Sinners -Sweet Pea-

42. I see the way you look at her

Lou's POV

"Dad, where is Jug?", I asked my father after I noticed that my brother was gone for far too long, speaking three days. 

"He didn't tell you? He went away with Archie", dad explained. "He left? With Archie? Where are they going?", I asked feeling a slight pain in my chest due to the fact that my brother just left like that. 

"I don't know, kiddo", dad shrugged turning back to his newspaper. I sighed and told myself that I couldn't be mad at Jug since I left like that as well. 

"Uhm, I'm out, see ya", I told my dad as I made my way over to Pop's to meet Veronica in her speakeasy. 

I walked through the doors and into the familiar diner. "Hey Pop", I smiled, "Is Veronica downstairs?". 

"Yeah, you know how it works but I'm sure she has the door open anyway", Pop told me smiling brightly. "Thank you", I smiled as I made my way over to the hidden door. 

I gave it a light push making it flung open immediately, as soon as the door was open I stepped inside walking down the stairs. 

I walked into the heart of the speakeasy and took a place at the bar. "Lou", V smiled as she pulled me into a quick hug. "V". 

*

"So you moved out of the Pembroke? And you're sleeping where exactly?", I asked the raven-haired girl in front of me while I was sipping on my orange mocktail. 

"Here, I couldn't stay home. My dad was the reason that my boyfriend left. He betrayed me, he threatened me and my mom isn't doing anything against it", Veronica sighed sipping on her mint mocktail. 

"But where are you sleeping? There is barely any space here", I explained gesturing through the giant room that was only filled with us and a small group of Teens who were playing G&G.

"In a booth, it's actually comfortable and not that small", Veronica shrugged. "V you know you can always sleep over at mine", I told the girl. "I know, I know".

"What's up, Ronnie? Lou?", Reggie asked us two as he came behind the bar placing a box on the counter, "Still bummed about Archie bailing on the world?".

"That's on my list of woes, yes", Veronica sighed sipping on her mocktail. "Hm, what else?", Reg asked. 

"We work all day and all night and yet we're barely scraping by. The numbers just aren't adding up", Veronica explained sadly. 

"It may not be the Copacabana yet but business is", I said thinking about a word that could describe this the best way. "Steady", Reggie smiled finishing my sentence. 

"One thing I learned from my father, is that 'steady' is one bad week away from broke. We'll never turn a profit selling five dollar mocktails to high-schoolers who sit here all day, playing some stupid game", Veronica complained shooting the group of teens a glare. 

"So, what you're saying is we need to start a side hustle", Reggie smirked. 

*

"How have you been?", Reggie asked. "I'm good and you, we haven't talked a lot lately", I said sadly as Reggie and I left Pop's together. 

Veronica was meeting Elio right now discussing things about a Casino night that is supposed to take place tomorrow. 

"I'm good too", "Do you like her?", I blurred out. The entire evening I saw the looks Reggie was giving Veronica, the looks he once gave me. 

"What? No", he shrugged it off. "You can't lie to me, Reginald. I know you best and you know it. I see the way you look at her", I smirked. 

"Okay, okay, I may like her but we're business partners and she is dating my best friend, I couldn't date her in a million years. I mean she is Veronica Lodge", Reggie told me.