Home Turf

The waitress placed a tray with three bottles of beer on the high bar table. 

“Thank you, Beth,” Greg said as he and his friends took the drinks. 

“You are welcome. If you need anything else just holler.”

As Beth walked to another table, Greg noticed one of his friends looking after her.

“Vince, why don’t you just ask her out, man? You have been drooling over Beth since you met her.”

Vince looked at Greg and said, “She wouldn’t be interested in me. Besides, I think she is spoken for.”

“And how do you know this,” Adam asked, sweeping his blond hair out of his face. “Because I know that you haven’t ever talked to her.”

Greg laughed as Vince blushed.

“We all know you like her,” Greg said after he recovered. “Why don’t you take your shot? The worst that could happen is that she says no.”

Vince looked at his two friends.

“I’m glad it’s so easy for the two of you to talk to women. It’s never been something I’ve been good at.”

Great raised an eyebrow.

“But you managed to get married. I’m sure at some point, a conversation was held to make that happen.”

Vince smiled.

“That’s a good point.”

Adam took a sip of his beer.

“Look, you don’t have to marry Beth. Start with something simple like telling her your name.” 

Vince flipped Adam off and shook his head.

Greg laughed at his two friends as they playfully argued.

The three men had been coming to Redmond’s since they played football in high school. Redmonds was where they went after home games, and where they had taken their first dates. 

Redmonds was a significant part of their lives. Even after they all left for college, they would meet there a couple of times a year just to catch up. The three men moved back to Savannah, GA at different times over the years, and they quickly fell back into the routine that placed them at Redmonds every Monday, Saturday, and Sunday. 

Greg stood up saying, “I’m heading to the bathroom.”

Vince stopped talking to Adam and watched Greg walk away, hoping he would not approach Beth. Adam laughed again.

“You have it bad for her, Vince.”

Vice shrugged.

“Maybe. I haven’t wanted to talk to another woman since Helen and I split up. But there is something about Beth I can’t ignore.”

Adam placed his beer on the table. 

“Look, in all seriousness, since you are attracted to Beth, just tell her and leave the ball in her court.”

Vince smiled wryly.

“Really? Because every time we come here I get all kinds of hell from you two.”

Adam returned the smile.

“That’s our job as your lifelong friends. It’s in the contract.”

Vince laughed then said, “I’m sure it is, and I would not have it any other way.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Adam said. “Because Beth is right behind you.”

Vince’s smile froze in place and he turned around to see Beth standing behind and just to the left of his chair. 

“Hey, Beth,” Vince stammered out after an awkward pause. 

Beth smiled, trying and failing to hide her blush.

“I was going to ask if you guys needed anything.”

Vince glanced at Adam who was suddenly very interested in a soccer game on one of the flat-screen TVs. 

Vince ground his teeth because he knew that Adam hated soccer.

Vince looked back at Beth and said, “I think we are ok, thank you.”

Vince held back a pained grunt as Adam kicked him under the table. Beth saw the expression on his face and asked, “Are you sure you are ok?”

Adam slid from his chair and waved toward the bar.

“Be right back,” he said.

Adam then left Vince and Beth alone at the table.

I am going to kill you guys, he thought.

Vince forced himself to calm down.

“Yeah, I am ok,” he said. “I, um, was wondering if you would like to go out for drinks sometime. No pressure.”

Beth fidgeted with her tablet before placing it on the table. 

She tossed her light brown hair over her shoulder and leaned on the table.

“I think you are cute, and I have been waiting for you to say something.”

Vince wore an uneasy smile.

“Really?”

Beth nodded.

“Here’s the thing though, we aren’t supposed to get involved with our customers.”

The faint hope that Vince had died a swift, but still painful death. 

“I see. I don’t want to get you in trouble, so forget I said anything.”

Beth placed her hand on his arm.

“But what they don’t know won’t hurt them.”

Vince’s smile returned and he said, “That’s great. When are you 

available?”

“I’m off tomorrow night. We can meet up around six-thirty if that works for you.”

Vince nodded.

Beth picked up Vince’s phone and entered her number. 

“See you then, Vince.”

Beth handed him the phone back and picked up her tablet. She smiled at him before leaving the table. 

Vince sat back with a satisfied smile on his face.

He lifted his beer to his mouth and drank deeply.

As Vince was placing the bottle back on the table, he saw Adam and Greg sitting down.

“Thanks for having my back, you jerks,” Vince said.

Greg and Adam laughed and Vince shook his head.

“You guys are ridiculous.”

Adam wiped tears from his eyes.

“You didn’t need us to have your backs for this. You knocked it out of the park on your own.”

Greg nodded in agreement.

“Had we been here, I doubt you would have said anything to Beth.”

Vince opened his mouth to reply, but closed it and cleared his throat.

“Maybe, maybe not. But what I do know is that we are going out tomorrow night.”

“That’s awesome,” Adam said, slapping his friend on the back.

Greg leaned back in his chair.

“So where are you going to take her?”

Adam winked at Greg then said, “I hear Redmonds is great for a first date.”

Vince lightly shoved Adam.

“Really?”

Adam held his hands up and said, “I’m just trying to be helpful.”

Greg laughed.

“Behave yourselves or I will take you boys home right now.”

“Yes Dad,” Adam and Vince said together.

Greg tried to look stern, but he laughed at them. He then raised his beer bottle.

“Here’s to taking chances.”

Adam and Vince touched their bottles to Greg’s.