That Friday Read Free Page A

would be good; her outward show of confidence was
just that, a show, she couldn't remember the last time she had felt so nervous
and wondered if he was as big a bag of nerves as she was.
    It took little more than five
minutes for them to reach the pub and the walk passed in silence; they were
both too shy and nervous to think of conversation just then. The silence didn't
matter though, it was enough that they were together.
    After so many years of being out
of contact, for a variety of reasons, and months of phone calls and Skype video
calls, to actually be together was amazing. Neither had wanted to admit it but
each had secretly suspected that something would happen to prevent them getting
together; the snow that had fallen overnight seemed to have proven their fears
correct so for them to be walking down the street, hand in hand, was amazing.
    It was a habit so ingrained into
him that he gave no thought to it but as the approached the pub Charlie moved
ahead of Tess to open the door. He held it for her, noticing her blush and bow
her head as she stepped through, and then followed her inside and over to the
bar, where he set his case down with a sigh of relief. The case wasn't that
heavy, but carrying it for any distance was a strain on his arm.
    "Are you sure you don't want
anything to eat?" Charlie asked as he picked up a menu from the counter
and began looking through it.  It didn't take him long to pick out what he
was going to have, burger and curly fries; it was nice and simple and wouldn't
take long to arrive.
    Tess nodded. "I'm sure. You
know I haven't been eating much recently."
    "That's stress, honey, your
ex is stressing you out constantly and it's wrecking your appetite. I hope this
weekend you're able to relax and chill out, and I can make you smile,"
Charlie told her. "I love it when you smile, especially when it's because
of me."
    "I always smile because of
you." A smile accompanied Tess' words, as if to prove her words true, and
she laid her head on his shoulder, one hand wrapped around his arm. "And
I'm sure I'll relax this weekend."
    "Good, I want you to."
    "What can I get for
you?" the young barman who approached asked, stopping in front of them.
    "Tess?" Charlie asked,
turning to her. "What do you fancy to drink?"
    Tess ran her eyes over the
selection of alcohol in front of her. "What are you having?" she
wanted to know, not able to make up her mind.
    It didn't take long for Charlie to
pick out what he was going to have. "Smirnoff Ice, please," he
requested, spotting a bottle of the frosty lemon drink in the fridge behind the
bar; it was his preferred drink of the moment, with enough of an alcoholic
content to relax him without being too much.
    "I'll have the same,"
Tess said, it hadn't been her usual drink in a long while but just then it
didn't matter, all she wanted was some alcohol inside her to relax her.
    With a nod the barman turned away
to get two bottles of Smirnoff Ice from the fridge. "Would you like them
in glasses?" he inquired as he deftly flipped the tops off the bottles.
    "Please," Charlie said,
as Tess rolled her eyes.
    Two glasses immediately appeared
on the bar. "Ice?" Was the next question
from the barman.
    "No thanks." Charlie shook
his head; given the temperature outside he couldn't imagine why anyone would
want ice with their drinks, especially since it watered them down.
    "Can I get you anything
else?" the barman wanted to know as he placed the two glasses, now filled with
their drinks, in front of them.
    "Yes, I would like a six
ounce burger with curly fries, please." Charlie felt a little
uncomfortable ordering food when he knew Tess wouldn't be eating; a rumble from
his stomach gave him little choice however, it had been a number of hours since
he last ate and he knew he couldn't go much longer without having something to
eat.
    "Anything for you,
miss?"
    Tess shook her head, blushing.
"No thanks, just the drink for me."
    "In that case it will be
eleven twenty five," the barman