Trigger - Part 2

CHAPTER 14 - Set it up

"Hello?"
"Hi Luke… it's me. Sage."

I clench the phone and take a deep breath.

"Hey…is everything okay?"
"Yeah… I was going to ask you the same thing."

"Peachy. Is that all?"
"Um… I was hoping we could meet up?"

"Why?"
"I don't know… maybe to catch up or something. Just as friends of course."

I few moments pass and all I can hear is his faint breathing.

"Are you still there?"
"Yeah…"

"And? Can we meet for a coffee? My treat?"
"When?"

"Whenever you want."

I hear him take a deep breath and sigh.
"Okay… next thirty minutes?"
"Yeah that's perfect. Want to meet up at that new coffee shop that opened not so long ago downtown?"

"Sure. I'll meet you there."
"Okay… cool… see you soon." I hang up.

Phew! That wasn't so bad? Went a lot better than I thought it would.

•
•
•

"Hi! Thank you for coming!"
"Hey… sure, no problem."

He takes a seat in the booth opposite me.

"I ordered a cappuccino. I hope you don't mind, my throat was so dry, felt like I swallowed razors." I take a sip.
"That's perfect thank you." He pulls his cup closer and empty his pockets out and puts his phone, wallet and keys on the table.

"Listen Luke, I am just going to get to the point… I want to start by saying that I am really sorry for all the shit I have done. I know you must hate me and by you just being here probably took so much from you and I want to thank you for being here. I just want you to know that I am really really sorry and I hope we can put this behind us and be friends?"

His dark brown eyes has a soft and calm look to them.

"I do not hate you Sage. I could never hate you. Yes, you did quite a number but I know you did not do it out of spite. I had a long time to think about all of this and I want to apologize for not contacting you sooner. I know Zack asked you to help me and I thank you for taking that step. You have no idea how much I - we have missed you."

I smile, feeling my heart turn into a thousand flapping butterflies.

"Really? So you forgive me?"
"I forgive you." Luke smiles and takes my hand in his.

"Just don't be pulling shit like that again." His eyes grow bigger.
I quickly shake my head.
"Yeah… don't worry. I promise."

"So, what have you been up to? Zack tells me you are working at W. Quite fancy there."
"Yeah I am doing well actually. Been promoted to an executive assistant about two weeks ago."

I start dragging my spoon through the froth.

"Wow… congratulations."
"Thank you." I copy his smile.

"Luke?"
"Yeah?"

"What about Liam?"
"Ah…" He fills his lungs, leans back and drops his arm across the booth's backrest.

"I guess Zack hasn't filled you in on that part has he?"
"He said he is drinking himself stupid every night."

"Did he tell you who he has been drinking with?"
"No?"

"Shane."

WHAT!?

"No!"
"Yes…"

I see his expression remains the same.

"Why on earth would they be drinking together? Don't they like not like each other?"
"I don't know… my guess is they share a common pain."

"So what? They like drinking buddies drinking non-stop, every single day?"
"Not exactly. They just go to different bars and clubs in town every second day or so. They still work and function as normal just on minimal sleep and a lot of questionable choices."

I quickly finish my cappuccino and hold two fingers up to the waitress.

"You say work, like in work-work?"
He nods, and grabs the small menu on the side of the table.

"What work?"

He looks up at me with a look of must I spell it out for you.

"Oh… you mean the hit work Zack told me about."
He nods slowly and looks back at the menu as he pages through it.

"But Shane is a detective… how is he hitting people? Why is he doing that?"
"Being a detective comes with a skillset we are in need of. I gave him an opportunity he couldn't refuse when he was released."

The waitress places a cup by each of us and gives us a quick smile. I smile back.

"Can I get you guys something to eat?"
"Ah yeah, can I have the tangy garlic steak wrap, please."
She nods and jots on her notepad.
"How would you like your steak?"
"Medium rare."

"And for you ma'am?"
"The same, just more on the cooked side."
"Coming right up." She hurries off to the kitchen.

"I change my mind. We can't be friends."
"What!? Why?"

"You eat your steak more on the cooked side?"
"Yeah, I don't actually know how to eat my steak since I had it with Wyatt at The Steakhouse. I am so confused at how to eat steaks now."

He opens a sachet of sugar and empties into his cappuccino.

"Wyatt?"
"Oh. My boss Mr Whitner."

"Hm."
"What?" I also empty a sachet of sugar.

"Nothing. Just not everyday you have a fancy steak at one of the fanciest steakhouses with a legendary businessman who is your boss."

I roll my eyes seeing a grin appear.

"You know him?"
"Not personally, just hear and read a lot about him. He is fucking loaded."

"Yeah… he is actually quite charming."
"Oh no… are you falling for your boss?"

"NO!" I huff.

"I am joking. He is quite a charmer I have heard. I guess you learn all the traits needed being in service."
"Service?"

"He used to be in the Navy. Or so I heard."
"Oh… I did not know that."

"Thank you." Both Luke and I say simultaneously as the waitress places our plates in front of us.
"You guys still fine for drinks?"
"Yes thank you." Luke says and I nod taking a chip.

"So what are we going to do about Shane and Liam?"
"What can we do? It's actually not a bad thing… they can bond over the same shit while getting over it."

"But what about the drinking? Are you not worried?"
"Nah, Liam can handle himself and by the looks of it Shane too."

"Then why did Zack make it seem like it is the end of the world?"

Luke smiles as he takes a bite of his wrap.

"That is just Zack being Zack. Overly dramatic but it wasn't all sunshine and roses a few weeks ago when he went to see you. He also knows our history so I guess it was his way of trying to mend what we had."

"Who is he anyway?"
"Formerly in the Navy, now with us."

"Oh, that explains a lot."

I take another bite and wipe over my mouth with a napkin.

"So do you think Liam will ever talk to me?"
"I am sure he will… I can talk to him. Shane can too. He told me he came to see you the other day."

"Really? Are you three like buddies now?"
"I never had anything against Shane."

"Oh… so you'll talk to Liam? Maybe we can meet up and talk?"

Luke pushes his empty plate to the side.
"Sure, I can set it up."