Chapter 2: The New Guy
After a nice hot shower and another handful of Excedrine I was feeling much better. I desperately needed to do laundry so the only thing I had clean was my one pair of nice jeans. My “goin’ out” jeans, not that I did that often. They were sexy super low hip huggers that fit me like jeans were meant to fit a woman. I don’t know that my face is all that pretty, especially not now that it’s fucking black and blue, and mamma never taught me how to look like a girl, but Danny and John always tell me I have a body that drives men wild. For a chick I’m pretty cut. Probably from all that fighting I always seem to be doing. That, and lifting heavy shit in the shop all day.
Anyway, my jeans were killer and I cursed myself for wearing them to work because I knew I was going to spill shit on them all night. I just told myself that if I ruined them then I would just buy a new pair for my birthday. Then, in a long-standing tradition I slipped on my Wildcats tank top. My hair was once again thrown back in a ponytail and pulled through my old Kentucky ball cap. I glanced in the mirror and aside from my father’s lovely birthday present, I figured I looked as good as I ever got. I didn’t bother to try and cover the bruise again. This was a small town and by now everybody knew what happened. Make-up wouldn’t have helped a damn bit anyway, the bruise was fucking huge.
I don’t know who the hell I had to impress, if anyone, but as I headed to the bar that evening I was in a pretty damn good mood. My spirits had been raised quite a bit by the idea of an all night beer-fest with the guys after what I prayed would be a winning game. I needed the Wildcats to win for several reasons. First and most importantly, I’m a Kentucky girl. Never been to college but still, Kentucky blue through and through. Plus, an exciting game passes the time a lot more pleasantly and a win for the Wildcats means bigger tips at the end of the night.
Tonight’s game was especially important. The Cats were playing Duke. Currently number 2 in the nation and standing at the same record of wins to losses as Kentucky. If we beat them tonight then we slide into the number one spot and have the best seat in the play-offs. Oh, and did I mention they are our biggest rivals? If Duke wins tonight there is going to be a lot of piss-drunk guys angry as fuck in the bar. I’ve already been in two fights in the last 24 hours. I don’t need to make it any more.
I walked into the bar just about an hour before tip-off. Hal’s face turned white when he saw me. I couldn’t tell if he was reacting to my face or if he was just relieved that I decided to show up to work after all. I assume it was probably both. Hal, as in “Hal’s”, was a fucking cowboy. The dirty old man in his late sixties, was an active member of the NRA. He wore genuine snakeskin boots and always had a wad of chew drippin from his chin. I’m talking straight up John Wayne shit. The man loved a great pair of tits and a fine looking ass. Of all the women in the world I’m his favorite though. Hal and my dad went to school together. They beat each other senseless once over my mom and even though Hal kicked my dad’s ass my mom still chose him.
Hal never really liked my dad to begin with but after what he did to me when I was 14 he swore to kill my father if he ever stepped foot in his bar. I’m pretty sure he means it too. Naturally I decided to spend as much time in the bar as I could and Hal always let me even though the state could have taken his liquor license from him. He loves me because of the way I turned out in spite of my fucked up parents. In some ways he’s like a father to me, but in other’s he’s just a perverted old man that plays nice to me just to piss off my father. Either way he wins points in my book.
“My God Cindy.” He stammered reaching out his hand as if he were going to touch my face. He pulled back though fearing it would hurt. Probably a wise choice, it hurt like hell without people poking at it. “You know you can go home if you need to.”
“Everybody in town already knows and going home is how this happened.” I laughed bitterly. “Besides, the Kentucky-Duke game? You know you can’t do it without me. I’m the best damn bar tender this town’s ever seen.”
“Not to mention the finest piece of ass.” Hall teased. -Good old Hal.- I laughed when the old man sighed in relief. “Thank God woman, cause I was only half serious about you leavin’ tonight. Now, be a doll go earn your keep.”
I saluted sarcastically and then made my way out to the bar. “Hey Cindy!” Hal called out after me. He tossed me a blue Kentucky Wildcats cowgirl hat. How and where he found it I’ll never know, but I loved it instantly. “Happy Birthday kiddo.” He chuckled when he saw my smile.
I tried on my new hat but it didn’t sit right with my hair pulled back so I set if free from its ponytail and it fell softly around my shoulders. That was a sight not many have seen. I always keep my hair up but tonight was special and I now had probably the only Wildcats cowgirl hat in existence. That had to be good luck or something so I plopped the hat on my head pleased to see it fit perfectly. It was a sign. The Cats were going to win and tonight was going to be a good night. I could just feel it.
Since we were still an hour from tip-off the bar was fairly empty. Only a couple of my regulars were there so I sat behind the bar just kind of polishing glasses and making sure everything was ready for the mad rush that would be coming in soon enough. It was quiet as hell so when the doors swung open it startled me.
I looked up just in time to watch a man literally waltz in with the breeze. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a convention of city boys come to town or something because there I was staring at yet another strange face. I immediately became defensive. My track record with city boys isn’t really the best. This new guy wasn’t quite the same as the fuckers from the shop though. He looked happy to be there.
I could tell he was a city boy because although he was dressed in a jogging suit, it was a nice clean one and his skin looked smooth. The stranger obviously took very good care of himself. He was kind of short but his bright blue eyes definitely distracted you from that fact. He had an excited bounce in his step and he was grinning like a fool. The smile was infectious because before he reached the bar I was grinning right back at him. As he approached me he noticed my face and those bright baby blues turned dark with sadness.
The man seemed upset. He’d come through the door exuberating confidence and excitement but he quickly diverted his stare to the counter. The look on his face was one of wonder. I bet he was wondering how someone could hit a woman. He seemed like that type. Finally he made eye contact again. “You should see the other guy.” I teased in an attempt to make him feel comfortable. I was hoping that gorgeous smile he was wearing a minute ago would come back. He smiled at the comment but it wasn’t quite the same. This time he forced a sad smile. He cleared his throat and glanced at his watch. “Did I miss tip-off? You are gonna play the game tonight right?”
I couldn’t place the man’s accent. There was a tiny hint of that drawl that the rest of us had, but he didn’t sound quite the same. Anyway, the accent gave me hope that he wasn’t just another city prick like those rich fuckers this morning. He was probably just passing through on his way home to Lexington and afraid he wasn’t going to make it home for the game. One way to find out. “That depends.” I teased, “Are you takin’ about the Kentucky game or the Duke game?”
The man threw his hands over his heart as if he were crushed I would suggest something so horrible and then grinned devilishly. He exaggerated his accent making it sound as if he’d been here all his life and laughed as he spoke. “I’m talkin’ about the game where the Cats kick some Bluedevil ass.”
The man grinned victoriously when I cracked a smile. “I may be a stranger around these parts but I ain’t from North Carolina.” He said and then smiled at my new hat. “Kentucky blue through and through.”
God that man had a beautiful smile. “Well in that case the first one’s on the house,” I said as I poured a shot for the adorable stranger, “And the game doesn’t start for another 45 minutes.”
“Really?” The man said sounding pleasantly surprised. He glanced again at his watch. “I’ll tell you what then,” The stranger slid the shot in front of me and pulled some cash from his wallet. “I was never one to hold my liquor very well and I don’t want to pass out before the third period so how bout you keep me company while its slow and the first one’ll be on me.”
Was this guy for fucking real? “Deal!” I said slamming back the shot. I closed my eyes for a second as the alcohol burned my throat and then released a sigh of satisfaction. “God I needed that.” I said flashing my best smile.
“I’m Brian.” The man said extending his hand over the bar.
“Cindy.” I replied and shook the hand.
The stranger intrigued me. He was full of all the good ol’ country boy manners and charm but his hand felt as if he’d never worked a day in his life. He was friendly but never once looked me up and down and although he bought me a drink it was in no way an attempt to hit on me, at least I don’t think. What the hell was a guy like that doing in a town like this? “Well since Jack Daniels is out of the question, what can I get ya? Light beer, coke, milk…”
“Can you make it chocolate?”
Quick witted, I like that. I poured the man a coke and shrugged. When we laughed our conversation was interrupted. “This man bothering you Cindy?” said the gruff voice of Chuck Wagner.
Chuck runs the hardware store. Huge guy. He’s a cowboy too, but not like Hal. He’s one of them modern one’s. You know, drives a new truck and chews gum instead of tobacco. He’s also one of my regulars. I couldn’t help the smirk on my face when Brian smiled nervously at the man almost twice his size. “If he was botherin’ me Chuck, trust me, you’d be the first to know.”
Chuck still eyed Brian skeptically and then gave me a stern warning look. “You just be careful little lady. I know you got a weak spot for them city boys.”
I think I saw Brian blush at the comment but I just laughed it off. There was no use denying that. Like I said, everyone knows everyone’s business in a small town. I looked back at Brian and I could tell he was curious as to what was running through my mind. “Touché.” I replied playfully. “But I’d bet shot of whisky that a man like Brian here has somebody at home waiting for him.”
I looked him over once more. A man like him had to be taken already, although I wouldn’t have minded at all if he’d answered no. “Probably a skinny little blonde who likes to giggle a lot.” I teased. “Am I right?”
Bingo. Brian’s entire face lit up at the mention of a woman. Damn, a smile like that meant that he not only had a woman but that he loved her too. So much for my good luck, shit. “Well that depends on if you’re referring to my wife or my son.” He finally said proudly.”
A wife and a son. Didn’t quite see that one coming. I looked at his sandy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes and replied, “Both, I imagine.”
Chuck and I both laughed as Brian gave me a guilty shrug. “How’d you know?”
Chuck gave a hearty laugh. “None of us will ever understand how Cindy known the things she knows. Bartending is in her blood. You better watch out or you’ll be confessing all your dirty little secrets by the end of the night.”
“Thanks for the tip.”
Chuck went back to his drink and Brian pulled a picture from his wallet. His wife was gorgeous and the three of them seemed so happy. Fucking figures. Either you have it all or you got shit. Guess which category I fall into. “Lucky bastard.” I said pointing at his wife.”
The man just grinned like a lovesick schoolboy. It was so adorable it was making me fucking sick. “So if this is what you’ve got waiting back at home what the hell you doing in this shit hole?”
“This ain’t no damn shithole!” Hal yelled from across the room but I just laughed. It really was a bit of a shit hole bar and he knew it. I looked back to Brian and he shrugged.
“I won’t have satellite ‘till Monday and I can’t exactly miss out on the Kentucky-Duke game now can I?”
“New in town!” I gasped unable to hide my shock. “You mean you actually moved here?”
Brian laughed at me but I didn’t care. The man must be fucking out of his mind. “Hate to break it to ya, but Hanley’s the kind of town you only live in if you’re born here and don’t have an excuse to leave.”
“Awww. It’s really kind of cute.” Brian said. “And besides my wife fell in love with the house we bought so I couldn’t exactly say no.”
“Must be one hell of a house.”
“It’s kind of like an old plantation really. We plan on restoring it.”
Now I was truly shocked. He could only be talking about the Peterson farm. I’ve loved that house since I was a kid. I always wondered how someone could let something so beautiful get so run down. Brian noticed the twinkle in my eyes. “You know which one I’m talking about, don’t you?” He chuckled.
“Are you really going to restore it?”
“We’re gonna try. It’s a big project and we’re out of town a lot but houses are kind of a hobby of mine.”
“Well God, now you have to do it. I’ll be crushed if you don’t. I’ve been wanting to see that place cleaned up my whole life.”
“You should come by sometime then. You can meet my wife. She’d love to show you around.”
I was definitely excited by the offer but I couldn’t help but think of the woman in the picture he’d shown me. She was gorgeous. Probably a model or some shit. If they bought the Peterson Farm then they obviously had money. “I don’t know.” I said.
Brian’s face dropped. “Why not? It would be perfect. Leigh’s real worried about having to make friends. She’s kinda shy. But she’s real sweet, I promise.”
“It’s not that I wouldn’t love to, its just, girls don’t like me much. I don’t really know how to be one.”
“It’s settled then.” Brian laughed, “Because there’s no one in the world that would be a better teacher than Leighanne. She can teach you how to be a lady and you can toughen her up a little.”
I mulled the idea over in my head a bit. He seemed pretty cool so his wife couldn’t be all that bad, and it wouldn’t hurt me to girly up a little. I ain’t exactly getting any younger so if it might help me land a decent man, then hell, maybe I should do it. I think Brian knew I what I was thinking too because he refused to let up. “I absolutely insist.” He said, “As soon as we get unpacked a bit, you’ll be our first dinner guest.”
Dinner guest? Did he just use the term dinner guest? Fuck, I’m in trouble. What the hell did I just get myself in to? Danny and John are going to shit bricks when they hear this!
Author's Chapter Notes:
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