Chapter 37
Drew
E
mmett left an hour ago, and I have a little time before I’m supposed to meet him at Lenny’s. We decided I would stop by the bar around 6 o’clock, and then we’d go to dinner. He wanted me to pick the place, but I told him I wanted him to, so we agreed we would decide on a spot when I meet him for a drink.
After I get ready, skipping the black jeans and instead going with black sheer tights, a black leather skirt, and an emerald knit-turtleneck, I grab my jacket, slip on my Doc Marten boots, and head out the door. It started snowing a few hours ago, and my Vans are too close to falling apart. Walking around in the snow may push them over the edge.
When I walk into Lenny’s, butterflies take flight in my stomach when I see Emmett behind the bar, meeting my eyes with a bottle of vodka in one hand and a can of lime Whiteclaw in the other. I walk over to the bar and hop onto the stool across from him.
“What’ll it be today, beautiful?” he asks.
“I’ll do a vodka club today, please.”
“You got it.”
As he prepares my drink, I look around the bar to see that it is pretty dead tonight, most likely because of the snow, so I feel a buzz of anticipation and excitement that I’m going to get most of Emmett’s attention while we’re here.
And damn, he looks good.
He went for a half-up, half-down look today, tying part of his hair back in a loose bun, the rest falling down onto his shoulders. He’s wearing a black Asking Alexandria t-shirt, the logo I recognize from the poster my brother used to have in his bedroom at our mom’s house, under a black denim jacket.
“Here you go,” he says as he sets my drink down on the coaster he had waiting for me. He leans in to give me a peck on the lips, the perfect way to say hello.
“How was your day?” I ask, hoping the lightening in the bar is dark enough to hide the pinking of my cheeks.
“Good, not too busy. Mostly regulars that Annie could handle, so I was able to take it easy.”
I look over on the other side of the bar seeing Annie, who I have yet to meet, and Eddie chatting while the few customers in front of them sip on their drinks.
“How long has Annie worked here?” I ask.
Emmett thinks for a second before glancing towards her, maybe doing the math in his head. “Few months maybe. Her dad and my dad go way back, so she started working here when she turned 18.”
“What about Eddie?” Emmett has told me a little about Eddie. I know they’ve been friends since college. I was able to meet him last time I was here, but I don’t know much more about him. Eddie is only an inch or two shorter than Emmett, and just as built, with black hair that peaks out from his beanie. His features are handsome, his green eyes seeming more striking against his tan skin. He also has a scar across his left eyebrow down to the center of his cheek, but you barely notice it unless you’re a few inches away from him.
“Eddie started her as a bartender when I took over for my dad. When he’s not playing gigs with his band, he’s here.”
“What does he play?” Drew asks.
“Drums,” I reply. I glance over in Eddie’s direction, and as if his ears were ringing, he turns to us and smiles. He finishes stacking the glasses him and Annie were drying and putting away, and he walks over to where Emmett and I are.
“Hey, Drew. Glad to see you here again. Emmett hasn’t stopped talking about you since the last time I saw you.”
I smile, but before I can say anything, I see long brown hair, so silky and smooth that it looked like it was shining. Big brown eyes and prominent cheek bones peak behind Eddie, joining the conversation.
“You’re Drew? Hi, I’m Annie! I’m so excited to meet the girl Emmett told his regulars is the reason he’s so smiley lately.” She glances over at Emmett who is seemingly all of a sudden very distracted with drying the perfectly dry bar area next to me.
Annie is young but has a maturity to her that you wouldn’t expect from a 19-year old. She radiates a confidence and comfort in herself that I wish I had when I was her age.
“That’s what he told them?” Eddie turns to Annie who is now next to him. “They must have loved to hear that! I think the three of them thought he slept here. They were probably eating it all up!” Eddie laughs.
I decide to join in on all this fun. “Aw, Emmett, you talk about me?” I give him a playful glace and touch my hands to my heart, “I’m so honored.”
His eyes find mine and if looks could kill. He looks like he wants to kiss my mouth shut, but I’m enjoying this way too much.
Eddie chimes in, “You have no idea. He’s finally taking time away from this place, thanks to you! I never thought I’d see the day.”
Annie adds, “And you should see how he talks you up to the regulars. I’m convinced they think you walk on water by the way he talks about you.” She gives me a smile before turning to look at Emmett, “And you were right. Her looks do draw you in. It’s no wonder you’re in so deep.” She walks back to where she and Eddie were drying glasses and keeps walking towards the Employees Only door. “I’ll catch you losers later. Luke will be here to pick up where I left off. And it was nice meeting you, Drew. Come back soon, alright?”
“Of course. Nice meeting you too!” I send a wave her way, and she gives me a wink before turning to head through the door.
Eddie shoots me a smile before heading back to his side of the bar, rightfully assuming that Emmett doesn’t like to be messed with or outnumbered.
Emmett places his forearms down on the bar, leaning in towards me, so I’m the only one who hears, “Glad to see your charm works on everyone, not just me.” His whispers tickle the side of my face. He leans in a little more, and a shiver goes down my spine as he whispers, “And, you’re supposed to be on my side.” I can hear the smirk in his voice, and I almost fall out of my chair.
He can say all he wants that he doesn’t like me shooting the shit with his bartenders, but the reaction I am getting from him right now tells me otherwise.
“I’m just glad they like me,” I whisper back.
“You’re joking. There’s nothing not to like,” he replies, causing goosebumps to cover my arms, even under my sweater.
“Well, I can’t be the only girl you’ve ever brought here, right? I mean you were engaged.” I instantly feel like I struck an out of tune chord because he leans back, no longer close enough to whisper in my ear.
“Riley never came here.” He’s not mad. There’s no edge to his voice. He states this very matter-of-factly, and I’m relieved to know I didn’t ruin our playful atmosphere, but I can’t hide my confusion.
“What? How is that possible?”
“She didn’t like it here, didn’t like that I worked here, didn’t like the crowd or Eddie, so she never came.”
I’m having trouble understanding how Riley, a huge part of Emmett’s life, just wasn’t apart of another big part of his life. This is his bar. The bar his father owned and trusted him with. The one he named after his sister and puts all his time and energy into making it a place that people enjoy.
“Why didn’t she like it?” I feel more and more questions formulate in my head, but that is the one that comes out first.
He looks past me, at something I don’t think is behind me but he is seeing anyway. He exhales before answering, “I spent way too long trying to understand what she wanted and why she didn’t want to share this part of my life with me.” He looks around the bar, seeing the few regulars finishing their drinks, Eddie pouring them another, the door Annie just went through. “I know it’s not much, but it’s my job. I have so many memories of this place, with my parents, with Lennon.”
“You don’t have to explain that, Emmett. I’ve seen the way you work, both inside and outside, to make this place what it is. It’s Riley’s loss.” I put my hands on his forearms in front of me and lean in to give him a little kiss on the nose. “Her loss and my gain.” His smile reappears, but I barely see it before his lips find mine.
Before either of us can lose ourselves in the kiss or can reach the point of no return, he pulls away, finding my eyes again. His face has a shine and his smile shows his teeth. The one that only comes out once in a while, and the one that he has been sharing with me more and more as we spend more time together. The smile that that I find myself needing to get as much of as I can.
“So… What do you want to do for dinner?”
I’m confused by his question at first, and I then remember that is why I came here in the first place, to have a drink and pick a spot for dinner.
I think for a second as I try to figure out what I feel like eating. “I think either Mexican food, or Italian food… Or, burgers.” I pause then add, “Or, maybe sushi.”
“So, you’re basically saying that you’re up for anything?”
I roll my eyes, needing to release my eyes from him, to avoid my cheeks heating up too much.
“Yeah, I guess I am.” I let out a laugh. “I’m so bad at making decisions, why don’t you pick?”
“Okay. One through four?”
“What?”
“Pick a number. One, two, three, or four.”
“Two.”
“We’re going for Italian food.”
“Sounds good to me.” I take the last few sips of my drink before Emmett grabs my glass, wiping down the space in front of me.
“Let me go to the back quickly to let Eddie know I’m heading out. I think he went back there to grab something just now because I don’t see him.” He nods towards the door. “I’ll meet you over there.” He nods towards the front entrance before heading to the back, disappearing behind the Employees Only sign.
I hop off the stool, making my way over there when the door swings open, and my stomach drops.