AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A kid.
My kid.
I had to choose Lindsey over someone I had just met at a random diner. It didn’t matter that I had been more excited to see Charlie that night than I was over seeing Lindsey again.
I still went back. The next night. But she wasn’t there. I’m not sure what I would have said if she had been or what I’d have done. Whether it would have changed anything or not. But she wasn’t there. And then things got a little better with Lindsey even after we learned that she hadn’t been pregnant and we got married and Charlie became a good memory that made me smile from time to time.
Someone walking on the sidewalk bumped into my shoulder and I shook myself out of the memories. I let out a long breath, looked at Charlie’s smiling face again and I couldn’t, wouldn’t walk away. Not this time. As selfish as I acted, I didn’t know how to leave her with him. Maybe if I watched them for a little, maybe I could convince myself that I didn’t have a right to disrupt her plans.
I sneaked in, hiding behind people so I could get to the bar area without being seen by Charlie. I bumped into a waiter but somehow we righted each other without him dropping any plates and moved on in our respective directions.
Once I was sitting at the bar, it was too late to leave. Since I was already here, I could just get a drink and then leave. I chanced a look over my shoulder and watched as she smiled at her date and whatever-his-name nodded enthusiastically. She reached for her drink and took a small sip, still smiling at him. Ralph kept on talking and I leaned back, straining my ear to hear what they were talking about, mainly to hear what he was saying that was making her smile, but it didn’t work. There were too many people around. And I was too far away.
‘What can I get you?’ the bartender asked, and I jerked in my seat as if I’d been caught. I felt like a complete idiot. Rubbing the back of my neck, I tried to think. I had no right to be there, that was for sure, but I wasn’t going to leave. Not yet.
‘Whisky, please,’ I said after a sigh.
I decided to have my drink, maybe half of it, make sure she was having a good time – because she deserved a good date – and then just leave. The last thing I wanted to watch was Charlie on a date. Or Charlie at the end of a date. Kissing the said date. But clearly I was acting like a jealous fool, and I didn’t think I had the strength to move away from my seat, unless it was towards her.
I chanced another look over my shoulder after the bartender left. Ralph, this blond and blue-eyed guy, was grinning at Charlie happily, his eyes not straying from her, and Charlie was leaning forward as if she were about to tell him a secret. Since she was wearing a black dress and showing some serious cleavage that lifted her boobs, I watched as his eyes strayed. Charlie’s face fell momentarily as she noticed where he was looking. My shoulders stiffened.
‘Your whisky, sir.’
Sighing, I turned around. ‘Thank you.’
Raising my glass, I shook my head and took a healthy swallow. I had officially lost my mind. My gaze darted around, taking in all the other customers enjoying their dinner and drinks. Then I glanced at the reason I was sitting in a restaurant. She looked amazing. As always. And almost happy. I knew her smiles by now and this one wasn’t one of my favourites. I took another long swallow from my drink, my throat burning from the smooth liquid. I managed to spend a few minutes without glancing over my shoulder as I played with the glass. I checked my phone. Twice. I massaged my temples. I did everything but leave.
Letting out a long breath. I looked their way again. They were eating their dinner in silence. Then Charlie looked up and offered him another one of her smiles. Seeing her smile caused a jolt of excitement to shoot through me, but it died pretty quickly. Ralph must have said something fucking funny because her smile widened and she laughed. The soft and somehow pretty sound reaching my ears. Or maybe I had gotten so used to it that I could already hear it in my head. Then what’s-his-name reached for his phone instead of joining her and started texting somone. It was the second time he disrespected her and I didn’t like it.
Pretty much disgusted with myself, I order another glass of whisky. My last one. When I put my hand on my bouncing knee to stop it since it had started annoying even me, I decided it was time for me to go as soon as I finished my drink. She didn’t look ecstatic to be there, but she must have been enjoying herself. She didn’t need me to come and save her.
