“Are you guys going to add a TV behind your bar?” Nick teased. “If you did, I’d probably come down more often.”
“That’s because you refuse to pay for cable,” I said.
“I already have approximately a thousand streaming services,” he said. “I don’t need anything else.”
“Except none of them have live episodes of shows you like, so you end up at my place or complaining the bar doesn’t have it on,” I said, laughing.
“Well, I’m just saying you’d have one more regular customer,” he grumbled playfully. The bartender showed up in front of us, and I was struck by how uninterested he was.
“What can I get for you?” he said, not making eye contact.
“Two tallboys of the seasonal from Sam’s, twenty wings, and a big-ass basket of fries, please,” Nick said.
“On it,” the bartender said and walked away.
“Pleasant,” I muttered.
“What?” Nick asked.
“The bartender.”
“Oh, stop being elitist about beer-slingers,” Nick said, waving the criticism away. “Tonight, you are not a bartender or a bar owner. Tonight, you are simply Tyler Anderson, my friend and fellow wrestling fan.”
I nodded. “Fair enough.” When the beers came, I had to resist saying something about the way he poured, but the look Nick gave me stopped the words in my throat.
A few beers in, and a number of buffalo wings sitting heavy in my belly, and I didn’t care as much about the bartender’s shitty pours. I was laughing, enjoying the show, and having fun with my friend. I got up to break the seal, and when I came back, a new beer was waiting for me.
“I don’t know if I should have any more,” I said, sitting.
“I already scheduled us a rideshare,” Nick said.
“You are a champ, my friend. A true champ.”
“I know. I am clearly the better sibling,” he joked.
“What’s that?” I said, curious. Nick shook it off, but he seemed like he wanted to talk about it. Something was bugging him, and he grinned as he leaned over to grab a fry.
“It’s just Becca. My parents are babying her so much, and it’s bugging me a little,” he said.
“Hard to believe anyone would baby Becca. Doesn’t seem her speed.”
“Right?” he said. “She’s way too independent for all that, but they keep pushing.”
“Well, you know they’re just looking out for her,” I said. “What she went through is traumatic.”
“Of course it is,” Nick said. “I hate that she went through it, too. I’d like to murder the fucker who ran off on her. But Becca is a strong woman. She’s not a kid, you know?”
“Right.” He was right about that. Becca was certainly no child anymore.
“I know it’s bugging her a lot, but she doesn’t want to say anything about it,” Nick said. “It’s like she’s more concerned with Mom and Dad grieving than herself.”
“They’ll get past it,” I said. “Just parental instincts kicking in right now, trying to take care of their kid. Remember when the divorce first happened, they were smothering you, too.”
“I know,” he said. “That’s why I never moved back in with them. Becca did. I tried to tell her she could live with me, but she seemed like she didn’t want to disappoint Mom.”
“She’s a sweet girl,” I said. Nick nodded.
“You don’t know the half of it,” he said. “Best sister in the world.”
I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying that I knew pretty well how great she was. Our little impromptu lunch date had been some of the most enjoyable time I had spent in weeks, and the way she seemed to care for her parents and her brother shone through, even in that short time frame. But I assumed if Nick didn’t mention it, then that meant she didn’t tell him, and I didn’t want to be the one to broach that subject. It was a totally innocent lunch, but I still didn’t know how he would react.
A few more beers and a second plate of fries were demolished before the end of the show, and sure enough a rideshare was waiting on us when we exited the bar. I was still rather levelheaded, my tolerance having been built up to a great degree since the bar opened, but taking the rideshare was the safe bet, and one I would always choose if there was any question at all. Besides, it would be nice not to have to Nick fiddling with my phone to find music while he was very clearly inebriated.
After dropping Nick off at his place, I directed the rideshare to take me home. I hadn’t really bothered to check my phone all evening, and when I got in and started stripping down for a shower, I noticed I had a couple new notifications on social media. Still a little buzzed, I decided not to test bringing the phone anywhere near the running water and hopped in the shower first. Once I got out and was dry, I opened up the phone to find a friend request. From Becca.