Eric

“Why do you want to go back to that bar? There were literally no chicks there last night. Brock needs to have some fun tonight. And so does Mr. Brock. If you know what I mean.”

I roll my eyes and shake my head, setting my mouth in a flat line.

“You know what? You fucking creep me out when you talk about yourself and your dick in third person. You need some help.”

“Yes, I do. In the form of boobs and...”

“Stop. I get it without the detail.”

“You asked.” He shrugs before banging on Eddie’s door.

“Cruz!” He shouts before banging again. “Let’s go to the bar.”

“Fuck off, Brock.” He replies, making me chuckle.

“Listen, Waynsie. You go ahead to that shit hole bar if you want. But I’m going to find a better place to spend my time.”

“Suit yourself.” I shrug at him, before turning towards the elevator. “Just don’t go off and do something dumb and get yourself in trouble.”

“Pssh. Please. Like that ever happens.” I raise an eyebrow at him, and even he can’t keep a straight face. Brock is always getting himself, and, usually me into trouble.

But not today. Today, I’m steering clear of both he and his antics. I need to see if Avery is working, and hopefully, get a chance to talk to her again.

This time though, I’m not going to insult her or do anything to piss her off for that matter. I want to talk to her. Find out what in the hell she’s been doing for the last six years, and...maybe see if there is any chance that she has the slightest of feelings still for me. I know that it’s a long shot...hell. It’s more than a long shot.

But I can’t help but to try. Because if there’s even a glimmer of hope where she is concerned?

I’m going for it.

I’m man enough to admit where I’ve made mistakes in my life, and I can tell you, that no mistake I’ve made is greater than the ones that caused me to lose her love.

I was too young and stupid to fully realize what I had with her, and what I was losing.

But that young and dumb kid?

He’s long gone.

He’s been replaced with a man who knows a damn gem when he sees one. And in this case?

That gem is Avery Cooper.

It’s been six years, but not a damn day has gone by that she hasn’t crossed my mind. I’ve always wondered what she was up to, and whether or not she had ever moved on.

Not that I had any rights to wonder if she had, and hell. I gave her enough reason to firmly leave me in the past.

But my heart has never fucking forgotten her, and the rest of me?

Well, I’ve always wondered where we would be today had I not done what I did.

That’s the thing with a love like that.

What I had with her was real. And that kind of love? I know for sure that it just doesn’t happen twice.

And even though I have given her every reason to hate my guts, still.

I’m going to try like hell to get her to forgive me.

For a long time, I’ve just been going through the motions, walking around as one big empty shell of a man, unable to ever let myself care about anyone else.

The reason for that is Avery. It’s always been Avery.

And if I accomplish nothing else today?

I simply need her to know that.

**

“WELL, HEY THERE HANDSOME. You must have really liked what we were serving last night to be back so quickly.”

The blond bartender leans across the bar at me, shamelessly thrusting her chest forward as she bats her eyes at me.

“Yeah. I did like it here. Listen, is Avery here?”

She sticks her lip out in a pout slightly, before shrugging.

“Yeah, she’s here somewhere. I told her that you were asking about her last night, though. I don’t think she’s interested.” She leans forward, before winking and me, and resting her elbows on the bar top so that she can lean even closer to me.

“But I am. I’m a lot more fun than Avery is anyhow. All she does is work and go to school. Boring.”

She winks at me again, and I lean back on my barstool, trying to put a little distance between us.

“I’m free tonight. You know, if you were looking to have a little fun.” She licks her lips before tossing her hair over her shoulder.

“Great game tonight, by the way. You really know how to handle a bat.” With a giggle, she scribbles her phone number on a napkin and thrusts it my way.

“I’m off at midnight tonight. It’s Avery’s turn to close.”

I shove the napkin back across the bar to her, before shaking my head. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m going to have to decline. But, if you see a tall blond guy make his way in here later? I can pretty much guarantee that he would love to get to know you. His name is Brock.”

Her mouth opens slightly, but she loses all my attention after that. Because as I glance down the bar, I catch a glimpse of Avery.

And just like that, my focus lands entirely on her.

Her shiny brown hair is wrapped up on the top of her head in a messy bun, a few tendrils falling out and brushing across her cheek. She’s wearing a tight black fitted t-shirt and faded ripped jeans that cling to her in all of the right places...and my words are suddenly stuck in my throat.

Her beauty is palpable, even from across the room. And like a moth to a flame, suddenly I’m shoving back my bar stool and heading down to the opposite end of the bar.

It takes her a moment to notice me, but when she does, she frowns hard before cutting her eyes at me.

“You again.” She crosses her arms, before staring me down. “I should be surprised, yet oddly, I’m not. You always were persistent.”

“I’m always persistent when I see something that I want.”

“Also true.” She sighs, before leveling her gaze with mine. “I’m sure that all of the girls at your college would also agree with that statement. Did you hunt them down like this also? Or did they just flock to you?”

“Always going to go back to that, aren’t we?” I exhale slowly, before nodding towards the beer case.

“Mind getting me a Corona before you finish berating me with your mouth?”

“Sure thing.” She plasters a fake smile on her face before spinning around and stomping to the cooler. She grabs out my beer before slamming it down in front of me.

“Four dollars.”

I grab a credit card out of my wallet and slap it onto the bar top.

“How about if I run a tab. I’m gonna be here awhile.”

Her eyes level with mine as she sighs, long and slow before her hands fly to her hips.

“Why? Need to drink away your sorrows for that shitty performance that you call professional baseball? Or are you simply trying to wreck my fucking day?”

“Whoa.”  I shake my head before pointing at her.  “First of all, I’m not trying to wreck anyone’s day. And second?  Did you even see that game? Because we won.” I exclaim, before pointing up to the tv screen, which is currently highlighting the recaps of the game that I just played a few hours ago.

“I watched it. At least some of it.  I didn’t need to watch the whole thing to know that you played like shit.”

I can’t help it. I burst out laughing, which only makes her glare deepen.

But for real- I can’t remember the last time that somebody talked to me like this, and well. It feels pretty damn good.

“Jesus, Ave’s. Way to mince your words.”

“I don’t have to mince anything. I’m not going to stand here and try to feed your already huge ego. You played like shit. Enough said.”

With that, she grabs my credit card and tosses it behind the bar.

The crowd in the bar picks up as the night goes on, and Avery begins to pay me less and less attention. If there is even a way for her to pay me less attention, because she literally ignores me until I have a completely empty beer bottle, which she then simply grabs off the bar, pops open another one and sets it in front of me without even glancing at my face.

But it’s fine. Since I know that Avery will be here until two am, I have all the time in the world. I know that if this bar is anything like it was last night, around midnight, the crowd will die down. And by two am?

It will be just her and I in here. If it takes me sitting here on my ass until then in order to get her to speak to me, then dammit all, that’s exactly what I’m going to be doing.

She steps away from the bar for a bit to wait on some tables. As she does, an older woman comes out of the office, and glances around the place, checking the stock of a few of the bottles and beer coolers, before greeting those of us who are seated at the bar.

She stops in front of me, and smiles sweetly up at me, before recognition dawns.

“Oh, my! You’re one of those baseball players, aren’t you?” Her whole face lights up as she stares at me, before glancing back up to the TV screen which is currently replaying our game.

“Yes Ma’am.” I nod at her, as she presses her hand over her chest.

“Oh, lord. You are even more good looking in person. I hear that’s a hard thing to do.” She laughs softly, before nodding her head towards Avery.

“I’m afraid you sat at the wrong end of the bar, dear. That bartender isn’t known for being so friendly. I’d be happy to clear a spot for you at the other end. Lainey’s my niece, and she is far friendlier than her.”

She tilts her head towards Avery before wrinkling up her nose. “I get complaints on her all of the time.”

“Really?” I chuckle softly because I can only imagine why. She’s never been fake, so imagining her succeeding as a bartender, having to be friendly and bubbly all the time?

Well, it just doesn’t fit her personality.

“She’s been fine. Very nice, and very attentive.” I assure her, ignoring the way that her eyes widen.

“Well...good. But still, I could move you...”

“I’m fine right where I’m at.”

“Ok. Suit yourself. But, my name is Linda, so if you need anything, I’m the bar manager. I’d be happy to help you.”

“Thanks.” I nod at her, before taking another swig of my beer.

She’s just about to walk away when I stop her.

“Actually, Linda? I do have a question for you. I’m paying with a credit card. I know some places are different, and, I’m not from around here. Obviously.” I flash her a smile, wide enough to show my dimples.

She blushes.

“But I’m wondering... what’s the most that I can tip on a credit card? You know, so that my bartender could actually walk out with that cash tonight? What’s the max amount? I didn’t really plan ahead and bring cash.”

“One thousand...” she says slowly before her eyes narrow and her mouth drops open.

“But wait, why do you want to leave her so much?”

“What?” What an odd damn thing to ask. This is a bar after all...the whole point of being a bartender is to get tipped.

She sucks in air, as her eyes widen. “Does she know who you are?”

“Well, yes, but only because...”

“That little bitch.” She fists her hands at her sides, as her face turns beet red, and she shakes her head in disbelief.

“Of all the rotten, incomprehensible things...this is a bar. A good bar, and I will not tolerate my bartenders selling their sob stories about eviction to the celebrities who visit us!”

“Wait, what?”

Eviction story? Avery is getting evicted?

What in the actual fuck?

“Ma’am, I think that you misunderstood why I was asking...”

“Avery!” She steps up onto a stool, before screaming her name across the bar in a loud, shrill scream.

Avery immediately stops what she is doing, which is taking an order from a table and spins around to face her.

Actually, the manager makes it into such a spectacle, that a hush falls over the crowd and everyone stops and turns to look.

“I need to speak to you. NOW.”

I watch as the shock registers on her face, and she says something to the table of customers, before turning and walking towards Linda, and towards me with a completely puzzled expression.

“Did you recognize this man sitting right here?”

Her finger flies towards me, as Avery looks between Linda and I with her mouth wide open.

“Well, yes I did, but I actually know...”

“I didn’t ask you for an explanation. I simply asked a yes or no question. Do you know who this man is?”

“Yes,” Avery states with a shrug.

“Linda, really, I’m not sure what you are thinking...” I start to interject, but she completely ignores me and shakes her head.

“It is bad enough, that I have to work around your schedule. I mean, really. I could have a different girl in here tomorrow, who is far better looking than you are, and actually friendly to my patrons. But, I felt sorry for you. So, I did my good deed by hiring you. But then, you have the nerve to come in here, to my bar, and sell your sob story to this kind young man? You are using this as your platform to beg for money? It is not his fault that you are getting evicted from your apartment. Not his fault at all. That is yours. Maybe, you should think twice before begging for money. You are fired. Fired as of right now! Get out of here, and you are not welcome to ever come back!”

Holy shit.

Well, that just completely blew up into something that I didn’t expect.

“Are you serious?” Avery finally forces out, as her face turns beet red. She whips her head towards me, before narrowing her eyes.

“You told her I was begging you for money? What in the actual fuck Eric?”

“No, no. Linda.” I wave my hands to her, trying to find some way to fix this. “You have it all wrong. She didn’t...”

“Your drinks are all on the house tonight.” She says to me, before turning her attention back to Avery. “And his tab will be coming out of your last paycheck. Of all the nerve...” she shakes her head, as I hop out of my seat.

“No, no no. Charge my card for my drinks. It’s right up there.”

“Absolutely not.” She storms to the register and grabs my credit card before thrusting it down in front of me.

“Fuck you, Linda. You are a worthless crotchety, bitch.” Avery seethes, stepping closer to her so that their faces are only inches apart. “I hated this job anyways. So, thanks for doing me the favor.”

She sidesteps her before storming towards the door.

“Have fun being homeless,” Susan calls after her, before rolling her eyes and trying to turn her attention to me.

“I am so sorry about all of that. Really, you can have whatever...”

I pretty much ignore her, before turning and running towards the door, after Avery.

Well, fuck.

If this was my sign that I was begging for?

Good Lord.

It’s basically a sign that I should stay away. Because everything that I just did back there?

Did nothing but cause a major problem.

“Avery...fuck. Avery, wait!” I burst through the door, scanning both ends of the sidewalk until I see her figure moving quickly down the street.

I run after her, bobbing and weaving through the crowds of people to try to catch up.

“Ave’s!” I call when I finally get to her. “Avery, hold up.”

I reach out, and grab her arm, stopping her in her tracks as I spin her towards me.

Her eyes are huge and filled with tears as she turns her head away from me.

“Eric, please. Just leave me alone.” She sniffles, before reaching up and wiping an escaping tear from her eye.

“You’ve done enough.”

“Fuck. I know. All of that back there? I didn’t even mean for any of that to happen. I was just asking how much I could leave you for a tip. That was it, and she turned it into all of that. What a bitch.” I finish, making the corners of her mouth turn up slightly.

“That she is.” She agrees, before shaking her head. “I really need to go.”

“No, listen. Fuck. Are you really getting evicted?”

She narrows her eyes at me, before taking a step backward. “That is none of your business.”

“Well, now it kind of is, since if you are, and I just made you get fired...”

“I probably would have ended up getting fired anyway. Linda was just looking for a reason.  She’s hated me from the very beginning.”

“So, then that’s a yes. How much money do you need?”

She scoffs at me, before shaking her head and marching back down the street. “I don’t need a damn thing from you.”

“I know that you don’t. But I want to help you...”

“You want to help me?” She turns and walks backward, cutting her eyes at me. “Then leave me alone.”

“No.” I turn and hurry along after her.

“I’m not leaving you alone. Not until you let me know how much money you need.”

“Fuck off, Eric.” She continues walking, making me sigh.

“Ok then. Guess I’m just going to be a stalker and follow you home. Because I’m not walking away until a few things happen.”

“Hope you like the cold.” She shrugs, before quickening her steps.

“You don’t want to hear what I need to have happen?”

“Nope.” She snaps, quickening her pace. “I don’t even remotely care about what you want.”

“Okey dokey then.” I shrug, following along just a few steps behind her.

I follow her for a while, without saying a word, simply taking in all my surroundings.

While we started out in a more populated, metropolitan area, the further we walk, the more I notice that the neighborhood is...

Well...

It’s turning to shit.

We pass by a group of what I am presuming to be homeless men burning what smells like trash in a garbage can, and then a few more steps in, and I’m pretty sure that I pass a hooker.

Avery keeps walking though, with her head held high, every so often scanning her surroundings.

But me?

Hell, I’m freaking out. Not that I’m afraid for myself, because, well, I can handle my own.

But knowing that Avery walks this often, possibly every damn day all by herself?

Fuck.

A million possibilities of things that could happen to her run through my mind, and my blood boils at the thought.

“Avery.” I finally say, more firmly than any of the times before. “We need to talk.”

“I kind of liked it when you were just being the creepy stalker who didn’t say a word.” She retorts, without a single glance backward to me.

“Ok, listen. All jokes aside. This does not seem like a safe neighborhood.”

“It’s not.” She says, still keeping her eyes forward. “But it’s what I can afford. Not all of us are multimillion dollar superstars.”

“You don’t have to live like this. Why are you here? For god’s sake, you could be living back in Michigan with your dad if things were this bad!”

“I’m fine.” She keeps walking, as we pass yet another prostitute.

“I swear to God woman...” I hiss, as she giggles ahead of me.

“Calm down, hotshot. I’m sure you can just call for a car service to come and scoop you up and take you back to the rich world where you came from. I know that you aren’t used to how the other half lives, but, trust me. I can handle my own over here. But you?” She spins around and glares at me. “You should probably call someone.”

Alright. So, while I deserve to be treated like this, I’ve about had enough. Enough of the rich boy comments, the hotshot comments.

All the hatred being thrown my way?

Yeah. Some of its deserved. But, enough is enough.

I take two large steps until I am directly in front of her. I grab her into my arms and pull her off the sidewalk, leaning her body against the brick wall of townhomes.

“Listen to me, Ave’s. You can talk all the shit that you want, ok? I know that I have it coming. I hurt you, and the things that I did to you weren’t fair. But enough of the rich boy comments. That isn’t me. That isn’t really me. And you know that. Hell. This?” I wave my hands around before focusing my eyes back on hers, which at this point, are large and round, staring up at me with intense curiosity.

“This is far better than any place that I grew up in. And you know that. I have followed you here, let you beat me down with your words, and trotted after you like a damn puppy. But I’m done. I know that you’re stubborn and you don’t want to hear what I have to say. But dammit, I want you to hear it. I’m sorry for what happened between us. Don’t think that I haven’t wished a million fucking times that I had made a different decision? Because I have, ok? I’m not dumb enough to think that I have any kind of shot with you. But I want to help you. I have the means to do so, without any damn strings attached. And while at first, I wanted to just pay off your landlord? Now after seeing exactly where the fuck you live? I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to put you up somewhere, better, nicer and safer. So, let me, Avery. Let me help you. I’m not taking no for an answer.”

“Fuck you.” She pulls out of my arms, before turning and moving even faster down the street.

I just shake my head, damned determined that at least if I’m not going to get through to her tonight, at the very least I can see where she lives so that maybe I can try again tomorrow, especially since now I can’t use the bar as a way to find her.

But after that? After tomorrow?

I’ll be gone. Back in South Carolina, and onto another stretch of games. If I don’t find a way to break through with her now?

She’s likely to slip through my fingers and I may never have another chance.

It’s now or never.

“Oh my god!” She cries, as we turn the corner, and come face to face with bright siren lights.

“Oh no!” She cries again, before running full force towards the lights.

My heart begins to thump in my chest as I chase after her, towards a door that has been kicked off of the hinges and lays dejectedly on its side out on the pavement.

“You live on the damned ground level?” I mutter, red-hot rage filling me up.

But she’s not listening to me. She’s screaming out a name, as she tries to push her way through the police officers and into what I am assuming to be her home.

“Ma’am.” One of the officers reaches out grabbing her as she screams and begins to claw at him.

“Ave’s. Baby. Whoa.” I wrap my arms around her and pull her back, as she screams something to the officer that comes out as just a jumble of words.

“My son.” She cries, before pushing hard against my arms.

“Jackson? Oh my god. Jackson!”

“Your son?” A bucket of ice cold water couldn’t take my breath away any more than those two words.

I freeze, long enough for her to break out of my embrace and run forward, towards the officers.

“This is my home.” She cries, looking frantically towards the door. “Where is my son?”

“You live here?” The officer nods to Avery who manages to scream out, “Yes!” as she continues to look frantically all over the place.

The officer glances between the two of us, before nodding his head in the direction of a police cruiser.

“The boys fine. Your neighbor is also fine. They’re right over there.”

Avery breaks out into a sprint, before wrenching open the door to the car, and grabbing out a tiny little boy with a mop of brown curly hair, dressed in pajamas, seemingly completely confused by the entire situation.

I watch them for just a second, my stomach completely dropping to my feet, as a feeling of defeat washes over me.

Avery has a son...which means that she has most definitely moved on.

And even though I have no reason to feel the way that I do, I can’t even help myself.

The idea of any other man having a claim on her literally pisses me off.

I stare at them, watching the way that Avery sobs as she clings to him, every so often pulling back to run her hands through his hair before embracing him again.

My emotions are so all over the place that I can’t even focus on a single one.

What if she isn’t taken?

I certainly don’t see a damn man around here, and for real.

What kind of man would let his woman walk through the damn ghetto all by herself?

I’m not gonna try to break up a happy home here, but damn.

Avery deserves better and if there isn’t a home to be wrecked?

I’m still gonna try to move on in this.

Her having a little boy won’t be deterring me.

In fact?

It almost makes me want her more.