Chapter 63: What A Look Can Do
Jamie walks out of a dressing room - his attention focused down on adjusting the fit of his clothes around him.
"DAMN!" he hears his wife's voice appreciatively say so he looks up with a smile thinking she's talking about him until he sees all her attention is focused on looking at herself in the mirror.
Jamie then notices how stunningly gorgeous she looks "DAMN!" he appreciatively repeats.
"I know I look hot right?" Eddie arrogantly confirms before turning to look in her husband's direction where she for the first time gets an eyeful of how he looks "DAMN!" She repeats in awe as she eyes him up and down.
"I think its just damns all around." Jamie admits as he walks up next to his wife and they both check themselves and each other out in the mirror.
"We are one hot looking couple!" Eddie commends.
Off to the side Carlos clasps his hand to his chest overcome with his own brilliance "Damn I'm good! You look fabulous!"
"We do look good." Jamie admits.
Eddie laughs "Thank you Carlos." She sincerely states "I really hope Tara's offer of a photo shoot still stands because I want this documented."
Carlos holds his phone up "Pose please!" he instructs so Jamie and Eddie smile and pose for him.
Carlos snaps a picture then types and hits send.
A moment later he gets a reply "Oh Miss Chandler is very happy!" he giddily exclaims "Come!" he eagerly instructs as he beckons for Jamie and Eddie to follow him.
…..
Walking back up to Tara on the beach, Jamie and Eddie see her nod her head up and down in approval as she looks them over "Nice. Very nice." but as Eddie looks around she sees most of the crew gone and she frowns sightly in disappointment.
"What?" Tara presses "You don't like it?"
"Oh no I love it." Eddie reassures her "I... I just... never mind its fine."
"Ready when you are Miss Chandler." a guy with a camera states.
"Perfect! Let's go!" Tara quips as she gestures for Jamie and Eddie to move towards the beach set.
"Wait we're still doing the shoot?" Eddie questions in surprise.
"Of course." Tara confirms "Why wouldn't we?"
"Oh I just thought because almost everyone left…"
"Ah well that would put the main crew in overtime..." Tara explains "...and we can't have that – I have a budget to keep so the ones left here are the eager interns ready, willing and able to put in a little extra on their own time so they can try to make their mark."
"Like you did." Jamie points out.
Tara grins and nods "So everyone!" She calls out "This is Jamie and Eddie. They are married, expecting and coming up on their five year anniversary. Show me what you can do!"
And just like that Jamie and Eddie are whisked up to set and small group led by Carlos primp, prod and pose them as the photographer takes picture after picture after picture.
….
"Oh man that was so much fun!" Eddie laughs at the end of the shoot.
"Glad you had a good time." Tara warmly returns as she holds out 2 clipboards with forms and pens attached "Now I'll just need you to sign these photo releases…"
With a furrowed brow, Jamie takes a clipboard as does Eddie. They both begin to read.
"No." Jamie suddenly rejects as he takes his pen and crosses a line out on the form.
Eddie looks over, sighs and just lowers the clipboard in her hands to her legs as she just holds it and waits for her husband to do his legal thing.
"No." Jamie states again as he crosses another line out "No!" he emphatically repeats before sighing in defeat and looking up at Tara "Tara we can't sign these."
"Why not?" Tara asks confused.
"Because we are police officers." Jamie points out. "Sometimes we have to go undercover and our likenesses can't be out there on public display."
"Oh. Right." Tara notes with a bit of a pause "Didn't consider that."
"You mean we can't use these in our portfolios?" Carlos chimes in in alarm.
Eddie looks over at Carlos and frowns at seeing his look.
"Look we'd like to help you out." Jamie continues "But we just can't. It's about safety."
"Isn't there some kind of compromise though? Private portfolio use but no public use?" Eddie inquires "They've all been so nice to us Jamie."
"I'll call legal." Tara decides as she pulls out her phone and dials "Maybe we can revise it somehow."
"Great!" Eddie quips as she lifts her clipboard "Your legal can talk to my legal." She adds as she flips her clipboard over to Jamie "Here Babe." She finishes before looking over and noticing a tray of sandwiches "Ohhh are those snacks?"
"Help yourself." Tara offers before talking into her phone "Hi its Tara I need to talk to Marty."
….
"Well that is not at all how I thought our first day on vacation would go!" Eddie admits in awe as she and Jamie walk down the hall headed back to their hotel room while Eddie constantly flips through a pile of printed photos in her hands "I mean they even printed us proofs to keep!"
"Bet you like Tara a lot more now huh?" Jamie laughs.
Eddie shoots him a look but then her face softens "And you did that Jamie." She reminds him "That girl is where she is because of you. You and your genuine need to help people." She proudly adds with a smile before flipping another picture.
Suddenly Eddie turns a photo around to show Jamie "Can this one be our next Christmas Card? We look damn good!"
Jamie laughs "And you're not going to want one with the baby in it?"
Eddie purses her lips together as they reach their door "Well technically the baby is in it." She points out as she gestures to her protruding stomach "But let's do a split screen and have two photos then."
"Whatever you want." Jamie easily agrees in contentment as he swipes the key card and opens the door to reveal his suitcase in the middle of the room "Hey! My suitcase!"
"Really?" Eddie states in complete surprise as she looks up. At first she smiles but then she frowns "Wait. Does this mean we have to return these clothes to Tara because I really want to keep these new clothes."
"She did say they were samples that would just be discarded anyway." Jamie reasons "So you want to change before heading down to eat?"
Eddie looks at her husband like he's nuts "Are you crazy? I'm not touching one thing of this look the entire time we are here!"
Jamie scrunches his face up "I love you but you will need to shower at some point."
"Well not tonight." Eddie defiantly tosses back "But I will grab my shawl." She decides as she reaches for it "That restaurant was a bit chilly earlier."
Jamie ponders that "I thought pregnant women were supposed to be hot not cold."
"Give me 5 minutes and I will be." Eddie flatly counters "And then another 5 and cold again."
"Noted." Jamie accepts as they head for the door.
….
Getting to the restaurant, Jamie talks to the hostess while Eddie begins scanning the seating to see the place is quite full.
"Will be a few minutes for a table." Jamie states as he walks back up to his wife "She suggested we get a drink in the lounge and she'll come get..."
"Oh my god." Eddie suddenly breathes out as her eyes land on a guy. Her eyes widen and her mouth falls open.
Jamie follows her line of sight but doesn't get what she's looking at "What?"
"It's Will." Eddie states in awe "Will Gabriel."
"Who?" Jamie questions.
"He's an old boyfriend." Eddie flippantly explains "The one I thought was gonna propose remember? I told you about him."
Jamie's mouth falls open "Um no you didn't!" he rejects.
"Whatever." Eddie dismisses as she drapes her shawl over her shoulders then picks up Jamie's hand "Come on." She instructs as she begins to lead him with her over to Will "I want him to see what he missed out on!"
"Really Eddie?" Jamie counters.
"Hey!" Eddie chides "We looks damn fine remember? So I'm rubbing it in! WILL!" Eddie brightly calls before Jamie can stop her "Will is that you? Hi!"
Looking up, Will's mouth falls open as he immediately recognizes Eddie and Eddie internally smiles at his reaction "Um Eddie… hi..."
"Hi!" Eddie overly sweetly returns "It's so nice to see you! Small world huh? And here we are meeting in the Caribbean after all these years anyway. What are the odds right?" She laughs "This is my husband Jamie." She introduces as she latches herself to Jamie's arm "Well we can see you are eating so we don't want to disturb you, just wanted to come and say hi! See you around, bye!" she finishes as she again picks up Jamie's hand and leads him away.
"You enjoyed that didn't you?" Jamie challenges as they make their way into the lounge.
"Oh sooooo much!" Eddie admits with a laugh as Jamie stops walking and turns her to face him.
"So you thought that guy was going to propose to you huh?" he questions with a grin.
"I did." Eddie sheepishly admits with a slight head bob "But alas!" She then over dramatically sighs "It was not meant to be." she adds before looking up at Jamie and smiling "Because THIS!" She quips as she lightly knocks the back of her hand on his chest "Was meant to be."
"Hmmm." Jamie muses "Yes it was."
"Okay so that's two people we know we've already run into." Eddie notes "I wonder who the third will be because things always happen in threes."
"Guess we'll see." Jamie states "I'm going to head to the washroom. Why don't you get us something to drink. Just pick whatever."
"Oh can I get you something frilly with an umbrella in it?" Eddie giddily inquires "We are in a tropical paradise!" She reasons.
Jamie sighs "Fine."
Smiling happily, Eddie heads for the bar and hitches herself up onto a stool to get off her feet "Oh that's better." She states in relief as she notices a frilly looking drink in someone's hand a few seats down as the bartender moves towards her.
"Hi." Eddie greets as she adjusts her shawl around her "Could I get two of those please…" She requests as she points at the drink "…but is it possible to make one nonalcoholic?"
The bartender nods yes.
"Perfect!" Eddie accepts "Please put it on the tab for room 706."
"Nah, it's on me." a strange male voice greets.
Turning, Eddie sees some guy she doesn't know so she smiles politely "Thank you but no need." she rejects "We are on an all inclusive package."
The guy throws his hands up in mock despair "Well how am I supposed to buy the lady a drink then?"
Eddie flashes another smile "Thank you." She reiterates "That's sweet…" She adds as she tries to let the guy down gently "…but you'll want to move on. I'm married…" she explains as she shows her wedding ring "And pregnant..." She adds as she moves her shawl out of the way so the guy can clearly see her defined baby bump "…so that's a double negative for you there."
The guy looks her up and down then quickly glances around before shrugging "Well I don't see a husband."
Eddie's expression changes to one of disbelief at his persistence even at discovering she is pregnant when suddenly the guy feels someone tap him on the shoulder. He turns to reveal Jamie standing there "Can I help you?" the guy questions annoyed that he is being interrupted mid pick up.
"I was about to ask you the same thing." Jamie counters.
"I'm busy." The guy tosses at Jamie annoyed.
"No you're not." Jamie rejects.
"Yeah. I am." the guy insists ""Go away. I'm trying to have a conversation with this beautiful lady over here."
"Well she certainly is beautiful." Jamie agrees as he glances at Eddie to see her happily smiling back at him at his compliment before turning his attention to the guy again "I'll give you that one." he tells the guy before again looking at Eddie "Now Lady…" he over emphasizes with a look causing Eddie to snicker a bit "…are you interested in having a conversation with him?" Jamie questions as he points at the guy.
"Well I'll admit the one you two are having is certainly entertaining!" Eddie laughs.
Jamie rolls his eyes "Fine have a conversation." He offers as he sits himself down on a stool two stools away from Eddie because the guy is blocking the stool right next to her.
"Thank you Gorgeous." the guy smugly and appreciatively states to Eddie as the bartender puts two drinks down in front of her.
"Nonalcoholic one." the bartender states as he gestures to one of the drinks.
"Thank you." Eddie accepts.
"So where were we?" The guy begins to continue as he sits down.
"Hang on one second." Eddie interrupts "Babe, here's your drink." she adds as she slides Jamie his drink right in front of the other guy across the bar.
"Thanks Hon." Jamie accepts as he stops the drink with his hand.
"Now do you mind if this guy continues to try to pick me up?" Eddie inquires of her husband.
"Well of course I mind!" Jamie replies "Do you mind?" he inquires of Eddie.
Eddie nods "I mind." she agrees "Maybe we should ask him if he minds?" Eddie suggests.
"Sure." Jamie agrees so Jamie and Eddie both plaster super annoyed looks on their faces as the both turn their attention to the quy in question "Do you mind?" they ask in unimpressed unison.
"I would like to sit next to my wife please." Jamie adds.
"And I'd like to enjoy a nice quiet drink with my husband." Eddie tacks on.
The guy look back and forth between Jamie and Eddie then rolls his eyes "Whatever." he grumbles as he gets up and walks away.
Snickering, Jamie gets up and moves to slide onto the stool next to Eddie "I can't even leave you to go to the washroom apparently."
"I know!" Eddie agrees impressed "Even pregnant, I'm hot!"
Jamie shakes his head at her posturing.
"Excuse me Mr. and Mrs. Reagan?" the hostess interrupts as she walks up "Your table is ready."
"Perfect!" Eddie quips as she and Jamie both get up taking their drinks with them to follow the hostess.
…..
