Page 16 of With This Lie

9

Lucas

I checkthe time on my phone for what must be the seventeenth time in the last thirty minutes. I am trying to wait patiently to go see Dani. I don’t want to seem too eager so I will wait until an hour after her shift starts to show up. I figure that’s a good plan. The only problem is, that’s still an hour from now and I already want to go.

I feel my phone buzz in my pocket and pull it out.

Elliott: Hey, you wanna meet up?

God, this is so typical of him. No regard for anyone else, no explanation for standing me up or ghosting me for the past couple of days. Nothing. Just a stupid, impersonal invite like we hadn’t spent the last eight years estranged. I write him back.

Me: Can’t sorry, have plans

Elliott: Cool

And that’s that. It would be another week or so before either of us say anything to each other. Even though he owes me eight years’ worth of apologies. Even though he should be trying to make it up to me, make it better between us. Considering it was his fault. Whatever. I’ll never get what I deserve. Some truth, some explanation.

I check my watch again and fourteen whole minutes had gone by. Christ. This is excruciating. Maybe I should go ahead and leave. I’ll just take my time getting there. Maybe I’ll stop off and get her something. No wait, that’s probably too soon. I mean she doesn’t exactly need a drink or food. She has both readily available. Flowers? God no, how terrible would that be? Somehow she didn’t strike me as the type that wanted flowers.

Fuck it. I stand up and grab my wallet and keys. So what if I show up earlier? It wouldn’t be a big deal. Maybe it would even make her happy. I don’t know why I’m putting some much thought into this. It’s not even that big of a deal. Pull it together, man.

I walk downstairs and head over to the bar where Dani works. I think about taking my car but I think it would be better to walk. That way when she gets off we can walk together. I happen to think this is a better idea than driving together somewhere. It provides a lot more opportunity to look at her and I am in favor of that. I wonder what she’s wearing tonight.

I shake the thoughts from my head and keep walking. I feel my phone buzz again and look down at it long enough to see Chelsea’s name pop up. No way. Not again. I thought that was all done with. What the hell is her deal? I shove my phone back in my pocket and ignore it. It’s the best thing to do at this point. She would have to just let go on her own. I feel another buzz and don’t even bother pulling it out.

Several minutes later, I’m standing outside Dani’s work. Given everything, I’m nervous about going in. I don’t even know why. I just feel vulnerable around her. Exposed. It’s unsettling and I like it but it also frightens me. I have to keep a tight grip on this one. I have to play it cool and calm. I have to get into character.

I open the door to the bar and step inside. The place is a little busy but I would expect nothing less. I make my way through the crowd to an open bar stool and take a seat. I don’t search for her until I am settled. I look one way and then the other. There she is at the far end. She’s popping the caps off beer bottles and sitting them down in front of some guys who clearly recognize just how attractive she is. She smiles her customer service smile while I make it a point to check her out from the neck down. I’m not disappointed. She could probably wear a potato sack and be gorgeous. I think she knows it too but not in a bad way.

“Can I get something for you, hun?” a voice asks, catching my attention from my other side.

I swing around to see another woman behind the bar. She seems very neat and proper and while I’m sure she would do a fantastic job, I only want one woman to serve me my drinks tonight. “Actually, I was waiting on Dani,” I say.

The woman’s eyes light up. “Oh! I’ll get her for you!” she says.

I watch her walk down to Dani and tap her on the shoulder. She leans in and whispers to her and Dani looks up in my direction and the other woman points. Then Dani smiles her real smile. The one that makes the dimple on her left cheek show up. Her customer service smile doesn’t do that.

I watch the other woman stay behind to serve the patrons at that end while Dani makes her way to me.

“Hey stranger,” she says.

“Hey you,” I say.

“So you didn’t trust Quinn with your Heinekens?” she asks.

“I’m sure she would have done a fine job but I just couldn’t bring myself to cheat on you. You’re the only one who should be handling my beer,” I say.

She laughs and turns to grab me one from the cooler. She pops the top off and sits it in front of me. “Can I get you anything else? We have a pretty good bacon cheeseburger and amazing mozzarella sticks.”

“Well what kind of person can say no to either of those things? Which means I’ll have both,” I say.

“Are you a bit starved?” she asks.

“Maybe. It’s very possible. I’m a growing boy,” I say.

“Coming right up,” she says, and walks down to enter the order.

I like watching her walk away almost as much as I like her laugh. I start to look around at the other people at the bar so as not to just stare at her like a creep. This place has a relaxed atmosphere. The crowd is calm but lively, fun. I feel my phone buzz in my pocket.

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