2020-04-02 - April Fools

The work day was through, it was April Fool's day and Erin was dressed in a bit of an oversized sweater in the softest of materials over a pair of olive colored pants that are cuffed at the bottom. Her feet are bare for now and she's in the kitchen pouring the two of them a coffee. He'd come over after his own work day was through, showered or not. It's not as cold as it has been but it's still chilly and gray and drizzly out, so there's a fire flickering in the fireplace. Thanks in part to Jack, for starting it. The coffee was easy enough, she'd learned that from Jack also, what he liked. So she returns with two glasses of it. Iced coffee. Offering one of them to him, she smiles before sinking down on the sofa, sort of turning towards him. "How was your day at work?" Normal, couple conversation!

Already seated it seemed, relaxing after his work day, Jack gladly accepts the cold coffee. He likes it because he can take an honest drink, not just a sip, and with a gruff noice in his throat he swallows it just as readily. "Not too bad," he says, much like any day, "Had to work on that import again." Another regular with some fancy European number, one of the few aroudn town most likely. "Its purring I guess, they all sort of sound like go-karts." She's probably heard his thoughts on those cars plenty of times. "How was yours, lady?" He puts an arm up to his side, a request of her company nestled under it most likely.

That's all the invitation Erin needs. Curling up, barefoot, on the couch, she nestles there beneath his arm, her head resting in that spot at his shoulder and chest where she seems to fit so perfectly. "But it's not a Ford." Saying what he was implying, a smile playing around her lips. "Like my Maserati." After taking a drink from her glass, she muses, "Sounds like you have to work on that import a lot. Reminds me, now that it's coming to spring, we could work more on the truck." Something else he was teaching her. "What sounds good for dinner?" Again, normal stuff, but she shifts a little as if something is on her mind.

Giving her the moment to adjust, Jack's hand naturally falls to her arm adn rubs gently. "Something like that. But you're right, more the reason to finish your wheels girl." A statement supported by all the evidence they just displayed now, mostly him being stubborn over anything else. "I'll hunt up some parts we need to continue." Another gulp of cold coffee, just the way he likes it. An ahh sound, more enjoyment of the bitterness of the coffee than it being hot or warming him, obviously. "Maybe some burgers, what're you thinking sounds a bout right. Can fire up the grill." No time is too early in the season/year for grilling or smoking some food. Winter is perfectaly acceptable time for Jack.

Well, spring has sprung, but with it still being cold, Erin considers the whole idea of grilling. "Mmm, that does sound really good. I can cut up the vegetables and all. What do you want with them? What side item, I mean?" If anything. In no hurry to get up from her position, she snuggles in. "I could get used to this, this is so nice. Since before Christmas, I like what we have going on here." She does sound content, but she leans back a little to look up at him and with a playfully wicked grin, she tugs lightly on his beard before brushing her lips lightly over his.

"There you go, won't take long to cook," at least not for him, throwing together meat and direct flame is way easier than on a stove for Jack. "We have any squash or zucchini, or okra even." Those all sound good on the side for him so he puts out a few ideas. Just relaxing, holding her, he neve nods, "Yeah, it ain't a bad thing at all." Concurred, head nodded agreement, not a smile per say though. He may have more to say but with a tug and that grin on her lips, he doesn't care any more. He stays where she tugged him, letting her brush at his lips, then certainly, he's taking more. The hand around her move to her head, holding her to a kiss that he wants after she initiated, going after her bottom lip more than the other.

"Squash." Erin immediately pounces on that one. "Yellow squash on the grill like you do. That is really good. One of my favorites." Then they both seem to get distracted from the dinner plans with a single kiss with it deepening. The coffee all but forgotten in her hand, her grip loosens a little but she doesn't spill it. The man could kiss! After several moments she comes up for air and a corner of her lips raises in some secretive little smile. "You never cease to amaze me, Jack."

"Certainly," concurs Jack on squash. He may catch hints of a smile or a look in her eyes, "What's on your mind?" Direct for a moment her words give him a moment of thought the same. "You never cease to attract me, so I guess it works out." He can't stop amazing her, she can't stop him from wanting her.

For a moment it looks like Erin may say something else, but then to answer his question, she grins. "Dinner. Dinner is on my mind. Oh and it's April Fools Day. Did you get any jokes played on you today at work?" She knows he has a woman working with him at the shop on occasion, when he got a lot of jobs in. Another drink from her coffee before she gets to her feet, "If you want to get the grill ready I can start cutting the vegetables. Do you want a beer or wine or anything?" Because nothing chases coffee better right?

A slight shake of his head, "Nah .. they know better there. Funny or not, I'm not laughing with them. And if its my tools, its hands off." At work at least. "Dinner is good enough. Anyone pulling your leg for April Fools? Or you saying I need to figure something out, celebrate the day in proper fashion with you?" He may even smirk a little himself, "Yes, I think you should get another Euro sports car." See, he can pull a April Fools. Though its probably easy to read into the sarcasm from him as stoic as he is, he doesn't try to hide surface thoughts and feelings either.

"Yeah hands off the tools," Erin knows about that, she knew he was protective of his livelihood. There's a grin flashed towards him at the idea of her getting a new car. "Oh? You think I should update my 2019 to a 2020?" He was teasing, she was aware of it, but then she adds. "It's my birthday today. I'm really old now." Trying to keep her face straight and not laugh outright. Of course he didn't already know because she'd never told him the date. Walking into the kitchen, she gets out the cutting board and a knife from the block, placing them on the counter before starting to take out vegetables.

"Right, can't be a year behind," fashion trend, or motor trends. Jack is good either way, he may tease about the car, but she like what she likes and he's good with it. "Oh, a fitting day to be born for you," he teases, straight faced and all, "Lucky for you though, I like older women." More teasing as he gets up to follow towards teh kitchen. "If you're not pulling me leg, we should get you a proper birthday meal you know." He'll honor that, its a special day and all, but he does question a little due to it being what day it is.

"Oh good, because I just keep getting older and older every year." Erin rolls her eyes at her own goofiness and dad joke style of teasing back. "Are you calling me a fool?" She brandishes a tomato out towards him. "We can keep on this same theme the whole day. Let me see.." she pretends to contemplate to think of something else to add to the April Fools Day stuff. "I'm pregnant too, so there." Sticking her tongue out at him before going back to gathering the squash to prepare for dinner.

"Good, better with age," like a wine for Jack. He's no preference either way most likely. "I wouldn't say you'r a fool, just it could be fitting." A smirk again as she levels a tomato at him. The next one gives him a pause, "That so," and he seems more serious, "Don't joke too much, I might like that." Seeing her with a kid, her with his kid, something more entirely. "Just so long as I'm the father," as if back to teasing just a little there, though they probably both know they're not seeing anyone else, or both hope?

"I hope so. You're kind of stuck with me." Erin sort of teases, sort of doesn't. With the squash out, she closes the refrigerator and comments, "My refrigerator hasn't been so well stocked.. ever. Since I started dating you. My eating habits are improved, less eating out." For a moment it seems as if she is avoiding the other subject, sort of taking in his reaction. Then a more meaningful reassurance for him. "You're the father," she tells him with little inflection of tone into her voice. A head tilt then though. "I've not dated anyone else in awhile. I had dinner with a friend, well almost, he had to go as soon as we sat down, but nothing further. When I date, I date one person at a time. I'm sort of old fashioned on that, I guess."

"I couldn't imagine be stuck otherwise," than with her that is, Jack gets the meat out to spice it up, let it marinate in the dry rub before starting the fires. A nod about good eating habits, he likes good food himself, his nod is slow and agreeing that its good to know. She said it again, he looks more directly at her. "If your pulling my leg on that, you might end up with a grumpy Jack." LIke there was a different version of him when he was honestly being grumpy. "Old fashioned or not, its a good habit too. One at a time, you're mine." Is that him saying their exclusive, even if they are only dating each other. "You fooling me?" He has put the meat down, rinsed his hands while he spoke and is moving towards her.

"I've never been much for tricks on April Fools. My weird life was enough of one that I never bothered playing tricks on anyone." As he moves around, she watches him then he moves towards her and she meets his eyes, the honesty and truth of it there in the dark depths. "None of what I said is any attempt at fooling you. It's all true. My birthday, exclusive with you and.. yeah. That last part too." Now that he knows the truth though, she's uncertain of his reaction so she just continues meeting his gaze, ready for anything. Mostly.

He meets her eyes straight on, the last part too, then Jack nods. "There you go, little momma." And there is a smile there, "Now I've got you for 18 years." He's heard some modern music it would seem, though that was modern like 15+ years ago. "Good, I liked the sound of that when you said it." He takes his arms to embrace her, not letting her fill in the space like usual, but more initiative, a whole embrace. "YOu good with this," he asks, clearly happy but seeing her take just the same, he kisses at her neck when he asks how she feels.

It was better than she could have hoped for at least, and Erin can't take her eyes from his eyes and the smile there. Such a rare thing from him, at least to that degree. Tucked up beneath his chin in the embrace, she holds him close too. "I didn't know how you'd feel. I had it verified at work yesterday." At the hospital. "Am I good with it? I was using protection, so I don't know how it happened. Life finds a way I guess. Now though? Sure, I'm scared but I feel like I want the kid to have the normal life I didn't get. Raised by parents that will love it no matter what. Not by grandparents with conditional love." The kiss sends shivers through her and he can very likely feel the bumps on her skin from the reaction. "I have a doctor appointment tomorrow and an ultrasound so they can try and figure out how far along, because even I don't know."

He listens, mmhmm'ng agrement as he keeps his lips to her neck. Understanding as he focuses on her. HIs lips move up to find her ear, the bottom lobe, to nip at. With a lower voice he says softly to her, "Then tomorrow, we figure it out and make this work. Figure out making it work for all of us, how to make a family." Like he's willing to talk about more but is enjoying simply the moment of her sharing this information with him. "Tonight, we celebrate this, you and me. Us." Unknown third included in that even. "Gotta admit, excited about the mother of my child, she does a little number that always turns me on." More kissing, he seeks her lips in that embrace. Holding her there, holding her up as some object of affection and desire.

The vegetables never stood a chance. The meat can marinate until next week for all she cares in the moment. Dinner will come late.. much later, but that's the least of Erin's worries. Lacing her fingers with him she separates just long enough to draw him into the bedroom and to close the door behind them. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIN!