Chapter Text
Eddie’s suspicions were already piqued when he pulled into his driveway and there were two cars there. He immediately recognized both of them, but Carla’s had been the only one he’d been expecting to see. He couldn’t fathom why Maddie might be there as well.
He checked his phone before getting out of the truck, but no one had called or sent him any messages. Pulling up Buck’s number, he shot off a quick text.
Did we have plans tonight? Maddie’s car in my driveway.
He waited for a couple of minutes, but no message came back, which made Eddie frown. Buck was pretty obsessed with checking his messages, and Eddie normally didn’t have to wait more than a minute for an answer on any given day. Shaking his head, he pocketed the phone and got out of the truck.
The front door was unlocked, and he was treated to the sight and sound of Christopher, Maddie, and Carla laughing in the kitchen. All three turned to greet him with a smile, and Christopher was immediately moving to get out of his chair and cross the space between them.
“Daddy!”
Eddie’s own smile was automatic as he dropped his bag and scooped his son up into his arms.
“Hey, buddy,” he said warmly as he squeezed him. “What’s going on here?”
The question was really aimed at the two women smiling at him, and they knew it.
“You have plans tonight,” Maddie told him.
“I do?”
Carla nodded. “You do indeed, handsome. So why don’t you scoot yourself into the bedroom and put on something a little nicer?”
Eddie’s eyes narrowed. “Please tell me that you didn’t set me up on a blind date.”
Maddie held up three fingers in a promise. “We absolutely did not set you up on a blind date.”
“But I have plans?” he asked, still trying to read the two of them and figure them out.
“You do.”
“And I need to dress nicely?”
“Much nicer than that,” Carla agreed, gesturing at his current outfit.
He still didn’t know what was going on. “I don’t like surprises.”
Christopher’s grin widened as he patted his father’s face. “Trust us, Daddy.”
“Oh great. And now you’ve got my son conspiring with you.”
Carla walked over and reached for Christopher, who willingly climbed into her arms. It warmed his heart to see the way his son had become so comfortable with this new LA family. He had always been a trusting kid, but Eddie felt like they had found the perfect home here, and it was comforting to see more evidence of that.
“You know the three of us only have your best interests at heart,” Carla said, pulling him back out of his thoughts. “So go on and get dressed. You don’t have long. A little cologne might do you some good, too. Just don’t overdo it.”
He opened a mouth to protest, but she was already shooing him away. Waving a hand at them, he decided it was just easier to give in. Maddie had promised that they hadn’t set him up on a blind date, but he wasn’t so sure, especially once he walked into his bedroom. His nicest black shirt was lying out on the bed, next to his good slacks and a red tie. Those were definitely date clothes. He stopped and stared at them for a few moments, hands on his hips as he tried to think of a way to get out of this. He didn’t want to date. He didn’t want to meet new people and go through the song and dance of getting them used to the demands of his job. He didn’t want to risk introducing them to Christopher just to have them run away later and leave a sad little boy in their wake. They were fine by themselves. They didn’t need anyone new.
He turned to walk back out into the kitchen to tell them just that, but then he stopped. He could have said all those things when he joined Cap’s team all those months ago. He could have closed himself off and refused to let them know about Christopher. They could have stayed isolated. And if they had done that, he would have robbed them both of some of the best people he’d ever met.
Eddie sighed, clenching his fists. He could get through one date. If it was a disaster - and there was a good chance it might be, since he wasn’t even sure he remembered how to date - maybe it would keep them from trying to set him up again for a good long while.
And so he got dressed. He tied his tie carefully, making sure that it rested perfectly against his shirt. He rolled the sleeves of his shirt up until they stopped just below his elbows, because it was LA and it was hot. He brushed his teeth and ran a comb through his hair before dabbing on just a hint of his favorite cologne. Carla was right - you had to make sure not to overdo it.
By the time he stepped back out into the kitchen, he was an unexpected mixture of nerves and hope and dismay, and he sent up a quick prayer that he wouldn’t throw up.
Carla and Maddie both looked him up and down critically. Eddie fought the urge to fidget, feeling as though he’d somehow time-traveled back to 8th grade.
“Damn,” Maddie finally said, nodding at him.
Carla was nodding, too. “You clean up real good, Eddie.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but then there was a knock on the door. Eddie looked at the door and then looked at them.
“You made my date pick me up?” he asked incredulously.
Maddie rolled her eyes. “Just open the door.”
Eddie glared at her, but walked toward the door anyway. He didn’t take his eyes off of her until his hand was already turning the knob, but all memory of their conversation died as soon the door was open and he saw the person standing on his front step.
Buck.
Buck dressed nicely, just like him.
Buck holding flowers and smiling at him.
All of the air sucked out of his lungs, Eddie just stared.
Shit.