"I feel like such a jackass," Stephen said. He glared at his best friend, willing his attention from some women across the bar.
"Dude, are we still talking about this?" his buddy said. He didn't turn around.
A mix of pumping music, muffled conversations and clanking barware surrounded them at their corner table. "Yes!" Stephen nudged the table causing a mini tremor to roll across their beers.
"Hey!"
"Joe, I'm trying to talk to you," Stephen said.
Joe spun around and faced his long-time friend. "Look, man. You've got two choices. Either do it or make it work. What's there to talk about?"
"I know. It's just that Melissa is such a sweet girl."
"Yeah and totally delusional."
"I know. She has this whole Christmas thing planned. Wants me to meet her family and go to this huge dinner at her parents' house." Stephen shook his head and searched the crowd of flirtatious singles for an answer.
"All the more reason to break up now," Joe said. He lifted his beer to a toast position. "Or, maybe you should wait until Christmas dinner and raise your glass to her family." He took a quick sip. "Then declare your undying boredom with their daughter."
"Don't be a smart ass!"
"All I'm saying is that if you really don't have it with her then cut her loose before she gets too attached."
Stephen let out a deep breath. "That's the problem. It's too late. She thinks she's in love with me."
"Yeah, man. That's always the problem with you." Joe rolled his eyes and slapped a hand on Stephen's shoulder. "I feel your pain."
A woman in a sleek black dress passed in front of them hijacking Joe's attention. Conversation over. Stephen knew Joe was right, anyway. It was time to man up and take care of a long-overdue situation. If he broke up with her now, at least she would have a few weeks to recoup before Christmas.
Stephen sat back in his chair and rehearsed in his mind the different ways to break the news to Melissa. In a trance, he rocked his chair back to stretch his long legs. At 6'2 it wasn't always easy to find a comfortable sitting position. After a moment of perfect balance, his chair tipped too far back and he began the terrifying free fall. Then, before he could steady himself, a figure stood over his head as he lay back suspended in mid-air.
Stephen stared up at the woman holding the back of his chair. Wavy, dark hair hung around her face and past her low-cut black t-shirt. A glowing smile spread across her face as she flipped him back to a sitting position.
"Didn't your mom ever tell you not to lean back in your chair?" Her voice came from behind him.
It wasn't until she walked around to face him that he realized it was his waitress. Why hadn't he noticed her angelic face before? She must have read embarrassment in his awkward smile because she reached over and touched his arm. Then she smiled again, broader this time and he spotted a tiny dimple on her left cheek.
"Yeah, nice one," Joe said. He got up from the table shaking his head. "Two more, huh?" he asked Stephen. Even though he didn't get a reply, he turned to the waitress. "Two more beers, please." Then he walked off in the direction of the men's room.
Stephen watched her watching Joe. What the hell was the matter with him? Had he turned mute? He couldn't take his eyes off her, and when she looked back with her big brown eyes, all he could do was smile.
"So two more, then?" she said.
Adrenaline finally kicked in and his voice barely surfaced. "Uh, sure, thanks…" Panicked, he executed a quick scan of her chest for a name tag.
