Page 43 of Lying Hearts
Chapter Twenty-Six
Brendan
At Knockout. Head: elsewhere. Irritation: building like a volcano in summer.
It’s after two and Bobby’s kicked everyone out but me and Teri. He’s remembering the time we had to kick a drunken guy out for hitting on a table of girls. “And this guy!” He points to me. “This guy goes over and says, ‘Excuse me. Is he bothering you ladies?’ All four of them nodded! The guy looked at Brendan like he was the biggest dick. But Brendan here is always the gentleman, and could see from afar that the girls didn’t like the guy.”
“It wasn’t hard to figure out. They were shifting in their seats and I heard one of them ask him to leave.”
Teri rolls her eyes. “Don’t be so humble. A lot of guys wouldn’t have helped. So what happened?”
“The guy told Brendan… What’d he tell you again?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Oh yeah! He said, ‘Dude, I’m talkin’ here. Why don’t you go back to where you were and forget about it.’”
Teri makes a noise. “I bet that went over well.”
“Yeah, right? Brendan replied, cool as school, ‘Why don’t you take off so the ladies here can enjoy the rest of their night without listening to a douche bag.’ The guy was pissed!”
I look over to the window, my mind on Annie. “Douche bags can’t be tolerated.” Teri glances from me back to Bobby, waiting for more.
Bobby holds his hand over his mouth while he talks, and says through a burst of laughter, “The guy reared back to punch Brendan, but B-man nailed him first. Right in the nose and broke it.”
“You’re such a badass.” Teri leans forward to run her hand up my thigh and give me a peck on the lips. I receive it, but my mind is elsewhere.
I look at the clock, staring at it, deep in thought.
Bobby’s laugh fades as he sees me. “Brendan, that’s the fifteenth time you’ve checked the clock.”
Teri asks, “Did you want to get going now? I can leave whenever.”
I don’t like this pull I’m feeling. I can’t get it out of my head that I’m not at Le Barré. That I want to be. That I don’t want to be anywhere else. That’s she’s waiting for me, probably thinks I’m a dick. What am I doing here? What is wrong with me?
I throw a questioning look to both of them, distracted. “What?”
“I said you keep looking at the clock. If you guys want to go, then go. I have a bed that’s calling my name, too. Only no one’s in it.”
I stare at Bobby like he’s speaking another language. “Oh, right.” Turning to Teri, I see the sexy gleam in her eyes, a look I’d usually be all over. She’s great. I like her a lot. She’s a regular, but man if I don’t see Annie staring back at me saying, And what you want is me.
I just need more time away from her. It’ll pass.
“Let’s go.” I get off the stool and throw some cash to Bobby. “That cover it?”
“Get the fuck out of here.” But he takes it anyway.
I smirk. “Asshole.”
“You looking in a mirror”?”
Teri laughs and follows me. “How old are we now?” I hold open the door for her like I always do, but my smile is missing.