Over my dead body ~James Barnes~

Part 11

"So how did the meeting go?" James says while he sees Steve walking towards him at the bar.

"Where the hell were you, James? I had to do the goddamn meeting with two idiots who didn't even know what this meeting was about!" Steve says while he takes a seat next to him. "You were with Candace the whole day, weren't you?"

James keeps his eyes on his drink and draws circles with his finger on the glass. "Well, you saw me leaving with her, so I guess there's your answer." James says as he turns to face Steve "Yes, I was with Candace."

"What's with that girl. You've never missed a meeting for a girl. Not even when you're sick." Steve says as he orders two more drinks. "Is she that good in bed?"  he says with a laugh.

"Steve, I didn't sleep with her." He runs his hands through his hair. "I didn't sleep with her, and I didn't kiss her."

"You like her?" He smirks at James while taking a big sip of his beer.

"Yes." He keeps his gaze on his drink.

"Anyways, we can hang out at my place Saturday with the other guys. Say around 8?" Steve says and he pats James on his shoulder. "My man is turning 35!" He laughs.

"I need to do something." James says to him. He stands up, grabs his jacket and drinks his scotch in one go. He walks out of the bar and walks towards his car. He grabs a cigarette out of his pocket and lights it up.

—————————————

"How did your surgery go?" Miles asks me while he's
Cleaning all the tables.

"Pretty good, after the surgery of 6-hours I fell asleep for 3 hours in one of the nurse rooms, but it was great and she's okay."

"Alright Dr. Russo." He says and he gives me a high five.

"Did you tell James?" Louis asks me while were sitting at a table in the coffeeshop. Its past midnight and it's been closed for about two hours now, but we like to hang out after closing time, just the three of us.

I pour myself an oat milk latte since Miles refuse to make it for me. Every time I ask for oat milk, he fake pukes so I'm just making it myself from now on.

"No, I didn't tell him. I'm not gonna tell him I was married, and that he's dead now. He doesn't need to know that. I am willing to put that behind me and forget that it ever happened. A new start with an empty past. For all I care, I was never married and I've never been a widow.. Oh, and I've never seen the inside of a prison. You?" I move closer to their faces, and I whisper to them. "I heard it's pretty wild in there."

Miles and louis are both looking at me, waiting for my mouth to shut up. "Yea.... I was talking about if he knows that you like him." Miles says trying to hold in his laugh. "But I totally agree with what you just said too."

"Hah....." I look at them, squeezing my eyes and I rest my elbows on the tiny coffee table in front of me. "Yea I... I knew that."

"Anyways, I'm gonna go. I have a 6 hour surgery tomorrow and its already making me tired and exhausting." I say as I give them both quick kiss on their heads like they're my kids.

I walk out and I take an Uber to drive home, after 20 minutes I arrive at my place, and I grab my keys to open the door when I hear someone yelling my name.

"Russo!"

I turn around when I see James standing on the other side of the street in his black suit and his hair falling a little bit on each side of his face.

"What are you doing here?" I say with a smile and a surprised look on my face, but happy to see him. Every time I see him, I have this weird feeling in my stomach that doesn't go away. It's a good feeling.