Friday Night Drinks at Browns.
Chapter Rating: T
Word count: 1.3k
Summary: Three friends, cocktails and future possibilities.
Author Notes: This is a little Raydor/Hobbs ficlet written for Defyingnormalacy's birthday on Monday. Apologies it's a little early - but I may not get a chance to post it next week. Hope you enjoy
Not my usual ship ya'll – so please be kind!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters below – I am only borrowing them – and will not be financially benefitting from the story in anyway. No copyright infringement is intended.
Friday Night Drinks at Browns.
Captain Sharon Raydor shrugged her suit jacket from her shoulders as she entered Browns Wine Bar - along with it, she shed the working week.
She smiled when she spotted her friends at a booth in the back and began to weave her way through the happy hour traffic to reach them.
Gavin saw her coming and waved her over with a smile and an overdramatized look at his watch. "Shar – so glad you could make it."
"I know, I know; sorry I'm late," she kissed Gavin on each cheek. "Works been hellish…Hi Andrea."
"Hey," Andrea stood and greeted her friend with chaste peck on the cheek. "Interesting case?"
"You could say that…"
"No shop talk, ladies!" Gavin held up his Tanqueray and tonic. "First rule about drinks club."
"No arguments here," Sharon agreed as she placed her purse on the table and rummaged around for her wallet.
"Come sit," Gavin scooted over and patted the bench next to him. "Andy here was just telling me about the trip she has planned to Europe this summer. She's all Champs-Elysees this and Sistine Chapel that – she's making me insanely jealous."
"You finally booked it?" Sharon asked, her eyebrows raised.
"This afternoon," Andrea beamed. "I fly to Paris the day after Gavin's birthday party."
"Glad to hear you've got your priorities straight." Gavin interjected.
"That's exciting," Sharon smiled, sharing in Andrea's mirth. "You will have to tell me all about it – but first I am in dire need of a glass of wine! Would either of you like a refill?"
"If I've got to listen to her Europe plans again, you'd better make mine a cocktail."
"A mojito perhaps?" Sharon said with a smirk as she retrieved her wallet and placed her purse on the bench next to Gavin.
"You got it in one, sweetie," Gavin said with a lopsided smile. "I can see why they made you Captain."
"Right…" Sharon quirked an eyebrow at him. "Andrea, would you like another?"
"I'm good, thank you," Andrea pulled her martini closer. "I skipped lunch to book my Europe trip," she narrowed her eyes at Gavin and he pulled a face. "…and this is already my second martini."
"Naughty girl." Gavin joked. "Eat your greens." He prodded the olives that were impaled on a cocktail stick in Andrea's glass.
"Right, martini olives; one of the five recommended fruit and vegetable portions a day." Andrea deadpanned and looked at Sharon; the women shared a smile.
"Alright, I'll be right back; I'll see if they have any snacks too."
"Thanks,"
As Sharon left the table to battle her way to the bar, Andrea watched her. Friday night drinks had been a tradition for Gavin and herself for as long as she could remember. From time-to-time, whenever her hectic schedule would allow, Sharon would join them.
Initially, Sharon's introduction to their tradition was at Gavin's invitation. Andrea, having only worked with Sharon through FID, was a little reluctant. She always found the Captain pleasant enough, but she appeared to have what one would term 'a stick up her ass' at work; Andrea had assumed the FID Captain would be a bit of a fun sponge. In reality however, her friend Sharon, was anything but.
"See something you like, Sailor?"
"Hmmm?" Andrea looked back to Gavin – who sat across the table grinning at her with a devilish look in his eyes. "What? Sharon? Pfft." She waved her hand at him dismissively.
"You two would be so cute."
"Sharon is straight, Gavin."
"Oh, straight schmate," Gavin shrugged. "Do you know for sure? And when have you ever let that stand in your way?"
"She's my friend."
"Am I not your friend?" He placed a hand on his chest. "You never make dreamy eyes at me."
"I do not make dreamy eyes at…" Andrea rolled her eyes. "Oh, hush you big queen. Just because you're going through a dry spell."
"Ouch, you wound me." Gavin feigned injury. "I think the lady doth protest too much."
"Don't be ridiculous…" Andrea looked over to where Sharon was waiting for their drinks. The Captain was perched on a stool, her hair tucked behind her ear as she read a menu on the bar.
It wasn't as if the DDA hadn't thought about Sharon that way; she wasn't blind. They had a lot in common and Sharon was smart, sexy as hell…and those legs…
Sharon laughed at something the bartender said to her and looked back to the table, her gaze connecting with Andrea's across the bar. The DDA averted her eyes quickly, a blush colouring her cheeks; her guilty reaction to their eye contact fuelling Gavin's argument.
"Oh, you've got it bad."
"Shut up, Gavin." Andrea leant across the table and playfully slapped Gavin on the arm to silence him. "Sharon is straight. She's straight and she's married – and I'm not doing that again."
"Poor Andy," he pouted and moved to stroke her hand - but she snatched it away.
"Don't you poor Andy me," Andrea took a sip of her martini and pointed at him with a finger from the hand that held her glass. "No scheming, Gavin."
"Moi?" Gavin fluttered his eyes lashes innocently.
"I mean it." Andrea glowered at him over the rim of her glass.
"Bitch," Gavin said with a smirk as he rested back in his seat and crossed his left knee over his right. "You spoil all my fun."
"Are you two squabbling again?" Sharon asked as she approached with their drinks. "Here," she handed Andrea a menu. "They do bar snacks – we can't have you wasting away now can we?"
"Thank you," Andrea smiled weakly as she eyed the menu; she was suddenly not feeling very hungry at all.
The Captain pushed the flamboyant cocktail Gavin's way and took a sip of her white wine, before taking a seat next to Andrea. "Now, I can't wait to hear your plans for Europe…"
Sharon placed a hand on Andrea's wrist and in light of the DDA's conversation with Gavin, the blonde tensed slightly.
"But," Sharon continued. "There is something that I have just got to tell you both first."
"Oh?" Andrea shifted her arm under the warm weight of Sharon's hand and twisted to face her; her interest piqued.
"I have an announcement to make." Sharon smiled broadly as Gavin shifted forwards in his seat.
"Well go on," he gestured impatiently with his hands. "Pre tell."
"Well," Sharon's gaze flitted between the two of them. "I am divorcing Jackson."
"What?" Andrea pulled her arm from under Sharon's hand, her eyes wide. "What bought this on?"
"Well, you know how I mentioned that I was thinking about adopting Rusty?"
"Of course."
"Well, last week he agreed to it."
"That's great news, Sharon," Andrea smiled.
"But Jack said no?" Gavin guessed correctly.
"Can you believe that he actually wanted compensating for what the adoption may cost him?"
"Sounds like, Jackson." Gavin said knowingly.
"Anyway, he was being an ass about it so…"
"So you're divorcing him?" Andrea asked, shocked that her friend was finally divorcing her husband after such a long time. They'd talked about the possibility, but Sharon had always wound up defending Jackson – even after everything that man had put her through. It was something that Andrea could never fully understand.
"Divorced." Sharon corrected Andrea with a grin. "He signed the papers today."
"So it's official then?"
"The papers will be on my lawyer's desk by Monday morning."
"Wow," Gavin piped up. "Sharon Raydor – back on the market after all these years," he drained the remainder of his gin and tonic. "You better dust out those cobwebs."
Sharon grimaced. "You're disgusting."
"I know, but you love me for it," they all shared a smile and Gavin raised his mojito. "A toast to Sharon and the possibility of a sex life without batteries."
"I'll drink to that," Sharon laughed and raised her drink. "Cheers."
Their glasses clinked in unison and as they took a sip, Gavin looked smugly at Andrea – his expression deftly communicating his thoughts on the matter.
Fighting the urge to kick him under the table, Andrea downed her martini in an attempted to wash away the fluttering sensation in her stomach.
Sharon was no longer married.
'Does that change things?'
Andrea placed her empty martini glass on the table and nudged Gavin in the shin with her pointy-toe Manolo Blahnik.
Damn him for planting that seed.
The End!
Thanks for reading :)