, he admires the way his soon-to-be fiancé interacts with his little girl, and he can't wait for the weekend.
Jake maintained a safe distance the entire walk, and almost the entire time they were at the playground. He watched the three for almost an hour, going from the swings to the slide, the plastic purple rocking horses on springs, and back to the swings again.
That was either the part the child loved the most, or the easiest way for the adults to contain her, probably the latter, Jake thought to himself. He wondered why Eddie was wasting her time with them.
Jamie is pushing Gracie on the swings for the second time since they arrived at the park, and Eddie is standing next to him, telling him about the dress she picked out for the gala this weekend when his phone starts vibrating in his back pocket.
He is still pushing Gracie with one hand as he retrieves his phone with the other when he notices it is the jeweler calling.
"Hey, I have to take this," he tells Eddie. "Can you push her for a second," he finishes.
He doesn't give her a chance to answer before he is swiping the screen on his phone and walking away. She takes over without hesitation, but she is curious again.
"What is your daddy up to, Gracie," she asks the little girl as she pushes her gently, and Gracie giggles playfully as if she knows about the surprise.
Jake sees Jamie step away for the phone call, and he moves in a little. He just wants to be closer. He is craving for more of her in this moment, but he knows he needs to be patient. Saturday will come soon enough, and he can't let her see him again until then.
He doesn't take his eyes off her though. He is in a trance that can't seem to be broken right now. He has managed to remain unseen by Eddie, but he has tunnel vision and doesn't realize Jamie wandering closer to him.
The last few minutes of Jamie's call, he had migrated away from Eddie and Gracie but kept his eyes on them. He notices a man a few yards away who seems to be starting in their direction.
He looks at the man, then back at the girls, and then at the man again, as he slides his phone back into his pocket, and his cop instinct takes over as he starts towards Jake. Something doesn't seem right, it could be nothing, but he has to check it out for sure.
"Hey buddy," Jamie says sternly as he approaches Jake, now standing just a few feet away from him. "Are you looking for someone?" Jamie continues.
Jake finally looks away from Eddie as he realizes the voice he is hearing is directed at him. The second he realizes it is Jamie, his heart rate soars and he has to think fast.
"Nope, just passing through," he says, as he tries to walk away.
"Hey, do I know you," Jamie asks him before Jake can leave.
This guy looks oddly familiar, he thinks, but he can't place it, and he does see a lot of faces every day working the beat. For a brief second Jake thinks about how nice it would be to take one good swing at Jamie right now. He wanted to do that ever since he started watching him with Eddie, but he knows he has to get out of this situation before Jamie connects the dots anyway, and before Eddie sees them.
"Never seen you before man," Jake says as he raises his hands a bit defensively. "Just passing through," he repeats himself as he walks away.
Jamie isn't sure if he wants to let it go or not, but Eddie has turned around to find where he wandered off to, and when he looks at her, and then back, Jake is gone anyway, so he leaves it alone.
"Everything okay," she asks Jamie as he joins them back at the swing.
"Yeah, sorry that took so long," he apologizes as he takes over her position pushing Gracie.
Eddie leans against the pole, crossing her arms over her chest and smiles softly at him.
"It's ok, we were having fun, weren't we Gracie," she assures him as she waits for Gracie's confirmation.
Jamie gazes into her eyes, saying nothing for a moment, while Gracie giggles.
"It's getting late, are you hungry," Jamie asks, his question directed to both girls.
"We can pick up a pizza and go back to my apartment," Eddie says, hopeful.
She isn't ready for the day to end. She never is when she is with him.
"Pizza," Gracie squeaks.
Her reaction to Eddie's question is answer enough. "Pizza it is," Jamie responds as they laugh at her excitement and he pulls her from the swing.
Eddie opens her door for Jamie as he carries the sleeping toddler into her apartment, and she follows him, setting their pizza on the countertop. He lays Gracie down on the couch, taking advantage of her late nap for a few moments alone with Eddie.
He has been much more relaxed since his phone call with the jeweler earlier at the park, confirming the ring would be ready tomorrow, and it shows.
Eddie is stretched up on the tips of her toes reaching for the plates when Jamie approaches her from behind. Quickly, his front is pressed against her back and his right hand snakes around her waist, landing across her stomach. His other hand traces up along her outstretched arm and he grabs the plates she is reaching for.
Falling from the tips of her toes back down to her heels, she melts into his frame and wonders how such a simple touch from him can ignite all this fire inside her. She feels tiny little flutters as he presses a single, slow kiss into the crevice where her neck meets her shoulder.
Jamie sets the plates on the counter and turns her around in his arms. She knows they aren't going any further than this right now since Gracie is asleep on her couch, but she will savor every second of it for as long as it lasts.
Face to face with him, she slides her hands over his shoulders and his hazel eyes are peering deep into hers. If he had the ring with him right now, he wouldn't wait until Sunday.
"I love you," he tells her, his voice genuine.
He captures her mouth in a soulful kiss that lingers, his lips expressing the affection he has for her. She kisses him back with the same tenderness as her eyes drift shut and she embraces everything she feels in this moment. She hopes the flame between them never burns out.
They pull apart as the rumble of Eddie's stomach reminds them that they are hungry and have a pizza waiting. They are both a little breathless as Eddie grabs the plates, and Jamie takes the box, and they meet at the kitchen table.
They have just enough time to finish two slices each before Jamie's phone is vibrating on the table beside them. He sees that the call is coming from the precinct and he reaches for it quickly, while Eddie clears the table.
From the kitchen, she can hear his side of the conversation and mentally prepares herself for his hasty departure. She was hoping he would stay longer, maybe even all night, but duty calls, and she understands.
He meets her in the kitchen for the second time this afternoon, this time to apologize for having to leave so early.
"I'm sorry, I have to go down to the precinct for a little bit," he tells her as he sets his glass on the counter by the sink, and they both look adorably disappointed.
"It's ok," she assures him as she reaches for the cup to wash it.
He gives her a swift peck and picks up Gracie's bag.
Eddie is drying her hands as she watches Jamie approach the couch where Gracie is, and just as he is about to wake the sleeping toddler, Eddie stops him.
"Jamie," she says as she walks towards him. "Why don't you just leave her here," she tells him sincerely.
He wasn't expecting that, and he is not sure how to respond. He looks up at her and Eddie feels a tinge of hurt at the shock that is apparent in his face in response to her suggestion.
He has never left Gracie with Eddie alone, but not because he doesn't trust her, he trusts Eddie just as much as he trusts his parents, but because Gracie isn't her responsibility, and he would never take advantage of Eddie that way.
"I can't do that, Eddie," he says softly as he stands straighter, leaving the toddler to sleep for the moment.
Those words pierce her heart, and she wonders if he doesn't trust her with his daughter. She crosses her arms over her chest, standing just a few feet away and tries to hide the hurt in her eyes at Jamie's admission.
"Well, what are you going to do? Are you going to take her to the precinct with you? Or all the way back to Staten Island? Why can't she just stay here?"
She is trying doubly hard not to let her emotions show, but her voice cracks slightly with her last question. Jamie can see he hurt her feelings, and he certainly didn't mean to do that.
He lets the bag slide off his shoulder as he takes a step towards her and reaches for her hands. He looks into her eyes again, the same look from earlier in the kitchen, and holds her fingers gently in his hands.
"Eddie, I can't ask you to babysit. You are my girlfriend, not my babysitter, and I would never take advantage of you like that," he tells her honestly.
Now she is almost ready to laugh at him, thinking that is such a silly thing to say.
"Jamie," she says slowly and smiles up at him.
"You didn't ask me, I offered. And anyway, I don't look at it as babysitting. I love you, and I love Gracie. Let me help you."
Her eyes are pleading with him.
"Are you sure," he asks her as he exhales a deep breath.
"I'm sure. Besides, she is going to be very mad at you if she doesn't get her pizza when she wakes up," she tells him, smiling brightly, and he knows she is right about that.
Gracie woke up shortly after Jamie left the apartment, and it didn't seem to bother her a bit that her father wasn't there. Pizza was the first thing on the little girl's mind as she crawled off the couch, and Eddie smiled to herself as she prepared Gracie's plate.
She didn't have much in her apartment to entertain a toddler but improvised well enough with the few toys and puzzles that were in Gracie's bag, and the little girl was perfectly content there.
Being solely responsible for a two-and-a-half-year-old was new territory for her but she filled the role with ease and was thoroughly enjoying their time together.
For the first time in her life, she found herself thinking about having kids. She would always love Gracie like she was her own, but the thought of growing a baby inside her that was a product of the love she shared with Jamie, that was fresh in her mind now.
Jamie was held up at the precinct longer than he wanted to be. He called Eddie several times to apologize and offered to make other arrangements for Gracie, but she assured him they were just fine and told him not to worry about anything.
Eddie bathed Gracie, and despite not having any toys, they managed to entertain themselves with bubbles before she tucked the little girl into the middle of her bed. Gracie was tiny and adorable snuggled underneath the fluffy comforter, and Eddie was grateful for the storybook Jamie made sure to always carry in his daughter's bag.
Eddie had just closed the book when she noticed Gracie had dozed off, and she wondered how many pages of 'Brown Bear' she had read to herself. She leaned down to kiss the little girl on the forehead and pulled the covers in tighter around Gracie when she noticed Jamie standing in the doorway of her room.
He was leaning against the frame with his arms crossed over his chest, smiling. She had no idea how long he had been there and thought she must have been deeply engaged in the children's book because she didn't hear him come in.
He pushed himself off the door frame as Eddie slid out of bed slowly, careful not to wake Gracie, and he reached for her hand as he guided her out of the bedroom.
"I'm sorry that took so long," he tells her while he kicks his shoes off and slides them under the coffee table.
Smiling, she offers him a small eye roll and pulls him down to the couch with her.
"It's really okay, Jamie. I love spending time with Gracie," she tells him sincerely as she snuggles into his side, and his arm drapes around her shoulder.
"You're really great with her Eddie."
Jamie's voice is soft and thankful. He knows he has been blessed with a woman who loves his daughter as much as he does. Eddie has made herself comfortable, tucked into Jamie's side, but she tilts her head up to meet his eyes and smiles at him.
"Thank you," he says.
His voice is almost a whisper and he is leaning his head down to kiss her. It is soft and pure, and his way of showing her how thankful he truly is. They pull apart seconds later, they are both exhausted, and Eddie lays her head back against his chest.
A few moments pass in silence, Jamie's fingers slowly grazing along Eddie's arm, her hand wrapped around his middle when Eddie speaks.
"Do you want more kids," she asks.
Her voice is so soft, almost as if she is embarrassed to ask him. But she did wonder. She doesn't move or look up at him. She waits patiently for his response.
Jamie wasn't expecting that question, but he is glad she asked. He hopes his answer is the one she wants to hear.
"Yeah, I do," he says, almost as softly as she asked, and he is smiling.
She doesn't see his face, but she is smiling with him.
"Me too," she says, and she starts to look up at him.
His hand is already moving towards her, his finger landing under her chin as he raises her face to meet his. They both know what they just said to each other and before he can kiss her again, she is pushing herself up and crawling into his lap, and she is kissing him this time.
Across the street, Jake has been pacing his room for several hours. He is angry. He is worried. He is scared. He wonders if Jamie was able to make the connection earlier and is afraid his plan may be compromised.
He is angry at himself for following them, and he is even angrier with Eddie. He doesn't understand why he can't have more control over his thoughts, his feelings, and his actions when it comes to her. His mind is in a frenzied state, and he thinks she only has herself to blame for what he does next.
The path he has been meandering in his hotel room takes him past his window every few seconds, but he hasn't dared to open the curtains since he has been back this evening. What if they know he is there? What if they know he is watching? What if they are watching him now?
Every delusion he has causes more mental chaos, and finally, he flings the curtains open. The contents of his stomach catapult into his throat as he watches through the open blinds in Eddie's living room.
Her sheer curtains are drawn, but Jake can see enough, as he watches them on her couch. He watches Eddie's arms raise over her head as she straddles Jamie's lap. He watches Jamie's fingertips glide up her sides as he pulls her shirt over her head. He watches Jamie wrap his arms around her and lay her down on the couch and follow on top of her, and then he can't take it any longer.
He slings the curtains shut and darts to the toilet. The contents that had been hovering near the base of his throat for the last minute are now gagging him as he falls to his knees on the bathroom floor.