Disclaimer: I don't own Blue Bloods. I wish I owned a very shirtless Will Estes though.
Ch. 4
After dinner, Jamie sat with Henry, Danny, Frank, and Danny's (sleepy) two sons. "Son, I know this assignment seems fun. And you've got a great partner. But please be careful. The Gambinis don't fool around. When Vino's grandfather was the patriarch of the family, he racked up over forty bodies. We could never nail him because the evidence was circumstantial."
Jamie sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. But this is why he was glad Eddie had his back.
Meanwhile in the living room, Eddie smiled as she tapped her pillowy abdomen and nursed her beer. "Wow, I probably shouldn't do this in public or when I actually am expecting." Erin smiled in agreement. "Yeah, infants and alcohol generally don't go well together." Linda glanced at Eddie's finger.
"Eddie, is that Mary's claddaugh ring?" Linda asked. Eddie smiled. "Yeah, Jamie gave it to me the other night. When he asked me to be his real girlfriend." Erin and Nikki's mouths dropped a tad, but but quickly formed into happy smiles.
"Oh man, I thought this was just for fun and just for the assignment! Finally, my baby brother made a move! Even with the whole bachlorette thing, I thought you two were keeping things platonic" Erin laughed.
Eddie smiled softly and put the glass of beer down. "If I can be honest, a big part of me wishes this was real. Like I had a family like this, a husband like Jamie, and a kid on the way." Linda smiled and understood. "Well...a big part of you can get what you want. Jamie's a good guy. Sydney broke his heart, but trust me. He's loyal and the sweetest gentleman you'll ever meet."
Erin's face broke into a smile. "Sometimes Jamie's too much of a gentleman for his own good. On prom night, he made Theresa Mancini this elaborate dinner in our backyard. He cooked the meal, strung lights around the yard, and even paid Danny and Joe $20 each to not be around that night. And even though Theresa was a bit intoxicated prior to meeting up with Jamie, he still had the decency not to push for anything sexual. He's a real gentleman, Eddie. Even when the fire department came because the lights caused a brush fire, he kept his cool."
Eddie grinned. "Well, at least for now I can enjoy my beer. I'll see what lambchop is up to in time."
Jamie looked at Frank. "Dad, remember when you said about following your heart meaning sometimes you had to break the rules?" Danny chuckled. "Finally the kid's going to get the ball rolling!" Henry winked at Jamie. "Francis, I think Jamie's in love with his partner." Frank looked at Henry pensively. "You think, Pop?" Then he turned and looked at Jamie, taking a sip of the scotch. "Son, you're the baby of the family. Everyone is always out to protect you. And I think you finally found a woman who sees you for the true man you are. And while the job restricts relationships between partners, I think this is one woman you can't get away. Renzulli's going to assign Eddie a different partner after this assignment. And you, after sitting for the detective's exam, you're going to be in Danny's unit working Homicide with Detective Ryan." Danny slapped Jamie on the back. "Oh Gormley's going to love this. Two Reagans for the price of one."
Nikki looked intently at Eddie and her protruding tummy. "Hey Eddie, I know that you're not really pregnant. Or at least I don't think you are. But if you and Uncle Jamie really were, what would you name the kid?" Erin and Linda laughed and then looked seriously at Eddie. She grinned. "Well one night on patrol, Jamie was telling me about a conversation he had awhile ago with Sydney. She had wanted to name their son after her dad, Zoref. After I laughed so hard he made me get out of the patrol car, he and I grabbed some coffee. Since then, he had some time to think and he told me that if he ever gets married and has a boy, he wants to name him Joseph Vincent, for Joe and for Vinny. And if it's a girl, well...he didn't get there, except he mentioned he wanted his mom's name involved somehow. But I think I would go with Tatiana, after my grandmother. Tatiana Mary. With the Mary being after Jamie's mom. I know how much she meant to him, and to you all."
Linda chuckled. "Well, that settles it. You're in. Jamie officially has no more say so. We like you."
Finally, Jamie walked in with his brother, father, and grandfather. The women all turned and smiled wide. "Never a good sign when the women go quiet at the same time and smile like the Cheshire Cat" Danny said. Erin laughed. "Just wait, dear brother." Jamie came up behind Eddie, and grabbed her shoulders. "Easy on the goods, lambchop" she said. As they all filed out of Henry and Frank's house, Jamie reached for Eddie's hand.
Why the heck did we wait so long for something that feels so right?