A Missed Opportunity

26

He pauses. Smiles and forgets about what he was doing to step over beside Eli behind the counter. "Hey," He greets. "What're you doing here?"

"Here to meet my son's mom's boyfriend." I get to the point quicker this time around. In doing so, I try to ask myself if there's a better way at saying that, but honestly I don't think there is. "Seen anybody in here looking for someone too?" I ask hopefully.

Lucas shakes his head. "Just a woman who just moved here over there." He chuckles as he nods across the bar at a woman slowly nursing a fruity looking drink. "She's pretty lonely." He informs with a smile.

I sigh. "I need to meet him." I dismiss whatever he's suggesting by telling me her deal.

He hums and shrugs me off. "Figured you might like her more than your kid's mom's new boyfriend." He reasons. "By the way, there's gotta be a better way at saying that."

"Seriously."

"Jackass?" Eli suggests with a proud grin.

"Sure."

"Don't wanna ask her where he is?" Lucas offers the obvious option. If I take that though, then I really have to meet him.

I sigh deeply as I reach into my back pocket for my phone. "I mean, I could." I mumble. As my phone lights up when the screen is tapped, I see a message sat there waiting for me from a contact named What's his face.

I laugh to myself at the name I gave him. I forgot he was in my phone.

"Never mind." I lift my gaze back to Eli and Lucas. "He's here." I look away to scan the room slowly for some table against the wall by a painting. That's how he describes it, at least.

"Good luck." Lucas murmurs as he steps away to finish doing whatever he had been. I dip my chin in a goodbye to Eli before I step away and start wandering off towards where I think this guy probably is.

It takes me a second, but I eventually zero in on a guy looking down at his phone. Even though I think I've spotted him, I pause just to size the dude up. I can't say I know what Kiara's type is, but I can say that I really wasn't expecting this guy.

Nearly combed blonde hair, blue eyes. His outfit makes him look like he doesn't quite belong in here, more like he should be at some fancy restaurant. Maybe that's where he was expecting to go when I told him a nice place my sister's friend owns. Kiara told me he's never been here before, so I figured I could get away with not telling him it was a bar until he already got here. That way he couldn't tip her off.

I sigh deeply and look around some more, figuring I maybe got it wrong and this isn't the guy I'm supposed to meet. But when I look back at him, he's still quizzically looking down at his phone. He sits beside a painting too so...you know. This is probably him.

Half reluctantly, I tuck my phone into my pocket and start making my way over. He notices me in his peripheral just as I'm approaching the table and looks up from his phone at me. He seems to have been given an advantage that Kiara decided not to give me, because he smiles and looks at me like he actually knows me. "Hey. Noah, right? There you are. I was wondering if I got the right place." He laughs as he gets up from his seat. He offers his hand proudly.

What's his name? What's his name? What's his name?

"Hey...man...Nice to meet you." I slowly respond with a smile as I catch his hand and shake it.