The Club wasn't too busy. We walked in and Travis gave us a nod from behind the bar. He had gotten used to some of us dropping in from time to time. We walked back to the corner booth we tend to always sit at. Laura made her way over. "Hey guys. What can I get ya?" Laura was an older woman with mischief in her eyes. She usually gave us a hard time when were in.
"Hey Laura. I'll take a Corona with lime and a shot of Jack, please." I said. Might was well get my drinkin in early.
"It's a shot kinda night, huh? I'll make sure to keep the fangirls at bay. Hate to see you end up on TMZ." she teased me.
"You keep the fangirls away and I promise I'll stay of TMZ." I laughed.
"Hey Laura. I'll take a Heineken please. Thanks love." Andy said. He knew Laura couldn't resist his accent.
"Sure thing, Honey. The usual to eat?"
"Yep." We both said.
"So when is Mingus coming down?" Andy asked. He missed his kids as much as I did.
"Next week. I'm going to bring him to set a few times and take him around on my off days. He's ready to get out of New York." I explained.
"He misses you man. You had the movie right before you came back here. Probably excited to spend some time with you. You ever talk to Danai about that friend she has in the area." He said taking a drink of his beer.
"I miss him too, and no I did not. And I don't plan on it. I don't do blind dates." I said drinking my shot.
"I'm telling you ya just need a someone who is more woman than girl. Hell, you're almost 45. When are you planning on settling down?" Andy was always trying to marry me off. Dick.
"Maybe this is as settled as I get. It's not like I'm some ladies man out there with a different girl every night. I just haven't found one who I can picture spending forever with. Maybe it's like waiting for you to get a Twitter; pointless" I explained. Part of me really longed for what Andrew had, but then I see ones that fall apart like mine and Helena, and I think why risk it.
"I think you hold back. And if you ever settle down, I'll get a Twitter. Hey, that woman at that far table is staring at you." He tells me and shifts his eyes towards to the door.
I sighed and glance over. Oh, it's Rachel. I wave, and she waves back, so I signal for her to come over. Andy looks shocked.
"Rachel, nice to see you again." I said trying to make her feel comfortable. "Are you meeting someone, or would you care to join us?"
"Oh, I'm waiting for Lisy, but I wouldn't mind joining you until she shows up. It's a wonder I even got her to agree to come out," she said sliding into the booth next to me. Anna would be here. It was like a sweet kind of torture. Being around her, but knowing she had a husband. I noticed Rachel staring at Andy like he was Bigfoot.
"Rachel, this is Andrew Lincoln. Andy, this is Rachel. I met her at the bakery when I picked up the cake." I explained.
"Annalise, the owner is by best friend. I was so jealous when she told me she had a meeting with you to discuss a cake." Rachel said. "I still can't believe I'm sitting here with you 2. My bitchy cousins would never believe me. In fact, can we maybe take a picture?" she asked shaking her phone.
"Yeah, no problem. Nothing like photographic evidence." Andy said while sliding around the circular bench towards us.
"Say 'walkers'." Rachel said while holding her phone out. I quickly decided to flip off the camera. She turned her phone around to check out the picture. She laughed. "Nice. What would a selfie with Norman Reedus be without him flipping someone off?" She said with a smile. Just then her phone chimed. "That's gonna be Lisy making up some excuse for why she can't come out. If I ignore it, she'll end up coming."
"I thought women loved girl's nights," Andy said while taking a drink of his beer.
"Lisy, isn't like most women." she said with and undertone of sadness. Just then her phone started ringing.
"Here, let me answer it." I said holding my hand out for the phone.
"Hey, Slugger." I answered
"Norman? Wha...I'm sorry I'm must have dialed you by mistake." she said sounding confused.
"Nope. I'm here with Rachel. We ran into her at the Club." I waited for her to respond.
"Oh um, can I speak with Rachel, please." She asked.
"Sure. She's sitting in the back booth with us. Come down and talk to her." I replied.
"Well that's the thing. I don't think I'm going to be able to make it out tonight." She said. Andy grabbed the phone and hit speaker.
"Hello, Annalise. This is Andrew Lincoln. Listen, Rachel told us you would make up some rubbish excuse to not come out, so let's cut to the chase. There will be a shot and your drink of choice waiting for you at our table. And the company's not too bad. What do you say?" Andrew said smiling into the phone.
Silence. "Amaretto sour. Be there in 15." she said before ending the call. Like I said, woman couldn't resist his accent.
"Done." Andy said handing the phone back to Rachel.
"Brilliant." she said clapping her hands.
"What are we drinking, people?" Cudlitz said walking up to the table. Josh, and Lauren were right behind him.
"He man," I said shaking his hand. "Didn't know we'd have the whole cast here tonight."
"Yeah, they said they could all use a drink too." Cudlitz said sliding in next to Andy.
"Hey Travis," I said to the guy behind the bar. "Think we could take this to the pool room?"
"Sure, man. Close the door up. I'll take care of ya." Travis responded. With all of us here, it wouldn't be long before people found out. The pool room was more closed off; we could enjoy some drinking in private.
"Thanks man." I said motioning for Rachel to stand up. "There's a woman coming up that will be looking for us. Name's Annalise. Send her on back please." Travis gave me a strange look but nodded.
I shut the door to the room and took a seat on one of the bar stools.
"Rachel this is Michael, Josh and Lauren." I said introducing everyone. "Rachel helped make that cake today."
"No shit?" Josh said. "That cake was awesome."
"Thanks. Lisy does most of the decorating. But I make a killer cupcake." she said. "I can't believe this is fucking happening! Shit, I said that out loud." she put her hand over her mouth.
We all laughed. My Twitter alert went off. It was Anna. 'Damn British accents!'
I DM'd her. 'You're not the first to fall for it. Don't feel bad.'
She replied, ':) You know, you're crashing girl's night.'
'I know. Sorry bout that.' I answered.
'It's ok. Gotta drive. See ya in a bit.'
"Who wants to play some pool?" Michael asked. "Partners?" he said to Lauren.
"We'll take you guys," Josh said looking towards Rachel to back him up. She nodded in surprise.
I knew that look. Josh thought Rachel was cute. And she was, but I was only interested in talking to one Senoian. And she was fuckin takin.
Andy and I sat back and ate our wings while the others shot some pool. Over the noise of my friends, I heard a familiar voice. "Rachel?"
"Hey, Lisy!" the blond said running over to her friend. She drug her over to the group. "They thought it'd be best to come back here. People would swarm them if we stayed up front. I know I would have." Rachel said with a laugh.
"Oh." was all Anna said.
Andy walked over to her, "Glad you could me it." He handed her 2 drinks. "As promised. Amaretto Sour and a shot of Jack."
She took the drinks and tipped back the shot. "Thanks." she said.
"Well alright then. Annalise, this is Michael, Josh and Lauren." Andy introduced the group.
"Anna, please." she said.
"Hi, Anna. Your cake today was amazing. Thank you." Lauren said with a smile. Anna smiled. "Let's finish this game."
"Be done soon." Rachel said squeezing her friends arm.
"Hey Slugger." I said when she walked over. She rolled her eyes. "Wing?" I offered. I noticed Andy lift an eyebrow in silent question. I ignored him.
"Sure." she said grabbing one and taking a seat. She looked lost in thought.
"So why didn't you want to come out tonight?" I asked hoping to learn a little more about this woman.
"This was where I met my husband." she said simply.
"Fighting?" I asked feeling like I was missing something.
"No." she said with a sad smile. "Want to shot some pool?" she asked officially ending that conversation.
"Sure. But fair warning, I played a lot of pool in my 20's." I said
She smiled, "Noted."
"Want me to rack them?" I asked.
"I can handle the balls just fine," I couldn't help but smile. " I mean pool balls." she said blushing.
"Noted." I said with a laugh. She shoved me lightly. "Want to make this interesting?" I asked. She arched an eyebrow at me. "For each ball we sink the other has to answer a question."
"Do we have one pass?" she asked. I shrugged me shoulders in acceptance.
"You're on. I'll break" she said walking to the other end of the table.
