Heart Of Gold

Shatter

The clinking of ice-cold beers and tequila caught Jake's attention. 

He and Will were perched on two teetering bar stools after a very long week - freezing rain had arrived in Summerland, causing small fires on the phone lines across town. Hundreds lost their power and Mr. Smithers had been quick to send Jake and the others out to fix the wires. With the pelting ice stinging his eyes and cheeks, it had been a miserable couple of shifts but Jake had made some solid overtime money. He had socked enough away that that wouldn't be too much of a problem and for now, Jake enjoyed the feeling of cash burning a hole in his pocket.

"You sure you don't want my money?" Will asked before reaching for a beer.

"Don't worry about it," Jake waved him off. "Think of it as a 'thank you' for putting up with me these last few weeks."

"Well, what else was I going to do?" Will grinned wickedly. "Kick you out of the house?"

"I mean it though, man." Jake tipped back his tequila shot. He bit into the waiting lime wedge and took a sip of beer. "I've been a bit of a bummer to be around lately, ever since Rose left."

"True. Not really your fault though - she's the one who left. And besides, they say it takes half the time you were with someone for you to fully get over a split. So two months out, I reckon you're doing pretty good."

"Cheers to that," Jake raised his bottle, clinking it against Will's. They drank in companionable silence for a minute, watching the muted golf game playing on the TV behind the bar.

"Can I get a burger, please?" Jake asked the bartender. It had been a cold afternoon and now he was starving. He also knew better than to get hammered on an empty stomach.

"Good call," Will nodded. "I'll get the wings platter and a pint of Molson."

Jake tipped back his beer, thinking.

"Spoken to Gail lately?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

Will grinned bashfully and rubbed the bridge of his nose with a forefinger before dipping it into the beer's foamy head to cut the bubbles.

"Maybe," he shrugged.

"How is she?"

"She's doing pretty well." Will shrugged. "Still getting used to Rose not being here - I think she gets lonely sometimes though. Those two were like sisters."

"Good thing she's got you, then," Jake grinned.

"I think so." Will nodded. "I mean, I guess it's cool. No big deal, really."

"Come on, dude," Jake punched his shoulder. "So you guys are hooking up – it's cool."

"Is it?" Will asked, wrinkling his nose. "It's not like, weird or anything for you?"

"Why would it be weird for me?"

"Well, you know - she's Rose's best friend, and Rose left you ..."

"Gail's a cool girl. We're friends, even if Rose isn't here." He finished the rest of his bottle and signaled to the bartender for another. "Besides," he teased, "it took you long enough."

"What?"

"Oh, come on," Jake laughed, "I could tell that you had a thing for her even back when she was with that Leo guy. So it's good that you finally made your move."

"Was it that obvious?" Will groaned.

"Not that much," Jake lied. "Maybe it just was for me because I've known you so long."