[U] Chapter 16[/U]
"Hey!" Francie smiled, as Sydney appeared in front of her.
"Hey. I see you've got lots of customers," Sydney remarked.
"I know! The mayor even came down to congratulate us on the opening. A few journalists even came down here to ask questions. Which reminds me.Will said he'd be by later. He had to interview some new CEO of some computer company nearby."
Sydney nodded. Will.he'd been in the Witness Protection Program for a while, but then he came back, saying the CIA said it wasn't necessary anymore. I sure hope they're right, Sydney thought grimly.
"So, what's up?" Francie asked, sitting on a stool in front of the bar.
Sydney sat. "Nothing."
"Come on Syd. I can tell something's on your mind. Is it that girl Erin?"
Sydney sighed. "I have a question. What do you do if you think the guy you like, likes someone else?"
"I don't have any good advice, but remember that saying? May the best man win? Well, in this case, may the best woman win. Now tell me.who is this guy? And why didn't you tell me about him sooner?"
"I didn't say there was a guy," Sydney started.
"Sydney, Francie can tell when you're bullshitting her," Francie said, a sly grin on her face.
"It's no one.OK, fine. Just someone from work."
"The Christmas present one?" Francie asked pointedly.
"Um.yeah," Sydney responded, not looking at her friend. Instead, she watched as the waiters and waitresses hurried about, carrying trays to tables and walking around with menus.
"Syd! What does he look like? Is he hot? What does he do? When'd you meet him?"
Sydney blushed. "Yeah, he's pretty hot."
Francie grinned.
"He works at the bank too. And he transferred this year to our branch, so I guess I've just known him for a year."
"What's his name?"
"V-Michael Vaughn," Sydney cut herself off.
"Michael.hm.I've always loved that name," Francie said reflectively. "Now, what's the deal? He likes someone else?"
"I don't know."
"Jared, can you get us two martinis?" Francie asked, naming Syd's choice drink.
"Sure Fran," the bartender responded, flashing her a smile.
"Is it Erin? I've always known that girl was trouble," Francie shook her head.
"I think it is. And he's bringing her home later tonight."
"What!? Why?"
"Because I left early from the meeting. She's probably still there."
"Syd! Why'd you leave early?"
"To come here."
"Next time you leave early, bring her with you. Never leave Erin alone with Michael Vaughn. Get it? Good."
Sydney sipped her drink when it came, and held it in her hand. "Yes, I got it."
"When's she leaving?"
"She's moving in to her apartment sometime soon I suppose," Sydney responded.
"I think Will likes her."
"What?" Sydney coughed out.
"I think Will likes her. Erin, I mean," Francie repeated. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Sydney flashed Francie a smile to cover up her startled expression.
"Do you want me to kick her ass for you?" Francie suggested seriously.
Sydney held back a giggle. "No, it's all right Fran."
"I'm serious. I took some martial arts classes.back in the days."
"I can fight my own fights Fran, but thanks for offering," Sydney grinned.
"Are you sure?"
Sydney nodded.
"Hey!" Francie smiled, as Sydney appeared in front of her.
"Hey. I see you've got lots of customers," Sydney remarked.
"I know! The mayor even came down to congratulate us on the opening. A few journalists even came down here to ask questions. Which reminds me.Will said he'd be by later. He had to interview some new CEO of some computer company nearby."
Sydney nodded. Will.he'd been in the Witness Protection Program for a while, but then he came back, saying the CIA said it wasn't necessary anymore. I sure hope they're right, Sydney thought grimly.
"So, what's up?" Francie asked, sitting on a stool in front of the bar.
Sydney sat. "Nothing."
"Come on Syd. I can tell something's on your mind. Is it that girl Erin?"
Sydney sighed. "I have a question. What do you do if you think the guy you like, likes someone else?"
"I don't have any good advice, but remember that saying? May the best man win? Well, in this case, may the best woman win. Now tell me.who is this guy? And why didn't you tell me about him sooner?"
"I didn't say there was a guy," Sydney started.
"Sydney, Francie can tell when you're bullshitting her," Francie said, a sly grin on her face.
"It's no one.OK, fine. Just someone from work."
"The Christmas present one?" Francie asked pointedly.
"Um.yeah," Sydney responded, not looking at her friend. Instead, she watched as the waiters and waitresses hurried about, carrying trays to tables and walking around with menus.
"Syd! What does he look like? Is he hot? What does he do? When'd you meet him?"
Sydney blushed. "Yeah, he's pretty hot."
Francie grinned.
"He works at the bank too. And he transferred this year to our branch, so I guess I've just known him for a year."
"What's his name?"
"V-Michael Vaughn," Sydney cut herself off.
"Michael.hm.I've always loved that name," Francie said reflectively. "Now, what's the deal? He likes someone else?"
"I don't know."
"Jared, can you get us two martinis?" Francie asked, naming Syd's choice drink.
"Sure Fran," the bartender responded, flashing her a smile.
"Is it Erin? I've always known that girl was trouble," Francie shook her head.
"I think it is. And he's bringing her home later tonight."
"What!? Why?"
"Because I left early from the meeting. She's probably still there."
"Syd! Why'd you leave early?"
"To come here."
"Next time you leave early, bring her with you. Never leave Erin alone with Michael Vaughn. Get it? Good."
Sydney sipped her drink when it came, and held it in her hand. "Yes, I got it."
"When's she leaving?"
"She's moving in to her apartment sometime soon I suppose," Sydney responded.
"I think Will likes her."
"What?" Sydney coughed out.
"I think Will likes her. Erin, I mean," Francie repeated. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Sydney flashed Francie a smile to cover up her startled expression.
"Do you want me to kick her ass for you?" Francie suggested seriously.
Sydney held back a giggle. "No, it's all right Fran."
"I'm serious. I took some martial arts classes.back in the days."
"I can fight my own fights Fran, but thanks for offering," Sydney grinned.
"Are you sure?"
Sydney nodded.