Joe ddled under the hood while I sat in the driver’s seat, waiting for him to tell me to start the car, press on the gas pedal, or shut it o . Now, I was wishing I had taken the time to learn more about cars growing up. It seemed the only thing I knew how to do was wreck them.
“Turn it on,” he called out.
I turned the key in the ignition. It sputtered a few times before it started. “Give it a little gas.”
I slowly pressed down on the pedal, causing the engine to roar and the vehicle to shake.
“All right, kill it,” he yelled, poking his head around the hood. Joe pulled his shirt o , wiped his sweaty face, and tossed the shirt in the driveway.
“What’s wrong with it?”
“One more time. Turn it on.”
is time when I turned the key, the engine didn’t ick on. e car sputtered. e starter clicked over and over. “Shit,” I yelled, slamming my hand against the steering wheel.
I joined my brother at the front of the car. He was still elbow-deep under
the hood, ddling with wires and caps. I wasn’t sure what I was looking at.
“ e alternator housing’s got a crack in it and the battery’s dead.” He pointed to di erent parts of the engine. “I could get it xed in a few days. Gotta order some parts.” Joe scratched his chin. “Probably be around six
hundred dollars.” He dropped the hood back into place.
“All right, go ahead and do that. I’ll take care of the cost.” I wiped my sweaty forehead with the back of my arm. Grace probably wasn’t going to feel comfortable with me paying for it, but I needed her to know I cared and that I’d do anything for her.
Joe raised his thick brow. “You’re paying to get her car xed? You must really like her.”
I kicked at some loose gravel. “Just want her to feel at ease.”
“If you say so,” he said, picking up his toolbox. He walked to the back of his truck, hoisted the toolbox up, and closed the tailgate. “You down for grabbing a beer?”
He and I hadn’t had a beer together in a long time. I think Grace being here made him think we could do brotherly things again, that we could move forward, put the past in the past, as they say. But past was just a word. e memories we carried kept it alive, and memories were just stories we told ourselves. Joe and I had two very di erent stories. He had forgotten his, but I hadn’t forgotten mine.
“Yeah. at sounds good right about now. I’ll let Grace know we’re taking o .”
Joe shook his head and let out a chuckle. “She’s already got you whipped.”
“No, just being courteous.”
“All right.” Joe made a whip noise as I headed out to nd Grace.
She wasn’t lying by the river anymore. I scanned the surrounding area but Grace was nowhere to be seen. I checked the back deck. Not there either. Joe met me on the side of the house.
“Where’d your girl go?”
“She’s not my girl,” I said. It was a lie because it felt like she was my girl. He patted my shoulder. “I’m just messing with ya.”
Grace came back into sight as we rounded the front of the house. Dressed in a blue jean skirt and a white tank top, her face was serious. My jeans felt a little tighter just looking at her.
I didn’t like the way Joe was looking at Grace, so I gave him a slug in the
shoulder.
“What the hell?” He rubbed his arm. “Stop looking at her like that.”
“Like what?”
“You know,” I said as we walked up to the porch. Grace’s big sky-blue eyes nearly burned a hole through me.
“Is my car xed?” she asked.
“Not yet.” Joe shifted his stance. “You got a bad alternator and a dead battery. I can get it all xed in a few days.”
Grace bit at her lower lip and ran her hand down the side of her arm. She looked defeated.
“Don’t worry. My brother here will have it good as new before you leave, I promise,” I said, trying to calm her worries.
She hesitated. Her eyes icked from us to her lemon of a car. “A few days.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Want to join us for a beer?” Joe asked. “It’ll take your mind o the fact you’re stranded on this ranch with my bro.” He chuckled.
I groaned and wanted to slug him again but resisted. I wanted Grace to come just so I could spend more time with her. But I also didn’t want her around Joe, which was why I even agreed to grab a beer with him.
“Sure. I’d love to.”
I forced a smile and hoped her tagging along wouldn’t be a mistake.
 |
 |
Joe put his truck in park in front of Rustic Pine Tavern. Grace sat between us
but leaned toward me. I wasn’t sure if it was because I made her comfortable or
Joe made her uncomfortable. Grace looked ahead at the old saloon. It was the largest bar in town—one of the only ones, actually. ey were known for their pool tables, cheap beers, and good music. e tavern attracted everyone, from the old to the young and from the good to the bad.
“ is is it?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am,” I said, shifting out of my seat. I held Grace’s hand as she jumped out of the lifted truck.
“You’re probably used to a swanky bar.” Joe peered over the hood of the truck. “I’m sure they can x you a cocktail.”
Grace gave him a challenging look, narrowed eyes paired with a tight smile. “Beer’s just ne for me.”
ere were a few local farmers smoking outside of the bar and right when they spotted Grace, they fell silent from their mundane conversations. ey watched as she walked, and when she saw them staring, she simply gave a little wave with her ngers. at got them going. She really knew how to work people.
“She was waving at me,” one of them said. “No, it was me,” another one said.
“She’s too young for both of you.”
“Oh, hush. My body may be weak, but my mind is still strong.” “Hey, Calvin and Joe,” one of them called out with a nod. “Who’s the girl, Calvin?”
“ at’s his Airbnb guest,” Joe said. “Airbnb?” e old man looked confused. “Like a hotel at your house,” Joe explained.
“I should start me one of those,” the old man said with a chuckle. “Pretty girls only.”
eir conversation continued as we disappeared inside. Grace was already at the bar ordering three beers when we walked in. It wasn’t too busy yet, just around ten people at the bar and a few playing a game of pool. Nearly all of
them noticed Grace—even the women. We didn’t get a lot of visitors out here,
so any new person always sparked intrigue. Several patrons bobbed their heads at Joe and me. Many looked surprised to see the two of us in here together. Maxie, the bartender, smiled. She was practically a xture of Rustic Pine Tavern, which had all the trimmings of a dive bar: slot machines, neon signs, pool tables, dartboards, and old men bellied up to the counter.
Joe picked up his pace and helped Grace with the drinks.
“Here you are, Calvin,” she said, handing one over. “First round’s on me.”
“ anks.” I tilted the glass back, drinking nearly half of it in one big swig.
Nothing better than a freshly poured beer.
Joe stood between us—always in the way. “You two down for a game of
?”
“What’s ?” Grace asked.
“Darts. It’s easy. Let me show you.” Joe took her hand and led her toward the dartboard in the back. I didn’t like that. He was being overly friendly with her. Typical.
I followed closely behind and picked up a set of darts from Maxie, the thin woman in her fties who had been tending the bar since she was old enough to drink. “Glad to see you and Joe here,” she whispered. I nodded but didn’t say anything and made my way to Grace.
“You throw a dart before?” Joe asked.
Grace glanced over at me and smiled before answering his question. “Kinda.
It led me here.”
He gave a quizzical look. “Well, all right. Let’s see whatcha got.”
Grace took her spot and concentrated on the dartboard, holding her dart up and squinting her eyes. When she was ready, she red it o . Bull’s-eye.
“Holy shit,” Joe said. “We got a shark on our hands.”
Grace jumped up and down and threw her arms around my neck for a hug. I held her for a moment, breathing in her sweet scent. Maybe it wasn’t fate that brought her here. Maybe it was skill. When she pulled away, my eyes lingered on her lips for a moment too long.
Joe held out another dart for her. “Let’s see if you can do it again.”
“All right.”
She went back to her spot. Her ngers pinched the barrel. She brought the dart in front of her eyes, concentrating for a moment before throwing. Bull’s- eye. Grace turned around with eyes wide open.
Joe shook his head in disbelief. “Well, damn. Shots are in order after that.” He clapped his hands and walked toward the bar.
“Am I gonna hurt your brother’s ego?” Grace teased.
“He’ll be ne.” I chuckled. “He is competitive though, so get your game face on.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, it’s on.”
Grace drank the rest of her beer in one swig and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. e girl I met ve days ago wasn’t the girl I was seeing right now. She was like a chameleon, tting in with whatever backdrop she happened to be a part of. I liked it but it left me wondering who the real Grace was.
“Here you are.” Joe handed us each a shot.
“What is it?” She eyed the amber-colored liquid lled to the rim.
“My friend, Jack.” Joe winked. He clinked his glass against mine and hers, tapped it against the table, and then threw it back. “Cheers,” he said, placing the shot glass upside down. Joe drank Jack Daniel’s like it was water, evident by the lack of reaction he had after slamming it.
Grace looked to me. Together, we tipped back the shots. She shook her head and swallowed hard after the liquid hit her tongue. Whiskey, like most people, wasn’t something you enjoyed right away.
“Not your cup of tea, City Girl?” Joe teased.
“I’m more of a vodka girl, Country Boy,” Grace hit back with a small smirk. “You’re up, bro,” I said, patting him on the back. Joe smiled, gave a quick
nod, and took his place in front of the dartboard. “Having fun?” I asked.
“Always.” Grace batted her eyelashes.
“I gured that much, since reading and running are fun for you.” I let on a
smile.
“Oh, stop.” She playfully patted my shoulder.
I laughed and picked up our empty beer glasses. “Want another?”
Grace nodded, and I left her standing there. After I ordered another round, I turned back and spotted Joe leaning against the table beside Grace.
“Here you are, Calvin,” Maxie said, setting the beers down. “ anks. Go ahead and put it on my tab.”
“You got yourself a looker there.” She pointed over at Grace. I followed her
nger and found that Joe had moved a little closer to her. “Glad to see you out and about.” She tilted her head. “But you might want to keep Joe away from her,” Maxie warned.
“It was an accident,” I said in a low voice. “Some people around here don’t believe that.”
I shook my head. “Don’t go on believing them rumors.”
She squinted her eyes, and I knew then that some of her famous advice was coming my way. Maxie was more than the town’s barkeep; she was the town’s therapist too. Uno cially, of course—she didn’t have a degree. She just knew everyone’s problems and knew what everyone needed to hear.
“What one person calls a rumor, another calls the truth. I wouldn’t be so
quick to determine which one it is.” She slapped the palm of her hand against the bar top, picked up a wet rag, and started wiping it down.
“He’s my brother, Maxie.” I tilted my head. “Ted Bundy had a brother,” she quipped.
“Half brother.” I turned back toward Grace and Joe, watching him closely. Maxie had a point. Maxie always had a point.
When I reached the table, I wedged myself between the two of them. “Whoa, bro,” Joe said as he fell back a step or two.
“Didn’t see ya there, little guy,” I jabbed.
I handed him the beer, but his eyes lingered on me for a few seconds. e golden liquid nally distracted him, and he brought the glass to his lips.
“Here you are, Grace.”
“Got another one of those?” a high-pitched voice called from behind me. I turned around to nd Charlotte. Her long, silky brown hair hung freely and her freckles were prominent. She must have been outside today.
“Hey, Char,” I said, pulling her in for a half hug.
“I saw Joe’s truck when I drove past and decided to stop. Didn’t think I’d
nd you here too.” She tilted her head.
“Didn’t think I’d nd myself here either,” I said.
“What’s up, Char-Char? Long time, no see.” Joe swooped in and gave her a hug just as I released her from mine.
“Yeah, I know. You’ve been skimping out on the ranch chores. Got me picking up your slack,” she teased.
“Sorry about that.” He looked at me brie y and swallowed hard. “I’ve been tied up.”
Joe pointed at Grace and Charlotte. “You two meet?”
“We have,” Grace said. “Nice to see you, Charlotte.” “Yeah, you too.”
“Let me get you a beer,” I o ered.
“I got it,” Joe interrupted, immediately walking over to the bar. He needed to be liked. People that didn’t like themselves always sought approval from others. And I knew Joe hated every ber of himself. Guilt will do that, rot you from the inside out.
Charlotte took a seat across from Grace at the high-top table and cleared her throat. “You feeling better from your fall?”
“Much better. Calvin took good care of me.” Grace smiled, and her blue eyes almost seemed to twinkle when they met mine.
“Yeah, he sure knows how to take care of all types of animals,” Charlotte teased.
If Grace realized the dig, she didn’t react to it. She simply grazed her hand against mine as she reached for her glass of beer. She brought it to her lips and took a long, slow drink.
“You’re leaving soon, right?” Charlotte asked as if she were just making
small talk, but there was nothing small about this exchange.
“Five more days, but who knows? Maybe I’ll extend my vacation.” Grace smiled, or maybe it was more of a smirk. I couldn’t tell if she was serious or if she was just being catty with Char.
Before either of us could respond, Joe set down a beer for Charlotte and a tray of shots for the table.
“Let’s get this party started,” he said.
Without saying a word, Grace picked up a shot and tipped back the whiskey. is time her face was expressionless. Char narrowed her eyes, picked up a shot, tipped it back, and made a refreshing sound when she was done. Grace grabbed another. ese two were going to kill themselves trying to outdrink one another.
“Whoa, slow down.” I took it from her and drank it myself. Joe did the same, slamming the other one.
“I’m just trying to keep up,” Grace said in a cutesy voice. Char rolled her eyes.
“Don’t try to keep up. Set your own pace. at’s the key to life.” I tilted my head.
“Let’s play pool,” Joe said. “Teams. Grace, you can be on mine.”
“Sounds good to me. Calvin and I are undefeated. Aren’t we, Calv?” Charlotte smiled.
I brought the glass to my lips and took a big drink. “We actually are.”
A couple of hours later, we were on our third game of pool. Char and I had won the rst, but Grace surprised us all by pocketing six balls in one turn. I got the feeling she was holding back on the rst game, a true shark. We were neck and neck on game three, which would decide the winning team. Joe’s words slurred and his eyes were about three-quarters open.
“You’re up, Charlotte,” Grace said, taking a sip of her beer. Her eyes were glassy.
“I know.” Char stepped up to the table.
As she went to shoot, her pool cue slipped off the white cue ball, barely nudging it an inch. “Damn it.” She had definitely had a bit too much to drink. I was the only one trying to slow down; I needed to make sure Joe and Grace got home in one piece.
Joe stepped in, placing his cue behind the ball. “Let me show you how it’s done.” He took his shot and sank a solid.
“Knocking in the other team’s balls? That’s your strategy?” Grace teased. “Shit.” Joe rubbed his forehead, flustered.
Charlotte laughed and leaned against me, but I steadied her. “Easy there,” I said.
Her hand rested on my chest, and she looked up at me with a small smile.
As “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)” wrapped up, Char’s face lit up when she recognized the next song playing—“Amazed” by Lonestar.
“I love this song! Come dance with me!” Before I could respond, she pulled me toward the dance floor, where couples were already swaying to the music. I hesitated, worried Grace might get the wrong idea; we were just friends. But before I could voice my concerns, Joe asked Grace to dance.
In no time, we were all on the floor. I placed my hand gently above Char’s hip and took her other hand in mine—just a friendly dance. But I could tell she wanted it to mean more. I thought I’d made my intentions clear, but clearly, it hadn’t registered.
My gaze shifted to Joe and Grace. They mirrored our position, and Grace was clearly having fun, smiling and laughing as Joe clumsily stumbled over his own feet—and hers. He was bound to make a fool of himself.
“Hey,” Char said.
“Hay is for horses,” I said.
She pulled me in a little closer. “ is is nice.”
“Yeah, tonight’s been fun.” I looked at her and then back at Grace. “No, this,” she said, caressing my shoulder.
I raised an eyebrow. She was clearly drunk. Her eyes were glazed, and I was
sure she was seeing two of me. A sudden movement o to the side caught my
attention. I turned to see Grace pull away from Joe and then give him a hard push. I couldn’t hear what they were saying over the music. He looked stunned, and he stumbled back toward her, closing the new distance between them. Grace slapped him right across the face, leaving a red mark where her hand connected with his skin. I dropped Char’s hand, and in three big steps, I was in front of Joe.
I pushed him back so hard that he nearly fell over. “What the hell are you doing?” I yelled. He got to his feet, staggering toward us. Anger took hold of me like a volcano erupting all at once. I pulled my st back and thrust it forward, connecting with Joe’s jaw. Something cracked, and he fell to the ground like a pile of bricks.
“Out!” Maxie screamed from the bar. “I won’t have that in here.”
My head snapped in her direction, and I mouthed, I’m sorry. Whispered conversations ensued and all eyes were on us.
I turned to Grace. “Are you okay?”
Her eyes were clouded with rage, something I hadn’t seen from her. If looks could kill, well, Grace’s would have blown up that whole damn bar. It was like she was in a trance.
“I’m ne. It was just a misunderstanding,” she nally said, shaking her head
slightly and massaging the hand that had slapped Joe. I shook out my own. My knuckles were raw and beet red.
Joe spit blood on the ground as he got to his feet. Blood wasn’t always thicker than water. He rubbed his swollen jaw.
“You’re drunk, Joe. Let me take you home.” I tried to guide him to the exit but he pushed me away.
“Don’t fucking touch me,” he seethed and unceremoniously made his way out of the bar. All eyes followed him. Maxie shook her head and tossed a rag on the bar. She was right. I should have kept Joe away from Grace.
