Reality (Linstead AU)

Chapter 38

Two days later, Jay had a night off. It was a rare luxury, offering him a chance to spend some time alone at his apartment. Alone time was something he had always enjoyed. In fact it was something he needed. Lying on his couch, with the TV on but not being listened to, he was thinking about whether it would be a good idea to move into Eagle's Nest with Erin.

On one hand, he wanted to spend as much time as possible with her. Their schedules had become quite different recently, meaning he got to see her less than he wanted to. He knew that was a problem for her too. Living together wouldn't solve that problem as he would still need to be on the road for work, but it would help to mitigate it.

There was also the fact that Eagle's Nest would be an unbelievable place to live. He had never seen anywhere like it in person before the day he had viewed it with her, let alone lived somewhere like it. Now it could be his home, in an idyllic setting and with luxury that seemed out of this world.

But the question was would it actually be his home? Or would it be Erin's home that he was living in? Raquel had said Zelina's house had felt that was to her at first, and Zelina's house was nothing like Eagle's Nest.

In addition, by moving in with Erin, Jay would deny himself nights like tonight, where he had his own space and his own company. He wasn't sure he was ready to completely give that up.

"Maybe there's a middle ground?" he muttered to himself. He considered the possibility of moving some of his things into Erin's place, while leaving some at the apartment. It was probably the best solution for him, but he worried that she might see it as a lack of commitment if he suggested it. Damn, relationships were tough, even with someone who low maintenance.

There was a loud knock on his apartment door.

"Who the fuck is that?" Jay grumbled to himself. Since he had lived there, the only people who had knocked his door were food delivery drivers, and this evening he hadn't ordered his dinner yet.

Dismissing his first instinct to ignore the knock and pretend there was no one home, Jay sighed and got up off the pouch.

Whoever was at the door knocked again.

"Alright, Jesus Christ," he grumbled to himself on the way to the door. Feeling ready to tell whoever was there to fuck off, he yanked the door open.

"Surprise!" Erin said, standing there with her arms spread out triumphantly.

Jay stood there looking at her, lost for words, totally surprised. She was wearing a smart, expensive dark blue suit and white blouse, and apparently didn't have any luggage with her.

"Want me to help you with that?" she asked with a giggle.

"With what?" he asked as his mouth reluctantly started working again.

"Picking your chin up off the floor," she said, giggling. "Safe to say my surprise worked. Are you going to invite me in? And maybe smile?"

Jay's brain finally caught up. Erin had been in the office that morning, he knew that. To be here by now she would have had to leave early afternoon at the latest to get a flight. She had no travel case with her, so it had presumably been a spur of the moment decision to come.

"Of course, come in. I'm just... not processing. No one has done something amazing like this to surprise me before."

Erin stepped into the apartment and gave him a peck on the lips. "I was missing my man. And, thinking that you've been making more effort than me in this relationship recently, I talked my dad into letting me have the afternoon off and borrow the jet to come over here. Full transparency, he only did that because of something that happened this morning. He wants me to 'take time to prepare myself mentally.' Anyway, here I am. I didn't even go home to pack a case."