Chapter 11: Dinner Out
Dressed in his best suit, Alex stands in his living room waiting while Quinn sits on the floor watching TV "BABE!" he calls as he looks at his watch "YOU READY TO GO? THE SITTER IS GOING TO BE HERE ANY MINUTE!".
"Oh hold your horses." Heather chides as she enters the room all dressed up too "I'm here."
"Oh Mommy!" Quinn states as he turns to look at his mother "You look pretty!"
Heather smiles warmly at her son "Thank you Baby." She accepts before looking at her partner "Well?"
"Um…" is all Alex can get out as he stares at the vision his life partner makes "Definitely what he said." He finally gets out as he points at his son "And then some." He sincerely promises.
A wide smile creeps up on Heather's face as she watches the love of her life walk towards her. He leans over and right before he kisses her, he whispers "Happy Anniversary."
"EWWWW!" Quinn immediately whines in disgust as he covers his eyes "Kissing! Yuck!"
Heather and Alex break apart to look at their son when the doorbell rings.
Alex points at his son "Saved by the bell." He states before heading to the door to answer it.
…..
Joe stands off to the side in an upscale restaurant watching as Jamie, Eddie, Larissa and Tony sit at a table all laughing and eating and having a great time.
He got it. He was the bodyguard, they were the 'close friends'. That was the roles they were playing but still it irked him. This is not what he had in mind when he and Charlottle talked about getting off the estate – watching his uncle and aunt live it up with their targets while he is relegated to standing on the side lines looking on.
Charlotte… his mind momentarily wanders before he forces himself to clear the image of her smiling at him from his head.
Focus. He internally chides himself.
Nonchalantly glancing over the Meretti's shoulders at her nephew behind them, Eddie feels for him "So I get he's your bodyguard..." She suddenly begins to Meretti "…but is he just going to stand there all night watching us?"
Glancing up to look at his nephew as well – a bemused feeling comes over Jamie - maybe it was the setting of being at a dinner table, he didn't know - but he wasn't about to miss the opportunity to take a jab at his nephew "It's his job." He a bit pompously reminds his wife while for the briefest of moments locking eyes with his nephew and smiling.
Joe throw Jamie a very unamused look in return.
In response, Jamie's smile grows.
Watching the exchange, Eddie places her hand on her husband's arm to draw his attention to her "Yes I get that Honey..." She over sweetly states as she throws Jamie a silent 'tone it down' look with her eyes "…but even bodyguards need to eat." She adds before turning her attention back to Meretti "I mean how is he supposed to protect you if he's weak from hunger?"
"With his gun." Meretti simply replies like nothing before stuffing more food in his mouth.
Eddie glances over at Joe to see him rolls his eyes behind the Meretti's backs while Jamie can't help but snicker beside her.
Eddie lightly kicks him under the table causing Jamie to jerk slightly and whip his head in his wife's direction now with a demanding 'WHAT?' shining in his eyes causing Joe to snicker.
Having had enough of this merry go round, Eddie suddenly pushes her chair back and stands "Let's dance!" She decides as she looks down expectantly at her husband.
A look of true surprise appears on Jamie's face "Now?"
"Yes now." Eddie insists.
"But they don't even have a dance floor here Eddie." Jamie begins to protest in complete confusion as he listens for a moment to only hear your standard nondescript beatless dinner music quietly playing in the background.
Okay, Eddie had to admit that was true. Maybe she didn't really think this through before she just abruptly stood up but she already started down this path and couldn't back down now so she decides to use the opportunity to try to solidify to The Meretti's that Jamie will indeed do anything for her "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease." She suddenly begs in her best schmoopsie voice as she pulls Jamie to his feet "I feel like dancing." She pouts as she plays with the lapels on his suit jacket.
Although he's not entirely sure where his wife is going with this, Jamie trusts her so he just goes with it "Okay."
Watching the couple before them, the romantic in Larissa kicks in so she raises her hand in the air to get the attention of staff.
A man hurries over and when he leans down Larissa begins to whisper something to him. When she's done, the man pulls back a bit to look at her unsure so Larissa turns to her husband and gives him an unmistakable 'make him do what I want' look.
Sighing, Meretti nods his head at the man, pulls his wallet out and hands him a large bill as a pay off.
The man takes the bill, looks at it and his eyes widen a bit at the amount. The next second he just turns and leaves. A few moments later the nondescript dinner music stops and then a moment after that a slow song comes over the speakers providing Jamie and Eddie with music to dance too so going with the flow Jamie pulls his wife into his arms and they start to dance. Larissa clasps her hands together in absolute delight. A moment later she gets up and drags Tony to his feet too.
"Looks like you started something." Jamie tells his wife as he looks around the room noticing other couples starting to get up too.
"Look who's talking." Eddie unhappily grumbles in return causing Jamie to turn his attention back to her.
Eddie plasters a smile on her face for appearances sake resulting in Jamie doing the same.
"What does that mean?" Jamie queries confused through his smile.
"You and Joe." Eddie replies.
Jamie's oblivious confusion grows but he only expressed that through his voice, not his look "What about us?"
Eddie looks around making sure no one can hear them then leans up towards one side of Jamie's head as if to whisper sweet nothings in his ear but instead chastises "This isn't Sunday Dinner Jamie. You can't be throwing jabs and side looks at one another!"
Jamie forces the smile on his face to grow. He turns his head slightly and placing a light kiss on his wife's head to hide his mouth while saying through gritted teeth "I'm aware." into her ear.
Standing off to the side, Joe had his hands full trying to now keep an eye on the Merettis dancing but also watch Jamie and Eddie dance because to the outside world they looked like nothing but a loving couple but he knew them, and he could tell the conversation they were having in words was completely different from the conversation their actions were projecting and he wanted desperately to know what their words were saying!
At that moment though, the door to the restaurant opens and Alex and Heather enter. They both abruptly stop walking at the sight of people sporadically dancing amongst the tables and Alex leans over to Heather as another couple on their way out the door approach "Um when did this place start offering dancing?"
Having heard the question, the man in the couple leaving answers "Since some big shot over there…" he starts as he knocks his head in Anthony Meretti's direction "…paid the restaurant off – at least that's what it looked like from where we were sitting."
Alex and Heather shift their eyes to see Tony and Larissa dancing.
Alex's eyes go wide and Heather offers out a surprised "Oh." in recognition.
Looking up at that moment, Eddie spots Alex and Heather "Jamie." She immediately whispers to her husband "Alex and Heather just walked in." She states right as Heather spots her and their eyes lock. Heather's face seems to bright up at seeing Eddie and she smiles so Eddie also smiles and offers a quick slight wave of 'hi' with her hand that is on Jamie's back in return "And they see us."
"Great." Jamie grumbles out as he slowly dances Eddie around in a circle so he is now facing the entrance and there he sees Heather direct Alex's attention their way. Now he and Alex lock eyes and once again they silently seem to be sizing each other up.
Still off on the sidelines, Joe follows Jamie's gaze to see Alex and Heather "Huh." He mutters "Well this could get interesting…" right as the song ends and when the nondescript dinner music comes on again, people begin to sit back down at their tables.
"Hi name please?" the hostess inquires as she walks up to Alex and Heather.
"Reagan." Alex replies.
The hostess looks down at her reservation list "Ah yes." She accepts as she starts to move in the opposite direction of The Meretti table "Follow me."
"Actually…" Alex interrupts "Do you have anything over there?" he requests as he points to the side of the room the Merettis are on.
Knowing exactly what Alex is up too, Heather sucks in an unhappy breath of air.
"Um…" the hostess hesitates as she looks back at her table chart.
"It's our anniversary." Alex soothingly explains "And we sat a table near the back over there the first time we ever came here together." He lies.
"Oh." The hostess notes as she glances at Heather to see Heather plaster a tight smile on her face "Okay give me a moment. Let me see what I can do."
"Great thank you." Alex appreciatively accepts and the second the hostess walks away Heather turns to Alex and the smile drops from her face "Alex..." She warns "This is our anniversary. Do not turn this into something work related."
"I'm not." Alex promises.
"Right." Heather scoffs "I think I know you well enough by now to know that's a yes."
"I promise tonight is about us." Alex reiterates.
Not believing him for a second, Heather just frowns.
..
"Wow." Eddie quietly notes as she and Jamie begin to make their way back to their table "Heather seems about as happy with Alex as I am with you right now."
"Not now Eddie." Jamie quietly warns right before they meet up with Tony and Larissa who are also returning to the table so both Jamie and Eddie plaster smiles on their faces.
"Well that was fun!" Eddie lightly quips as they all sit down.
"Yes it was!" Larissa agrees "God I love having money!" she arrogantly laughs.
..
"Right this way please." The hostess invites Heather and Alex as she starts to head in Alex's requested direction but as the hostess passes our foursome seated at their table, Alex stops in front of it "Well hello!" He begins to greet but before he can even finish those words, Joe is stepping in front of him blocking his path to the table.
"Step back please." Joe requests.
"Hi we're sorry to interrupt." Heather quickly but very sweetly apologizes as she places one of her hands on Alex's upper arm and the other hand on his other shoulder "We just wanted to say a quick hello so… Hello!" She brightly greets "Again thank you for inviting Quinn to Nathan's party – he had a blast but we'll leave you to your meal now. Come on Honey." She prompts Alex as she gives him a little shove to keep moving "Let's go find our table."
Eddie snickers as she watches the couple move away then turns her attention back to the people at her table "I like her."
Jamie throws his wife a silent side eye look while Tony leans over to Larissa "Who was that?"
"They were at Nathan's party Tony." Larissa replies "She was the doctor you hired right?" she then queries to Eddie.
"Yes." Eddie replies.
"Oh." Tony replies with disinterest in his voice "Okay."
..
Heather and Alex settle in to sit at their table and thank the hostess as she hands them their menus but the second the hostess leaves Heather leans slightly forward on the table and hisses out "You just couldn't help yourself could you?"
"I was just saying hello!" Alex immediately defends.
A disgruntled look appears on Heather's face and a little huff escapes her lips as she turns her attention to her menu.
…..
Jamie, Eddie, Tony and Larissa are all laughing when out of the corner of her eye, Eddie notices Heather get up and head in the direction of the lady's room.
"Well, nature calls!" Eddie suddenly quips as she begins to stand "Excuse me. I'll be right back!" she offers before walking away.
Eddie walks into the lady's room to see Heather at the sink rummaging through her purse.
"They can be so annoying can't they?" Eddie suddenly offers.
Looking up and over Heather gives Eddie a questioning look.
"Boyfriends, partners. Husbands." Eddie clarifies as she raises her left hand to wiggle her wedding ring.
Heather huffs out a laugh "Yes." She agrees "Especially when one is TRYING…" She emphasizes "…to celebrate an anniversary."
"Oh?" Eddies states in surprise as her eye drift to Heather's left hand "I didn't realize you were married."
Heather offers a tight smile "We are, but we aren't." she muddily clarifies "It's a bit complicated."
Eddie gets a very intrigued expression on her face "Well now you have to tell me." She matter of factly demands in her trademark Eddie way "Otherwise I'm going to be up all night thinking about this."
Heather chuckles a little "Legally no, we aren't married but in our hearts, yes - we exchanged our own private vows." She explains causing Eddie to smile in understanding before adding "We were going to get married but then…well fate wasn't on our side."
"What do you mean?"
Heather sighs "Alex's parents – they were murdered a week before we were supposed to get married."
"Oh." Eddie repeats in shock and surprise realizing Alex's parents would be Reagans.
"After that…" Heather continues "…having a big wedding just didn't feel right so we cancelled everything and eventually we realized that was for the best. With the money we saved we bought a house instead."
"Oh." Eddie yet again breathes out in surprise remembering Jamie once suggested the same thing when they were engaged so now with even more curiosity Eddie can't help but ask "And you didn't do the whole 'let's just go down to the courthouse' thing instead?"
Heather shakes her head "No." She replies and as she opens her mouth to explain further the door to the woman's washroom opens and two more women enter essentially ending the conversation.
...
Eddie walks back to the table "Sorry I took so long." She apologizes before raising her hand to get their waiter's attention "Hi…" She warmly greets when they walks up "I'd like to order a bottle of your best champagne and send it to that table over there." She instructs as she points to where Alex is sitting as she sits down.
"Um..." Jamie quietly rushes out as he leans towards his wife "What are you doing?"
"It's their anniversary!" Eddie declares with a big bright smile.
"Oh that's so romantic of you!" Larissa gushes in approval.
"Yeah." Jamie agrees through a very fake plastered on smile "So romantic."
Watching Jamie subtly squirm in his seat, Meretti says nothing for he's curious to see how this all plays out…
….
A waiter places a bottle of Champagne on Alex and Heather's table.
"Um…" Alex begins confused "We didn't order this."
"An anniversary gift from that table over there." The waiter explains as he gestures towards Jamie, Eddie and The Merettis.
"Oh!" Heather states in true surprise as she looks over at the table to see Eddie smiling brightly and waving at her so Heather smiles, waves back and mouths 'Thank you!'
"Damn." Alex impressively notes as he looks at the bottle "And this is the good stuff – the REALLY good stuff."
…..
"Here you go." The waiter states as he places the bill folder down on the table close to Meretti.
"I'll take that." Jamie pipes up as he gestures for it "This is on us remember?"
Meretti flashes Jamie a smile "By all means." He states as picks up and hands the bill over to Jamie.
Opening the flap, Jamie tries not to let his jaw drop at the total he sees on the bill – the bottle of champagne alone was more than four times the cost of all four of their meals combined….
Jamie gulps but then a moment later, plasters a smile on his face and reaches to pull out his wallet. He removes a credit card, slides it into the bill case and hands it back to the waiter who takes it and walks away.
"This was so much fun!" Larissa comments.
"It was wasn't it?" Eddie happily tacks on "We need to do this again!"
"Yes!" Larissa wholeheartedly agrees "Wasn't this fun?" she then asks of her husband.
"Hm? Yes." A distracted Tony replies trying to cover the fact that he is too busy watching Jamie watch the waiter try to make the credit card he just handed him accept the charges but it's not "Wouldn't you agree Jamie?"
Silence as Jamie's eyes and attention are focused solely on the waiter as if trying to telepathically just will the credit card to go through.
"Jamie." An oblivious Eddie then prompts her husband as she plays her role "Tony asked you a question Honey."
"Um what?" Jamie queries as he breaks focus and looks at Tony.
"We were just all agreeing we should do this again." Tony reiterates.
Again Jamie plasters a smile on his face "Sure."
"Um excuse me Sir?" The waiter awkwardly addresses Jamie as he walks back up "But your credit card was declined."
Jamie laughs a nervous little laugh "Oh sorry I must have given you the wrong one." He admits as he opens his wallet up again "Here just give me that one back and try this one instead."
"Um except I can't give you the card back." The waiter awkwardly rejects "The credit card company actually asked that we cut it up."
"What?" Jamie states in surprise "No. No, no." he emphatically rejects "Just give me the card back."
"I'm sorry Sir, I can't." the waiter apologizes.
Now thoroughly embarrassed, Eddie leans towards her husband "Jamie!" she hisses out "What is going on? You promised me this wouldn't happen again!"
"Look I just gave you the wrong card. That's all." Jamie a bit heatedly insists causing some of the other nearby patrons in the restaurant including Heather and Alex to look over "Just take this card instead!"
"Is there a problem here?" the manager inquires as he quickly walks up.
"His card was declined." The waiter explains to his boss "And the credit card company has asked that we cut it up."
"And I'm telling you I just gave you the wrong card!" Jamie much more heatedly insists causing Eddie to bring a hand to her face in complete and total embarrassment.
"Look." The manager calmly soothes "How about you come with us over to till and we'll sort this out okay?"
"Yes!" Jamie accepts in a huff as he stands "Thank you!" he adds as he walks away and as he does an awkward silence befalls The Merettis and Eddie left at the table.
Beat.
"I'm sure things will get sorted out." Larissa finally tries to sooth Eddie.
"He promised me this wouldn't happen again." Eddie tells Larissa upset.
Larissa offers Eddie a slightly awkward smile before looking at her husband and knocking her head in Jamie's direction "Tony why don't you go see how things are going?"
"Sure." Tony accepts as he stands "Joey stay here."
Joe plasters a smile on his face "Sure boss." But in his head he's thinking 'here we go again.'
Meretti walks over to the cash register just in time to hear Jamie beg "No, no please don't!" right as the manager cuts up not one, but two of Jamie's credit cards.
Discreetly Meretti takes out his wallet and a credit card "Here." He tells the manager as he hands it to him "Put it on this. I can guarantee you it will go through."
Jamie squeezes his eyes closed and cringes up his entire face as they all wait for the manager to run Meretti's card.
"And approved!" The manager quips with a smile as he hands Meretti back his card, waits for the receipt to print then hands that to him as well before walking away leaving Jamie and Meretti alone.
Sighing heavily, Jamie turns to Meretti and opens his eyes "I owe you." He tells Meretti "And I'll pay you back, I promise."
Meretti turns his head and smiles at Jamie "Yes you will." He agrees.
"Please don't tell Eddie." Jamie begs.
Thinking he now has leverage over Jamie, Meretti's smile grows "Hey." He warmly dismisses "Our little secret okay?" he quips before moving as if to head back to the table but Jamie quickly leans over a little to stop him.
"Hey listen." Jamie awkwardly begins as he rubs the back of his neck "I know what I said before but um if you do have anything more… lucrative…" he carefully adds trying to find the right words "…I mean you saw – Eddie… she's used to a certain lifestyle…" he tries to explain "…and being your mechanic – it's just not cutting it. I can't lose her man."
Meretti smiles at hearing the desperation in Jamie's voice "I might just have something up your alley." He admits.
'Jackpot.' Jamie silently notes in his head.
..
Walking back up to their table, Jamie sees Eddie with her arms defensively crossed in front of her.
"Well?" Eddie a bit harshly inquires of her husband.
"All good." Meretti pipes up before Jamie can answer "Like Jamie said, it was just a simply mix up with the credit card."
Immediately Eddie's standoffish attitude falls away to happiness "Oh thank god!" she breathes out as she quickly rises to her feet and moves to plant a big kiss on Jamie's cheek "I'm sorry I doubted you. Please forgive me?" she begs as she bats her eyelashes at Jamie.
"Always." Jamie promises and so as husband and wife move to embrace in a hug, Jamie looks over Eddie's shoulder at Meretti behind her and the two men exchange a knowing look.
…..
"That was a nice touch ordering that bottle of champagne." Jamie admits to Eddie as they drive home.
"It came to me in the bathroom when I was talking to Heather." Eddie admits before complimenting "And that was a hell of a performance you put on when the credit card was declined."
"Should have seen my performance when the waiter cut them up." Jamie counters.
Eddie snickers "I was gonna ask. So Meretti paid?"
"Yup." Jamie confirms "But shh. You're not supposed to know that because if you did, you might leave me and that's the leverage Meretti now thinks he's got over me."
"I know nothing." Eddie simply states.
"Good." Jamie accepts as a comfortable silence befall the couple as they continue to head home.
"Did you know Alex's parents were murdered?" Eddie suddenly inquires.
Jamie glances at his wife in the passenger seat then turns his attention back to the road "No…"
"Heather said she and Alex were celebrating their anniversary." Eddie begins to explain "I was surprised because I didn't think they were married and turns out they aren't – well not legally anyway – I never did get the full story…" She admits "But they were going to get married but then Alex's parents were murdered so they postponed and then mutually decided to just cancel the wedding all together."
"But they are celebrating an anniversary?" Jamie slowly questions.
Eddie nods "Yeah, like I said I didn't get the full story but one thing she did say kind of stuck out to me – instead of spending the money on the wedding, they bought a house."
Again Jamie glances at Eddie.
"Go ahead and say it." Eddie prompts.
"I wasn't going to say anything." Jamie counters.
"Fine I'll say it." Eddie adds "That could have been us – you suggested we skip the big wedding and buy a house instead."
"But we didn't." Jamie points out.
"Yeah but…" Eddie begins to protest.
"Are you unhappy?" Jamie interrupts.
"No." Eddie replies.
"Neither am I." Jamie points out "So I think it all worked out."
Eddie shakes her head a little in awe "You're right." She admits.
Jamie tilts his head slightly in Eddie's direction "What was that?" he playfully prompts "I don't thing I quite heard you there."
Eddie reaches out and gives Jamie's arm a little push "Shut up!" She laughs out.
"Hey, hey, watch it!" Jamie chides "I'm driving here!"
"Jamie you've managed to drive us to safety backwards while we were being shot at. I think you can handle a playful little arm push."
"True." Jamie a bit pompously admits "But one can never be too careful on the roadway." He still insists.
Eddie rolls her eyes.
...