Ready for Anything?

Chapter 16

CHRIS'S POV

I was exhausted and stressed from the last couple of weeks. I couldn't quit thinking about Rory's situation. My heart was breaking for my oldest daughter, but something told me that there was more to the situation than I knew. I'd done my research and narrowed down the potential dads in the article; only one of them worked in Boston. I knew who he was, but couldn't decide whether or not I should attempt to make contact.

I sighed heavily as I pulled into a local bar to stop for a drink after work. I sat down at one end of the dark bar and ordered from the bartender.

"One scotch, neat, please."

"Coming right up, sir."

I thanked the bartender and opened a tab when he delivered my drink. As I took my first sip I noticed a rather drunk young man sitting across the bar lamenting loudly about his life, and I couldn't help but think that he looked familiar. I wracked my brain for several minutes before it suddenly dawned on me - he was the one from the article. Pulling out my phone, I checked the picture I'd taken from the spread on the Huntzberger wedding and looked at him again. Talk about dumb luck. Taking it as a sign, I got up from my barstool and slowly made my way to the other side of the bar in hopes of striking up a conversation. I couldn't help but chuckle as I heard the young man drunkenly talking to his iPhone.

"Hey, Siri," he began, "what's the best way to not feel this way anymore?"

Frankly, I was surprised Siri could understand his drunken slurring.

"I'm not sure I understand. Are you saying you want to be a robot?" was Siri's reply.

He threw his hands up in exasperation and took another drink, and I had to work hard to keep a straight face.

"Being a human not all it's cracked up to be, man?" I asked him, hoping to break the ice.

"Nope, humans have feelings. Being a robot sounds bloody wonderful right now compared to this," he answered.

"That sounds rough, buddy."

"You don't know the half of it, mate. I love her. God, I love her so much it hurts, and she's still so damn hung up on her ex. And then I find out I got her pregnant. Do you have any idea what that feels like?"

"Actually, I do have some experience in that area," I confessed quietly.

"Oh, and then she comes to my office to tell me that she's pregnant, and I'm so wrapped up in being a cold, aloof jackass because I don't want to hurt anymore that I don't even realize that she's trying to tell me that she's pregnant with my kid. I actually thought it was his! How daft could I be?!"

"Wow, that's quite a story," I reply. If I'd had any doubts as to whether or not I had the right guy before, they were gone at this point. This had to be him.

"I'd do anything for that woman, but she'll probably never give me the chance because I screwed up so badly. Being a robot would be a relief," he lamented.

"That's a tough situation...I don't think I caught your name?"

"Name's Finn," he replied.

"Well, that's a tough situation, Finn. How long have you loved this girl?"

"I don't even know how long I've loved her. She was my best mate's girl in college, but I had a thing for her even then. I don't know when it turned into love, but it's been too long. I was just starting to try to move on when she started calling me all the time. Do you know how hard it is to move on when she's calling you all the damn time? That's why I didn't listen to the voicemails - I couldn't bear to hear her tell me that it was a mistake!" he exclaimed.