about sixty grand a bottle. You never heard of it? Get some fucking class,” he said, bringing his eyes back to the table. He tried to ignore his friends’ laughter as he lined up his shot, sliding the cue slowly between his fingers. He stilled, taking a breath before he thrust it forward, sending the cue ball spinning across the table. It banked off the opposite end of the table and spun to the right, barely missing Matt’s four ball and tapping the side of the eight ball, sending it gliding into the side pocket.
“Fuck yes!” Chase shouted, pointing at his friend who stood there speechless with his jaw dropped.
“Holy shit,” Tyler laughed. “I can’t believe you just pulled that off.”
“I can’t believe I have to buy this asshole a glass of sixty-thousand-dollar scotch,” Matt said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Chase walked over and clapped him on the back. “Why don’t we start with a Heineken,” he grinned, twirling the cue between his fingers as he walked back toward the other side of the table. As he reached for the chalk, his eyes fell on a girl sitting at the bar. She was looking at him, and the second they made eye contact, she smiled shyly, looking away.
Chase kept his eyes on her as he chalked the cue; she had turned away from him slightly, her wavy red hair shielding her face from him, and his eyes dropped to take in the rest of her. She was wearing black pants and a green shirt that fit her just right. He could see that her stomach was flat, that her chest swelled nicely before it was concealed by the length of her hair. He lifted his eyes back to her face just as she tucked the curtain of red behind her ear, glancing again in his direction. She smiled again, her face flushing slightly as she looked away.
“Alright, Heineken it is,” Matt sighed, walking past Chase.
“Hold up,” Chase said, taking the twenty out of Matt’s hand. “I’ll get the drinks. You rack.” He grabbed the triangle off the side of the table and tossed it to his friend as he walked toward the bar.
He kept to the right, leaving several chairs between him and the girl. He could see her out of the corner of his eye, stealing glances at him as he waited.
“What can I get you?”
“Can I get three Heinekens?”
“Yup,” the bartender said as he turned and reached into the cooler, grabbing three bottles.
As he placed them on the bar, Chase asked, “That redhead down at the other end, do you know what she’s drinking?”
The bartender glanced discreetly in her direction, and Chase smiled at his skill. “Shiraz,” he said, looking up at Chase.
He nodded, reaching in his back pocket for his wallet. “And send her a glass of Shiraz, please.”
“You got it,” he said, taking the money Chase handed him.
He left a generous tip on the bar before he grabbed the three bottles, cocking his head over his shoulder as he walked back to the pool table. He saw the bartender place the glass of red wine down in front of her and say something, gesturing with his head in Chase’s direction. She turned, a slow smile curving her lips as she made eye contact with him.
“Thank you,” she mouthed, and Chase winked, smiling when he saw her cheeks flush a shade of red that rivaled her hair.
“Alright man, see you in a few,” he heard Matt say, and he turned his head in his friend’s direction just in time to see him end the call and put his phone back in his pocket.
“Who was that?” he asked, handing Matt one of the beers.
“Colin. He’s on his way here.”
Chase froze. At the mention of his name, he felt something welling in the pit of his stomach. Something he hadn’t felt in years, because he made no apologies for himself anymore.
He dropped his head, exhaling softly.
He hadn’t seen Colin since Florida, and tonight was not the night he wanted to see him again. He was trying to get his mind off of everything, and the last thing he needed was a flesh and blood reminder of why he couldn’t have what he wanted.
A reminder of what a shitty friend he had become.
“Break,” Chase said to Tyler as he picked up his cue, trying to rid himself of the irritating feeling in his stomach.
Grow up, he thought, taking a swig of his beer. This won’t be awkward unless you