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Of course the atmosphere become suddenly very awkward and I saw expressions of discomfort on the faces of my colleagues. Lisa seemed oblivious to the way the mood had changed almost instantly. Everyone at that table knew that Lisa was drunk and was embarrassing us both.
“I’m going to be a happily married man next week,” I said, trying to make light of it. “So those days are gone. Thank God,” I said and raised my glass to the others. A few of the other residents raised their glass and we drank our drinks in an awkward silence.
Fred saved the day, saying something about the game being broadcast on the television in the corner of the bar and thankfully, that drew everyone’s attention away from Lisa and me. I leaned closer to Lisa, my mouth by her ear.
“I think you’ve had too much to drink,” I said softly.
“Who are you to say that?” she said in a too-loud voice and frowned. “I’m perfectly in control of myself, thank you. Just because I’m not a control freak like you…”
“Lisa,” I said and squeezed her arm gently to try to get her to come to her senses. “Please, don’t make a scene…”
She pulled her arm away. “You think I’ve had too much to drink and don’t want me to make a scene? Drive me home, then,” she said, her eyes narrowed.
“I’m not driving you home,” I said, trying to keep my anger contained. “ But I will call you a taxi.”
“Very well,” she said and held up her nearly empty glass. “Waitress,” she called out in an even louder voice. “Another one, please.”
“Lisa, I think you’ve had enough,” I said more firmly. “You’re with your colleagues and your supervisor…”
She turned to me, her eyes hard. “Give me a ride home then,” she said between gritted teeth. “We can talk about our mutual interests.”
“It’s time to go,” I muttered and stood up, buttoning my jacket. “I’m going to give Lisa a ride home,” I said to the others and nodded to Fred, who had an exasperated expression on his face.
“Maybe I should,” he said and stood as well.
“I’m going with Drake,” Lisa said and stood up beside me. “We’re going to talk about the things we have in common, aren’t we, Drake?” she said and turned to me, leaning slightly against me. I held her back, my arms on her shoulders.
“It’s all right,” I said to Fred. “See you in the morning.”
With that, I escorted a drunk Lisa out of the pub, my arm under hers, pulling her slightly behind me. I was trying to hold in my anger, trying to control my emotions, but it wasn’t easy.
I had a very bad feeling as I brought Lisa to my car and helped her inside. I went around to the driver’s side and got in, fastening my seat belt, my jaw way too firmly clenched. I took in a deep breath and tried to relax, closing my eyes for a moment, my hands on the wheel. I was the adult in this situation and I wasn’t going to let a drunken woman make me act as anything else.
After she gave me the address, we drove in silence through the still-busy Manhattan streets to the residence apartment building at NYU where Lisa was living. When we pulled up, I put the car in park, and waited for her to get out.
“Aren’t you going to come up for a nightcap?” she said, a sloppy smile on her lips. “We could carry on the conversation.”
“I’m getting married in a week, Lisa,” I said, my muscles tensing. “Go on up,” I said softly but determinedly. “I’ll see you at the hospital.”
“You come up, help a lady out,” she said. “Aren’t you going to be chivalrous and make sure I get into my apartment safely?”
I shook my head. “I doubt you’re a woman who needs a man to look after her,” I said and leaned over to open her door. “Good night.”
“You know,” she said, her voice taut. “Considering how much I know about your secret life, I’d think you’d be a lot nicer to me.”
I gritted my teeth without thinking. “Is that a threat?”
She sighed and grabbed my hand. “Drake,” she said, her voice pleading. “Why can’t we be friends? We share so much in common – neurosurgery, we’re both in the lifestyle and—.”
“And nothing is going to happen,” I said and pointed out the door. “Please go. I have a beautiful fiancée waiting for me back home.”
She narrowed her eyes and stared into mine. “I could ruin you. I’d think you’d be a lot nicer to me, considering…”
I said nothing but glared at her, adrenaline flowing through me, making my heart race.
“Do you actually think you can blackmail me into a relationship?”
“No,” she said, her voice sounding pleading again, “Drake, don’t be like this. All I want is for us to be friends. That’s all.”
