beyoncepadthai | Saturday, November 1st

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luke garroway

Saturday, November 1st

It's not like it's the first time Mindy's had her heart broken. But it is the first time that Danny Castellano has made her feel this way.

Although she can't even blame him for all of this, as much as she might want to. Because as much as the kiss weighs against her, as much as his refusal to want to be more with her stings, there's the undeniable dilemma of having just discovered all that she's somehow forgotten – an engagement and a trip to Haiti and an almost wedding and more breakups than she can seem to keep track of.

Josh. Brendan. Casey. Cliff. The waves of emotion are all at once too much and Danny's decision to once again drive a wedge between them, this time because he wants to preserve their friendship (what a fucking cliché), pushes her over the edge. So instead of going home she heads for a bar, wondering how many drinks it will take for her to forget. Wondering if there's something she can do to send the memories back from wherever they came.

She's almost hoping for anonymity when she bumps into Luke on her way in, but she manages a smile anyway. "Hey. It's Luke, right?"

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He doesn't go to the bar to drink. He doesn't even really go to socialize, which he realizes is perhaps a little silly, but Luke has never been much of an extravert even at the best of times. He does because it reminds him a little of Hunter's Moon, of sitting at a booth in the back of the bar and watching his pack. They had always known when he was there, had always been a little more well-mannered knowing their leader was there just watching, and of course this bar isn't the same, but it's enough.

Sometimes he can't quite believe he misses being a pack leader, but he does. In a way.

And yet he's on his way out, intending on going back to the property he's renting for the store to work. The apartment above is more or less furnished, but he has a significant amount of work to do in the store itself, and he's thinking about organizational tactics when he nearly runs straight into Mindy. With a smile, he nods down at her, lifting one hand to steady her shoulder. "Hi," he says. "Yeah, Luke."

It's a familiar face, but it's not someone who knows Mindy well enough that he'll pry into why her attitude might be a little off tonight. Maybe that's what she needs. Nodding back at the entrance of the bar, she tilts her head to the side. He's so much taller than Danny, she thinks, then hates herself for thinking of him at all. Drinks are definitely required. "Were you just leaving?" she asks. "Or did you have time for a drink?"

The store can wait, he thinks. There's still a week before he plans on opening and that's plenty of time to do what needs to be done, so he shakes his head and gives her a smile. "I have time for a drink." He doesn't know her all that well, but there's something about the way she asks that makes him think she might need it.

After ten years with Clary and Jocelyn, he's gotten fairly good at reading women, reading most people in general, and there's no reason for him not to keep Mindy company for a little while.

"Awesome," Mindy says, gesturing that he go inside first just in case he has any ideas about fleeing. Not that she plans on kidnapping him, or whatever, but it wouldn't be the first time a guy said yes to a drink and then was suddenly sprinting three blocks down the street. "I'm buying."

Luke holds the door open above Mindy's head, moving back inside the bar as he casts an amused smile down at her. "I think it's only fair you buy, you're the doctor, after all," he says, although he's teasing. So far he doesn't have a career, but the money supplied by the city has served him well enough so far. The rent on the store property will be more than what he's been paying on the apartment, but he's sure he can make enough of a profit for it to be worthwhile.

"Though I guess I'm no longer unemployed," he says as they near the bar and he leans against it, gesturing for Mindy to order first.

It's possible that maybe Mindy should order scotch or something else that might reflect her dark, angsty mood, but she settles for a vodka soda and lifts herself onto one of the bar's stools. "Oh, no?" she asks, eyes brightening with genuine curiosity. She normally has to feign interest but tonight, tonight the easiest way to lose herself is in another. "Where are you working? Anywhere I can get a discount?"

He smiles as he slips onto a stool and orders a beer for himself -- simple, easy, more or less the only thing Luke ever drinks -- then shrugs. "I'm opening a book store near the park. I can probably work out a discount for you if there's anything ever there that catches your eye." He specializes in hard to find magical texts, but as with his store in Manhattan, he's making every effort to make sure it's something anyone can come into and find something they like.

"I will absolutely take you up on that," Mindy says, and she means it too. Her income is more than enough for her but she is not one to turn away a good deal. Especially when it comes to books. She's not sure she's ever paid full price for one. It's the principle. "And, hey, if you ever need free condoms or family planning advice, I am good for that."

Their drinks come and as she takes a demure sip she considers asking if he's seen You've Got Mail and mentioning The Shop Around The Corner, but that'll just make her think of her favorite rom-coms and how sorely she must be disappointing Nora Ephron right about now.

Even without a drink, Luke nearly manages to choke at that comment. He's not sure the last time he's ever given any thought to condoms or family planning advice and to have someone offering them to him -- and to have that someone be a clearly beautiful woman -- even as a joke is somewhat disconcerting. He takes a long drink of his beer in an attempt to cover it, but he's sure he looks like something of a fool. He's thirty-seven years old, he shouldn't react in such a way, but it's been a very long time since he's needed anything like that.

"I will... keep that in mind," he says, though he's sure that's not the right answer and he has to laugh. "I'm sorry, that sounded awfully stupid."

"No, you're fine," Mindy grins. She can't help it. Yeah, maybe she's a little too blasé about the whole thing, but he's a good sport. She likes him already, she can tell. The fact that she met him watching Space Hospital and that he owns a bookstore was a good indicator from the start. "I can be weirdly forward, TMI, whatever. And I'm not even half way drunk yet, so."

"So it's bound to get better?" he asks with a smile, tipping back more of his beer before shaking his head. He doesn't mind, truly, he'd had to field some awfully uncomfortable questions from Clary as she had grown up and he remembers well enough panicking when she'd asked him once, when she was only five, how babies were made and why he hadn't made one yet.

"I don't think I'll need to worry about family planning advice at any point, though I do appreciate the offer," he says. And he wants to add that he probably won't need condoms either, but it sounds a little too sad, even in his head. Luke doesn't bother calculating how long it's been anymore out of sheer embarrassment.

"That is what I am here for," Mindy tells him, not really fazed by the whole thing though he might be. She's pretty well versed in the art of overcoming minor humiliations, this doesn't even rate. She's been almost arrested for handing out condoms to teenagers, it's all good. "That and, obviously," she gestures at herself and she's joking, mostly. "Aesthetics."

For a moment Luke panics internally. It's entirely possible she's only being friendly, that she's just teasing him, but he suspects she might be flirting. The last time Luke flirted with anyone, had been a remarkably long time ago and he's fairly certain he'd done a pretty poor job of it.

"Well, obviously," he says with another smile, glancing over at her. She is very beautiful and he appreciates that she can acknowledge it instead of pretending she doesn't realize. "So what it is that I'm here for since you've taken care of family planning advice and aesthetics?"

"Well, aesthetics, also," Mindy says sagely, gesturing at him. She's not nearly drunk enough to get to where she wants with this, maybe, but she's not shy enough to not tell it like it is. "You have that whole rugged, sexy man's man thing going on. I can't bring that to the table. I'm too dainty and petite. We're a good match, I think."

"Rugged, sexy man's man thing," Luke echoes and he can't help it, he's laughing. It's funny, it's been a long time since he's laughed like this with anyone and he tries to think back to the last time and he knows it has to have been before Manhattan. That isn't to say he hasn't had fun since moving to New York, since reconnecting with Jocelyn, but nothing has been like this. He hasn't just sat with a woman in a bar and laughed.

"So what you're saying is that we have the most attractive table, so to speak, given that we're at the bar, in this building," he suggests.

It's good to see him laugh and not have her attempts at humor fall on deaf or stubborn ears, especially in the wake of such a spectacular failure with Danny, the awkwardness that has befallen their friendship and she's not sure will ever lift. She reaches for her drink, taking a sip. "Oh, hell yes. We look great. The envy of the entire room, for real."

Luke glances around, prepared to make a joke, but he's surprised to find there are people looking at them. One woman with a hungry sort of glint in her eye and there are several men who continually steal glances in Mindy's direction.

"Well, you're certainly not short on admirers," he agrees as he turns back toward the bar, then pauses for a sip of his beer. "But I'm sure you're used to that."

"Oh, please," Mindy says, rolling her eyes, though totally enjoying the compliment. If that's what it is. Yeah, guys check her out, but usually by the time she opens her mouth they want nothing to do with her. The exceptions, she usually ends up dating "Tell that to the men of New York. Every single one seems to be gay, or taken, or just plain stupid."

Luke lets out a snort of laughter at that, surprised into it, but he supposes she isn't wrong. Had she approached him in New York, he would have made a thousand excuses to get out of having a drink with her because he hadn't been able to look past Jocelyn. Behaviour he's certain could be defined as stupid.

"Well, it's a good thing this isn't New York," he says, although he doesn't want to point out the men who are looking at Mindy. He's here with her and he doesn't know if she has any interest in him at all, but he doesn't want to start point out other options either. "Darrow might have a whole new breed of stupidity."

"Or New York brought its stupidity with it," Mindy says, although it's more of a murmur, under her breath. She's thinking about Danny, of course, how could she forget? And it's infuriating, actually, to be thinking about his short, sweaty self while face to face with a guy like Luke. How the hell did he ever get under her skin? How the hell does she get him out?

Luke wonders at that, wonders if perhaps there's someone from her home here, someone who's been that breed of stupid around her. He doesn't say it, though, just gestures for another drink for the both of them.

"I know it's easier said than done, but maybe forget Manhattan. At least for tonight," he suggests. "I'll try to do the same."

Mindy's expression softens, hands reaching for her almost empty glass to lift to his in a toast. "To forgetting Manhattan," Mindy says, though she knows it's an impossibility. It will always be home. Above Darrow, above Boston. "And being the hottest pair in the bar tonight."

Luke doesn't know that anyone has ever referred to him as being hot, even if she's applying it to the both of them and he smiles behind his glass, his cheeks growing warm.

"I think you've paid me more compliments tonight than anyone ever has before," he admits.

"Oh, god, am I going overboard? I tend to do that," Mindy says, shaking her head. She's never been the best when it comes to flirting, but after all of the BS with Danny, today, she's sure she must be worse. "I can totally insult you, if you prefer that. Or, or, we could skip past the awkward entirely."

"No, no, I just... haven't received a lot of compliments," he says with a laugh, his face flushing a little deeper when she suggests they skip the awkward part entirely. Luke's never been particularly good at reading signs and he's never liked making assumptions.

"Skipping the awkward part entails... what, exactly?" he asks, smiling over at her.

Mindy's face reflects the disbelief she feels that Luke wouldn't be bombarded with compliments constantly pretty clearly. He's fucking gorgeous, and she's about to say as much when she realises she's already said so three or four times and she's not even that drunk. "Oh, boy," she says, looking at the rim of her glass. "Alright, so I just had what can only be described as the worst night ever. Titanic bad. I mean, hell, even Jack and Rose had each other, you know? But anyway. My point is, I think that we should sleep together. Just, you know, a one time thing. No strings attached. Tonight. If you want."

She's far more bold than anyone Luke has ever met and for a second he's stunned into silence, but when he thinks about it, when he really considers it, maybe this is what he needs. Jocelyn isn't here. There's no indication that she'll come here at any point. Even if she did come to Darrow, she's made it very clear that all she wants from Luke is his friendship.

Maybe it's time he learn to accept that. Maybe something like this, no strings attached, can help him.

"Is your place close?" he asks.

"Uh, yeah, just a few minutes away," Mindy says, releasing a breath that she hadn't been sure she'd been holding. She's been rejected plenty. And for all of her vanity, it's still a little bit surprising when a man says yes, sometimes, especially in a bar where he's certainly not short of many (she might argue better) other options. "If you need a few more drinks or whatever, first, though, I totally get it."

It takes Luke a moment to take her meaning and then he frowns, pushing his glass away. The idea that anyone might need to drink in order to sleep with her is absurd and he leans forward, catching her jaw gently with his hand before he kisses her. It's been a very long time since he's kissed anyone -- Lucy, he remembers, another wolf, the second girlfriend he'd ever had, the attempt at moving on from Jocelyn that he had tried to make over seven years ago -- but it's not an easy thing to forget.

And Mindy's mouth is warm and soft under his. He breathes out against her lips, then nudges the kiss gently deeper, parting her lips with his.

The kiss catches Mindy off guard more than maybe it should, especially given that she's the one that's just proposed sex, but not enough to stop her from kissing Luke in turn. "Whoa," she murmurs, smiling against his lips. This is exactly what she wants, not to use or be used but just to lose herself in another for long enough to forget the hellish wave of memories she's just received out of nowhere.

There isn't much they can do in the bar, but Luke kisses her deeper for just a moment more, his hand cupping her face, and his thumb sweeps over her cheek once before he pulls away. He doesn't need another drink, not for this, and perhaps he's never done something like this before, but he doesn't need to find courage. It's here in her voice, in the way she kisses him, in the fact that she's asked him to her place. He can find the courage he needs there.

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Saturday, November 1st

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