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“You got it. I was getting ready to cut him off, but the poor guy has had it rough. Don’t want to bruise the ego if I don’t have to.”
“Thanks.” The bartender takes the money and returns a minute later with a pint that Aaron delivers to Billy. He sits with him for a few minutes but then gets called to the nearby pool tables.
Aaron motions me over, and I join him and his buddies for a round of pool that turns into several hours.
Eventually, the lights come up, signaling it’s time to go home, which is when I notice that Billy is slumped over in his chair on the other side of the bar.
Aaron gives his shoulder a shake, trying to rouse him. Billy is slurring and mostly incoherent. I slide off my stool and head their way. “You want some help?”
Aaron runs a hand through his hair. “All I have is my bike, and he’s not with it enough to catch a ride on the back. I don’t want to call Dee this time of night.”
“I live right next door. I’ll take him home.”
“You’re sure about that? It’d be a real big favor; might even put you on Dee’s good side, which is always a nice place to be.”
I laugh. “I kinda like her bad side.”
“I’m sure you do. She’s all fire, that one.”
It takes Aaron and me both to get Billy out of the bar and into the truck. He might be a lean dude, but he sure is heavy. He’s mostly passed out the entire ride home, head lolling back and forth, bumping off the passenger window every time we hit a pothole, which is often.
I pull into my neighbor’s driveway just after twelve thirty. The house is dark, which isn’t a surprise, considering it’s the middle of the week.
I poke Billy’s shoulder. “Hey, man, you’re home.”
He rouses and blinks a few times. “Huh?”
I point to the house. “You’re home. Time to sleep off the beer in your bed.”
“Oh. Yeah, right. Time’s it?” He slurs the words and fumbles with his seat belt.
“After midnight. Need a hand?”
“I got it,” he mutters, but he continues to struggle to hit the release button.
I don’t think he’s going to have much luck getting out of the truck and into the house without assistance, so I unbuckle my own seat belt and hop out. I grab his crutches from the bed and round the passenger side. By the time I open the door, he’s managed the epic feat of unbuckling his seat belt.
I’m in the middle of trying to figure out how I’m going to get his drunk ass out of the truck and to the front door without throwing him over my shoulder when I hear the sound of a screen door slamming shut.
“What the heck is going on out here?” Dillion’s hand is raised in front of her face to shield her eyes from the glare of my headlights, which are pointed directly at her trailer.
Her hair is a chaotic blonde halo. She’s wearing a pair of barely there sleep shorts and a tank that, thanks to the headlights, is basically see through. Her nipples are peaked against the white fabric, and my stupid eyeballs home right in on them.
And because I’m fixated on her and her outfit, I’m not paying attention to Billy, who’s decided he doesn’t need my help getting out of the truck. He knocks into me with an oof, and I barely manage to stay upright while Billy sprawls across the driveway.
“Oh my God! Is that Billy? What did you do to him?” Dillion’s flip-flops slap angrily against the gravel drive.
“I didn’t do anything to him.” I prop the crutches against the side of the truck and crouch so I can help him up. He’s sloppy and heavy, and I’m starting to regret driving him home.
“Billy, are you drunk?”
“I had a few beers, chill out, Dil,” Billy mumble-slurs. “Chill, dill. That rhymes.” He barks out a laugh and then proceeds to vomit, barely missing my feet.
“You got my brother drunk? What is wrong with you?”
I pin her with a look. Her attitude is getting tiring. It might have been fun to poke at her and get a rise, but I can only take so many accusations. I have enough of those to deal with without her stupid ones. “You have an awful way of saying thank you. I didn’t get him drunk. I found him like this and wanted to save you and your family the trouble of coming to pick him up at the bar.”
Her hands drop from her hips, and her anger deflates like a popped balloon. “Oh. I didn’t even know he’d gone out.”
“Apparently he did. You’re welcome for making sure he got home safely.” I round the front of the truck and hop back in, ignoring Dillion when she calls my name. I don’t have the patience left not to be the jerk she assumes me to be tonight.
