Pub Talk

I gave Hank a smile, “Thank you, my boyfriend says the same thing to me everyday.”

Confusion briefly crossed his face, then his eyes widened, “No, I didn’t mean it…Well I did mean it but I just meant…” he sighed. “I was just giving you a compliment.”

“Come on,” I said motioning towards the bar. “Let’s go get you something to drink and then I’ll introduce you to some people.”

Hank didn’t say anything as we walked to the bar and got him a beer, he seemed embarrassed still about the compliment he gave me. “Listen, I don’t know if this was a good idea, I feel guilty about being here.”

“What?” I stopped him from walking further. “Why would you feel that way?”

Hank glanced around and then rested against a nearby stool then played with the beer bottle in his hand. “Anna?” He looked up at me, “Do you have a few minutes to talk? Or do you have to get back to your friends?”

As he asked that I looked around to see where Josh was. He was leaning against one of the pool tables in the bar of the pub with Jordan. Both of them were watching us and neither one looked happy. I held up my hand with all my fingers stretched out, “Five minutes”, I mouthed. Josh crossed his arms over his chest, further showing his displeasure, and shook his head. When I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest he looked at Jordan and they spoke for a second. Josh turned back to look at me, shrugged his shoulders and then pushed off the pool table. Jordan did the same thing as Josh did, although he also added a dirty look.

“Ok,” I turned back to Hank. “What’s on your mind?”

“You sure?” Hank asked as he took a sip of his beer.

I nodded, “Oh yes, my boyfriend is very understanding.”

“Lucky you, I don’t know if I would be so understanding in his place.”

“Well you’ll get to meet him soon and you’ll see he’s the best,” I smiled. “So what’s on your mind Hank? Why would you feel guilty about being here?”

“I tried to call my girlfriend earlier to tell her about coming here but her father answered the phone and pretty much told me that she didn’t want to talk to me. I know that’s no true, he doesn’t want her to talk to me.” He shook his head, “I don’t know what his problem is, I really don’t. Do I seem like a bad guy to you?”

“No Hank you don’t,” I pulled up a stool and sat down with him. “I don’t know you that well but I’m pretty sure you aren’t a bad guy. Your girlfriend trusts you to be alone with her daughter while she’s at work, so you have to be a pretty good guy.”

“Her father doesn’t think so. He keeps telling her that she can do better and has actually tried to get her to call her ex up while I’m sitting in the room.”

“Hank why would her father do that? Why don’t you tell me what you know about her ex?”

“All I know is he got her pregnant and didn’t own up to his responsibility when she told him. Heather told me that her father just adored her ex and hasn’t gotten over their break up.” He looked at me, “Why what are you thinking?”

I sighed, “Well Hank I have to tell you, if I were in your girlfriends place and I truly cared about you, then no one would keep me from being with you and I wouldn’t tolerate anyone making you feel like you weren’t good enough.”

He stood up, “You don’t think she loves me.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t.”

“Well that’s just great,” he laughed. “Thanks for the beer and the ‘help’ Anna.”

He started to turn for the door but I grabbed his arm. “Hank wait, look I know you don’t want to hear it but you have to admit, you’ve been wondering the same thing lately.”

“Anna, is everything ok?”

Hank and I turned at the sound of a new voice; standing beside us was both Josh and Jordan. “Guys everything is fine.” I turned back to Hank, “Are you ok?” All the color had drained from his face as he stared at the guys. “Hank?”

His eyes slowly slid back over to me, “I can see why you’d say that about my girlfriend now. I can’t believe you Anna.” There was no stopping him at that point, he grabbed his jacket and stormed towards the door muttering under his breath about being a fool and not seeing it.

I stared at his receding profile in utter shock, why would I care about his relationship? What difference would it make to me? I spun around and stared at the guys about to ask them what happened when it hit me. Oh my god!