#9 – The 8 ball

''Thank you for the ride, Miss Smith,'' John said, smiling warmly, when Anna parked her small car in front of his and Vera's apartment building.

Since his "lovely" wife had left him at the picnic, Anna had given him a ride back to Downton Village on her way from the Crawleys'. He knew that he probably should have declined the offer, knowing Vera's jealous nature. But after Mary and Robert had left them together while they set the tables for lunch, somehow John and Anna had immediately clicked. They had enjoyed each other's company for the rest of the day, and when the party ended, accepting a ride home from her had felt like the most natural thing in the world.

''You're welcome.'' She turned to look at him while he undid his seat belt. He really was a lot more handsome in person than in photos she had seen, she thought to herself. And the way his eyes sparkled when he smiled made her feel all tingly inside.

''Here - let me help with petrol.'' John pulled his wallet of out of his back pocket.

''No, no,'' she protested, but he had already pulled out a few pounds.

''Please take it. It's the least I can do, since you were all but forced to give a lift to someone you had never set eyes on until today.'' He chuckled, but it was true. Robert had asked her if she would give him a ride home, and while she could have said no, John thought that she had likely felt obligated.

''I wasn't forced,'' she scolded him lightly, and was about to say something a little more flirtatious, when she bit her tongue just in time. For god's sake...control yourself, Anna, she thought, blushing slightly.

''It was my pleasure, truly,'' she said finally, and looked him directly in the eye. There wasn't a chance that she would take his money. While it was true that they had just met today, they had spent hours talking about anything and everything, just relaxing and enjoying each other's company and almost forgetting that they were there to celebrate Violet's birthday with the Crawleys. So John already felt like a friend to her.

''Are you sure?'' he asked again, but he could see that he was fighting a losing battle.

''Completely.''

''All right - thank you. I'll have to find another way to express my gratitude some time in the near future.'' He put his wallet away, got out of the car and, just as he was about to close the door behind him, he heard her pipe up, ''Can't wait to find out how!''

xXx

Practically skipping up the stairs to his flat, John realised he had a giddy smile on his face. He had thought that the day would turn into a complete disaster, but he had been wrong. He had only spent half a day in her company, but for some reason he felt more like himself than he had in a very long time. Anna Smith wasn't just drop dead gorgeous, she was also smart, funny, and the nicest person to be around. She was simply…

''Why are you so late?!'' His wife's voice, from the doorway of their flat, interrupted his line of thought. It wasn't late - just past 8:00 p.m. - but as always, she had found something to argue about.

''Ve-…'' John began, looking up, but she cut him off.

''Who drove you home?!'' She had seen an unfamiliar car dropping him off in front of their building, and her inner alarm system was on high alert.

''Just a friend of the Crawleys. She…''

''She?'' Vera raised her voice and blocked him from entering the flat.

''Vera, please. It's been a long day, I'm tired, and I'm definitely not in the mood for this right now.'' John sighed, sensing where this conversation was headed.

''Oh, really? I bet you were in the mood for her.'' She crossed her arms on her chest and glared.

''Good god, Vera! You were the one who left me stranded at the party! Robert asked Miss Smith to give me a ride home because she was travelling in this direction, and she was kind enough to do so, OK?!'' John raised his voice. He knew he should keep his temper in check, but sometimes Vera was just too much to take.

''Don't yell at me!'' she shouted.

''I'm not yelling at you.'' John took a deep breath and looked at her. ''I'm just trying to explain…''

''I don't care what you're trying to do!'' she hissed, and turned away. ''And the next time you have the nerve to fuck someone who isn't me, you should at least stay the night at hers. I don't need some whore's perfume all over my bedsheets. Good night!'' She slammed the door in his face.

''Vera, open the door!'' John said, as he heard the lock click into place.

''NO!''

''Vera, open the fucking door!'' he repeated, once again raising his voice.

''GO TO HELL!''

''Vera!'' He banged on the door in frustration.

''Go away or I'll ring the police!'' was her only response, and he knew she wasn't kidding. One of her many lovers was a police officer, and he knew that no good would come of it, if she summoned him.

Leaning his forehead against the door, he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. He knew her well enough to realise that she wasn't about to unlock the door any time soon. It wasn't the first time she had accused him of cheating and then locked him out of the flat. If he really wanted to, he could unlock the door himself; he had a key. But was it worth enduring the scene that was sure to follow, just for a chance to possibly be allowed to sleep on the settee?

''Oh, to hell with it,'' he said under his breath, and went downstairs and out into the night. Walking down the street, he knew exactly where was he going to stay. When his mother had died a couple of years ago and left him her little cottage at the edge of the village, the first thing John had done was to transfer ownership to Robert's name. He'd known for a long time that at some point he and Vera would end things, and he hadn't wanted to take any chance of her getting her hands on the only thing his mother had left him, when they eventually divided their assets as part of a divorce.

Making his way across the village, he spotted a familiar car parked in front of the pub. It was definitely hers, he thought, and his face brightened. He knew that he shouldn't stop; he had no reason to. And he definitely had no chance with someone like Anna - she was too young, too perfect for someone like him, not to mention the fact that he was married, even if in name only.

But in the end something made him turn and walk up to the entrance. Pushing the door open, he saw a few people sitting at tables, perhaps having a late dinner and catching up with friends, but he didn't see her anywhere. Maybe the car wasn't hers after all, he speculated, until he turned his attention to the bar. Anna was sitting at the far end, playing with the straw in her drink, looking like she was waiting for someone.

''John, just turn around and go," he thought, but once again found himself pulled in her direction.

''Hello,'' he said gently, as he approached the bar.

''Oh, hello!'' Her eyes lit up in surprise.

''Do you mind?'' he blurted out before he could stop himself, and nodded to the empty stool next to her.

''Not at all.'' She was actually waiting for someone, but the moment she laid her eyes on John, her date was the last thing on her mind.

Making himself comfortable next to her, he rested his arms on the counter and turned to her. ''So, Miss Smith - what can I get you?''

''Noth-…''

''Oh, no, no. You wouldn't take money for petrol, so at least let me buy you a drink.'' He chuckled and turned to the bartender. ''Hey, William - a pint for me, and…'' He looked back at Anna, his soft eyes radiating warmth and kindness.

''Ummm…'' Oh, what the hell, one beer won't kill anyone, she decided. ''…the same, please.''

John caught her eye and smiled, before turning back to William. ''…and one for the lady.''

''So, what brings you here?'' Anna asked, pushing her soft drink away to make space for the pints that William had just set down. "I thought you were going home."

''My wife,'' he said, looking down. He didn't really want to talk about Vera, but couldn't bring himself to lie.

''Oh,'' she replied, furrowing her brow. ''Are you OK?''

''I will be...'' He took his first sip. ''...when I divorce her.''

He was obviously trying to joke, but she could see the pain in his eyes. She had to admit to herself that she was curious about his situation, but didn't want to pry.

''Do you want to talk about it?'' Anna asked tentatively. If he wouldn't tell her, she knew that Mary would, if she asked. Her friend had mentioned something about his wife being crazy, but maybe the situation was even worse than she had imagined.

''No, not really.'' He smiled politely, not wanting to bore her with his pathetic life. ''But thank you for asking.''

''Sure.'' She took another sip of her drink. Placing the glass back on the counter, she heard him stifle a laugh.

''What?'' she chuckled, having no idea what was so funny.

''Umm, you…'' he smirked again.

''What?''

''You have a little something…'' He pointed to his own upper lip, trying to indicate that she had some beer foam on her face.

''Oh, god,'' she said quickly, blushing, and wiped it off with her hand. ''Sorry,'' she giggled.

''No need to apologise; you look adorable, regardless,'' John grinned, but froze when he realised what he had just said. ''Umm, do yo-, do you know how to play pool?'' he added quickly, hoping she hadn't noticed his cheeks colouring.

''Not really,'' she replied, as calmly as she was able. Was he flirting with her?

''Come.'' He tossed a few pounds on the counter to cover their drinks, took both of their pints, and led her to the pool table in the back of the pub.

xXx

After explaining the basic rules of the game, John placed all of the balls into the triangular rack.

''Would you like to break them?'' he asked, and offered one of the cue sticks to her.

''Me? I don't even know how to hold this thing properly,'' she said.

''Here. Let me show you,'' he offered. ''Take the cue in your hands.''

''OK...''

''No…'' he chuckled, amused, when he saw the awkward way she was holding it. He walked over and stepped behind her, gently asking, ''May I?''

He was so close that she could smell his cologne.

''Mhm,'' she nodded, unable to say more.

''All right.'' He took a deep breath. It hadn't been his plan to flirt with her; he knew it was wrong. But there was something about her that he could not resist. ''First, stand up straight.''

''OK.'' She straightened up. ''Now what?''

''Here,'' he said, and helped her position her arms correctly and set the cue between her fingers.

''Like this?'' She tilted her head to the side and looked at him.

''Yes.''

''And now?''

''Now you lean in…'' As she followed his instructions, he could not help but lower his gaze to her behind. In the next moment he could feel her whole body lean down, brushing against him for just a second. John, what the hell are you doing, he scolded himself, but it was no use. The electricity he felt at her touch was undeniable. But was she doing it on purpose? Or was it all in his head?

Taking another deep breath, he leaned just a bit closer to her and added, ''…now aim and…''

''Anna?'' A deep voice from behind made both of them look up from the table.

''Tony?'' Anna straightened up, while John took a step away from her. Who was this Tony fellow, he wondered, running his eyes over the young blond man who stood there staring at them.

''What's going on here?'' the man challenged, looking directly into John's eyes.

''We're just playing pool,'' Anna said simply, not wanting Tony to make a scene.

''Oh, really?'' He took another step closer to them and gave John a steely look. ''She's taken, old man.''

''Tony…'' Anna replied quickly, but John was quicker.

''Look, calm down a bit...we were just...'' he began.

''Calm down? You're hitting on my girl and you want me to be calm?'' The man's voice was getting louder and angrier, and if John hadn't seen Anna's eyes begging him not to say anything more, he would have definitely let the young man know what he thought of him.

''Are you OK?'' he asked Anna.

''Yes,'' she nodded thankfully. She knew that Tony was the jealous type, and she didn't want John getting into trouble because of her.

''All right,'' John said, moving away reluctantly, his eyes still glued to Tony. ''I'll say goodbye, then.''

''Yes, you'd better,'' Tony cut in, but John pretended he hadn't heard him.

''Bye.'' Anna smiled weakly. ''And thanks for the drink.''

''Sure.'' Their eyes connected for a moment, then he looked pointedly at the man who stood with his arm possessively around her shoulders, before turning and leaving the pub.

With John out of the picture, Tony turned to Anna and said, ''We'll talk about this later.'' She winced inside, and could only hope that he'd forget about it after a few drinks.

''Give me your handbag. I need to buy myself a drink,'' he added harshly.

''Here.'' She handed it to him quietly, and he pulled out some money.

''I won't be a minute.'' He planted a wet kiss on her lips and grinned.

''Sure.'' He didn't seem to notice that her smile didn't reach her eyes.

As he turned away to walk toward the bar, Anna breathed a sigh of relief. Why couldn't he have been late like he always was? All she'd wanted was to spend a few more minutes in John's company.

''Me and my luck,'' she whispered under her breath, before she leaned down and, with one effortless and expertly-centred shot, broke the rack apart.

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