What's Done in the Dark

Chapter 6: Logan

I walk into Bigs looking around for my boys when I spot a feisty little brown skin girl walking over to the bar. I head towards her after spotting my boys at the pool tables. Phillip looks to be showing Kristy how to shoot pool and Fred is over at the next pool table probably harassing the two poor girls.

I sit on the empty barstool next to her. I look over to the bartender and gesture to Nicolette, "I'll have what she's having." She looks up from her phone that she's been studying intensely.

"Hey what are you doing here.....I mean, of course, I know what you doing here. I mean....ummm never mind," she says dropping her head and smiling. I smile back at her and chuckle a little. "To answer your question. I was here to have a drink and play a little pool, but Phillip and Fred already seem to be a little occupied.

"I know I walked over here when Kristy started giggling and they started whispering. I felt like a third wheel," she says smiling.

The bartender comes by with two bottles of water. I look at the water then at her and raise my eyebrow.

"What."

"Water?"

"Oh. I don't really drink. I will but I really don't care too."

"Ok. Water it is."

I pick up my water, open the cap, and take a huge swallow. Damn, I was really thirsty. I hear my phone beep and look down to check the message. I groan and let out a harsh breath. "Why is she steady texting me," I mumble to myself.

"Who?" I guess I said that louder than I thought. "No one."

"Well, whoever this no one is they got you over here breathing and sounding like a got damn dragon....groaning and letting hot breaths of air," she's laughing now and what a nice sound. I smile over at her. When I saw her earlier she seemed like maybe something was bothering her. I wish I knew her better to ask.

"It's my ex. She's been calling and texting me every day to finish a talk she started. I'm just not ready to deal with her."

She picks up her water and takes a drink. She turns in her stool to face me and her knee brushes up against my thighs. "Why did y'all break up?"

"Ah, a little nosey ain't you?" I say laughing to insure she knows I'm messing with her.

"Well, hell you came over here huffing and puffing and sharing and shit," she says rolling her eyes and turning back around.

"I was playing....chill." I smile. "We cool?" I playfully hold up my fist for a fist bump. She waves me off. "Soooo you're just gonna leave me hanging?" She puts her fist up but doesn't look at me. I finish the fist bump by bumping my fist to her outstretched smaller fist.

"She said I worked too much. That we didn't do enough "couple things". All her friends were going on week-long cruises and flying to Paris and different places for weeks and all I could do was take her places for the weekend."

"Wow, there are women out here breaking up with men cause he goes to work." She has a look of astonishment on her face.

I gaze at her and picture myself leaning over gently caressing her cheek before I softly place a kiss on her full lips. I shake those thoughts away.

"I had just graduated from college and was trying to help my dad take his company to the next level. He gets plenty of work building houses, but at the time I was trying to branch off and do commercial buildings too. I was working a lot, but I explained that after a few years we would be able to go to more places. But she was not trying to hear that. She broke up with me and started dating a doctor on the same day. That was a year and a half ago." I gesture for the bartender and ask for a beer. He holds up one finger and I nod.

She sitting there quiet eyebrows furrowed twisting a napkin between her fingers with a faraway look in her eyes. My eyes roam over her face trying to find judgment but find none.

"So how long have you worked for the law firm," I change the subject hoping this brings her out of her thoughts. She doesn't answer so I touch her hand stopping her from tearing up the napkins. At that moment the bartender places my beer in front of me on a napkin.

"I'm sorry did you say something?" she asks looking up at me with sad brown eyes.

"Yes. I asked how long have you worked at the law firm?" I repeat. She smiles again but her smile doesn't reach her eyes.

"For about two years now. I started a little bit after college."

"Do you like what you do?" I ask her.

"I really do. I have always loved working with numbers. I was always so good at it in school." She turns and looks at me. "My twin is a teacher like my mother, and my brother works with my dad. I wanted to do something different," she says smiling.

"Do you like working with your dad?" She asks while tilting her head to the side.

"Yes. I do. I've always liked building things with him. He started me and my brother off young. It came second nature to me. My brother never really found it that interesting," I say taking a swallow of my beer.

"Are you dat-"

"Hey, why are y'all sitting over here and not playing pool with us?" Kristy asks wrapping her arm around Nicolette's neck cutting me off effectively ending our conversation.

"Well, y'all was over there dry humping so we were giving you your privacy. Nicolette says laughing at Kristy blushing. "We were not dry humping. Phillips was teaching me how to play pool you bitch," Kristy says swatting at Nicolette and laughing.

We get up and walk back over to the pool table. Joining the others we all enjoy a few rounds of pool.