A/N-So I have a thing for this bartender. He crops up in everything I write that needs a bartender. I don't even know who he is, he's a figment of my imagination, but he's THERE whenever I need a bartender. And he tends to be somewhat omniscent. And he tends to remind me a lot of Tom Waits-only a fat Tom Waits. And yeah, I really want to smack Garret after this chapter. But he hates me enough as it is...And Fluffy-I never noticed that about my writing, thanks for pointing it out, you're right, we never really use people's names in conversations...we use them to get people's attention, and thats about it...or to emphasize a point. Although I'm guilty of starting sentences with the person who I'm talking to's name-perhaps why my friends give me weird looks?
He made his way to the small bar in the back, enjoying the smoky atmosphere. There was a singer on stage doing a sound check for a night's performance who was doing beautiful husky blues. There was something about the atmosphere. But he wasn't really noticing that, he didn't care about the setting, he wasn't here to enjoy himself. He took a seat on one of the worn stools and waited for the bartender to arrive. "Coke or coffee?" The gruff man asked.
"Coffee." He said without thinking, barely processing what the man had said. A cup was placed before him and he took a long gulp before realizing that it wasn't quite what he wanted. He looked up at the bartender and the large man merely grinned.
"Don't even try, I know that look bud, been in this business for twenty ears, Cola, coffee or water for you, I'm not going to be the guilty party." he smiled faintly. "Don't take it personally, I've seen a lot of guys who look just like you walk in, you all have that same look, guilty with your tail between your legs for the idea. You're not the first, you won't be the last."
He shrugged and looked down into the black liquid. "Three guesses and the first two don't count. Women, women, and women." He grinned up at the bartender for the other man's astute observation.
"I hate them. One in particular." He said, taking a long gulp. She was the one who drove him here, pushed him right to the edge. If it hadn't been for the bartender he'd be halfway through a neat scotch rather than coffee.
"I think most of the male species agrees there buddy. Hate them, but you have to love them, and you usually hate them because you love them." He grinned at the apt description of things.
"Sounds about right." The bartender looked at him.
"How long you been sober, and what'd the lady in question do to push you this far?"
"Three months. Ad the lady in question is the one who got me there-I fell for her but-"
"You're afraid of things going sour. Right. Well, let me tell you from experience, there comes a point where you can't put it off any longer and you're going to burst if you don't tell her, and it's usually wise to let her find out before then. Because if you don't, odds are that you'll spontaneously combust from trying to keep it in." He laughed. "Go out there and tell her-might as well get it over with, right?"
The bartender did have a point. He reached for his wallet but the bartender shook his head. "Leave it; it's on me, its just coffee."
'Thanks." He said, walking away.
"Good luck." The other man called as he walked back to the office, feeling considerably lighter than when he had left it the better part of an hour ago.
He headed up to the ninth floor and stepped out, striding down to his office. He opened the door to find her sitting in his chair, toying with the bracelet. He paused in the doorway. She had gone through his desk. She hadn't trusted him and went through his desk. "You weren't supposed to find that." He said simply, not moving.
"Garret-" She began, getting up as he tried to think of something to say. He walked in and found himself face to face with her, inches away. The bartender had told him to just get it over with.
He went with the option that didn't involve words. He leaned his head in and met her lips gently. It was soft and restrained, no matter how much more he wanted, he wasn't going to let it show. She stood there stunned for a minute but as soon as he began to feel her arms wrap around him he pulled back. "I think maybe you should leave." He said quietly and she nodded before walking to the door.
"Garret-I'm sorry for doubting you." She whispered before walking across the hall to her own office, leaving him alone. He collapsed behind his desk; he quite possibly had just made the worst mistake of his life.