Page 53 of More than a Memory

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see about that. She gave that win to you,” the guy jabbed, as he chalked up his cue stick and took the first shot, breaking hard but not sinking anything.

“Ha, Darcy did much better than that on her opening shot,” Anthony said sarcastically.

“I’m slightly distracted by the enchanting stranger,” his opponent flirted, directing the comment to Darcy.

“I wouldn’t want to be the cause of you losing, now would I?” she said, turning to head back to her barstool.

“Can I buy you a drink?” the man called after her, determined to capture her attention.

“Maybe later, thanks,” she said, brushing him off kindly.

“Thanks for the game, Anthony,” she called over her shoulder as they all watched her retreating behind sway as she left them practically drooling.

“Wow, who the hell is she?” the man asked Anthony.

“Don’t get all riled up, she’s looking for an ‘old friend,’” he said, using his fingers in the air to imitate quotation marks. “Liam Anderson. Do you know him?”

“No, but he is one lucky dude!”

“You got that right,” Anthony replied, turning back to focus on his next shot, his competitive nature overtaking his sexual alpha male persona.

Darcy ordered a burger and fries from the bartender but declined a beer refill. While waiting for her food, she eavesdropped on surrounding conversations, hoping to hear anything that might be relevant. As she was taking her first bite, a very distinguished and resonant voice placed an order for a cocktail. Curious as to who belonged to that voice, she almost choked on her burger when she saw that it was none other than Captain Josiah Williams, who sat down with only one stool between them. Trying to be cool, she quickly looked away, pretending a disinterest that was at complete odds with her internal state.

She was able to study him more discreetly by glancing in the back-bar mirror. He was drop-dead gorgeous, and if she were in the market for a long-distance fling, she would have wasted no time in pursuing this guy. His skin was flawless, the color of the finest polished mahogany. His piercingly deep brown eyes showed an intensity and intelligence, and one could sense immediately that he didn’t miss much that went on around him.

She decided to engage the bartender, Rick, hoping to get a group discussion going with the intention of drawing Josiah into the conversation. She had read up on North Carolina’s NFL team, the Carolina Panthers, so she could talk intelligently about them, on the off chance an opportunity such as this presented itself.

“So, tell me, do you think the Panthers have a shot at the championship?” she asked loudly. trying to talk over the bar noise.

“They’re really impressing me this season. They’ve won two NFC championship games in the past, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them there again this year. It’s a little too soon to predict, but they’re playing strong and tight this year,” Rick said enthusiastically.

A deep voice chimed in: “Their quarterback is on fire.”

Caught! He went for the worm, Darcy thought. Now I just need to reel him in very slowly.

“So how are the Falcons and Buccaneers compared to the Panthers this season?” she asked, referring to the Panther’s fiercest rivals in the league.

“Well, I’m a little biased, but I think they’re kicking their sorry asses,” Josiah joked. “Pardon my French,” he added.

“Hey, I’m with you on that one, team loyalty and all that!” Darcy replied, happily munching on her fries.

“Can I buy you a beer?” he asked, Darcy obviously having piqued his interest.

“Sure, I think I’m ready for another cold one.”

“What brings you to this watering hole?”

“Well, to be honest, I’m looking for an old friend, Liam Anderson. Do you know him?” she asked innocently.

She watched as his eyes became shuttered and a veil seemed to slip across his face.

“Shit!” Darcy thought, he’s slipping off the hook.

“Can’t say that I do. Why are you looking for him?” Josiah asked.

“I’m in town and thought I’d catch up with him. Since this was the last place where I hung out with him, I came here first. We lost touch several years ago and I wanted to see how he was doing.”

She hoped that was a plausible explanation.