Endings, Beginnings, Espressos

Chapter Four: Moving Out

"Hey sunshine, what are you doing here?" You smile shocked as Frank walks in to the bar, shaking off his iconic shearling jacket. "Just finishing off these cocktails, I'll be right with you." He nods, returning your warm greeting. Damn he loved you and now gone was his only real chance at getting over you... back to girl that "drown in him" as Jack once put it. "So, what will it be?" You walk over to his end of the bar, wiping your hands on the black apron round your waist. 

"Just a beer thanks Y/N" you nod, spinning round and bending down to the fridge to grab a bottle of Budweiser entirely missing Frank checking out your ass whilst you did it. "Why do you do it?" He ask as you play a beer mat down and plonk is opened beer on it, sliding it in front of him. 

"Do what?" You tilt your head confused.

"Work?" He says amused as he looks around the busy bar, totally taken care of by your staff, who love you as a boss. 

"Because I like it, you know that..." You roll your eyes, if Frank had his way work wouldn't exist, it would just be lazy Sundays in post sex bliss and road trips along the coast. Which, you weren't opposed to but unfortunately money is the anthem to success and paying for said road trips.  Frank was about to say something when a tall, good looking colleague of yours came in. 

"Hey boss" he smiles cheekily at you as he heads round  the bar. 

"Hey Jude!" You beam back and then pause, realising what you've said you both laugh.

"Its alright hun, you're the 3rd person that's done it to me today" he gives wink. "Right, I'll shove my stuff and get started..." he nods and then heads into the back rooms. You turn around, still happy until you see Frank's face. 

"Who the fuck is that guy?" He frowns, swigging his beer. 

"Jude?" You don't know why his face is stormy so you try to laugh it off.

"Who the fuck is Jude..?" He repeats again, inwardly he curses himself thinking this must be the guy that Nat was talking about at the party. 

"Jude." You say a little sternly but still gently, maybe he was having a bad day, after all, the girl he was messaging had broken it off with him. "Is my new bar manager... he started a little while ago and he's really very good." You say pleased with your hire, your staff were handpicked as the best, and to reflect it you paid them well, wasn't like you didn't have the money. 

"I bet he is" Frank mumbles. 

"Alright grumpy, what the hell crawled up your ass and died?" You fold your arms as he takes another exaggerated swig of his beer. 

"Nothing. Just didn't know you were hiring." 

"Hmm. Right. Biggest load of bullshit, question avoiding ever." You scoff "is it this girl? What is it?" 

"No... it's not.." It was a girl but not that girl he though to himself. 

"So what is it then?" 

"Look I'm not doings this...?" 

"Doing what?!" You look at him almost laughing at the sheer unbelievable turn the conversation had taken. "You're upset you've met the only girl in the world who won't sleep with you... and now you're being sour." you snap a little, mainly jealousy but it wasn't like him to not have a reason, sure the pair of you had argued but never serious. It was mainly massive explosions of anger that he'd use up all your milk and think that sex would make up for it or you leaving girls clothes at his house when he was having a girl over. 

"You know its really quite unprofessional to sleep with your colleagues, not a good look." The words came out of Franks mouth a lot harsher than he'd intended. The guilt at knowing he'd slept with your friend, and the girl Jack was 'seeing' flooded over him and instead of jesting back he just grunted out the words before slapping money for the beer on the bar, gabbing his coat and storming out leaving you a little shocked and pissed off.