Reality (Linstead AU)

Chapter 32

The trip to Zelina and Raquel's place had proven easier for Erin to arrange than the dinner with Hank. Jay figured the old man was probably ducking him. For now, he wasn't going to worry about that. Spending a day around Zelina and then sleeping at her house, for that was what Erin had arranged, was making him feel anxious enough without adding Hank to the mix. He had hoped Zelina would reign in her hostility towards him since he was going to be a guest. In all honesty, she hadn't been that bad recently at work, so part of him wondered if he was overthinking things. He did have a tendency to do that.

The double date, which was more of a twenty-four hour mini vacation in Florida, was to start with Jay and Erin meeting Raquel and Zelina for lunch in downtown Orlando. The plan was an afternoon shopping trip, back to their place for dinner and a relaxing evening, sleep there, then head home after breakfast tomorrow.

"Thank you. Have a good day," Erin said to the Uber driver who had just dropped them off at the Five Guys restaurant where the lunch was arranged. She had received a text from Raquel a few minutes earlier to say that she and Zelina were already inside.

"All set?" Erin asked Jay as they took their travel cases and headed for the restaurant's entrance. He hoped Raquel or Zelina would put the cases in their car to save having them sitting in the restaurant in everyone's way. Such things bothered him more than he wanted them too. But he was more anxious about seeing Zelina. There was a really uneasy feeling in his stomach.

"Yeah," he said, forcing a smile onto his face.

Dressed for the warmer Florida weather in jeans, a leather jacket and leather boots, Erin led the way into the restaurant. She didn't seem to mind the idea of eating at a Five Guys, which didn't entirely surprise Jay at this point. He was finally starting to move past thinking she would have grand expectations of everything.

A young female server greeted them just inside the door. "Good afternoon. Table for two?"

"Good afternoon," Erin said. "We're actually meeting friends. They're right over there." She pointed across the room to the booth that Raquel and Zelina had managed to secure.

"Okay, head on over and I'll come get your drink order shortly," the server said with a winning smile.

By then, Raquel and Zelina were aware of their arrival. Raquel was on her way over to them, a big smile on her face.

"Hi, guys," she said happily. "Let me take those cases and put them in the car."

Erin was first to approach her and give her a hug. Raquel towered over her, as she did most women. "Hey, mami. I've been looking forward to this."

Mami, Jay thought, wondering why Erin would call her that. He liked it though. He tried not to, but he couldn't stop himself commenting on it. "Mami?"

Erin laughed as the hug came to an end. "Everyone in the women's locker room calls Raquel mami. Started off as big mami but we dropped the big."

Raquel grinned at Jay before hugging him. It was a tight hug, full of warmth. "Don't worry, you can call me mami too if you like. I'm so glad we're doing this. So good to spend time with you outside of work."

"You too, mami," Jay said, laughing at himself for saying it. Whether he felt a bit silly or not, the nickname was now locked in.

"I'll be right back," Raquel said, taking both of the cases. A customer who was entering the restaurant held the door open for her.

Erin led Jay over to the table for four, where Zelina stood up to greet them. She was wearing a baseball cap and a t-shirt with some kind of anime character on it. "Z!" she cried. "Thanks for inviting us. I've been looking forward to it all week."