Keeping It in the Family (Linstead)

Chapter 11

"There you go. One big ass hotdog, covered in mustard," Jay said, handing it to Erin. He also had a large soda for each of them. "It looks absolutely vile," he added as a joke.

"You have no taste, Jay Halstead," she said, smiling her appreciation for him buying it. "Didn't you want to get any food for yourself?"

"Nope. I figure that if there's a choice after the game between me starving to death or going for dinner, you're going to come to dinner with me. So, no food for me."

Erin laughed as they started walking off. "And if I don't go to dinner with you?"

"Well, I'll starve to death and it'll be on your conscience. If you can live with that..."

"I'll have to give it some thought," she said seriously, but Jay knew that there was humour beneath her words.

"Hey, here's a merch stand," Erin said suddenly as they continued around the stadium's curved concourse. She started to walk quickly towards the stand. "Let's see what we can get you."

Looking from a distance at what was on offer, Jay saw something that he could use for comedic effect. "I'm not getting one of those foam finger things."

"Aww, really? I think you'd look good with one."

"Thanks, I guess," he grinned.

Working their way into a gap in the crowd at the merch stand, they were able to get a proper look at what was on sale. A lot of it was replica team jerseys, t-shirts and hoodies, none of which Jay would wear. He loved baseball, but not that much. There were some beanie hats though, similar to the one Erin was wearing.

"You're really going to get me something?" he asked.

"Sure," Erin said cheerfully. "You can't come to watch the Cubs and not wear some kind of merch. It's just not a thing."

"Alright," Jay chuckled. "I'll go for one of those grey beanie hats. I can't exactly get a blue one, we'd pretty much be wearing the same thing."

"We couldn't have that, could we?" Erin grinned as a guy came over to serve them.

"What can I get you?" he asked.

"One of those grey beanies, please," Erin said, pointing.

The guy walked over and fetched one.

"Thirty dollars," he announced when he returned with it.

Jay resisted the urge to ask if there was any chance of some manners. He knew that Erin would be pissed off, but she too decided not to react. She simply dumped a twenty and a ten on the counter, took the beanie and walked off.

"What a prick," Jay said as he followed her.

"Yeah. But let's not let his attitude ruin a good time. Here, let's see how you look with this on," she said, handing him the beanie.

"Thank you," Jay said. He put the hat on and looked at Erin so that she could assess his new appearance. "We're on message now."

"We are," she grinned. "Now, maybe it's time you told me where we're sitting."

"We're at field level, close to third base. The best seats I could get my hands on."

"You got those seats at late notice, for the opening game?" she asked. There was that raised eyebrow gesture again.

"I did. Got them on resale, so they weren't cheap, but who cares? It's the opening game, and it's our first date. Well, kind of. You know what I mean."

"That's sweet, Jay," Erin said.

For a moment he thought she was going to kiss him, but she didn't. They set off walking again, now looking for the entrance to the section they were going to be sitting in.