2019-10-08 - First Date - Mexican

True to his word, Gabe is there in fifteen minutes. To be sure, his car is a dull silver Toyota Camry, not a fancy Maserati. And he is wearing a Joseph A. Bank sport coat, white dress shirt, and what are clearly rayon slacks rather than finest Italian wool. But he clutches a tied-by-ribbon bouquet of lilies and seasonal fresh flowers. And he has showered and pressed the clothes and looks as presentable as he can. So with the biggest grin he can manage, he raps on the door. Show time.

Erin answers the door putting in a last earring. The pair are diamond drop earrings and the sparkle leaves little doubt they are real. Her dress is Louis Vuitton and is classy and elegant with the simple design. A lightly scooped neckline shows off the necklace that matches the earrings. Black heels give her already tall frame more height, and her feet tucked into the shoes are covered in silk stockings that encase her long legs all the way up to the lace tops that are fastened to the garter belt beneath the dress.

When she meets him at the door, a smile curves her lips and she looks him over. "Gabe, you look incredible." There's appreciation in her eyes and the smile there, for his dressing up for their date. It's then she notices the flowers and while she doesn't automatically assume, she looks absolutely delighted. Flowers? "Lilies?" He had remembered!

Gabe stops short when Erin comes to the door, and if he could do the cartoon-y jaw dropping and eyes bugging out of his head, he probably would. He is, to but it short, wowed. And perhaps just a little out of his element. "Well, murder detectives actually dress up on the job." It's a code. "And it's not even close to --" He gestures at her ensemble. "But thank you." He just shuts up and takes the compliment.

Oh, right, the flowers! Gabe thrusts them forward, leaning in to kiss her cheek if she will allow. "For you. They're from my garden."

No, no elements! Erin does look to be genuinely impressed with his appearance, charmed with the flowers and excited about the date. "Am I part of the job then? Because you look all dressed up to me." Accepting the flowers, she closes her eyes at the kiss to her cheek, just taking each moment and enjoying it. Opening her eyes, she smiles. "That means even more being from your garden. I really appreciate this. Let me put them in water first then we can go." Stepping inside, she leaves the door open for him and goes to the kitchen for a vase. "Feel free to take a look at the backyard. I'd like for you to see it sometime anyway." She fills the vase with water then places the flowers inside, unfastening the ribbon and tying it around the vase for decoration.

"Oh, no. You, dear Erin, are the thing I was looking forward after the job today." Gabe steps through the door and then through the house, looking around and letting out a low whistle at the splendor. It is clearly not the same as his more-modest house over on Oak.

As Gabe steps to the back doors that lead into the yard, he warns her, "You are going to be the best-dressed person this place has ever seen, I am going to warn you. But I'm telling you. It's real, authentic Mexican, and it'll be better than any overpriced French bistro." He peers into the backyard, then asks, "You got that leveled off? It's amazing. Can't wait to take a closer look sometime."

The flowers are put in the vase and placed near the window so they can still get a little sunlight and look pretty when she comes home. With that taken care of, Erin approaches him again. "I'm looking forward to spending time with you tonight too. I don't mind who is dressed how, I've just been waiting to experience this authentic Mexican food since you mentioned it. I am ready when you are." A glance out to the back yard, it makes her smile, but even more so does present company. "I've always preferred Mexican food over French, so you're definitely on the right track."

Gabe reaches out and offers Erin his arm, so that he can guide her out the front door and to the driveway where the Maserati sits awkwardly parked next to the Camry. "So," he says after a moment. "Whose chariot shall we take tonight? Mine or yours?" His eyes shine as he considers the two options. And although he does his best, his gaze slips back to the Maserati more than once.

Taking only a moment to collect her clutch purse at the door, Erin holds it in her free hand, the other tucked safely in the bend of his arm. Once outside, she locks her house up and follows him to the driveway. There's a half grin and a quick lift and lowering of her brows as she opens the clutch and tugs out the keys and dangles them towards him. "That is entirely up to you and your desires, as long as you're driving."

Gabe should probably at least pretend to be indecisive, or defer to her wishes, or to not care that she has a souped up sports car sitting right next to his Sunday driver. He does not. Instead, he snatches the keys and beams at her.

"Well, if you insist, we can take the Maserati." But he at least manages to control himself enough to make his way over to her side to open her door and close it after she gets in. Chivalry and all of that.

The keys to her 150k car are easily surrendered and Erin smiles enough to match his beaming one. "Oh definitely, I insist." Not that she minded riding in his either. The whole opening the door for her thing earns him an appreciative smile. "I don't think you're rusty at dating at all. So far I feel like you're covering all of the bases. And then some."

"It's just because there are too many cabrons" -- assholes, roughly -- "out there that don't know how to treat a lady that I look good just by doing the minimum." A beat. "And the real question might be what base I get to get to." Gabe winks as he closes the door. He then makes his way over to the driver's seat, sliding in with a kind of reverence for the value of the thing he has just taken the wheel of. He makes sure to adjust the mirrors, then buckle up. Then push the button.

Vroom.

"Oh Dios mio."

Taking as much joy out of watching him with the car as she does when she's behind the wheel, Erin knows what it's like to drive it and to love driving it. "The minimum? Is that what this is?" Laughing lightly, she tilts her head and watches as he takes the drivers seat.

"An attempt to get beyond first base? Probably better to see than talk about it. There's something to be said for spontaneity don't you think?" Once the beast is started and it growls, she leans back, fastening her own seat belt. "Bienvenido a mi vida loca."

"Ah, bien. Muchas gracias," says Gabe with a twinkle in his eye when Erin responds in Spanish. "And if you're going to take a woman out on a date, you need to treat her right. That's just the minimum." His fingers slide over to touch her leg for a fleeting moment, over the nylon of her stocking and the fabric of her ever-so-expensive dress.

Then he throws the car into reverse, backing out of the driveway and into the street. Off they go.

"I kind of like the minimum then." Erin drops her eyes to where his fingers touch her and when she lifts them to him again she wears a lopsided smile. It's then he chooses to back out and she motions towards the road ahead of them. "Drive it like you stole it. You have to let loose on it at least once." And maybe Erin likes going really fast in her car. "You're a cop, you've been trained in driving." She assumes! "Stretch her legs."

It is true. Gabe is trained at least some in aggressive driving from his days as a beat cop. And although he isn't going to be running the Formula 1 circuit any time soon, he is better than the average driver. Once they are out on the road, he jams the gas and takes off down the road, tearing it around the curve.

"Holy shit, Erin," he laughs as they breeze through a yellow light right before it changes.

They are way over the speed limit. The good thing about having a gold detective's badge is you'll never get a speeding ticket.

Erin does love going fast and when he takes off, she leans back in her seat and just enjoys the ride, looking over at him now and again. Rolling down her window, she lets the breeze blow in, "Next time we put the top down and take the long drive to Seattle. I'll take you to one of my favorite places. I mean, if we decide to go out again."

He was having fun, she was having a blast, tickets were the last thing on her mind. "You look good driving her. What do you think?"

When Erin mentions a potential second date, Gabe smiles broadly. He, plainly, is not opposed. "I'd love that. Especially if I get to drive and open her up on Route 8. But any time spent with you is good time."

Gabe pops the clutch and drifts the Maserati through a curve, the back wheels swinging out behind them before he snaps the wheel back and recovers to go straight again. "I think this is fucking incredible, Erin. It's like a video game. I can't believe how she responds." The car is a she, apparently. The wind tousles his hair a bit, giving him a more-roguish look as they approach the restaurant.

The car is definitely a she. High maintenance, loves to go fast, being handled by a pro and sexy as hell. "Then it's a date. You can drive her, we'll have a great time."

Erin holds on when the back wheels swing out, not looking worried, but so she doesn't slide out of her seat or anything. Does she notice his windblown hair? You bet she does and it strikes her then that he was even better looking when he let loose a little. "Really, this car suits you. I can't wait for you to drive it a long distance."

But all good things must come to an end, and this ride does when they arrive at the restaurant. It is a decidedly middle-class joint in a decidedly middle-class strip mall, but Gabe puts the car into park and looks over at his date next to him.

His cheeks are flushed from all the adrenaline run through him at the drive, and his eyes have this spark of passion? Lust? Like he is about to lean over and make out with Erin right in the parking lot. But he manages to suppress it so that he can slide out of the driver's seat and come along to her side to open her door.

It's not until he pulls in that Erin looks over at him, her own hair is tousled and she looks like she'd just had an amazing time. It's him, though, that captures her attention and she just almost does the same. It's right there, the impulsive urge to just kiss him, but that whole Addington composure she'd had drilled into her all her life takes over and she just smiles, albite with pure delight, and unfastens her seat belt to get out after he opens her door.

"That was so fun." But Erin can smell the aroma of the food all the way out to the parking lot and she closes the door behind her. "Whatever it is smells good. How have I missed this place all my life?"

"Because you're not familia, chica," smiles Gabe as he takes her arm and leads her in to the restaurant. "Well, neither am I. My family's still all back in San Fransisco. But."

It is a decidedly middle class establishment inside, too. All faux wood paneling and barely cloth napkins. But there is rapid fire spanish between Gabe and the man at the host stand that suggests they know each other, especially given the firm handshake and backslaps. From what Erin's conversational Spanish gets, it's been too long since he's been there, the kids are good (the host's), and the girl with him is a date so don't make him look like a fool.

He then turns and takes Erin's hand, leading her as they follow to the table for two off to the side, chair pulled out and napkin presented. It's sort of overkill in this place where families are in jeans and long-sleeve t-shirts and sneakers, but the thought counts, doesn't it?

"You drink margaritas? Like, real ones? Not Spring Break floozie ones?"

"I guess that explains it. Mi familia is spread out everywhere either in this town, or those that have managed to get out without coming back yet, are all over." Erin smiles at the mention of his family. "Your mother and father? Do you have siblings?" His family seems to really interest her.

Once inside, she takes a look around, immediately feeling comfortable in the place. The smell of the food inciting hunger, but listening to the back and forth banter of the Spanish was even more attention getting. At least to her. Slipping her hand into his when he takes hers, she bumps her shoulder gently to his as they follow the host. Maybe Erin is overdressed, but she doesn't feel out of place. Comfortable with herself she has a seat when the chair is presented. The napkin goes on her lap. "I love margaritas. Tequila. I'm not sure what a spring break floozie one is, but I'm sure I'd like it too."

"Spring Break floozie margaritas are ones where it comes in a fish bowl and is 90 percent margarita mix and the cheapest tequila they can find," explains Gabe, helpfully, as they settle down at the table. He asks for two margaritas with a particular brand of tequila, in Spanish, from the waiter, before he turns back. Chips and salsa are deposited soon after. Made fresh here.

"I've got Mom, Dad, two sisters, a brother. Catholics, am I right?" A four-kid household. "All down in California. I try to get down there from time to time, but they don't get the murder cop drive thing. Like, Dad and them are all employed and stuff, don't get me wrong. But it's just a punching a clock, you know? It's not a mission." Makes connecting hard. "How about you? I mean, I know they're all around here, but you close with your Dynasty?"

"Oh, yeah I don't think I'd really drink much of one of those." It just doesn't sound good to her. "Patron though? Count me in." Erin falls silent as the chips and salsa are brought, but she listens to him, learning what she can about his family. "Catholic. I go to the church here in Gray Harbor, my Grandmother raised me and that's where we've always gone." As he asks about her family, she puts it off as much as possible, taking a bite of a chip dipped in the salsa, murmuring about how good it tastes, until finally she lifts her eyes to meet his. "I'm going to get this all out in a rush, so we can have it over with and there's no dramatics." A rueful smile for him as she begins. "Like I said, my Grandmother, Margaret Addington, raised me. When I was very small, my parents dropped me off with her and went off to explore the world without a baby in tow. It's just how it's always been. Recently, my aunt was killed in the Bayside Apartments. I lived there too at the time. My parents came in for the funeral. The night they were leaving, they were killed." This was all a few months ago. "Then my other aunt was killed afterwards. The night of the attempted murder of me, I was still living in Bayside. I wasn't going back to the apartment so I had the arrangements made to move my things to my new home and I've been there since. Part of the reason I know the Captain and Sergeant Andy, they were hired for my protection for awhile. I really should still have Sergeant Andy hired, but he has other things going, and the funeral is coming soon, so everything will be fine until then. That's enough raining on this parade. Let's have fun now."

Soon, the margaritas arrive. As promised, they are not comically large. No, they are in small on-the-rocks glasses, rimmed with salt, and made with fine small-batch tequila and just the right mix. Gabriel is about to lift his glass to propose a toast when Erin lays it all out about her family. "... Wait, what?" Gabriel, of course, is a homicide detective. And he has heard about these cases. He apparently has just not made the connection. "Oh my." He reaches across to take Erin's hand and meet her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Erin. That -- I don't really have any words." But then she demands they have fun, and he presses on.

"Well. To first dates, then. And having fun." He lifts his glass. But he seems at least still momentarily haunted.

Truly, Erin had just wanted to get that all out of the way and when it is and he offers his apologies, she smiles, there's warmth there but an equal amount of sadness. "I appreciate that, it means a lot." And just like him, she lets it go by without lingering on it. Now they could really just enjoy their evening.

"To first dates and having fun." An appreciative smile curving her features as she lifts her own glass, trying to encourage him through the moment. "To Gabe and Erin." A gentle reminder from the day before.

"Actually, before I texted you, I ran into your friend Isabella Reade in Addington Park, outside the Station." Erin obviously knows that Addington Park is outside the Police Station, and Gabe realizes that, and he momentarily looks abashed. He covers it with a long drink from his margarita. "And she said the same thing. That we should have fun and that we deserve it." His eyes watch her over the rim of his glass. "So. I'm willing to take her advice if you are." He winks and then realizes the menu in front of them.

"Oh. So. Food. Everything's good. I'm getting enchiladas. I leave you to your own devices on what you want."

"Isabella is probably one of the best friends I have in town. I know her and the man she's in love with are very happy. Some may say she's out of his league, I say there is no league. They're happy. I'd never ever want someone I was attracted to for who they are to change for me. She's a smart woman." Following suit, Erin takes a drink from her margarita too, letting it wash down the slight bite of the salsa from a few moments ago. "I am more than willing to take her advice. I'm just enjoying myself."

Without opening the menu, she decides to opt for adventure. "You order for me." A smile given his way. "You know what's good here."

Right on cue, the waiter is there. "All right. I'm having the enchiladas platter," he tells the waiter, and then looks back at Erin. "She will have ..." And here Gabe sizes up his date, as if trying to figure out just how hungry she might be. "She'll have three fish tacos." He shrugs his shoulders. "They all come with rice and beans, but no way am I leaving you wanting more if you wanted it."

He reaches for more chips. "So, wait. You said you go to church on Sundays. Where at? I mean, I know religion is a bad first-date topic, but you brought it up, so I'm just making sure I shouldn't be looking for you in the pews."

Erin remains silent during the ordering process but she does sip her margarita and nibble on more of the chips and salsa. Once the waiter leaves she smiles her approval. "That actually sounds really good. Three may be a little much but better safe than not, and if it is, you can always have it." Not really sure if he did the whole swapping food or sharing or anything, so she puts that out there.

"I do go to church on Sunday. St. Mary's. Addington's usually sit together mostly. I sit with Grandmother and my Great Uncle Thomas. Sometimes the mayor, my cousin, comes. Which church do you attend?"

"Saint Mary's," confirms Gabe when Erin says she is a fellow parishioner. He must have seen the Addingtons there -- who doesn't know the Addingtons? -- but didn't connect Erin to it. "I most-decidedly do not sit with the Mayor. And I am just as fine if the Mayor can't pick me out of a line-up. But. Cool." So they're both Catholic. That seems to make Gabe happy, for that box to be checked, so early on.

"I'll try not to make eyes at you during the Gospel this week. I'll save it for the second reading." A little humor there. A very little. "So what do you do for fun other than rock sitting?"

It seems odd that Erin had never seen him there. Or more correctly never noticed him. She did tend to her grandmother a lot during services, and her Uncle Thomas. His opinion of the Mayor is noted but she doesn't either confirm or deny her own with the man. There's a smile playing over her features though. Maybe she's thinking along the same lines as he is, in regards to their religion.

"What if I don't sit by my family this week and find someone really handsome and charming to sit with instead?" After another drink of her margarita, she hesitates over the question. "Hobbies? I really like working out at the gym and spending time in my backyard trying to learn gardening and landscaping. I used to go out drinking too much, but I miss dancing. I like doing that. I really like going somewhere I've never been and exploring. Landmarks, buildings, places. I like rediscovering places I've already been before also. There's a lot of things, really. What about you?"

"Well, that sounds like fun, but what if he sweeps you off your feet and then I don't get that second date to Seattle out of you?" Gabe goes for the self-deprication route there, because it is clearly the safest. Yet the way he just for a moment looks down at his margarita bashfully suggests he's chuffed by the compliment nonetheless. "I'd love to get to worship with you this Sunday." And from the way he says it, it suggests the religion actually means something in his life.

"Me? Hobbies? Well, definitely the garden, as you saw. It's nice. You get your hands dirty in something that's not blood, and you need to focus on it, and you can't let things like cases get in the way. Love reading local histories for some reason. Can't get enough weird Gray Harbor history, even if I'm not from here. Working out, yes, of course. Need to keep this temple in shape." He gestures to himself. "As for dancing. You see. I'm a study in contrasts. I'm Latin, yes? But I'm also a cop. And everyone knows cops are the least hip people around. So if you want to go dancing, it's at your own risk."

"Oh I don't know he's doing a pretty good job of sweeping. Maybe it more guarantees the second date to Seattle instead of eliminating it." That bashful look is just too sweet and she can't help but to smile. "Sunday it is then. Thank you." The moment more solemn, but she does seem genuinely excited about it.

His mention of the garden doesn't surprise her. "I love the flowers you brought. They are beautiful and mean even more for coming from your own garden." Taking another sip from her glass, she holds it in her hand this time as she contemplates his choice of literature from Gray Harbor. "I suppose there is a lot to know, especially with history repeating itself." Finally, she replaces her glass on the table and tilts her head slightly. "I never said I could dance. Just that I liked to dance."

That actually draws a laugh from Gabriel. "Touche. All right. You got me there. Fine. If you want to look awkward dancing together, I'll do it. For you. But we have drinks first and get an Uber home. Because that's how that works for me."

The food is incoming and Gabe sits up, delighted to have dinner present. Company's just mostly why he came out tonight. "So. What made you decide you wanted to be a nurse? And what kind of nurse? I mean, big range from ER to someone in an office."

"I like your laugh." Erin observes from her side of the table. "Uber, dancing, drinking, you got it. Is that date number three?" She can't hide her smile as they keep adding to it. Future dates. Interesting.

Sliding her glass out of the way for the food, she again remains silent except to reassure that she needed nothing else when the waiter asks. "What made me want to become a nurse. Honestly, it's because I learned I had a gift for helping people." More glimmer stuff! "But I knew nothing about the inside of a body. So, I took the courses and one thing keeps leading to another and I just keep opting in. I'm thinking ER, so I can get to the person first, before anyone else does. Except the paramedics, of course. They are only trained to keep someone alive for the doctors. I'm just there to help while a doctor does his thing. I think being the middle man would be more interesting."

"I suppose it is. We keep calendaring each other. I kinda like it." Gabe admits that much as he then grabs up a fork and digs into the platter in front of him. Hearty and all home made. He does know his Mexican food.

At the description of Erin's talent, there is something that twangs in him, but he doesn't say anything. Glimmer probably definitely isn't first-date material. "That's awesome. ER's crazy. I mean, the stereotype is that homicide detectives date ER nurses because they're both used to seeing people in awful states and have the same gallows humor. But I'd much rather you save 'em than need my services."

"I kind of like it too." And Erin doesn't mean the food, she's not tried that yet. She does though, folding up the taco and lifting it for a bite. The ingredients were fresh, the overall taste was great and she gives a nod of approval. "So good," she says when she can speak again, after swallowing the bite. Adding a little of the salsa to it and a few jalapenos, she takes another bite.

Gratefully, he doesn't mention anything about the healing or the glimmer, and while he talks she uses the time to finish a taco. Lifting a napkin, she dabs at her lips and replaces it on her lap before finally responding. "I've never heard that stereotype. That makes sense though and is kind of amusing. Except the parts that aren't. I'm sure both see terrible things." Shadows of things she'd seen before try and make an appearance in her eyes but she gives a smile and focuses on the positive. "I would much rather save them also."

"Yeah. Well. Let's hope we never have to work together, huh?" Gabriel goes ahead and steers that away from the Bad Things and back over towards the positives. "I much prefer ours to be a fully outside-of-work relationship." Relationship.

Gabe is chuffed when she likes the food, ever-so-glad that he did not bomb on his choice of a restaurant for the first date. "It's good, right? But anyway. All right. More first-date getting-to-know-you stuff. What is ... I don't know. I'm blanking. What do you want to know about me? Here. I'll make you ask."

Now there's a scary word. Relationship. Dark eyes regard him quietly and she realizes that's sort of what dating was. Hoping to build something or other with someone. A relationship if they were lucky. A smile is shared, an acknowledgement of the word.

"It's very good. I'll have a new addition to my grubhub list in the future for nights I want something this great but I don't want to leave the house. I love being home sometimes." Though he turns the tables and she goes right into it. "In your family, what position are you? Oldest? Youngest?

"Right in the middle," says Gabe when Erin asks where he is in his family. "Catholic Mom and Dad, right? So they get right to work after marrying. Have me right in the middle of the four kids. I guess I'm technically the bottom half of the older ones, but you know." Close enough.

He shovels some rice and beans into his fork, adding. "I'm Catholic but not that Catholic." As in he's not saving himself for marriage. And he's not opposed to contraception. As the condom in his pocket perhaps serves as a testament to.

"Middle child. I've always heard they usually grow up independent and feeling generally overlooked. I'm an only child either way you look at it. I'm all my parents had and I'm the only one my Grandmother raised." Grandmother who is technically a cousin of sorts. "What was it like growing up with a lot of other kids around? Are there any big age gaps between you four or anything? Did you play sports in school?"

Erin has an endless supply of questions to ask and like him she's not against pre-marital stuff or condoms.

Gabe laughs at the rapid-fire questions, but in a delighted, rather than offended, sort of way. "Oh. Wow. Uh. I don't know. It was what it was, you know? Older kids helped look after the younger ones. We're all pretty grouped close together, except for my brother, he was the surprise when Mom and Dad thought they were done." Which is the problem, of course, when you are really Catholic and don't rely on contraception. "But no. I loved always having other kids to play with, even if it meant it was kinda hard to get Mom and Dad's attention sometime. Mom stayed home, though, so that helped. Not that I'm saying moms have to. Just for us." Quick to clarify. "I ran cross-country in high school." Hence the running she saw. "Nothing in college. After Iraq, I wasn't going for the traditional college sports experience." Get his degree and get out.

"But okay. Only child. You still had all the cousins and other stuff in the broader family, though, right? Was that an okay substitute?"

He takes the questions well and Erin eats while he talks, drinks of margarita interspersed in between. There's a moment in there she wears a wistful expression, but it doesn't linger. "It sounds warm and homey," she voices her interpretation of all he had shared. "Cross country, I see why your fitness regime of choice is running on the beach."

Then he throws another question to her and there's a light shrug. "Mostly, I was raised in a museum of a house with my Grandmother and Uncle. Formal dinners, etiquette was mandatory and mostly, it was speak only when spoken to. I think sometimes she still considers me to be that kid." With a wry look she shakes her head and waves that away. "I much prefer talking about you. Your parents sound warm and loving and close. My parents were like that. With each other, I mean. They were so in love I think everything outside of their bubble was forgotten." She toys with a ring she wears on her right hand ring finger. A gorgeous ring with two good sized diamonds cut into the shape of hearts, intertwined with a musical bar and notes.

"Yeah. I guess maybe homey isn't how it felt when I had to share a room with my brother, but I guess I can see it now. Grass is always greener, right? I thought I would have killed when I grew up for a bigger house or fancier vacation or whatever." But Gabe can see her end of it now. He digs into her food while she explains about her parent,s nodding his head.

"That your Mom's?" he asks, looking at the ring. Call it a detective's guess. "But I can see how growing up in a place like that, you would want to cut loose a bit." She has the fast car. She said she likes to drink. Maybe he ran her name through the criminal database. Many cops do on potential dates, even if it's not technically kosher.

"It sounds sort of like camping out to me. Making pillow forts or something, staying up late talking about nothing. Like an ideal childhood. But I can also see your side of it. I've always had the nicest things, my Grandmother has always been indulgent with her money in my case and she's the one that controls the purse strings in the family. I know I've been very fortunate and I'm so grateful for everything she has done for me. It's why I still sort of keep trying to toe her line while trying to find my own limits in the process."

Erin looks down at the ring and smiles. "It was. I'm only wearing it now while I can. I have to get rid of it soon so I'm taking full advantage of possessing it now." Possessing, not the best word and she crinkles her nose at the thought. If he ran her name, he'd definitely find the DUI but he'd also see that she got away with it with good lawyering.

If Gabriel did, he doesn't seem to care. After all, he's a murder cop. What passes for serious crime for him is different than most in the Department. "Yeah. That makes sense." He furrows his brow when Erin says she needs to get rid of the ring soon. "Like, she left it to someone else in the will or something?" He still doesn't quite get the situation with her parents' deaths. Maybe that's for the best.

Soon, his fork is scraping the plate and he brushes his leg against hers under the table, perhaps experimentally. Perhaps to see how the date is going.

"Something like that." Erin tells him, leaving the details vague deliberately. There's so much emotion with what she has to do, that she doesn't say any of it. Instead, she finishes a second taco and has some of the rice. She's totally on a date. Beans are out, left untouched. Cause reasons. Alongside them is that third taco she can't finish. While she does polish off the margarita, she doesn't order another. Maybe she's not so hard a drinker anymore either.

Feeling the brush of his leg, she smiles at him and as the waiter comes to remove their plates and ask if they want any dessert, she declines, but doesn't answer for him. Instead, she offers her hand across the table to him, perhaps a response to exactly how the date is going. "I've had such a good time with you tonight."

When Erin declines dessert, Gabe does the same. He takes her hand in his, squeezing it hard and meeting her eyes. "I had a real good time," he agrees with her, finger tips lingering. And then, a pause.

"You want to get out of here?" Assuming the answer, he waves for the check.

Erin looks down at their joined hands with a smile. Someone receptive to holding hands. That was rare in this town! Grateful he had as good a time as she had, despite her family drama popping up throughout the conversation, she nods easily enough. "The food was incredible, the company even better, but I am ready." Not to end the date, of course, just to go to the next part.

Gabe breaks a new land-speed record in giving the waiter his credit card, getting the receipt, and filling out the tip. He has a plain old Visa. Not even a Sapphire! These middle class working stiffs! It's almost lamentable. But once that is all done, the cop gets to his feet and offers Erin his hand again.

"You up for racing it home?" he asks, eyes sparkling.

Erin waits while he pays, almost offering to instead, but she doesn't. Opting not to go down that particular path. Taking the offered hand, she doesn't let go even once she's gotten to her feet and her sense of adventure kicks in. "I am so up for that. Let's do this!" Laughing, she walks with him to the car, ready for the wild trip back home.