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Emmett
I’m not having a good day. I regret not taking Cash up on his offer and not for the first time during this never-ending shift. I’d rather go through basic training all over again than face a room full of drunken townspeople. The only saving grace is that the majority of the faces tonight are new. Except for the handful of regulars in the corner who had already realized pretty quickly which topics were off limits.
So, at least I don’t have to spend the evening fending off well-meaning people who were determined to fix my life.
A group of older women at the end of the bar have been here all evening, clearly having too good of a time to be going anywhere else tonight. Checking my watch, I see we have just under an hour left for the evening and I gesture to TJ letting him know to cut this group off. The older brunette keeps winking at me and finding excuses to touch me each time I pass by, and her advances keep getting more and more forward with each drink.
TJ nods from the other end of the bar as he drops another martini off to the couple at that end. Satisfied that all customers have been taken care of as the evening finally starts to wind down, I decide to duck out and grab a quick break.
“TJ,” I holler to be heard over the twang of the country music and he nods, waving at the couple once more before heading my way.
“What’s up, boss?” he asks, flipping his long hair out of his face.
“I told you not to call me boss,” I say on a growl, but TJ just smiles and ignores me. TJ and Cash have been best friends most of their lives and he’s practically family by this point. Technically I might be his boss, but I sure don’t feel like it when he’s the one having to show me the ropes most of the time. Sighing, I say, “can you cover for a few minutes? I just want to step out and get some air.” I try to keep the desperation off my face, but I’m not sure I succeed.
Still, TJ doesn’t pry. He just nods with more solemnity than before and says, “sure thing, boss. It’s a good time for it. Got about twenty minutes ‘til we do last call.”
“Thanks,” I say, but TJ waves me off and turns his attention to clearing empties from the bar top.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I head for the employee exit just past the restrooms. I’m usually pretty aware of my surroundings – the Army ingrains that in you pretty quickly – but I’m barely paying attention as I eye the emergency door like the lifeline it represents. Funny how actual war is preferable to an evening in my hometown. Pushing the horizontal bar and letting myself out, I take the first deep breath I’ve taken all evening. The pungent aroma coming from the dumpster has me immediately regretting the deep inhale. Stepping further away, I lean against the brick wall and close my eyes. I need just a minute of quiet to regroup and reset.
“Well, hello there, Cowboy.” My eyes flip open at the sound of her voice. I barely hold in a groan of frustration as I see it’s the brunette who had been trying to get my attention all evening. I’ve got nothing against older women or casual hookups, but I’m not interested tonight, and I thought I had been very clear.
Speaking more sternly than I would have under normal circumstances, I say, “I’m sorry, ma’am, but this is the employee exit. Customers aren’t allowed back here.”
That should be enough. I shouldn’t have to say more, but the lady just giggles and waves me off. “Oh, no. Don’t call me ma’am. That makes me sound so old. It’s Candy.” She steps closer now, nearly toe-to-toe with me, her sloppy saunter showing she’s had a fair amount of liquid courage. “I’ve been watching you all night, Cowboy. Tell me, have you ever been with an older woman?” Her leering gaze surveys my body from top to bottom as she brings her hand up to stroke my arm. She keeps talking, but in a lower tone, almost as if she’s whispering to herself. I don’t catch all of it, but I can hear something about licking me and that’s enough to have me extricating myself from her embrace and heading back inside.
Fuck. So much for a break. I heave a sigh and rub my hands over my face before heading back in. A glance at my watch shows I only have another thirty-eight minutes until closing time. I can get through the rest of this shitty day.
As soon as I round the corner, I see her. She looks vaguely familiar, but I can’t take the time to figure out why. Her eyes are closed, and her arms are stretching out before her as she tries to prevent the imminent fall.
I don’t think. I just react as I lunge the few steps forward to catch her. For once, luck is on my side because I grab hold of the woman just before she face-plants. My heart thunders in my chest at the close call as I pull us both up to stand. I don’t let her go, yet,. I probably should. I know that. But I’m not entirely sure she’s able to stand on her own just yet.
Then she lifts her eyes to look at me and it’s like everyone around us disappears. The wild, curly hair, the bright, beautiful eyes, wide with awe as she takes me in, and I finally figure out why she looks so familiar. It’s been years since I’ve seen them, but I’d recognize those eyes anywhere. Before I can deliberate too long on why I haven’t released her yet, she starts speaking. The heavy slurring makes it hard to hear most of it, but I do catch, “so gorgeous,” and “lickable jaw,” as she runs her finger along it. For the first time in longer than I can remember, a genuine smile tugs at the corners of my lips as I say, “uh, thank you. I think?”
Her eyes widen and she asks, “did I say that out loud?”
Fuck, she’s adorable. I can’t help the chuckle that escapes as I ask, “which part, Charley? The part about me being gorgeous? Or the obsessive bit about my jaw?” I feel lighter, more carefree than I have in years in this moment, and I know I should step back. But her hands are holding my shirt in a death grip and Charley’s face is white as a sheet. She releases her left hand and moves to take a step back, still holding onto me with her right. She’s not as steady as she could be, and I watch in alarm as her pale face takes on a slightly green hue just before geysers of vomit erupt and splat onto me.
Forcing myself to breathe through my mouth, I send up a silent prayer of thanks that I’m not a sympathetic puker. A glance around the room shows most of the patrons heading toward the exit –including her date. TJ hops over the counter and runs to us, a guilty expression on his face as he asks, “shit, Charley, you okay?”
Seemingly done expelling the contents of her stomach, Charley lifts her head just long enough to nod at TJ and then leans into me with her eyes closed.
“Call Millie,” I order as I gently maneuver Charley into a booth and try to get this mess cleaned up as quickly as possible.
What a shitty end to a shitty day.
six
Dream Man
Dear Readers,
I have a confession to make. I dipped my toes into the modern dating pool, and it was a bloodbath. My substantial knowledge of romance didn’t prepare me for the overwhelming lack of interest in love in today’s society. Not only do we have to overcome the usual challenges to find our Mr. Right, but now, we have to weed through dozens of people who aren’t interested in love at all. We’re not dating in search of life partners; we’re dating in search of one-night stands or short-term flings.
When did Happily Ever After stop being the goal? How did the beauty of such a surreal and everlasting connection between two people become completely irrelevant all the sudden?
I find myself woefully unprepared for the challenges coming my way, but I have every intention of pushing through any barrier in my path to my own happy ending.
