Joe and Nicole had picked Jamie, Eddie, and Alaina up at 5pm. They drove to the restaurant. Dinner was going well, Jamie fed Lainey while they waited for their food.
"You sure you don't want a drink Eddie?" Joe asked once more when the waitress brought them all refills of their drinks.
"No I really shouldn't when I'm breastfeeding." Eddie said sipping her fresh water.
"Pump and dump.." Nicole said picking up her new glass of wine. Jamie and Eddie both just kind of laughed. They felt awkward, no one had known about the pregnancy. They both debated if they should just tell them.
"Ugh, Lainey you stink." Jamie said changing the subject.
"For real? C'mon Lain..." Eddie acted annoyed and got up with the diaper bag and took her out of the high chair.
"Have fun." Jamie said and the two walked off to the bathrooms.
———
When they were done eating Eddie and Nicole went to the bathroom before they left just in case the lines were long at the rink.
"Just so you know I planned on proposing tonight but the ring isn't done yet." Joe said quietly to Jamie as they both sat in the booth waiting for the girls.
"What...!?" Jamie was more then surprised, he just about choked on air. Joe laughed at his reaction.
"Ha, yeah..." Joe laughed. Jamie was immediately thinking they were moving too fast.
"Seriously..!?" Jamie asked quietly.
"Yeah what?" He asked back.
"I don't know...I feel like it hasn't been that long." Jamie said.
"6 months..." Joe said.
"Yeah...that's quick. Don't you think?" Jamie questioned almost to a complete whisper, Joe shrugged his shoulders unsure.
"Look I'm not trying to be negative but I think Eddie would agree with me if I said your relationship takes like 2/3 years to get out of the honeymoon phase. Granted me and her moved quick...even married something just changes after 2/3 years." Jamie said but then the girls were on the way back so they dropped it and got up ready to leave.
As Joe started driving, Eddie was in the back seat with Jamie and Alaina. She could tell something was different. Jamie was trying to tell her not to ask until they got home. As much as it was killing her she just had to let it go. Alaina was starting to cry, she was due to eat again. Jamie got out her covering and hung it around Eddie as she attempted to breastfeed Lainey still in the car seat.
"Guess it's good you didn't have a drink." Nicole said when she noticed what Eddie had been doing.
"Ha...yeah see...?" Eddie said smiling and laughing casually.
They got to the rink, Eddie was still breastfeeding so Joe and Nicole went to pay awhile. Jamie said he'd wait with Eddie and they'd catch up shortly.
"Joe wants to propose!" Jamie blurted out as soon as they shut the car doors.
"What!?" Eddie was shocked.
"I know!" Jamie said.
"That's great!" Eddie said smiling ear to ear. Jamie's face went blank.
"That's great...!? What are you talking about!?" Jamie questioned.
"What? They're so in love! Didn't you see it at dinner? The way he would grin and wink at her randomly. Or her hand resting on his leg?" Eddie asked.
"Eddie it's only been a couple months. That's how all couples start out, in the honeymoon phase. We had that phase..?" Jamie told her.
"Excuse me...had..?" Eddie questioned scrunching her eyebrows at him confused as she finished nursing their baby.
"You know what I mean Janko." Jamie told her.
"No I want you to explain to me how we're out of the honeymoon phase." Eddie said stubbornly as she put her boob away.
"That's not what I meant." Jamie said and then took notice to them coming back to the car.
"Just don't say anything!" Jamie said quick.
"I'll feel out Nicole, you talk to Joe and we'll discuss it tonight." Eddie said quickly also before they opened their doors. Eddie got Lainey out of the car and Jamie got out the baby carrier to put on.
"Ready?" Nicole asked. Jamie and Eddie both swallowed hard and went off to get skates with her and Joe.
———
After 15 minutes of being on the ice Eddie took Lainey and went with Nicole to get hot chocolate while Joe and Jamie stayed skating.
"So it seems like you and Joe are doing well!" Eddie said trying to start good conversation.
"We are! I've wanted to get out and do something forever but he works a lot so it's hard." Nicole said as they stood in line.
"Yeah I don't know how Jamie and I would have even made time for dating, we worked together...that was our dating life haha." Eddie laughed.
"Yeah that's crazy!" Nicole said.
"Yeah one day we were just partners on the job, doing our thing, saving lives you know and then the next day he proposed...talk about crazy!" Eddie said still smiling and laughing.
"Ugh that is so crazy! I can't imagine it happening so quick like that! I mean Joes brought the future up a couple times but it wasn't anything serious...just casual." Nicole told her.
"Well that's good though! I don't think he'd date around if he didn't see it being potential, he seems like such a gentleman!" Eddie said confidently.
"Oh he is! I've never met someone who wanted to talk about intimacy limits and stuff before going any further." Nicole told Eddie.
"Oh! Wow...okay...-" Eddies eyes widened surprised Nicole was up for talking about her sex life with her in the hot chocolate line.
"I know what you're thinking...we haven't done it though. Close. But no." Nicole's smile diminished.
"That's okay! Good for you! No rush!" Eddie assured her.
"I know but like I want to and so does he, it just doesn't sit well with me knowing the family he comes from and my church ugh!" Nicole was stressing.
"Well just so you know I don't think any of the Reagan siblings waited. Me and Jamie didn't, we were engaged...granted we didn't really ever officially date, had we we would've done it." Eddie couldn't help but laugh at herself and Nicole joined. They got to the front of the line and ordered.
"I just want to take this slow. Just date, mess around, and have fun being young." Nicole expressed while they waited for their drinks.
"I agree! Just enjoy dating for awhile!" Eddie told her. They got the hot chocolate and sat for a little to drink it.
——
On the ice with Jamie and Joe:
"I don't know Jamie I'm pretty dead set on marrying her sooner then 2/3 years.." Joe casually said as they skated around in the circle.
"Huh. Look I'm not gonna tell you what to do but just remember what I said." Jamie said.
"You don't think I should." Joe asked.
"I'm just saying there's no harm in waiting. Enjoy this stage. Don't rush it. I rushed it and looking back I wouldn't have changed anything, I love Eddie and we're solid. I just wish I wouldn't have rushed into getting engaged. It's like skipping the fun stage and getting right to the serious stuff, planning a wedding, getting a place together, talking about kids, bills, I mean the list goes on. Dating...that's fun, easy." Jamie said passionately. Joe listened and nodded, Jamie was getting through to him...finally.
The girls met back up with them. Joe was quieter then before and Nicole was the opposite. Eddie looked at Jamie wondering what happened but obviously they couldn't talk about it.
The rest of the evening was spent with lots of talking and laughter along with it but everyone was just acting a little off.
———
Well... talk about a shit show, with Joe dropping a bombshell like that and then leaving it up to Jamie and Eddie to kinda diffuse without the other finding out! But what a good team they make!