you can call me babe for the weekend. [andy barber x reader]
PART ONE OF CLANDESTINE.
summary ⇒ the start of the best kept secret Newton, Massachusetts’ has ever seen.
warnings ⇒ heavy makeout but nothing too nsfw, an affair (bc who am i if i don’t write something like this), age gap (reader is referenced to be 19 but this is technically a flashback), DBF!Andy
MINORS DNI
word count ⇒ 2.2k
this could be a series if i find the motivation to write it tbh but idk
The affair – if it could even be considered that – was harmless.
It dated back to the first winter break from university.
The winter hadn’t been too cruel. However, New England winter was still New England winter and as the sun set on your hometown of Newton, Massachusetts, you couldn’t help but feel that cold. Clad in a pastel pink North Face with white earmuffs, you looked out of place at the dive bar in Boston.
Young. Naïve, even.
You were freshly nineteen with a tiny, vintage Coach shoulder bag tucked into your arm with a slightly expensive – but arguably worth the investment, or at least that’s what your friends said – fake ID clutched in your hand. You flashed the bartender a smile as she glanced at your card before taking it. She quizzed you, asking obscure questions.
“You went to high school ‘round here?” Nope, New York City.
A lie.
“Nice. Nice. You in college?” Yup, with a pop of the ‘p’. Third year up in UMass.
Another lie.
“Cool. What’s your zodiac sign?” You sighed to feign annoyance at the questions but didn’t give her grief about the interrogation. It was her job after all. Gemini.
Another lie, but she bought it all the same as she shrugged and nodded. She handed the ID back to you and asked for your order. You weren’t much of a drinker, four months of college hadn’t changed that, so you ordered a simple vodka cranberry sour – your roommate’s favorite. The bartender nodded and backed off with a simple, “coming right up, pumpkin.”
Absentmindedly, you placed your fake ID on the table in front of you as you pulled out your phone to scroll through the countless messages of your high school friends, all of whom promised to be here, have flaked on the get together.
They dropped like flies with feigned excuses of staying with their folks, or not wanting to be in the cold, and even whining about the dangers of underage drinking. You groaned and typed, frustratedly, trying to convince someone – anyone – to come and join you.
“Fuck me,” you muttered. The bartender chortled as she placed a bright red drink in front of you.
“Date bailed?” She inquired.
“Friends are suckers,” you explained. “We were all supposed to meet, but now they’re all backing out.”
“Aw, sorry to hear that, pumpkin.” For a moment, you expected her to continue the conversation, but she only stared at you, expectantly, before she glanced down at the drink.
You suddenly felt heat rise to your face as the realization washed over you. You flung your purse from your shoulder, unzipping it, hurriedly, to find your credit card – which your father had adamantly told you was for emergencies only. A plan that, of course, failed. (What did he expect when he gave a, then, eighteen-year-old a credit card?!)
But of course, just your rotten luck, the card in question was gone.
You groaned and shook your head. You looked up at the bartender with a nervous smile, hers had long since faded after watching you dig through your bag. “You don’t happen to take Apple Pay, do you?”
“No, pumpkin.”
This is what you get for lying, you thought to yourself as you frantically combed through your thoughts to formulate a plan of some kind. But to your surprise – and stupid luck, thank god it was still there somehow – a kind bystander spoke up.
“Put hers on my tab, Kristy.”
“Gotcha,” she nodded before stalking off, pleased that a payment was indeed promised.
You let out a sigh of relief and swiveled in your chair to thank your hero when a gasp escaped you instead.
Because, just like that, your luck dissipated as behind you, with two stormy blue eyes that held hints of disappointment and … amusement (?) was Andy fucking Barber, your best friend’s father.
Before a word could even escape your lips, Andy reached around you, swiping your fake ID. You stared at him wide eyed, expecting him to rat you out – hell, maybe even arrest you. Could he even do that? He was only the First Assistant to the DA in Newton. He certainly didn’t have that kind of power – or maybe he did. How would you know?
“A New York baby, huh?” He asked you, lowly, glancing up at you with a knowing smirk.
“Uh, yeah,” you nodded, playing along to whatever this was.
“Andy,” he introduced, offering a hand.
You offered him your ID’s identity before shaking it. “Thanks,” for saving my ass, “for the drink.”
“Of course.” Andy smiled. “What brings you to Boston?”
“College.” You said. “Third year at UMass.”
“Is that so?” You hummed a confirmation. “You should transfer to NYU. My son’s there. He loves it. Goes there with his best friend.”
“Wow.” You were slightly convinced you could be an actress with the pure tone of interest. “Must be a party every day.”
“Yeah, yeah. Wicked partier his best friend. You won’t expect it from her, but she’s at bars and drinks now, apparently.”
“Sounds grown up.”
“She tries to be.” He leaned closer and you froze as you smelled the whiskey on his breath. “Sometimes, she can be a real stubborn little girl though. Doesn’t know what’s good for her.” God, why did the husk in his voice and his breath against your skin awake goosebumps and butterflies? You should not like this, but something about the condescending tone and the mere aura that radiated off him. Absolutely addicting.
He leaned away as he watched you cross your legs and shift in the barstool. “What about you, baby?” You could melt. Honestly. “You know what’s good for you?” You nodded, but he tsked. A hand gripped your chair and in the chatter-filled bar, you could hear the legs scrape against the floors as he pulled you closer. “Now, you gotta use your words, baby.”
“Will you teach me?” You asked him, doe-eyes staring up at him.
Now, you weren’t sure what happened next – it was a blur, honestly. You drank and laughed. It was a whirlwind. Everything passed by you so quickly. One second Andy’s closing out his tab the next two hands are at the backs of your thighs, hoisting you up onto the bathroom countertop. Back against the mirror and Andy fucking Barber standing between your legs. Your hair was lost behind the back of his head, fisting at his hair to pull him closer to your lips.
The kiss was heated, and you weren’t even sure if you started making out at the bar, on the way to the restroom, at the doors, or on the sink itself. All you knew was that Andy Barber was a great – nay the best – kisser you have ever met.
All the college boys could never compare to the years of experience this man had. Hell, they didn’t even know where to put their hands.
Andy’s had cupped your cheeks, holding and keeping you in this moment, but one particular gasp that left your lips but was muffled by his had his hands wandering to the back of your head. He pulled away – or rather, pulled you away – with a fistful of your hair in a large hand. A moan escaped you and he scattered love bites down the column of your neck.
“You’re so hot,” he muttered into your skin. “So beautiful. So, so beautiful, baby.”
He finally reclaimed your lips, but shortly after a ringing rang out through the echoey room. With a groan, Andy stared at you, expectantly, as you pulled out your phone.
“Fuck,” you muttered, “fuck, fuck, fuck.”
Upon the screen was a very familiar face – one that belonged to his son. Andy’s eyes widened as he tried to convince you not to answer.
“But – but I have to!” You argued. “What if something happened?”
“Then I doubt he would’ve called you.”
“You don’t know that! Somethings he can’t tell you!”
“Like what.”
“Like when I had to buy him condoms during prom because he and Sarah were gonna do it in his car,” you said over the ringer that continued to blare out.
Andy’s mouth gaped at your confession. “He drove my car to prom.”
“Oh. Er… sorry?”
He let out an exasperated sigh until finally the ringer stopped, effectively sending Jacob to voicemail. Among the silence, you two stared at each other for a beat before bursting out into laughter.
“My car?” He chuckled, hands on your knees, drawing small circles with his right thumb. “Now, he’s surely never getting it.”
“But he’s been eyeing it for so long though,” you argued for your best friend, smacking his bicep.
For a moment, this felt right. Gossiping about Jacob with you standing up for him, sort of. It felt like what a family does.
And for a moment, you allowed that fantasy in – you couldn’t help it you’re a hopeless romantic. In a perfect world, maybe this, whatever it is, would work and Jacob would be accepting of it, too. Happy that his father, divorced for too long now, and his best friend have finally found love.
God, you’re stupid. You shook that fantastical dream away. This, whatever it is, was a spur of the moment. It wasn’t real and certainly wasn’t going to happen again.
Andy whispered your name and you looked up at him as he stared at you with furrowed brows. “What’s on your mind?”
“Nothing,” you lied, but he scoffed.
“Bullshit. What’s on your mind?”
“Noth-“he tilted his head at you, eyes staring straight into your soul. How he was able to see through your lies was a mystery to you. “Fine… I just,” you sighed, “I just let my imagination get the best of me sometimes, you know?”
“I know all about that.” Andy nodded. “But sometimes, you gotta turn dreams into reality.”
“Such a dad pep talk, really.”
“What’d you just daydream about?”
“What?”
“You think I don’t recognize that dreamy look you do when you escape into your head?” Andy tapped on your temple.
“I don’t do it often.”
“Yeah,” he agreed with a shrug, “but I still notice.”
“My future, I guess?” You groaned with your hands flying to your face. “It’s embarrassing, really. Let’s just drop it.”
“Nah,” Andy laughed as he gently pulled your hands from your face and held them in his. They felt as if they belonged there, they truly did. “I wanna know. What about your future is so embarrassing,” he mocked you.
“Just thinking about,” he smiled at you, and you groaned. “God, do I have to?”
“Yes,” he brought your knuckles to his lips, peppering them with kisses. “Now, tell me.”
“I just thought like – itwouldbenicetoendupwithyou. IthinkIwouldlikeit.”
He said your name with feigned authority in his voice and he tilted his head in the way he does, which had you groaning before repeating yourself.
A soft smile formed on his devilish handsome features as he leaned in to kiss you again. He pulled away and brought another kiss to your knuckle. “I would –“
Your phone rang again and, surprise, surprise. It was Jacob.
“Okay, he wouldn’t call twice. It must be important.” You muttered. Before Andy could convince you to ignore his son (father of the year, really), you had already answered. “Jake? Hey, what’s up?”
“Where the hell are you!” Jacob demanded. “I showed up to this little get together, and suddenly, you’re not here? Don’t tell me you bailed.”
“Didn’t you read the messages? Everyone bailed.”
“Yeah, but I know you’re the real show-up-early-in-case-there’s-traffic type,” he said. “Are you here yet?”
You cringed as you and Andy stared at each other. Well, you were definitely here.
“I – I’m on my way!” You lied. “Just go sit down somewhere, and I’ll find you.”
“Alright.” He said.
You hung up. “Well, he’s here. Rotten luck, huh?”
Andy laughed as he tucked a loose hair behind your ear. “I’d hardly call it that.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really,” Andy nodded. “Well, I better get outta here before he sees me… Or rather, should I bust him?”
“Go easy on him,” you punched his shoulder gently.
“Alright, alright.” Andy laughed.
He helped you off the counter and you both discreetly leave the bathroom. You scanned the bar to find that Jacob had already situated himself near the back, lost on his phone – surely on Tinder or TikTok. You and Andy exchange a quick look.
Was it a goodbye forever? A let’s-pretend-this-never-happened look?
Before you could turn on your heel with no answers, Andy grabbed your arm. Your eyes were wide as you glanced back at Jacob, who was still, thankfully, preoccupied. He handed you his credit card, but you shook your head.
“Oh, Andy, I can’t.”
“Let’s call it an excuse to see each other again.” He said before he pulled you in for one more stolen kiss. Blue eyes stared deep into yours, savoring the heat of your body for a few moments more. “Because I do want to see you again.”
Your breath was shaky as he gave your hand a squeeze before walking off into the night. Your eyes followed him through the darkness, a frenzy heated upon your skin that left you absolutely buzzing.
“Oh, fuck me.” You whispered.
