"What the hell? Why?" I asked and Matt answered deadpanned.
"Because someone named Adam Kingsley owns it now," he said taking me by surprise because he knew and he laughed at my expression as he urged me to sit back down.
"Just kidding dude," he said and I continued to scowl but inclined my head to listen to his explanations. "I've already paid off all of my family's debts and already had enough savings to follow my dreams."
"Dreams?" I asked, not sure if I understood him correctly as I glanced around at the simple bar.
"That's right," I heard Matt say. "This dream," he continued as he too glanced around and I could tell he was satisfied. "I've never wanted to work at an office. I rather like being an owner of something like this."
"But you had such a bright future ahead of you," I argued as my eyes narrowed on his face and he shook his head.
"I've always told you, buddy, that I'm just a simple man with simple dreams," he said and I felt a little sad.
I knew about it of course, but I deluded myself that he would change his mind once he had attained the highest paying position in the company. I was wrong.
"I'll just leave the corporate world to guys like you," Matt teased me and I smirked as I gulped down the remains of my glass. "Do you want another one?" he asked and I nodded.
I watched him as he stood up to go to the counter to serve me the beer himself. There were very few customers and so he was able to hang out with me. "By the way," he said and I looked up at him inquiringly. "I'm getting married."
"Oh," I murmured as I nodded.
It was no longer a surprise to me seeing as he was madly in love with his longtime lover who I had seen several times.
"What do you mean 'oh'," Matt teased me again. "Jane and I want you to be the best man. That is if it's okay for you to attend a very commoner kind of festivities," he continued with a grin and I smiled as I playfully threw a punch his way.
"Shut up," I said, my eyes glittered in amusement.
Matt loved to tease or bully me about my being a snob. "Sure, as long as you'd accept my gift to you," I said and my smile widened as Matt's face changed into that of a suspicious one.
"It's not a free month-long cruise to the Caribbean right?" he countered dubiously remembering my promise from long ago, and when I didn't even bat an eyelash, he groaned.
"Accept it," I teased him in returned and he just chuckled. He must have wanted me to be his best man badly that he didn't throw a fit and I felt happy.
"So where's your wife to be?" I asked casually as I had my third glass of beer. "She's busy at home. Her older sister just returned from Tokyo and – "
Stopping in the middle of his speech, I frowned at Matt, waiting for him to continue but he was not looking at me anymore. His face was lit up into the brightest of smiles as he looked ahead at the entrance and I turned around too.
"Hey!" Jane crossed the room; her energetic body seemed to bounce as she approached us with a huge smile on her face.
"Urgh, I think I'm going home now. I don't want to get infected by that stupid smile on your faces," I said kiddingly which earned me a playful punch on the shoulder.
"And you're as mean as ever," Jane told me sternly as she leaned over to give me a hug and turned to her fiancé for a kiss.
"Adam won't agree to be our best man if we won't accept his gift," Matt told his lover and Jane placed her hands on her hips and glared at me comically.
"Well, bring it on Kingsley. You're not skipping out on our wedding," she said which made me smile.
I always thought of how lucky Matt was to find someone who truly loved him. Years ago when we were still in university, I nearly lost Matt's friendship because of a woman who used Matt to get to me. I was totally relieved that my best friend didn't believe the crap the woman spouted. After that however, I'd been wary of his relationships – even with Jane.
The reason why Jane called me a meanie was because I used to act like an uncaring jackass towards her before. I had thought that she was like Matt's old relationships but I was wrong. Jane truly loved my friend and I was happy for them.
"Okay. You'd go on a month's cruise then," I said flippantly and grinned as I watched Jane's eyes widened as saucers.
"But we can't go that long! Who will take care of the bar?" Jane asked worriedly but then she snapped her fingers. "I know. I'll ask my sister to take care of it. Well, where the heck is she? She's supposed to be here already," she added worriedly as she fished her phone from her pocket and dialed a number. "I'm going out. I can't hear her," she said as she rushed out of the bar.
"Do you think her sister will agree?" I asked and Matt shook his head.
"I don't know," he answered and I frowned. "But I think she will. She doesn't have anything to do anyway."
"Doesn't she have a job or something?" I asked again, my voice laced with disapproval and Matt shrugged. "She just got back from Tokyo right? She's a kindergarten teacher there, but I think we can ask her to supervise this place for a while," he answered as a customer sat on the far side of the counter and got his attention. "I'll be back," he said as he left me.
A few minutes after, I stood up and was about to tell Matt that I was leaving when the door opened and someone stepped in and I froze upon the vision which greeted me: Long raven hair, a pair of huge doe eyes, small pointed nose and full lips as red as the rose petals I liked putting in the tub when I bathed.
"Who…" Who are you? I wanted to ask, but words failed me as I watched.