Robbery In Progress

*Kelsey* Two

days.

It had been two days since we officially wrapped up the case and I last saw Emma.

Was I mad at her for not loving me back? Not wanting a relationship with me or opening up to me? Or just taking a freaking risk? Yes. Absolutely. But I also missed her. A lot.

We spent almost every day today for weeks and now suddenly she's just gone from my life and I'm not exactly sure how to cope with that. I've had affairs before, but we were both on the same page about the relationship's longevity--or lack thereof.

I've never craved something more consistent, or more permanent before. So the fact that I'm dealing with this and she is completely fine is driving me insane.

So instead of sitting at home going out of my mind or hoping she decides to show up, because I'm certainly not going to reach out *again*, I've decided to go out. More specifically, back to where it all began: the bar.

Not because I have some fascination with torturing myself or anything like that. Though, I would argue it is a specialty of mine. I was going back there because that is where my friend the bartender works. And I really needed to hang out with a friend tonight.

I probably could have hit up Matty but he was too close to it all and would probably end up trying to pull some strings and "fix" things. Which I didn't want.

I don't want someone to come in and fix everything, I just want to complain about how dumb life is and do some drinking.

So who better to help me out with that than a bartender friend, am I right?

"Hey Lexie," I shot her a grateful smile when she set a Sex On The Beach in front of me before I even finished sitting down. "You spot me at the door? Or are you really just that fast?" "Can't it be both?"

Having nothing to say to that, because I suppose it could be both, I took a sip instead.

"Miraculous, as always. This is why I come here, for the drinks." I put an emphasis on the last bit so she knew I was kidding.

"Honey, that's why everyone comes here. Tell me something I don't know."

*Fair enough,* I thought to myself.

"Where have you been, anyway? I haven't seen you in a minute." Lexie, ever the multitasker, was cleaning some glasses, drying them and putting them away as she talked. Her above average height gave her quite the leverage since all their glasses hung from a contraption on the ceiling and this job didn't really scream high heels to me.

Although she loved wearing them, at work it was strictly comfortable shoes, generally with additional padding and slip resistance. But since she was the manager of this crazy place, I almost never saw her in heels these days.

I also don't think I could pinpoint what she looks like with her auburn hair down anymore. It was always pulled back, away from her face in the bar. Usually in a ponytail because that a two-fer: out of her face and off her neck. A girl could get mighty hot in here moving at the speed of light behind that bar, add in all the body heat the crowd brings in and I'm shocked she doesn't sweat right through her clothes.

But Lexie is more of a glistener than a sweater. If I was a lesser person, I would be wildly jealous of that skill.

"Kels?" She said my name and I realized that I had zoned out so I focused back in and smiled.

"Yeah?"

She paused in her cleaning and shot me a concerned look, "are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be okay? Of course I am okay. What kind of question is that? 'Am I okay?' Are you okay? Jeez." Did I oversell that?

The silence that fell and the expression on Lexie's face told me that I did. Oops.

Placing the now dry glass in it's little hanging spot, she set down her rag and walked back over to me. Her honed in attention upset a guest or two, but she didn't seem to care. She rested her elbows on the bar right in front of me and laced her fingers together so she could set her head on them. Unable to meet her eyes, I decided to look at her hands instead.

Her nails were painted, they were always painted--chipped but painted, deep green this time. A shade or two past emerald if I ventured a guess. Which I do, thank you very much.

"You're acting weird." She announced softly. "You know you're acting weird, too. Because you won't look at me."

I sighed and met her eyes. The jig is up, as they say. "Life sucks," I announced as I pulled my elbows up onto the bartop and dropped my hands onto my fists. Outside looking in, I probably looked like a child throwing a tantrum. Lexie leaned back and let out a laugh. She actually laughed at me. Can you believe it?

"It sure does. What's got you in a huffy this time round?"

I shot her a glare before folding, "remember that woman I met here a few weeks ago?"

"The one that you sobered up then took home? Redhead, right?"

I blanched, "that's not exactly how it happened." She stared at me. "Fine, that's an extreme oversimplification of what happened. Anyway, that's not the point. It turns out that red head is actually an FBI negotiator. And I've been working with her since the night after we met."

"Ohhh, and the plot thickens." Sensing a good story Lexie just a moment to tend to her other customers before coming back over to me. "Have you been mixing business with pleasure, Kels?"

"No." My reply instant. "Well, sorta. Kinda. Maybe a little bit. I don't know, it's complicated. Well... it *was* complicated. I say that we've been working together in present tense, but the case actually wrapped up recently."

"The case wrapped up and wifey disappeared, huh?"

Rage flared in my chest by the question. "It's not like that. She's not like that."

Lexie's eyes softened, "I'm sure she's not. Tell me what happened."

Before I could stop myself an entire synopsis of the last few weeks just came slipping out of my mouth. Lexie, ever the friend, laughed and cursed at the appropriate times but never interrupted. She just left me air all my dirty laundry out on her bartop like it was no big deal.

Every so often she would step away to handle refills, close out tabs, do some cleaning, but mostly she stuck by me and let me get it all out.

By the time I had caught up with where we are I was exhausted, but also felt a little lighter. That could have been the alcohol, but talking it all out did seem to help my brain process everything a little better. Maybe I was overreacting, maybe I should go over and listen to what she had to say to me.

"So you told her you loved her, and she didn't say it back?" *Nevermind.*

"Actually, she said 'see you later', then walked over to her family."

That got an 'oof' out of Lexie and we fell into silence again.

"You know, it's fine. I don't need her in my life to be happy." "Kels-"

"That would be ridiculous anyway, because happiness comes from within. Everyone knows that." "Kelsey-"

"So, that's settled. I'm all good over here, totally over it and that and her. Feeling great, a bit drunk actually. I think I'm actually going to go home now and sleep this off. But thank you for being a listening ear and all. It was super helpful." My brain knew that she was trying to get my attention but for some reason it wasn't actually processing that.

So I just kept going on as I pulled money out of my wallet and slid off the stool I had been parked on for the last few hours. It was probably the alcohol fuzzing up my brain a little, that's all. Nothing some water and a bit of food might fit up, plus sleep. Sleep is amazing, my new best friend possibly.

I was just focused on the sleep best friend thing that I didn't notice there was a person standing behind me when I turned to leave.

But I definitely noticed them when I bumped into said person. And I definitely didn't feel as great when I realized who it was.

"Hey," she said shyly as her cheeks burned. "Am I too late to join you?" *Emma. Oh, fuck me.*