We overstayed our welcome, and the same flouncy waiter told us he’d need to seat a reservation at our booth. I thought Alec might bite his head off from the way he looked at him, but I should’ve known better.
“We’re not done with our drinks yet, and I think I’d like another. Can we close out with you, and move to the bar, or can you serve us there too? Hate to screw you out of a bigger tip,” Alec said.
I ignored the image of the server serving Alec at the bar in a different way. He was gracious and impressed Alec had such a presence of mind while a few glasses of whiskey deep.
The bar was a separate area that was much of the same as the dining room, with tall booths, dark woods and leathers, but more of it. I wished we would’ve sat there for dinner, even if the booths were smaller.
The new setting changed the mood. We were still having a good time, but it felt more… I don’t know how to describe it. Authentic? Honest? Like we let go of the pretense of our relationship. No more colleagues, or boss and employee, but friends. Just two guys sharing a win and a drink.
Things turned darker with Alec’s second order. I raised my brow at him, and he said, “What?”
“Nothing, man.” I chuckled.
“Are you tired? Want to head back? I can cancel it.”
“No. Just…” I smirked. “Remember that time you told me I wasloose?Well, Alec, I’ve never seen you looser than you are right now.”
Alec laughed hard. “I am nowhere near aslooseas you were that night. We didn’t see you for about an hour, and you had what? Three whiskies? You weren’t about to fall down, but I could’ve sold you the Brooklyn Bridge without trying.”
I tilted my head and lifted my glass to him. “If you say so. You’re the boss.” I finished the last of my drink. “Just never seen you drink so much. Especially when we have more meetings tomorrow.”
“Not till ten. We’re good. But I needed to blow off some steam. Shit’s been rough.”
“You think so? I thought we’d been doing pretty well.”
Alec, slowed by the booze, looked at me and said, “No, man. Work’s great. Just home shit.”
His tone landed like a lead brick. I couldn’t help but imagine the worst.
“Oh yeah? Everything okay? Are you… is your wife sick?”
He chortled. “No, Viv’s healthy as a horse.” The server came by with his drink before he could go on, and once it was in his hand, he took a deep sip.
I waited for him to go on. When he didn’t, I said, “Well, I hope it works out.”
“It won’t.”
“What do you mean?”
He pulled back as he formed the words. “My… Nah, man. I don’t want to bog you down with personal bullshit.”
“You’re not bogging me down. I respect you. If you wanna share, I’m all ears and tight lips. If not, I respect that too.”
Alec evaluated me, tensing his eyes. “My wife asked for a separation.”
I settled back in the booth, not knowing what to say other than, “Oh shit.”
“Yeah.”
“Why?” I asked, not thinking through the unfettered interaction with my boss.
Alec sighed, sipped his drink, and said, “This is some real personal shit, Blackwood. Don’t let me hear you’re going to HR saying I’m being inappropriate.”
“No, man. Forget about work. Just talk to me.”
He sighed again. “We’ve been trying for kids since our honeymoon. Years and years. Doctors upon doctors. Treatments, drugs, procedures, everything. The issue is mine and can’t be solved.”
I wanted to ask him what the issue was, but it didn’t sound like he wanted to share.
