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“I’m not staying.”
“You’re kidding?”
“Allison’s here,” He jerked his head toward her.
“So? Just ignore her.” Josh steered him to a set of empty stools just as Billy slid two frosted dark brews in front of them.
Josh raised his glass to Jake. “Cheers.”
Jake sighed. “Cheers.”
He slugged down a big gulp, looking around the crowded space. They were people he had known most of his life, but they felt like complete strangers since he came back from the Service.
“So, what happened with Dad?” Josh asked, resting his elbows on the edge of the bar.
“Look, I thought you wanted to relax and have a drink?” Jake snapped.
“Okay,” Josh said, holding up his hands in surrender. “So, tell me about this new family you have?”
Jake rolled his eyes. “I like her. A lot. So be cool.”
“Doesn’t she have, like… a kid?”
“Emma, yeah. She’s really great.”
“Are you really serious? I mean, I’m happy for you, but she comes with a lot of baggage.”
Jake huffed at his brother’s audacity. “Icome with a lot of baggage.”
And that explained everything to Jake. Hannah was the only other person who really understood who he was, how he felt, and how to move forward. He loved that she took everything life threw at her and just kept going, with quiet strength.
“How about asking her old man for permission?” Josh laughed. “He’s right behind you.”
Jake swung his head around to see Joel Destin stumble out of the bathroom, staggering against the wall.
“Oh man,” Jake said under his breath.
He was beyond drunk. His face was blotched red, his nose swollen. Jake could see the bloodshot eyes from thirty feet away.
“Hey, watch it!” A big, muscle-bound man said to Joel as he spilled a drink on his shirt.
Hannah’s father slurred a retort back at the guy, whose girl was clutching his chest, trying to get him to cool down.
“He’s not worth it Gordo,” someone said.
But the big man had a crazy glint in his eye. He pulled back his arm, ignoring his pleading girlfriend, and swung at Joel. Jake had seen it coming and already jumped from his stool, and yelling out, “Gordo! Gordo, man, he’s with me.”
Gordo stopped his swing and craned around to see who had spoken. He seemed amused when he spotted Jake. “Jakey Malloy, you hanging around with old drunks nowadays?”
Gordo, aka Stanley Gordon, had gained a few pounds since high school. “Just on Saturdays.”
Gordo laughed. “I did hear that you were banging his daughter.”
Before Jake could react, Joel Destin swung a fist and smacked Gordo right in the nose. Blood spurted as other regulars grabbed the man, trying to hold him back before he killed the old man.
“Get him out of here!” someone called out, jerking his head toward Hannah’s father.
Gordo wiped the blood off his face with his shirt while trying to fight off his friends. “Let me at him!”
