CHAPTER
JFK stared down into his drink. He still didn't understand why he’d said what he did to Mercy, but he kept telling himself he'd done the right thing. Saved them both from a lot of suffering down the road and all along the road. Maybe next time he met someone it could work out. Maybe next time he met someone she would be more in his league.
“You know what they say about people who drink alone,” said a voice over his shoulder.
Without looking up, JFK said, "Their friends are worthless?”
Emily pulled out the other chair at the two-seater table and had a seat.
"Oh, I guess I was supposed to help you sit down there,” said JFK. "I mean, we aren't at the station or anything so you are technically a girl, right?"
“Nah, just a friend today. And hopefully not a worthless one. "
“What are you doing here?” JFK hadn't let anybody know he was coming. He'd just wanted some time alone to think.
“A little birdie.”
JFK looked around the room recognized a couple of guys, and thought about two or three other firefighters he'd seen since he been in there. Then again it could have been Pineapple himself who had outed him by calling her. Well, she was here, and it didn't really matter how she got there, she would want to talk.
“I broke it off with Mercy,” said JFK, just putting it out there.
“You did what?” Emily's jaw dropped.
“Told her I didn't think things were working for us. Told her I had plenty of friends already.”
“Well that second part was a big lie,” said Emily immediately. “But what were you thinking with that other part?”
If JFK could answer that question, he wouldn't be sitting alone looking for answers in a short glass of dark liquid.
"Poppy says Mercy is crazy about you.”
“That's impossible. Poppy must be delusional. She spends too much time with animals.”
Emily was silent and just stared at him as if she had something obvious to say but for whatever reason didn't want to say it. JFK matched her stare. He'd already been through this issue in his head; no way was Emily going to push him around about it.
Finally Emily spoke. "What's so crazy about the idea?”
“Just look at me, and look at her.”
"I look at your face plenty. You want to know what I see? "
JFK shook his head. He didn't want anybody stroking his ego or telling him lies about how great he was, which was why he'd sat down alone.
Apparently Emily was going to tell him anyway. "You are a new man. You don't swear, you hardly drink, you've lost what? Forty pounds already? "
That was pretty close. JFK hadn't realized anybody noticed.
Emily added, "You even went to church. No one could have predicted that. "
“Someday I'll find somebody,” said JFK. “Here's how I see it—I helped Mercy get her car going, introduced her to some decent people in the field that she wants to work in, and maybe even helped her stand up to her d—dipstick of a brother at church. She helped me want to change, and even made me believe that I could. I think we both got a pretty good deal.” JFK was even considering going to church again. As hard as it was to listen to the sermon and think about all the things he was doing wrong, there had been a message of hope there as well. He wasn't about to admit that to anybody.
Emily slammed a flat hand down on the table which made JFK's drink jump ten inches and about knocked him out of his chair.
"Any time you actually have a chance with a woman, you do anything you can to keep her at arm’s length! You act like a jerk or you put yourself in the friend zone or you just overall act annoying until you get her to reject you. I think it's easier for you to do that than to actually work towards a relationship, or even act like yourself.” Emily was talking fast and staring him down. “It's you that won't let this happen.”
Sabotage? She thought he was sabotaging himself? “That's a nice theory, M, but come on. We all know two people so unevenly matched will never work out.”
“Do me a favor,” said Emily.
“No.”
Emily threw her hands up. “You don't even know what it is!”
“You’re going to try to get me to keep bugging the most perfect girl in the world—”
“Who's madly in love with you!” interrupted Emily. “Heaven knows why.”
“Funny.”
"You think I didn't feel the same way about Dom?”
“That he's the perfect girl?”
“Really?” said Emily. "You're going to slam the guy who taught you how to change your life?”
JFK smirked. "He shouldn't be such a perfect target if he doesn't want me making fun of him. And still, the answer is no. No favors.”
"Why not? What do you have to lose? "
"It's not that I have a lot to lose, it's just that I don't want to. I don't want people telling me how to live my life. And maybe I don't want the perfect little love story like you and those other losers at the station have.”
“See? Sabotage!” Emily spread her hands as if it was obvious.
“You should write a book,” said JFK in a flat tone. “I bet firefighters around the country would be lining up to read about how they shoot themselves in the foot.”
“Please, JFK! I'll pick up your tab today if you just go talk to Dom’s niece Clover. I don't even care how many drinks you're having. "
JFK picked up the small glass and swirled it a little. “I gave up drinking.” He'd asked for his drink in a small glass because he thought maybe it would make him feel like he was actually getting a buzz from his virgin drink. Plus, he still had a reputation to uphold even though he was sitting around drinking boring old Coke.
"What's that, then?”
"Coke.”
Emily raised one eyebrow. "Rum and Coke?”
“Yep. Rum and Coke, hold the rum. No, that’s a lie.” Emily nodded as if she’d known, but he said, “It’s not even real Coke. It’s Diet. Why do you think I’ve barely touched it?”
"Honestly I thought you were on number three or four by now.” Emily leaned forward with a suspicious look on her face. "Wait. What about your homebrew? "
"Sold it.”
"Look at you! If you would stop telling yourself what a piece of crap you are and just honestly look at yourself for one minute, you and Mercy could have something really special.”
“If you would step back and stop sticking your nose where it wasn’t asked for…” He didn't want her help. He didn't need her help. He had this figured out, and he knew himself better than she did, despite what she might think.
“I'm not going to stop bugging you about this.” Emily folded her arms and sat back in her chair.
JFK stood up. "Yeah, well there are a lot of other places that serve Diet Coke.” He pulled a fiver out of his wallet, slapped it down on the table, and walked out of Pineapple’s.