AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jonny’s roaring and ready to go when I walk into Sharkey’s. From the looks and smell of him, he’s several beers ahead of everyone else. I share a questioning look with Paul and he follows me to the bar to order. The place is slammed, not surprising for a small town on a Saturday night.
“Why doesn’t Wells hire more help?” The same redhead from the only other time I’ve set foot inside Sharkey’s is manning the bar solo.
“I’ve asked the same question. He’s particular and Rhodes keeps up pretty well.”
“Seems like another bartender would pay for themselves.”
Rhodes, who I now know is Lee’s roommate, works her way back up the length of the counter, away from Paul and I.
“What’s the deal with Jonny? Looks like he’s already three sheets to the wind.”
Paul’s mind works as he bobs his head back and forth in search of the words to say.
“I think he’s going through some stuff at home.” Short and to the point, without giving away his friend’s secrets. As a keeper of some of my own secrets, I admire the way Paul says it. In his line of work, maybe confidentiality comes naturally.
With drinks in our hands, we joke around and give each other a hard time at a high top near the pool tables. All the pool tables are full, and at least one of them already has a quarter on it. Kicking Paul’s ass at a game of pool may not happen tonight.
“How’s your car doing?” Lee asks. “Everything good now that the axle’s been replaced?” It’s hard to hear him over the combination of the crowd and the blaring jukebox parked against a nearby wall.
“Doing good. Thanks again for your help.”
“Anytime.” He leans closer, making it easier to hear. “How’s the roommate situation?”
“We’re figuring it out, but no issues so far.” As the words leave my mouth, I realize they’re a lie. There is a big issue for me: how much I enjoy the time I spend with Noah. Last night’s meeting of our bodies was accidental, but I loved it, even through my embarrassment.
“Hang in there, new living arrangements take time.”
“Lee, how old are you?” His demeanor always feels steady and wise, but he’s got the baby face of a teenager, making it impossible to pinpoint his age.
“Just turned twenty-two.”
“I’ve got quite a few years on you, but I think you’ve got everything figured out better than I do. I get the impression you’ve got a good head on your shoulders—hang on to that. There’s not enough of those in the world today.” I feel like the group’s grandfather, dishing out the wisdom of old age.
Lee pulls back and stares. “Areyoudrunk? I have nothing figured out. Hell, I’ve never even been in an actual relationship. I work, hang out with you guys, and every once in a while, spend some time with my cousins and sister.”
“I didn’t know you had a sister. Does she live around here?”
“If you live with Noah, I’m pretty sure you’ve met my sister. They’re best friends.”
“Izabeth’s your sister? You guys must be almost a decade apart in age.”
“Nine years. We’ve got another brother who lives not too far away.”
“Wow. Small world. How’d you end up hanging out with dinosaurs like Jonny, Paul, and me?”
He rolls his eyes at my use of the worddinosaurs. “We work on a lot of the cruisers. When I first moved back here after technical school, I ran into Paul. We have a lot in common, and he’s easy to talk to. It just seemed natural for me to say ‘yes’ when he asked if I wanted to join him and a friend to watch football one day.”
“Yeah, he’s good at making friends.”
I stand next to the high top and monitor Jonny who’s noticeably quieter.
“Jonny, how’s work been going? Are you staying busy?” Lee asks, making small talk with his very drunk friend.
Jonny’s head, which is drooping toward the table thanks to all the beer, pops back up. His eyes swim around looking for the source of the question.
“Uh huh. Doing good.”
“Hey, it looks like our Bengals might have a chance this year.”
