Chapter 456

Eric was knocking on the apartment door not too long after your big throuple hug ended, and you, Gemma and Sabrina went out to let him in and get everything sorted. The various piles of files covered the kitchen table - one of the jobs for that day was organising and setting up redundant files so that you could keep the most relevant likely items handy while also having everything else available for fast reference if the opposition popped a surprise on you.

There wasn’t any small talk when Eric first got there, the four of you got straight to work getting him up to speed on what you’d been doing with the case over Saturday. He’d spent his time helpfully as well, roughing out various pieces of a closing statement so that it could be mixed and matched depending on where the case went and how you felt things needed to be presented.

After a couple of hours of just reviewing everything, the four of you took a quick break as you brought out some beers that you’d had in the fridge.

“So, anything new with your new girlfriend?” you asked Eric as you all sighed and sipped your drinks.

“We aren’t, like, putting a label on it,” Eric said. “Casey and I are seeing each other.”

“How do you see each other living hundreds of miles apart?” Sabrina asked. “And you’ve met, like, twice?”

“Three times, though two of those were in the same weekend I guess,” Eric said. “Um, I dunno. We send flirty texts back and forth all the time. I bought her dinner last night.”

“Wait, like, remotely?” Gemma asked.

“Well, yeah,” Eric said. “It’s not like I could reasonably get down to Miami for the night, but I still wanted to treat her.”

Gemma and Sabrina glanced at each other and then looked back at Eric. “Are you sure she’s not just taking advantage of you, Eric?” Sabrina asked. “That kinda sounds ... I dunno.”

“Hey, an Alpha guy takes care of his lady,” Eric said. “Even if they’re apart. She texts me when she’s going out, and when she gets home safe, I try and spoil her a little with dates to show her I’m interested and she’s my Number One.”

You wanted to ask how that stuff was different from being a controlling simp - someone who shoved money at a woman and then expected some sort of position in their life - but you kept your mouth shut. Eric had his view of the way dating was supposed to work based on all the podcasts and stuff he listened to, and you weren’t likely to change his mind any time soon.

The good news was that, by not questioning him, you didn’t interrupt him from his next piece of juicy news.

“Oh, and I met up with Lucy again,” Eric pivoted the conversation.

“What?” Sabrina asked, her eyebrows rocketing up in surprise.

“Why?” Gemma scoffed.

“She had some of my stuff, and had left a couple things at my place,” Eric said, waving them off. “It wasn’t a big deal. She came to my place.”