He was barely situated in his car when the tears began to fall. Tears that he'd tried so hard to hold inside. Normally he would be mortified for anyone to see him like this; even here in the Elliott Bay Towers parking garage, hidden from view.
When he was somewhat calmer, he pulled his car out of the garage and onto the street, having no idea which way to turn. The most logical direction was left, which would eventually take him home. But he couldn't go there. Why subject himself to more despair that was the painful reminder of why he was alone? Instead he turned right, having no idea where he'd end up until he saw the familiar green neon sign.
And it was a sign in more ways than one.
Granville's; the bar where he'd met and ironically drowned his sorrows at the bar after Adele had unceremoniously dumped him for that horrid Rodney. But it hadn't been his own heart he'd been worried about that night. It was Daphne's. Even now anger filled him when he thought about how that miserable little man had hurt his Daphne.
But she wasn't really his. She wasn't his at all. He was completely and utterly alone. Wiping away a few escaped tears, he was more depressed than ever.
But it was nothing that a glass of white wine (or even something stronger) wouldn't cure.
Boldly he walked inside, taking great care not to make eye contact with the sparse number of customers that were occupying the small bar. He might as well join them. Slowly he turned to make his way to the bar and sat down.
"What'll you have?" The bartender asked. Niles immediately took offense at the bartender's name; Joe. Talk about a cruel sign. What were the odds that the bartender would have the same name as the man Daphne had broken up with not long before she met Rodney?
Niles smiled sadly. "White wine please."
Joe's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure you don't want something stronger?"
Yes, I do! Niles' heart screamed. Anything to make me forget about Daphne! But his ethics took over. "No, I'd better not. I need to get home safely."
Joe grinned. "I can call you a cab."
Niles shuddered at the image it conjured up. "No, that's very kind of you, but-."
Joe nodded. "No problem. Here."
Niles took the glass gratefully. "Thanks."
As the bartender went back to work, Niles sat in silence sipping his wine, trying not to think about anything-or anyone at all. And then he felt a small warm weight on his back.
"Dr. Crane?"
He gasped in disbelief and turned around, his heart beating madly. "Daphne, what are you doing here?"
She smiled and pointed to the barstool beside him. "May I sit down?"
"I'd rather you didn't." He snapped. Couldn't she see that he wanted to be alone?" But when he looked into her beautiful brown eyes, he softened. And then he sighed, irritated not at Daphne but at himself for being such coward and a pushover. "Fine." He said after an awkward silence.
Amazingly she was unfazed by his intentional rudeness and she situated herself onto the seat beside him. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. You're very kind." She said, smiling sweetly. She was so close to him that he could smell the heavenly scent of her hair and her perfume. And he softened even further.
"Would you like a drink?"
She smiled yet again, obviously surprised by his gesture. That made two of them.
"That would be lovely. Thank you, Dr. Crane."
"What will you have, Miss?" Joe asked.
"White wine." Daphne replied.
Niles took note of the fact that they had both ordered the same drink, but he made no mention of it. Instead his irritation returned. "Let me guess, Frasier sent you." He said curtly.
"No, I came by meself." She replied. "But he did suggest that I talk to you."
Niles sighed deeply. "That figures. Frasier always knows the right thing to say." He snapped, the sarcasm heavy in his voice.
From the corner of his eye he saw her take a sip of wine, swallowing heard. And when he finally turned to face her, the tears in her eyes nearly shattered his heart. Dear God, what had he done?
But things went from bad to worse when those tears became sobs.