2019-09-13 - Quick Word

It's a clear sky with only light breezes so it's Geoff's motorcycle that Erin listens for mostly. She hasn't been home very long from a trip to the coffee place so she's already dressed for the day wearing a light blue tank style dress with a jean jacket over it. The French Doors that lead to the backyard are left open for that fresh breeze and the sound of the nearby ocean the only thing that breaks the silence other than an occasional bird cruising by on its way south.

Geoff pulls up in front of the house, the rumble of his bike heralding his arrival quite clearly. Today he's wearing his leather jacket, jeans and an old iron maiden t-shirt that Erin has seen on more then one occasion. Stuffing his keys into his pocket he strolls up to the door and lightly rapts his knucles on it.

It's with a quiet smile that Erin answers the door, opening it and stepping back to invite him inside. Dark eyes take in what he is wearing and her smile angles up further. "Hi," she says with warmth in her voice. "Please do come in. I can give you a quick tour if you're interested in seeing the place, otherwise, a beer in the backyard? Or would you prefer something different to drink?"

When or if he steps inside, she will close the door behind him. "It's good to see you again. Life been keeping you busy?"

Geoff returns Erin's smile and dips his head "It's good seeing you again Erin, it's been a while." taking her by the shoulders he eyes her up and down critically to make sure she's okay "I heard you ran into a bit of trouble...I'm sorry I couldn't get to the hospital to check on you." with a frown he dips his head towards the backyard "Beer and backyard works for me."

That smile though.. "You too." Or had she already said that? With his hands on her shoulders she tilts her head back to meet his eyes. Or more to watch his checking her over for wounds. The only thing left is a bandage on her left forearm that only shows when she reaches up to touch the hand on her shoulder, as if unable to resist. "I didn't want to worry you so I didn't tell you about it. I should have realized someone in town would have told you."

For a brief moment she lifts her hand as if to touch his face, but she lowers it as he motions towards the backyard with his head. "Go ahead if you want, I'll meet you out there." There's a smile as she watches him whether he walks towards the door or not before she goes to the kitchen to get the beers.

Geoff rolls his eyes with a faint hint of amusement "You know you don't have to hide that from me, we're friends. If I'm going to worry, I'm going to worry and there is nothing you can do about it." His hands linger on her shoulders for a moment before he takes a step backwards and releases them. He look about to say something when he simply shakes his head "Yeah, I'll go wait in the backyard." turning he walks for the open french doors and says "I told you last time we hung out to call me if you ever needed me, I wasn't joking."

Since the doors are open, Erin can continue talking to him as she walks to the refrigerator. The amusement he'd shown warmed her and she takes the two beers and follows him out back. It's a veritable wonderland. Until the weather finally changes. "I hope in the winter the snow makes it a personal winter wonderland." Walking over to him she offers one of the beers after opening the both of them and offers to clink her bottle to his lightly. "What were you going to say?" Again, she lifts her dark eyes to his and she smiles, looking more lighthearted than she has in a really long time. "What if it's in the middle of the night and I'm having a dream about you and I? What if I need you then?" The smile is a little cheeky just then.

"It's great, I bet the snow will do wonders for it." Geoff agrees rather Amiably as he takes the bottle and drinks from it. Bypassing the matter of what he was going to say, he carries on with a sort of wry grin "I'd say if you were calling me in the middle of the night you're going to have a hard time waking me up." gesturing with the bottle he teases "You know I sleep like the dead."

Pausing he looks over Erin, studying her face thoughtfully as if it had been years since he last saw it "I'm guessing you didn't have me over just to show me the place and talk about night calls. Is everything okay? Did something come up that we need to talk about?"

"Except those nights when you had trouble sleeping." Erin does notice the evasiveness and leads the way further into the garden. Not too far, but beside the tiny pond with the jewel colored fish darting around. It's there she turns to face him and the smile she wears isn't so cheeky but contrite.

"I have something to tell you." When she would have hesitated, she continues on. "First of all, I want to apologize. At the time I thought you were looking for an out, for an excuse to go. So I thought I was making things easier on you by pushing you away."

Geoff gives a small dismissive wave "I'd said I wasn't but I guess we were looking at it from different directions." This last bit is said pretty neutrally with the warm in his expression having been replaced with a sort of easy going casualness "You got me curious about what you wanted to tell me though. You've never been one to mince words."

"I won't lie and say this isn't difficult for me. The moment you walked out the door I regretted how it ended. I'm also smart enough to realize anything I did now would be too little, too late." Erin takes a deep breath before continuing. "I know how selfish I was, always bringing you into things in my life without making an effort to fit into yours. I was wrong, I admit it, I know I was wrong and no amount of apologies can fix what is broken, I think. As much as I would love for you to forgive me, I think we've moved on."

"There was never anything to forgive. You weren't wrong, and you fit into my life well enough." Geoff says, his shoulders raising up in a shrug "I don't even think you broke it. I think at that moment it became clear just how little we knew each other." with a faint frown he thinks before continuing "I've moved on in a way...It's more that I've accepted it, and accepted that we're two entirely different people." A hint of warmth returning to his smile he says "I love what we shared, and I'd never change it or look back on it badly. Even if we can't work as a couple, it was a good time."

Releasing a breath, Erin tilts her bottle towards him before taking a sip of the beer. The bottle is placed aside and she tucks her hands in the pockets of her jacket. "I know you're right. We never spent much time getting to know each other the way we should have. And once we were together we never really went out as a couple, not much anyway. I regret that because when we met that's what we were doing, hanging out in different places, and I saw so many things in you that I was attracted to. I just really wanted to talk to you about us, because when you left, I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready no matter how much I convinced myself I was."

Erin lifts her eyes to his smile. "I wish you every happiness, Geoff. Even if it doesn't include me anymore."

Geoff tilts his bottle back and drains it "Erin, we're cool you and me. I don't want you to feel awkward around me, we're friends and just because we aren't fucking isn't going to change that." tapping her brow he says "We'll hang out soon, you and I and we'll hit a bar or something." with a cocky grin he says "I will say that you and I looked amazing together, and when we had fun we knew how to have."

Another sigh of relief and Erin gives him a lopsided smile before it turns into a soft laugh. "And I'll always have the tattoo to remember my one and only experience with ecstasy. I absolutely love the tattoo. You were right, they are addictive. I'm considering getting more added to it, but I'd never insult the original artist by getting it done by anyone else but him. So, if you're open to it I may be parked in your chair sometime at the tattoo parlor. Congratulations on buying it outright. I'm happy for you."

Geoff winks to Erin "Damn straight I'll finish it up, I'm thinking we go up the side of your body and continue the motif." Walking over to her, he wraps his arms around her in a warm and familial hug, even if it is entirely brief "Thanks Erin, the owner mentioned he was looking to retire and I said I'd be interested in buying so one thing lead to another and here we are." phone buzzing in his pants pock he pulls it out and looks down at it "Speak of the devil, looks like I got to go take care of something back at the shop. I'll see you soon, yeah?"