“I know. I want to.”
I could argue with her, but I really don’t have the energy.
“So, uhm” She taps her finger on the counter. “I wanted to apologize.”
“For?”
“For getting us kicked out of the animal shelter. I realize that I may have been a little out of line.”
“A little?” I snap.
“Cut me some slack here, Beau. You know how hard apologies are for me.”
I look away from her again, silently waiting for her continue.
“I realize I was an ass. I know you are trying your hardest to avoid me, and I didn’t realize the animal shelter was your thing. You can tell Annie I’ll stay away from there. I’m sure she’ll let you come back and volunteer.”
“What’s your angle here, Lawson?” I question with a raised eyebrow. “Why are you being so amenable?”
She smiles. “No angle. Maybe I just think I’ve fucked up a lot, and this is one wrong I can actually right.”
I’m not sure if I believe her, but I don’t want to keep having this conversation. While I get she’s trying to be nice, I don’t want to let my guard down too much around her.
Thankfully, the bartender sets down our beers, and Jo sets some cash on the bar. We walk back to the pool tables in silence.
Adam and Jo get back to their game, but before they do, Adam leans in close and whispers, “Do you know if Jo is seeing anyone?”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “I have no idea.”
He thinks for a moment, so I add, “How about I give you two some space to get to know each other better?”
“Dude, you don’t have to do that.”
“I don’t mind. No one wants a third wheel around. I’ll just go hang out at the bar while you finish your game.”
“You sure?”
I nod. “Of course.”
Honestly, I’m grateful for the opportunity to get away from her. Maybe if they are too preoccupied, I can sneak off in a little while without either of them even noticing.
I make my way back to the bar and try to clear my head. It pisses me off that Jo is being so nice. I don’t want her to be nice. I want her to be a bitch, so I can keep hating her without regret.
When I sit down on a barstool, I see there’s a UFC on one of the giant TV’s.
Perfect. I’ll watch guys knock the shit out of each other. That’ll make me feel better.
***
I have no idea how much time passes when Adam finds me with a panicked look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, skipping the pleasantries.
“I need to get out of here. My mom called. She fell and needs someone to come help.”
“Shit, man. Get out of here.”
“Can you keep an eye on Jo? She’s been doing shots of Fireball, and I don’t want anything to happen to her.”
