The Pilot

Chapter Eighteen

Ok, let's got for breakfast then" she said, pulling the Canadian by the arm.

Danielle had started running as soon as she walked through the doors of the hotel. She didn't really have a planned route in mind, she just let her feet take her wherever they wanted to go. She just kept running trying to calm the panic in her mind. She kept replaying this morning's events over and over again. Still she kept running. "How could I be so stupid?! How could I let this happen? Did I lead her on? How am I going to keep my job now?! I can't blow hot and cold with her and expect her to keep paying my wages too! Well done Danielle, you've really fucked up this time!" Still she kept running. The rhythm of her feet pounding on the pavement was soothing to her in a strange way. It always had been. She needed to work out every day to keep in shape but running was always the thing that kept her grounded and pulled her back from space when things got on top of her. She run through familiar streets, along familiar roads until she finally came to a stop. She was in her favourite spot in the city. Here, from the bench on top of the hill, she could see the whole city almost. She could see all the places that her and Andrew would hang out at. She could see the bay. She could see the fairground and the ferry boats in the background. She could also see the bar. "Oh my god! The bar! I almost forgot!" She exclaimed jumping to her feet. She pulled out her phone, calling Andrew.

"Good Morning D, how are we today?!" Andrew asked laughing. "Uh, yeah, I'm fine I guess. I'm out running. Where are you?" She asked him. "I'm just heading to the bar. Why?" "Great! I'm heading there now, I want to speak to you. See you soon". She hung up the call placing her phone back in her shorts pocket and continuing to run back down the hill.

30 minutes later, she arrived at the bar. Walking inside she saw Andrew sitting eating breakfast. "That looks good!" The man looked up hearing the blonde's voice. "It's just a bagel with avocado and bacon D but I can get you one too if you want?" He asked. "Mmm, yes please, I'm starving" she grinned. "Hungover huh?!" He laughed. "Um, no, I think the throwing up down the toilet at 4 this morning sorted that out" she said with a grimace. "Oh, I bet you were popular with the boss!" he kept laughing. "Oh em, that's um... hmph, ah, yeah... she was eh, she was actually very sweet in fairness" the blonde looked down at her lap. "I feel like there's a story here, but I'll go fix you some breakfast first" he said as he disappeared to the kitchen. He returned 10 minutes later carrying her plate along with a coffee and a bottle of water. They sat in a comfortable silence just enjoying their food for the next 15 minutes. Eventually Andrew spoke up. "So you wanted to speak to me about something?" He asked. "Oh yeah, right. So, you said yesterday that the sale of the bar doesn't close for 10 days right?" She asked. "Yeah, well 9 days now but yeah, why?" "Do you mind if I ask how much Cooper is buying it for?" "No I don't mind at all. He's buying for $305,000. It's a lot more than I expected to get and is way more than it's worth but he said he really wanted it. I had thought I'd get less and I had also hoped that I would still keep shares but he wants to buy it outright. Why the interest?" He asked quizzically. "What if I made you a counter offer?" The blonde asked.

Andrew sat staring at his best friend with eyes wide and eyebrows raised. "Are you serious?!" He asked a bit shocked at what he had just heard. "Yes Andrew, I'm deadly serious. I have all that money left to me from Giuseppe that I have no earthly idea what to do with. This place has always been special to me. It's where I learned how to shoot pool and throw darts. I learned how to make poached eggs and bacon in that kitchen. How to brew a proper Italian coffee using that very coffee machine, and how to pour a perfect pint. I had my first kiss in that booth in the corner and I sung my first ever karaoke song on that stage. I have so many happy memories wrapped up in this old place, I can't stand the thought of it belonging to someone else." The blonde blurted out, barely taking a breath.