Page 41 of Reckless Chances
“Don’t get too flattered. We just need another place to drink besides the Last Chance,” Baxter laughed. “And the new bartender isn’t as good as you.” For a new addition to their group of friends, Baxter felt like he’d been hanging out with them for years.
“I’d better stock up on beer then.” Charlie hugged Baxter. “Thanks, dude.” Overcome with gratitude, he proceeded to hug all of his slightly tipsy and very dusty friends. “See you tomorrow,” Charlie opened the door and his friends filed out into the misty night. He brushed the drywall dust off the door handle and turned to see Freddie still perched on one of the barstools.
“Once the second coat is dry, I’ll be able to get the pot lights and all of the fixtures installed. I’ll even work on the weekend now that I’m doing your girlfriend’s project.” Freddie drained his beer and then reached under the bar for another.
“Did you hide that earlier?” Charlie furrowed his brow.
“Did you see how fast that square Baxter was pounding them back?” Charlie kept an eye on his good friend. Charlie worried that Freddie straddled the line of having a drinking problem. Freddie and Logan’s mom had been an alcoholic, and where Logan rarely drank, Freddie had no problem polishing off a six-pack daily.
“Are you walking home tonight?” Charlie hated feeling like the fun police, but after the night he’d had with his brother knew he had to keep closer tabs on those drinking in his bar.
“Of course.” Freddie grabbed the bottle opener from Charlie’s hand and popped the top, then reached behind the bar and grabbed another, popping the top off as well. “Are you riding your bike?”
Charlie nodded towards the storage room, “I’ve got a cot set up in the back there. I’m camping out here until this place is done.”
“Good.” Freddie handed the second beer to Charlie. “Then sit and have a drink with me.”
“It’s three in the morning, Fred.” Charlie was exhausted.
“So?” Freddie took a sip and patted the barstool. “You’re not going to let your friend drink alone are you?”
Charlie took the beer and clinked the neck of Freddie’s bottle with his as he sat down. “Thanks again. Were you in charge of putting together that crew?”
“I ran into Logan today and he made a few calls. If everyone shows up on time you should have flooring, lighting, and painting done by the end of the week.”
“You guys are something else.” Charlie took a sip of his beer. “I never could’ve done this without you.”
“Sure, you could,” Freddie said. “But that’s what friends are for. I know that you would do the same thing for me.”
“I totally would.” Charlie looked around the brewpub, which all of a sudden looked a lot more finished. It wasn’t going to be a huge space, it would only seat about sixty people, including the little patio out front.
“I saw your girlfriend today,” Freddie said. “Is everything okay with you guys?”
Charlie furrowed his brow. The two of them never sat around talking about women. Their conversations revolved around the avalanche report, the condition of the mountain bike trails, or how long the highway was going to be closed.
“She’s not my girlfriend.” Charlie pulled at the label on the sweating beer bottle. “Not anymore at least.”
Freddie nodded slightly. “That’s what I thought. She looked like hell this afternoon.”
“It’s not my problem.” Charlie shrugged, but a twinge of guilt twisted his stomach. She looked like hell because of him. Before Freddie could ask, he added, “I just have too much going on here to deal with a girlfriend right now.”
“That’s all?” Freddie asked. “Nothing happened between you two?”
Charlie wanted to tell Freddie what he’d discovered about Emma, but he still had integrity. He wasn’t going to ruin Emma’s reputation with everyone else in town, that wasn’t his style. “Nope. I just don’t have time for all of that stuff.”
“I hear you. Serena’s been all over me to plan our wedding, but I just don’t have time.”
“Women,” Charlie muttered. “They just don’t get it.”
“But we can’t live without them.” Freddie smacked Charlie’s leg. “I’m going to go and wake Serena up.” He winked. “You should rethink that whole thing with Emma when this is all done. You two looked good together.”
“Maybe,” Charlie said.
Freddie left and Charlie tidied up the empty bottles before heading to the back room where he stripped out of his work clothes and slid into the sleeping bag on his inflatable cot. Cold and alone.
