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Eddie sat down and poured his self both shots then stared at them a while before actually drinking them. By the time Sully made it back to him, he was feeling no physical pain at least. "She still here"

"Yeah, I just wanted to let you know Tyler came in, when you get ready to leave you can go out the back if you want"

"She doesn't want anything to do with him. He however is not very happy with me right now so you're right there probably will be a fight if I go out there." Eddie replied pouring Sully a shot as well.

"I trust you'll never say a word about this. I have a reputation to maintain seeing how that's all there is to me"

"She didn't mean it like that" Sully felt bad for him as he watched him drown himself

"I know what she meant. I'm not stupid I caught it a few times last night. She doesn't think I'll ever be interested in her. She sees me just like every one else does. Unlike her though I do blame everyone else for the mood I'm in"

"She sees something in you or else she wouldn't have been putting up with you all this time"

"I know, but she'll never trust that I want her so it's best to just do what she said and let everything go back to the way it was before last night."

"Can you do that ?"

"I think I would rather have my drinking buddy back than no one at all. She understands me but I'll never be able to...." He was going to be honest about who Eddie Latekka was if no one else would. "I'm never going to be what she wants... ... ..."

"Son, you can't just buy a woman drinks and talk to her every night and not have feelings for her. Going by the amount of your tabs I'm guessing you've spent a lot of time together how far did you get before last night anyway"

"The weather, presidents, drunks, dead parents and pets, super bowl commercials, favorite cookies nothing really. I did teach her how to take a shot properly, in exchange for how to actually hit the dart board." He managed a slight chuckle

"What happened your Eddie Latekka, you've gotten further than that in ten minutes with a dense Duf special"

"Drum Roll please, there's my problem"

"How far did you really get last night" Sully really was shocked to find out Eddie had actual true feelings for Janet.

"I want hold it against you, you have my word" You could count of Sully's word even if Eddie didn't.

"You gave dad your word that you'd look after mom" Eddie was blunt "Watching you nail Janet to isn't something I care to do, so do me a favor and keep you're word"

"I didn't break that word, I did look after her and I've been there every time she needed me, however wrong it may have been but she didn't have to turn to a stranger and you don't have to believe me but your father knew she was still young and he worried about the age difference. He knew she would miss his touch and he didn't want her to suffer the humiliation of going to bed with a man whom she didn't know and didn't care about her. James was the only man she had ever been with and she was scared of not knowing what to tell you that your father would have, scared of finding another husband, scared that no one would want her, she was lost somewhere between being a little girl and a grown woman. She was eighteen when she had you, your father was 32. Fourteen years may not seem like a lot but those Fourteen years put a life time between them" Sully was just as blunt

"You really think I want to hear about you and my mother." Eddie asked

"Not anymore than I want to hear about you being with my granddaughter but some things have to be told and some need to be heard whether we like it or not"

"How is that possible?"

"Richard may be my son " Sully was ashamed

"That's not possible that would mean "

"That I had an affair with an older married woman. I never was really good at mowing yards" Sully chuckled but it wasn't funny

"Does Janet know?" Eddie asked

"I'm not sure, Richard has known since he was 12. His mother never told me he could be mine and I didn't question when they allowed me be involved in his life. Her husband did a hell of a lot better job raising Richard than I ever could and when his dad died she told him. "

"Are you sure your not my dad and we're some how kin to each other, if so it would have been nice to know before last night. Clearly you get around a lot, my father didn't so maybe that's where I got it" Eddie was smug and condescending. "That would sure explain why Richard's spent the last 10 years making sure I didn't come near her"

"Your mother and I never so much as looked sideways at each other before James died." Eddie really pissed Sully off. "What did you do last night that would make it matter anyway"

"I kissed her, I touched her, she bit my lip and unbuckled my belt and moaned under me." Eddie grinned at the vision of it "I pressed my lips to every inch of bare skin on her neck and chest that I could get to but I didn't stop there, oh no that shirt was so thin she could feel me flick my tongue across her nipples through it and she squirmed opening her legs up more every time I did, not that I had to because she didn't resist when I ran my hand between them earlier." Sully didn't say anything in response

"I held her head in my hand with her curls tangled around my fingers as she held onto me " Eddie was trying to make Sully mad, to get under his skin and make it crawl. He was mad and hurt and wanted someone to take the blame for it.

"Did you do it with a slow hand" Eddie wasn't expecting that question

"Yeah I did but what does it matter" Eddie was harsh

"Because I did the same thing to your mother so tell me Latekka why didn't you go ahead and make love to her, she needed you and you weren't there for her."

"Because she asked me what Tyler had told me about the night she spent with him the weekend before"

"What did he tell you"

"That she was sinful innocence which isn't even close. He's right of course because she is, but she's so much more than that. Her touch is the softest I ever felt and it feels so delicate lying next to her even if it is in some ass holes truck. She knows exactly what to do and the sounds that come out of her aren't like anything I've ever heard before. It's quite and timid even though she's turned on so completely she doesn't rush a single move. They're all slow and you never want to stop kissing and touching her long enough to undress her even though you so badly want to be inside of her. I couldn't even get her shirt off of her. I can only imagine what that would be like and now I'm going to go to hell for touching an angel that I'll never know what it's like to make love to."

Sully just turned up the bottle of whiskey, shot glass wouldn't get it there fast enough. He let out a puff of air and did it again. "Are you sure you don't want to give it a try"

"Is that supposed to be your blessing" Eddie asked him pouring another shot

"I don't know much but I do know that you'll regret it if you don't"

"And she'll regret it if I do" They just sat for a minute until Sully leaned back and crossed his feet on the table.

"Would you have stopped if Tyler hadn't come up"

"To be completely honest for the first time in my life, No. She was drunk and in no shape to make a decision like that but she wasn't even trying to push me back and to have that much control over yourself let alone a man there's some part of you that is deciding other than the alcohol."

"So, he's out there."

"Yeah, well I talked to him when I was over at her place. He called and she's been avoiding him but I told her he wasn't going to stop until he had a reason to. So I answered the phone for her and rubbed it in his face that I was there, she talked to him and he was all peaches and cream, I talked to him again and he accused me of the same thing you did"

"Go whip his ass and get it over with. I don't care if it makes since if you don't" Sully started to shuffle the cards when his buddies came through the door for poker night.

"Hey Latekka, let me know if you need a ride home from the slammer" Eddie got up and headed back out front. He had to walk right past Tyler on his way to his stool.

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Eddie walked right past him and up to the bar but he didn't sit down.

"Russo, get me some drinks for Janet and Hannah. Whatever they're drinking"

"What's going on, Latekka. Janet's already got a weeks worth from Tyler that she ain't touching"

"Don't put any alcohol in hers" He looked back at the table and was less than pleased that Ray and Matt had joined them. Janet didn't look real happy with the situation but he could tell she was about to bail anyway. He knew her better than he thought he did. The bar had quickly filled up.

"You know what add two beers to that and if you can deliver them with this note to Janet there's a fifty in it for ya but you have to promise to never tell them who sent them and you have to give the note to Janet, no reading it and don't let anyone else either."

"Why"

"It doesn't matter, it's for Sully. He's in the middle of his poker game but told me to do it."

"Fine but tell him I will be expecting my fifty bucks" Rooster knew he had been back there with him and just assumed he was heading back there again.

"You'll get it but I'm watching you and if you so much as hold this up to the light or utter my name to them I'll take it out on that Mohawk of yours"

Eddie got Karen to deliver a beer to Tyler when Rooster headed to deliver the drinks.

"Here Latekka said you looked like you needed some cheering up" Karen handed the beer to Tyler then walked off.

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"Here, these are for you. There's fifty bucks in it if I don't tell you who they're from so drink up and enjoy" Rooster was smug

"There's a hundred in it if you do tell us" Ray offered

"Nope, I value my life and my job so here this is for you" He handed the note to Janet only doing so because he thought Sully was making Latekka apologize.

"Janet one more thing, yours is non alcoholic. The purchaser thought you might be more willing to drink it that way"

"Tell him, mines three down" Janet smiled at the peace offering "He'll know what your talking about, trust me" Rooster had looked at her funny

"Meadows, who are the drinks from" Ray asked her

"It doesn't matter" she replied as she read the note then stuck it in her pocket.

"I take it that was from Mr. last night" Hannah asked

"Maybe" Janet turned her drink up for the first time that night.

"What were you up to last night Janet" Matt asked her. She already couldn't stand him

"Not you that's for sure" She replied and Ray busted out laughing. Matt knew where the limit was with Ray as far as Janet was concerned.

"Dance with me, I love this song" Hannah told Ray and he obliged.

"That's cute Meadows, what else you got" Matt waited until Ray was far enough away that he couldn't hear.

"Ohh there's plenty more where that came from."

"You want drink my drinks, nor Tyler's so whose are you willing to suck the bottom out of"

"That right there is why, it'll never happen Laush. You're crude and I don't really go for the whole trashy sex kind of thing you're offering so lets just stop pretending we like each other enough to tolerate being in the same room"

"I'm shocked you feel that way about me. I wouldn't hurt you, I promise." She was disgusted by him and his lack of tact or morals"

"Laush, you just want to fuck me because some moron told you some shit about me being innocent. I'm not and I'm not desperate either so let it go. Find somebody you actually like and go out with them"

Janet got up to leave the table. She really didn't care to be seen sitting alone with him. He wrapped his arm around her and stopped her from passing.

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"So much for the poker game" Rooster said and Eddie turned around to see what he was talking about.

"Hold up, give her a chance. I'll take care of if she can't handle it. Don't embarrass her" Eddie replied stopping him.

"Sully's going to be creased if I don't tell him. Strict orders when it comes to Laush."

"Let him have his game, I have a bone to pick with Laush anyway." Eddie was loving his 2 for 1 being hand delivered on a silver platter.

"Get your hands off of me Matt" Laush ran his hand down her hip and back up to her breast stopping just below grabbing it.

"Come on Janet, give me a chance" Laush was actually serious. "I'll make it worth your while. I might be rough on the outside but I'm more than capable of being soft when it counts the most."

"Matt, no. I'm sorry I don't want to so stop asking me"

"Just tell me why"

"Because you think you have the right to touch me"

"I can't help it"

"You've got about ten seconds to figure out how or …." Janet locked eyes with Eddie who was already making his way casually towards them. It was no secret that Eddie Latakka and Matt Laush hated each other. No one knew why though. Eddie told her a while back it was because Matt was a jackass in general but she knew there was a bigger reason like Rory Dunlap.

"Or what you're going to scream so Ray and Sully come running to help you. Honey, I can play damesel in distress or what ever else tickles your fancy, Meadows"

"I'm not your honey, and If I screamed Latekka would come, that's right drink his beer" Matt had it turned up.

"Latekka's not coming" he was so sure

"Would you like to test that theory out?"

"Go ahead prove me wrong, I'll help you out but if he doesn't show you owe me and I want it tonight while you're sober and can enjoy every second of me in you" Matt didn't know Eddie was nearly to him .

"Tell you what, Matt I'll make a deal with you. If you can promise not to say a word about that beer coming from Latekka. I want let him embarrass you in front of the whole bar." Janet whispered not wanting Eddie to hear. As soon as Eddie got there Janet started to walk off

"Laush, what goes on" Eddie walked up sipping his beer slowly.

"What do you care?"

"Just making conversation"

"I ain't believing this shit. You're fucking Meadows" Janet had all she was going to take and his comment stopped her dead still long enough that she slapped him. No one was paying enough attention to notice with the place being so packed.

Eddie quickly stepped in front of Janet before Matt could react. "You ungrateful….."

"Don't think you're going there Laush" Eddie threatened as Ray headed that way with Hannah in tow. Eddie wasn't about to let him lay a hand on her.

"You're the only onegoing there, Latekka" Matt chuckled

"What's your fucking problem? Do you just hate that someone might not be as miserable as you?" Eddie knew Laush's comment had to hurt Janet's feelings but he didn't want to draw more attention to it. "Your momma didn't teach you to keep your mouth shut if you didn't have anything nice to say."

"You don't have to worry, he's not going to say anything he's afraid of Ray" Janet assured him, which just pissed Eddie off more. She outed him as being a jerk wanting to make sure no one thought something was going on between them. Matt laughed knowing exactly what Janet said and it got off with Eddie. So he hit him.

"What the hell's going on" Ray asked

"I think Matt's had to much to drink" Janet told Ray

"What are you doing over here, Latekka" Ray asked Eddie

"I came to say hi to Laush. He invited me over, there's no hard feelings here, Ray" Eddie assured him and walked off without saying a word to Janet.

"What really happened" Hannah asked

"Matt's an ass. It's not a big deal"

"I'm going to talk to Sully for a minute then I'm going home" Janet stomped off leaving Hannah with Ray and Matt

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"What did he do" Sully asked Eddie giving him ice for his hand

"The usual" Janet answered for him

"You okay" Sully asked her

"Yeah, I'm use to him. I think I'm going to head home, walk a girl to her car" She asked Sully with Eddie standing right there.

"Yeah, sometimes I think you're more trouble than you're worth though. Give me a minute okay" Sully walked to the back for a second hoping Eddie would take her.

"Thank you" She simply said to Eddie.

"Anytime, just don't expect me to believe it doesn't bother you"

"I don't "

"I can walk you out if you're ready to go" Eddie offered as if it was a burden. He was just mad, hurt and drunk though.

"Nahh, I'll be okay and I think Laush has enough of the wrong idea as it is. Tyler as well and I would rather not be here when he sings like a canary."

"Okay" Eddie told her with a grin.

"I didn't figure you would be drinking that much tonight" they went right back to the unknown flirting they always did.

"I wasn't really planning on it, Sully's fault really he pushed me into it" Eddie was flirting again and she wasn't willing to except it was anything other than him being nice.

"Latekka, thanks for the beer" Tyler walked up behind Janet and talked to Eddie. Eddie just looked over at Janet who tried to ignore the conversation.

"Janet, you got a minute"

"Not now. I'm tired and I have a headache. I just want to be left alone" She was trying to be a nice as she could walking back behind the bar away from Tyler but she was seriously irate as it was because of Laush.

Eddie just nodded to Tyler in recognition of the pissing contest Eddie did bait him into after he declined the first time as Janet walked to the back to get as far away from Tyler as possible.

"I get it, Latekka I really do."

"Just ask her Tyler, ask her if she wants to go out with you but fucking leave me out of it, it's her decision not mine and not yours so stop being an ass because you're jealous of something that's not there" Eddie was about to lose it. All he wanted to do was kiss her and he couldn't. Every time he looked at her he could picture her in his arms.

"You're done with her already, that's a record even for you" Of course Eddie punched him and knocked him out first lick. Tyler Baxton was really a good guy. A Lot like Eddie and generally ran his mouth more than he should have but he just wanted to piss Eddie off as he really did respect Janet and was pissed at Eddie for messing up his possibility.

"You can tell it's a full moon" Sully said walking with Janet back out front having missed the exchange.

"Here a blond ordered you this while you were over there with Laush" Rooster handed Eddie the beer and he turned it up then walked away. Rooster was the one that actually bought the drink wanting Janet to see he wasn't prince charming.

"You ready" Sully asked Janet and she stepped over Tyler to get out. She didn't even acknowledge Eddie on the way out. She figured he punched him for suggesting he might have really done something with the bar maid.

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"What's going on with him" Janet asked Sully

"Did the prospect of everyone thinking he...." Sully interrupted her

"No he's just in a bad mood because of a tiff with me about his mother. He's a nice guy under all that armour and he's just taking his anger out where ever he can. Laush deserves it and I'm sure Tyler did if he hit him"

"He said you gave him a hard time about last night. Did he say anything about what happened." She asked

"Not a lot. Did you ask him"

"Yeah, he told me what happened but I'm pretty sure he left a lot of it out on purpose"

"I'm sure he just didn't want to make you uncomfortable is all"

"Please don't tell him I asked." She pleaded thinking Eddie didn't want her to know they could have done something, for fear she might tell someone.

"I thought you and Latekka got along pretty good"

"We do and it's nice to have a guy who isn't looking at me like a easy lay but it kind of sucks at the same time and I wasn't lying I know nothing will ever happen. I don't even pretend to think it will and that's fine I just don't want him to think I'm some obligation because he got drunk and passed out with the desolate barmaid. I know he's a good guy and I just don't want to do that to him. I'm not really one to go for the sympathy card."

"He wouldn't do that" Sully assured her. "Don't worry everything is fine and once you come back to work I'm sure he'll be over his mood and all will be back to normal"

"Sully, do you think…never mind"

"He only regrets that he may have upset you. You've got to stopping thinking you aren't going to find someone because you are a real woman. You've got a lot to offer and someone will see it soon enough. They already have all you need to do is wait around for one that appreciates it is all. In the mean time let Latekka beat the crap out of the ones that piss you off. He needs the anger management for his own reasons."

"I'm just worried someone's going to say something and put him on the spot and one of two things are going to happen. Either way someone's going to get hurt."

"Nobody has said a word about it before and he said you've been listening to him bitch for a long time. So don't worry about it. It's fine. Go home get some rest and try not to think about it very much" Sully barely got the words out when the cops pulled up. Eddie just walked out and got in the car when the officer opened the door never looking towards Janet and Sully.

"If you say so" She kissed him on the cheek before she got into her car.

"I'll go get him" Sully told her

"He's not what everyone thinks he is. I mean I know he's all about the beautiful women but I think he means well most of the time he just likes his reputation as the ladies man and he's not about to turn lose of it for anything."

Sully waited until she left before he went back inside to get his key's. She caught him off guard with the kiss.

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"Did you tell her" Eddie asked sitting on the bed inside his cell

"No, but I have to tell you something that I don't want to partly because I'll have to admit you were right and partly because it's going to make you feel even worse than you already do"

"What did you say to her" Eddie got defensive

"Nothing, she wanted to know if you said anything to me about what happened because she knew you weren't telling her all of it"

"How does she know that, she doesn't remember anything"

"Maybe so maybe not but she knows you were keeping things from her and she thinks she knows why"

"I'll never bother her again, Sully"

"No, that's not the answer. Prove to her that you're not freaked out with the possibility then maybe something will happen and it might not but don't prove her right about being ashamed of her "

"I wasn't ready for any of this. I didn't mean to hurt her. I knew when I got to her car that I went to far I wouldn't be able to undo the damage but she smelled so good and she smiled at me. I felt like I was 15 again and I didn't want to let it go. Between the curls and the way she moves through conversations even the way she drinks her beer get's my attention and I can't let it happen. I'm not a good enough guy to be happy with one woman."

"She's fine, there are no daydreams of anything coming of it but she doesn't want you feeling like you owe her or things to be strange between the two of you. So I'm going to bail your butt out of here but I expect you to go home get some rest and she'll be back to pouring your beer Wednesday. Come in act like normal and don't do anything you didn't do before all of this happened. She's just like she was before you cracked" Sully laughed at Eddie's new found soft side

"Ahh, leave me here. I'll get out in the morning."

"I can't I promised her I would come get you and she kissed me on the cheek so it's not like I can go back on my word for you" Eddie laughed at him knowing the old fart had a heart deep down inside of there somewhere.