During a late lunch break on Friday Janet was waiting on what Eddie judged to be a decent enough guy the city type though. Eddie had played football with him in school but the guy had moved away a few days before he asked Janet out. He wasn't the typical jock that dated all the girls he just pretty much kept to his self, but he was good on the field. They weren't close friends but they had always spoken when they saw each other.

Janet was in the back when Eddie came in, nodded to his old team mate and took the booth behind him. He was in a mood to just be alone and eat his lunch in peace. Karen waited on him but Eddie put his finger to his mouth as if asking to please not mention he was there.

"You look like you could use this" Janet said sitting his beer on the table when she came in and realized he was there "Janet, It's been a long time" the guy said "To long" he added and Eddie immediately knew by his tone that he wasn't talking about the beer.

While Eddie stat erect to listen the guy eased back and stretched out another sign that he wasn't just happy to see the beer "You look good does that mean life's good" he asked

"ahh, you know how it is" she replied "I see you still remember" the guy tipped his beer at Janet. "Yes, I remember" Janet answered sitting down in the booth with him

"So, how's Boston treating you" Janet asked "Great" he answered quickly "Not really, it's been a little lonely lately" he added lowering the tone and Janet told him she knew the feeling

"Which reminds me, you stood me up.. I seem to remember you agreeing to come visit from time to time that morning before I left" he caused Janet to blush remembering the morning they spent in bed nearly causing him to miss his flight. They had slept together a few times over the years, the first after they both had a few to many beers.

"Yeah, well I didn't think it would end well for either of us and besides you would have never gotten out of that bed if I didn't" Janet explained

"So, who took my place" he asked as Karen brought his food out and Janet shied down. "Come on, you passed me up at least tell me who it was for" he urged

"I wasn't seeing anyone when you left" Janet told him "But you are now" he assumed

"Not so much, turns out I'm not exactly the most rational person to be in a relationship with" Janet confessed with a forced giggle. They had been friends for a while before he moved away. Eddie wasn't the only one sneaking back in for last call, they had even ran into each other a few times and Eddie was quickly figuring out why that seemed to happen a lot back then. "I better get to work, it was good to see you" Janet said "You working tomorrow night" he asked "I'm not sure yet" "I'll stop by anyway" he replied

Eddie overheard the entire conversation from the booth behind him. Janet didn't even know Eddie was there. "So, Jackson looks happy to be back on the Ridge" "Yeah, I guess" Janet wasn't up to thinking about another man "He would have stayed if you would have asked him to" Karen knew the history part of being a bar maid is knowing every one's love life "That's exactly why I didn't ask him to" Janet replied "So, what did Eddie say" Karen asked "About what" Janet was confused "About Jack, did he know" Karen asked "No, what was I supposed to say, oh by the way me and Jackson Overstreet use to sleep together, mostly on the nights you didn't scare him off" Janet was being sarcastic and never saw Eddie leave.

-- -- -- -- --

"Well, look who it is" Sully, Rooster and Tony the long time acting bouncer stood and watched Janet talk to Jackson. Sully looked at Rooster "Looks like you didn't get a far as you would like to think you did" Sully shook his head and walked off. Rooster was the only one that thought he actually had something with Janet.

"Yeah, your chances just went from when hell freezes over to there's no way in hell" Tony joked

"What's he doing back here" you could see the flames shooting from the peaks of his hair

"Like you don't know" Tony chuckled

"Why does she keep drooling over guy's she'll never have"

"Did you seriously just say that, man" Tony was amazed at how callous he could be

"He left her for Boston, Eddie left her for Rory, they all leave..except for me, I've never left, I've always been right here" Rooster barked

"Yeah, plotting and lurking" Karen mumbled as she walked by

"She's not some trophy you can wave around because your jealous of the football players, all you do is tell her how she's not worthy, Eddie would kill you if he knew how you really treated her, and I'm willing to bet the only reason he hasn't is because he thinks you might actually care" Tony walked off leaving Rooster with a lot to think about