DAVE'S POV
Admittedly I had purposely set myself up to become Eli's new babysitter, I knew Vince wouldn't be too impressed but what was he going to do? I put bums on seats and as long as it didn't affect my work Vince had no reason to reprimand me. It was true what I had said to Jamie, I loved her young boy and had no issues with wanting to look after him; however I did have a hidden agenda. Being with Eli would help me get closer to his mother, the brunette beauty that I was already smitten with.
While I wanted to get closer to Jamie and Eli I was very wary, always wary, both my wives had, had affairs and I was starting to feel that I had 'screw me over' stamped across my forehead. The day my second divorce was finalised I came to the conclusion that marriage and relationships really weren't my thing, I resigned myself to a life of bachelorhood using who I was and my public profile to deal with my sexual desires. Some what pathetically I would return to the hotel after each show only to head for a local club eager to pick up some gorgeous young girl, take her back to my hotel room and have my way with her.
However I didn't want to 'have my way' with Jamie, I wanted to care for her, to be with her and to take the hurt, that I could see in the depths of her dark brown eyes, away. I'd long learnt how to see into the depths of a persons eyes, how to use their eyes to look into their soul. When I looked into Jamie's eyes I saw pain, hurt and yet at the same time an undefinable passion for life. I wanted to remove the pain and hurt I saw so that the passion was free to shine through. Perhaps I could just do that being friends, I didn't have to get romantically involved, did I?
My thoughts were broken when the young waitress placed two cups of coffee on our table ensuring to brush her hand against mine and giving me a smile that said that she clearly wanted more than just a decent tip, any other night I would have returned her flirtations but with Jamie and Eli around there was no way in hell that I was interested, besides she looked young enough to be my daughter.
"Someone has their eye on you," Jamie's laughingly commented as the young waitress walked off swaying her hips.
"Yea she's cute, pity she looks just like my oldest." I blushed slightly finally able to comment as Eli began to stir,
"Is it home time yet mommy?"
"Soon hon, just let Dave and I finish our drinks then we'll go home," Jamie sighed slightly, being a single parent must be hard but it did seem that she had some family around her.
"Daidee are you coming home with us?" Eli asked causing me to blush for about the billionth time that night,
"No hon, Dave has to go to his hotel"
"Why can't he stay with us?"
"Because all of his stuff is at the hotel," I listened to Jamie explain to her young son before looking to me and mouthing an apology, I just shrugged. I wasn't going to let on that I wouldn't mind going home with the duo, stuff at the hotel or not.
"Can't we get his stuff from the hotel then?"
"Eli I would love to stay with you but I have to get up very early in the morning and go to a very important meeting and I wouldn't be able to do that if I stayed with you," I gently explained to the boy who paused for a moment clearly thinking,
"If you can't stay with us can we stay with you?" Eli was smart there was no denying it and I could easily see how he came up with his question,
"Eli we're going to the zoo in the morning, remember? You and Jimmy have been looking forward to it for ages"
"Oh yea I forgot! Jimmy really wants to see the Lions but I really want to see the Elephants"
"You'll get to see them both, we're going to see all the animals" Jamie replied, clearly relieved to change the subject,
"Who's Jimmy?" I asked curious about this new name,
"He's my bestest, bestest friend!" Eli replied yawning, reminding us how late it was getting,
"Alright, time to get you home young man or you'll be too tired to go to the zoo," Jamie announced as she indicated for the bill before getting out her purse in an attempt to pay. I put my hand on top of hers to stop her and felt an immediate bolt of electricity through my skin.
"My shout"
"No let me"
"Jamie I asked you to dinner and I told Eli I'd buy him Ice cream so it's only right that I pay"
"Fine I'll let you pay for Eli's ice cream and your own meal but I'm paying for myself." Jamie was clearly a tough woman; she paid her own way in life and wasn't going to stop now,
"You better listen to her Daidee"
"Alright" I laughed at Eli's warning, I wasn't about to test Jamie's limits so early in the game. I quickly picked up the bill and worked out the cost of Eli's meal and my own and tossed a 20 down on the table before Jamie did the same, neither of us waiting for our change before standing up and heading for the exit, Eli snuggling into my chest nearly asleep once again.
"Leaving already Mr Batista?" The young waitress asked running her hand seductively down my arm,
"Yes, my son needs to get to bed. My family and I enjoyed our meal though, thank you." I smiled causing the girl to automatically drop her hand and scowl at Jamie,
"Let's going hon" I continued, putting my arm around Jamie's shoulder and directing her out of the building, once we were in the car Jamie burst out laughing,
"What?"
"That is certainly one way to destroy someone's fantasy"
"Oh, I hope you didn't mind about that" I blushed realising I may have stepped over the line.
"No, that was brilliant" Jamie continued laughing as she pulled out of the car park. I found her laugh infectious and was soon laughing along with my companion.
The trip back to the hotel was the best car trip I'd had in years, we spent the entire time laughing and joking around, and I didn't even notice we were going in the wrong direction. It wasn't until the car had stopped and I found myself looking up at a large house in the suburbs that I realised we'd gone the wrong way.
"Oh shit, I forgot I had to drop you off. This is where I live; do you mind if I take Eli up to bed then I'll take you back to the hotel?" When Jamie blushed it was the cutest thing I'd ever seen, her olive cheeks going a dark pink really bought out the brown in her eyes.
"I can call a taxi if you like, I wouldn't want to be a burden" I offered secretly hoping that the girl would refuse,
"No, it's my fault you shouldn't have to catch a taxi, I'll drive you back just let me put Eli to bed first"
"Mommy are we home yet?" As if on cue Eli asked from the backseat,
"Yes honey, time for you to go to bed," Jamie sighed getting out of the car to help her son,
"Daidee did you decide to stay with us?"
"No buddy, you mom forgot to drop me off" I explained getting out of the car at Jamie's direction and followed the two inside.
Jamie took me into the kitchen saying that I could wait there if I wanted to and to feel free to get a drink.
"Eli's exhausted; it shouldn't take time to put him to bed"
"Night Daidee" Eli called tiredly as his mother carried him up to bed. I waited a couple of moments before deciding to explore my surroundings slightly. The kitchen was a decent size and immaculately cleaned, in the cupboards was enough food to feed a small army and the fridge was just as bad. Standing at the bottom of the stairs I could see the lounge and a hallway that I'd seen Jamie go down which made me think that it led to the bedrooms.
"You're Batista right?" A soft voice asked from behind causing me to turn around feeling somewhat guilty,
"Yes ma'am" I smiled as I came face to face with Jamie's mother.
"What are you doing here?"
"I took Jamie and Eli out for dinner after the show and we got caught up talking on the way home that Jamie forgot to drop me off. I'm just waiting for her to put Eli to bed then she's going to take me to my hotel."
"Yes well I never understood you, such barbaric behaviour you're involved in and now Jamie's got herself caught up in it all. Knowing her she'll probably fall in love with one of you lot, she'll be caught in the wrestling world forever and that poor child of hers…"
"MOTHER!" Jamie's wonderful voice echoed down the stairs causing me to turn my head towards the sound, she had changed out of her work clothes and into a pair of jeans and a blue stripped long sleeve shirt and she looked gorgeous.
"Leave the poor man alone! I just put Eli to bed, I've just got to run Dave back into the city but I shouldn't be too long." Jamie gracefully ran down the stairs and kissed her mothers cheek slightly before directing me back to the car.
"I'm sorry about my mom," she sighed, I brushed the apology off. I'd met plenty of women who didn't agree with the way I made my living; I'd met plenty of men with the same beliefs. All I could say was that wrestling wasn't for everyone, if you don't like it don't watch it.
The trip back into the city and to my hotel was quite different than the drive from the restaurant; we used the time to get to know each other better, delving into deeper conversation than we could do with Eli around. Somewhere along the line my failed marriages became the topic of conversation,
"I was 22 when I married my first wife, Michelle; she was a year older than me and had a three year old daughter. I was young and fell hard and heavy for Michelle and was in love with her little girl. I was bouncing at the time and finished work early one night when a health inspector had closed down the club I was working at. I opened the door and went to slip into bed with Michelle but found some other guy in there with her, you know just keeping my place warm.
Angie was pretty much the same; she's been battling cancer for years and spending a lot of time with her doctor. After my latest surgery I had a lot of physiotherapy, one afternoon I came home to find Angie's doctor performing an oral examination. Needless to say I wasn't too impressed and I packed up and left.
What about you and Eli's father?" I asked turning the tables hoping that she would spill her guts the way I'd just spilt mine.
"His name was Conner; I met him at college just after I'd moved to America. He was the tall, dark, handsome and silent type. Since he was at Crown with me he was naturally a Christian so that was also a big plus. He swept me off my feet, we'd planned to get married and though we weren't officially engaged we saw ourselves as married. One day I was on my way home from work and I got a phone call from a mutual college friend, she told me that she couldn't do this to me anymore and spilt the whole story about how her and Conner were meeting near every week for sex and how he constantly told her that he loved her. I got home and kicked Conner out, told him that I knew everything and that if he loved Krista he should be with her. The more I had gotten to know him the more he changed, he was moody and would drink a lot, he didn't abuse me but I think if I stayed with him he would have.
He left the country a week or two after I broke it off and not long after that I found out I was pregnant with Eli, there was no way I wanted my child raised with Conner as his father. When I left him I moved back home and when my parents found out I was pregnant they promised to be there for me and help me raise my child. Eli's still young enough to accept a lame answer about his father; I try to avoid the subject as much as I can." During her speech I'd picked up a couple of things; firstly she was still very hurt over what Conner had done and second she was holding something back.
I'd only known the girl and her son for an evening but I was eager to get to know them more, to find out what Jamie was holding back and take away that hurt. I already felt the walls around my heart beginning to break down and I knew I was in deep trouble, yet I didn't care anymore.
We pulled up at the hotel and I wanted nothing more than to invite Jamie up to my room, not for sex, just to hold her, to be in her presence for even longer, but I knew that I couldn't. Jamie had to get back to Eli and besides I didn't want to demoralise her and risk her thinking that I saw her as nothing more than a ring rat. I climbed out of the car and grabbed my sports bag from the backseat before going around to her window and waiting for her to wind it down.
"When will I see you and Eli again?" I asked casually leaning against the door.
"Next Tuesday, I'll be only working Tuesdays for the first month until Kris, one of the ring photographers, finishes and I take his place. Then I'll be on a similar schedule to yourself," if Jamie was going to become a ring photographer then I was going to be screwed, I'd be distracted every time I that I saw the woman. I could picture it now, in the middle of a main event match and I'd catch a glimpse of her deep brown eyes and I'd be long gone, watching her as she worked away, while my opponent kicked my butt.
"Did you mean what you said about looking after Eli?"
"Of course"
"Great, I should be able to get a break when you have a match or need to film a promo and I will pay you for it"
"Pay me by going out to dinner with me Tuesday night" I replied flashing a hopeful smile,
"If it is anything like tonight, how can I resist?"
"Great! I had a really nice time tonight" I sighed.
"Me too, I can't wait until next week," Jamie smiled, such a beautiful smile. We both went quiet; I felt like a teenage boy on his first date and leant forward slightly, hoping to give Jamie a brief kiss. Just then I felt hands thump down on my shoulders,
"Davie boy, where have you been? You've missed all the fun!" A drunken Paul London slurred,
"Yea we've had so much fun," his tag team partner added before walking towards the hotel doors only to trip and fall on the gutter.
"I did that on purpose!" Brian announced standing up and haphazardly brushing himself off only to do the same thing moments later.
"I think I'd better go, I better look after these two, make sure they get back to their hotel room in one piece" I sighed,
"I'll see you on Tuesday, give Eli a hug for me," Jamie didn't get a chance to reply as Paul spoke up once more,
"Davie I think I'm going to be…" he didn't finish his sentence before he purged the contents of his stomach all over my shoes.