#esanders

[sent 7.15 am]: So, I feel like we might have some talking to do. 🫠

"Eric?!" Aspen had been sat in her chair at the table for a while, making sure her make up and hair remained perfect while she waited to find out which A list hunk was going to be her James Bond. What she hadn't expected was her friend's ex-husband to come strolling through the door looking... admittedly... pretty good. The gym had done him all sorts of favours. It was torture to not be able to pull out her phone and tell it to text Ronnie.

joel had spotted him earlier while he was dancing with autumn, and for a second he’d considered cutting in. but even joel knew better than to throw himself into the middle of that particular dance, so he stayed where he was and kept moving with ingrid until he finally needed a break and went in search of water.

he never made it that far. because then he caught sight of eric over by the buffet, suddenly without autumn, and joel knew immediately that this was his chance. he changed course without hesitation, crossed the space between them, and wrapped eric in a dramatic hug from behind.

“eric!” he shouted, all bright affection and zero restraint. “you made it!”

His heart still felt heavy. Relieved but heavy. His fight with Autumn had ripped open old wounds Holden thought had long ago scarred over, the hurt she caused overflowing and revealing everything. Well, almost everything. Until she found the ring tucked safely away among her things, no one had known just how deeply he had loved Autumn Manchester - truly expecting to spend the rest of his life with her. Not driving a box of her last remnants to her door as his final goodbye.

But that was before Penny.

So, it was with his heavy but freed heart he pulled up to her estate and carried the last of them to her doorstep, ready to let go of her for good. What he hadn't prepared for was Eric to answer the door.

Fuck.

[I want to dig up your yard.]

It had been entirely random as it'd popped up on her phone, and for a moment it had taken her a second to realize the context. It was Eric, of course, the scab on her forearm a still lingering reminder of their war with the chicken wire that had resulted in a surprisingly nice looking reindeer.

So, she'd sent him her address and started a press of coffee, the baby gate put up to keep Wilbur in the bedroom so he couldn't make yet another great escape. Far too clever for his own good. "Now you be on your best b'haviour, y'hear, Mister?" Crouched down she pointed an accusatory finger at the rapidly growing piglet. "If it weren't for your antics this nice man wouldn't need'ta be comin' over here'ta do manual labour."

Answering the door and waving him inside, Birch directed him across the cozy little living room to the large and well equipped mostly antique kitchen. "Welcome to my humble abode. Right through that way is the best cup'a coffee you ever had, guaranteed."

"Okay Girls, make sure you have everything in your bags. Last class I had more water bottles than kids." Smiling brightly as she watched them all scurry to get their things together, a glance at the clock told her that the parents who hadn't been there to watch would be picking up their kids any minute.

The sound of the bell above the door going off almost as if it'd heard her thoughts, it was the light above the mirrors that caught her attention instead. "Okay girls the parents are getting here..." Turning to greet which ever parent it was who'd arrived first, she found herself face to face with him. The actor from the beach.

Great. Was he stalking her now?

"I'm sorry."

She stood there at his door, arms hugged around herself as if she couldn't wait for his arms to get there first, her hair was unstyled and her face streaked with tears already cried despite a lack of make up. Jesse's words still stung like he'd cut them into her, welling up her worst fears like cruor from beneath her skin.

"I think I can't help but hurt the people I love."

"I knew you'd look great in red." Hands playing with the ends of the Cavaliers red scarf she'd, surprisingly easily, talked him into wearing to match her at the festivities, matching the authentic red and white pom poms she'd gifted to Vivienne before they'd left. Though they'd been left in the car for safety. Lifting onto her toes, Autumn pressed her lips to his cheek at the very corner of his mouth, her smile was warm and little coy as she dropped back onto her heels.