88 - Ticket to Ride

Jon woke up alone in his bed on Saturday morning, stretching slowly in the sunlight, the sheet creeping down around his bare hips.  He may be alone, but any sense of loneliness was tempered by a feeling of peace.  Even before his mind was conscious enough to make the realization, his heart knew Petey was safe and she was his.

He hoped she was feeling that same peace as she awakened in her own bed this morning. 

At her request, he took Petey to her apartment directly from the airport.  He made no bones about the fact that he didn’t want her to spend the night alone, but she convinced him – after several of those damn intoxicating kisses of hers – that it would be best.    Grumbling, he made her promise to keep everything locked up and to call him before she went to sleep.

Logically, he knew she was probably right.  Wasn’t she always when it came to logic?  They’d had an intense few days, and a little time alone to regroup might not be such a bad idea.  It would at least be an opportunity for both of them to think about this new relationship thing.  If there were second thoughts, it would be best to get them out of the way now.

So he’d come home, checked his email, made some work-related calls, and then called his kids.  They were coming to spend the weekend, and he was taking them to the Knicks game on Saturday evening.  Jon wanted to invite Petey, but he wanted to test the waters and see how the kids felt about that idea, starting with Jesse. 

Stephanie had made her opinion of Petey clear, and Jon wasn’t worried that she would mind.  The younger boys were so immersed in their own worlds that they would likely think Petey was there to see and/or entertain them.  Jesse was the wild card.  Jon hadn’t heard him say anything one way or the other, and wasn’t sure what his reaction would be.

“Hey, buddy,” he began casually, kicked back on the couch with a ball game on in the background.  From the nearly identical noise coming through the phone line, Jess was watching the same game.  “How was school this week?  Hard going back to the grind after two weeks’ vacation?”

“Nah, it was okay.  We started lacrosse training.  I’ve been working out in the gym.”  His son the jock.  The oldest of his boys was more athletically inclined than Jon ever thought about being.  Football and lacrosse were his primary sports, but he would occasionally toss around a baseball just for fun. 

“Yeah?  Arms and shoulders sore?”

“A little,” was the most his self-confident teen would admit.  It wouldn’t do to seem like a wuss to any guy, much less your old man.  Jon understood the code well.

“So, Jess,”  he carefully broached his real reason for calling.  “I need to ask you something about the Knicks game tomorrow night.”

“Actually, Dad, I wanted to ask you something, too.”

Jon’s eyebrows knit together in a frown.  This was unexpected.  Was the kid bailing on him to hang out with his buddies?  Not that he would blame him, but it would be disappointing.

“Okay, you first.  Whatcha got?”

There was a moment of silence before his talkative child reverted to a timid mumbler.  “Um…  Well, there’s this girl I’ve been talking to.  Ashley.  I’d kinda like to ask her out.”

A sly grin tipped the corners of Jon’s mouth upward.  Girls.  Women remained a complete mystery to him for the most part, but girls were something he could relate to.  Hell, occasionally he might even be able to offer a little advice without sounding like a complete and total schmuck. 

“And you want to take her out tonight?”

The boy heaved a sigh and went for the gold.  “Her parents won’t let her boy/girl date until she’s sixteen, but group dates are okay.  I was wondering if I could invite her to go to the game with us?  I figure the whole family is as good as a group, right?”

The sly grin escalated into an ironically amused smile.  Did the kid realize how much he was like his old man, working the angles?

“I guess it is at that,” Jon chuckled.  “I tell ya what.  If you don’t mind me letting Petey tag along, then you can ask Ashley to join us, too.  Do you care?”

“No.  Why would I?  She’s cool.  I think you could do way worse.”

Gotta love the refreshing honesty of teenagers.  Why was I worried?

“Thanks.  I think.  Seven Knicks tickets then.  I don’t know if we can get courtside, but we should get close.  If you want, I’ll take you all out for pizza before, or you can do concession crap at the game.”

A few more minutes of questioning him about young Ashley, then a quick chat with Steph and the little monsters had Jon set.  He was going out with Petey in public.  With all of his kids. 

If the press is gonna pass a goat about our relationship, we might as well get it outta the way.  This should definitely draw their attention.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Jon brought his mind from Friday night into Saturday, and groped for the phone that lay charging on his night table.  He and Petey had spoken only long enough to say goodnight last night, and Jon hadn’t taken the time to ask her about the game.

Now, he closed one eye while squinting the other one, and tapped his broad finger on the touch screen.  He only had to backspace three times. 

Damn autocorrect doesn’t speak Jersey.

[8:47 AM]JON: Morning Sugar.  Whatcha doin today?

[8:50 AM]PT: Running right now.  Missed my treadmill.

The imagined vision of her perfect backside bouncing as she ran made his sheet tent a bit.  That butt was better than Viagra.  He’d never considered himself an ass man before, but the upside down heart shape of Petey’s was erection inspiring.  It was only second to the little imp’s mouth.

Get a grip Bongiovi.  You can jack off after you ask her out.

[8:51 AM]JON: How about this eve?

[8:52 AM]PT: No plans.  Why?

Okay, so far so good.  There was a brief moment of apprehension when his fingers stuttered over the keypad.  Jon realized he didn’t know if she liked basketball.  Was her genius brain too far advanced to appreciate a court full – or at least partially full – of dumb jocks?  But she liked football.  That was more of a mindless sport than basketball, right? 

Oh, what the hell…

[8:53 AM]JON: Wanna go to a basketball game?

The heart that had been racing in Petey’s chest because of exercise, now raced for a whole different reason.  He was inviting her to go out with him.  To go OUT with him.  Jon hadn’t gone home and fallen into an immediate pit of regret and remorse after their DC interlude.  He was moving forward with this relationship.  If she had been a teenager, she would have let out a 'squee' of delight.

[8:56 AM]JON:  Hello?

She reveled in the spark of excitement in her belly. 

[8:57 AM]PT: Sorry. Sure.

[8:58 AM]JON: Kids are going 2. OK?

Petey choked a little bit, scrambling for her water bottle and a healthy gulp of liquid to wash away the lump in her throat.   Their first venture into the public eye together and their first time as a couple with his kids.  Once he made up his mind, Jon didn’t mess around.  It was full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes, facing the entire world at once.

[9:00 AM]PT: Sure.  What time?

[9:01 AM]JON: My place @5?  Jesse is bringing a date 2. We may do dinner before.

Jon’s oldest son was the biggest unknown in this equation – besides the population of New York City, of course.  Jesse had been pretty quiet on New Year’s Day while she was at Dorothea’s house.  She didn’t really have a feel for him or his personality yet, but if he was bringing a girl it shouldn’t matter. 

Petey smiled.  For a teenage boy on a date, nothing would matter besides the girl. 

[9:03 AM]PT: OK.  See ya then.

As an afterthought, she tapped two more characters and hit the Send button again.

[9:03 AM]PT:  <3

It was a silly girl thing to do, but so what?  She was a girl, and he was being…  a boyfriend.  She was going to indulge in the silliness.

[9:04 AM]JON: WTF does that mean?

Trust Jon to know WTF and not a heart.  Petey chuckled with delight.

[9:05 AM]PT: It’s a heart.  Tip your head to the right and look again.

She waited, mentally picturing his head tilting as he narrowed his eyes to study the emoticon. 

[9:07 AM]JON: Oh.  Cute.  U don’t expect me to do that do u?

His horror conveyed itself clearly through the few typed words.  It was priceless! 

[9:07 AM]PT: OMG!  HAHA!  No I don’t.  ;-)  That’s a winking smiley face, btw.

[9:08 AM]JON: I knew that.

Laughter bubbled out of her mouth.  She could just see him squaring his shoulders defensively and tightening his jaw.  It made Petey want to find every obscure emoticon in existence and use them until he snapped and admitted he didn’t know what they were.

[9:09 AM]JON: Gonna hit the treadmill.  Love u.

Okay, maybe she wouldn’t torture him with emoticonology.  That was way too sweet.  Now she couldn’t torment him in good conscience.

[9:10 AM]PT: <3

She put the phone on the table, her mind already delving into her closet. 

What in the world was she going to wear??

☠ ☢ ☠

Petey tucked the wool coat around her in the back seat of the taxi and blew out a big breath.  “158 Mercer Street, please.”  With a nod, the cabbie peeled out from the curb.  She could see that this was going to be one of those exceptionally short trips.

As she righted herself in the seat, a text message chimed from her coat pocket, and she pulled it out with a smile.  Jon had sent her a couple of different messages today warning that the younger boys were in rare form.  He offered her a rain check on the date, saying that anything was possible when Jake and Romeo were in this kind of mood.

She’d laughed and told him it was fine.  As much agonizing as she’d done over her wardrobe, Petey would rather forge ahead.  On a positive note, the kids would at least be a distraction if Jon started doing his aloof, brooding thing once they got out of the apartment.

But this text message wasn’t from Jon, it was from David.

[4:40 PM]DAVE: So I hear you’re a genius.

Where had he heard that?  She didn’t realize Jon had shared that bit of information with his friends.  Why would he do that?

Brow furrowed, she tapped out a noncommittal reply.

[4:42 PM]PT: Really?

[4:43 PM]DAVE: Yeah.  J told R.  Wanna compare IQs??  ;-)

Snorting at his goofiness, she gave it right back to him, wondering if he would even believe the truth.

[4:44 PM]PT: Is this the guy thing where you try and prove yours is bigger than mine?

[4:45 PM]DAVE: LMAO!  Not only smart, but funny.  Seriously.  How smart ARE you?

[4:46 PM]PT: Smart enough not to answer.  ;-)

[4:47 PM]DAVE: Aw come on!  Over 150?

Why was he so interested in a number?  People obsessed over bizarre things.

[4:47 PM]PT: IDK.  Never wanted to know.

[4:48 PM]DAVE:  HOW CAN YOU NOT WANT TO KNOW?!?

Petey laughed out loud, drawing the attention of the cabbie in the rearview mirror. 

“Sorry,” she mumbled as the cab arrived in front of Jon’s building.  Fumbling in her pocket, she pulled out a few dollars and passed them across the front seat before sliding out of the car.  Once the elevator was whisking her to the top floor, she typed out her reply. 

[4:51 PM]PT: Just didn’t.  Was there a point to this conv?

[4:52 PM]DAVE: Wondered if your genius would shine through in a text.

Petey sighed softly and shook her head.  Sometimes she questioned the wisdom of wanting to tour with them.

[4:53 PM]PT: Smart ass. I’m headed out for the eve. Talk 2 u later. :-)

With a breath and a silent thanks to David for the distraction, Petey rang the bell.  There were muffled sounds of screaming boys coming from behind the door, if she wasn’t mistaken.

This should be fun.