Perhaps it wasn’t such a great idea to insist on picking up the entire tab.  Gwen bristled with pride and determination, somewhat mimicking his gesture toward his heart, with one toward her own.  She seemed to take this way too seriously, and he was under the impression that he’d offended her, judging by her aroused speech.  Charity?  Elijah never saw it that way, but he held his tongue nevertheless.  Still, admiration for her spiked upwards a few notches for her backbone and speaking her mind.<br/><br/>This should come as no surprise to him.  She was, after all, a redhead.  Elijah wondered if her feistiness was attributable to her hair color, or if that was either a myth or merely a coincidence.  Didn’t really matter, as he could see she was an excellent mother for Toby’s best interests, exactly like he was for Rosalie.<br/><br/>After agreeing that the next time was on her, Gwen thanked him profusely for her son as well as his helpfulness, to which he responded with you’re welcomes.  He and his daughter seemed to smile at the same time at her spiel about princesses.  Soon after, Elijah was forced to put his foot down.  Shaking Toby’s offered hand, he told him how welcome he was and glad that he had a good time.  He then politely informed both Toby and Gwen to quit calling him Mr. Primeau.  Mr. Primeau, after all, lived in Hawai’i with Mrs. Primeau.  They could call him either Elijah or Eli, their choice.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center">&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;&lt; &lt; &lt; &lt; &lt; &lt;​</div><br/>His alarm clock, not his daughter, woke him up on her second day of school.  Nerve would probably never be seen in these parts again.  Feeding her a much better breakfast than cold cereal, Elijah then drove her to school.  And being the big girl that she so obviously was, Rosalie insisted on finding her way to her classroom unchaperoned.  He smiled at her independence.  A teacher approached her with a greeting, a short-haired blonde and an attractive teacher at that.  While his daughter disappeared into the building, the blonde teacher turned back to look his way.  Shortly thereafter, he drove out of the parking lot to return home.<br/><br/>As soon as he stepped through the front door, Elijah began to gear up to take his custom Aprilia Tuono out for a morning blast.  Ah, the benefits of being lead mechanic at a multi-brand Italian dealership.  Backroad twisties were on his immediate agenda.  Shit-eating grins would soon follow.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center">&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;&lt; &lt; &lt; &lt; &lt; &lt;<br/>​</div>Both women stood to the side and behind, watching the interaction between father and daughter.  It was unanimously agreed upon that Elijah was adorably cute while attempting to squeeze his big frame in such a little chair.  His knees were much higher than the table they sat at.  But he insisted on sitting next to Rosalie, loving her animated ramble about her day, while she finished a coloring “project.”<br/><br/>“So what are you waiting for?” Erin asked, a challenging edge in her tone.  “A rainbow and a unicorn to show up?”<br/><br/>“I’m, uh, y’know, thinking of my best line or something,” Mary Beth replied.<br/><br/>Sighing in exasperation, Erin replied, “Did I ever tell you how much I<i>love</i>the sound and feel of torn panties?  Mine, of course.”  She purposely paused, letting it all sink in, before continuing.  “Not too sure about you, M.B., but I’m pretty positive that Eli’s hands are more than capable of ripping my panties clean off.  Mmm,” she purred.  “Damn, I think I’m wet.”<br/><br/>Mary Beth glared at her, knowing her so-called friend wasn’t being helpful at all.  “I’m getting there,” she said, already irritated.  “Will you just shut up already?!”<br/><br/>Erin whispered in her ear, while simultaneously pinching her ass, “Well, get there sooner.”<br/><br/>“Ow!” she exclaimed, but not too loud that anyone else heard it.  “You’re such a bitch sometimes.”  Mary Beth rubbed her targeted right cheek.<br/><br/>She lazily shrugged in response, wiggling her fingers in a wave while doing so.  “Toodles.  Now go get some,” she encouraged, already entertained at the scenario about to be played out right before her very eyes.<br/><br/>Tentatively approaching their table, Mary Beth was hugely appreciative that they were its only occupants.  She still stopped short of them to glance back at Erin, who held up a single sheet of paper and tore it in half with a naughty smile on her face.  Mary Beth slyly shot her the finger.  “Uh, hello, Mr. Primeau,” she said, stomach in knots.  “My name is Mary Beth Sinclair and I teach 3rd grade here.  I was wondering if I may ask you something.”<br/><br/>Elijah shifted in his seat, turning left, and as he did so, the area between his knee cap and his shin banged against the table.  He winced at the collision, yet smiled at Mary Beth Sinclair.  Instantly recognizing her as the teacher who greeted Rosalie this morning (her face and figure were clear reminders), he said, “You sure can, as long as you promise to not call me Mr. Primeau anymore, though I do appreciate it.  That Mr. Primeau thing seems to be going around lately.  Call me either Elijah or Eli, Mary Beth.  Up to you.”  He nervously chuckled, wondering what this was all about.<br/><br/>“Okay, sorry about that,” she said, while Elijah casually shook his head, indicating it was no big deal.  Not wanting to stand above him, she decided to take the chair to his left, but not right next to him.  “Well, Eli, I was wondering if you, uh, would like to go out to dinner or something with me.  Sorry, I don’t do this very well,” she admitted.<br/><br/>Taking a break from coloring, Rosalie tapped his right arm.  Now turning back toward his daughter, she said, “She’s really nice.  She is.”  Coloring then regained her attention.  He was so close to laughing out loud at the endorsement of a five-year-old.  But he didn’t.  Instead, he returned to Mary Beth.<br/><br/>“Uh, sure, Mary Beth, and that’s okay.  I don’t either.  But let’s make it a joint dinner or something,” he said, clearly remembering the recent encounter with Gwen.  “I gotta get a sitter for that, so here’s my number.  We can figure out when and where.”  Elijah leaned toward her as she did the same, phones in hands.<br/><br/>Erin pursed her lips while witnessing their exchange.  Numbers were obviously shared.  She actually did it, she thought.  Her phantom money had been on Mary Beth not seeing it through.  Erin was happy for her friend, and would be sure to not hit on Elijah herself.  She couldn’t help speculating, however, what it would be like competing against Mary Beth.