Chapter three Tessa
Chapter three
Tessa
“Okay, okay, I’m out,” I laugh, tripping over my own two feet as I step away from Olivia.
“No,” she whines teasingly, dragging out the word as she grabs my wrist. “C’mon, you got this, Tess! One more, and then we’ll grab a drink.”
I had every intention of quitting and doing exactly that. My feet are aching for me to camp out at our table for the next few songs.
Adding in the choreographed line dancing has been a huge hit tonight.
That, combined with the mechanical bull, is responsible for how busy The Stampede is, and it’s more than I anticipated.
Olivia and her sister have been pouring all they have into the bar, desperate for it to succeed.
I’m happy for them that tonight has been such a hit, but I’m exhausted.
If I had the energy, I would happily stay out on the dance floor, making a fool of myself with my lack of coordination.
I would do anything to support Liv, but this week has been hard, and now that it’s finally over, all I want to do is go home and relax.
With Jake spending the night with my parents, I selfishly want to put on pajamas and lose myself in a book for a few hours.
It’s my favorite way to relax, and it’s not something that I often get to do anymore.
While he has moments where he’s calmly watching a movie or playing with toys in his bedroom, the quiet typically doesn’t last long.
I know I owe it to my friend to be here for her, but it’s been such a long time since I’ve done something just for me.
I always thought I would have more time for myself once Jacob started school, but really, all it has done is give me the ability to pick up extra shifts at Lori's. Instead of relaxing, I’ve just been working more.
“One more,” I concede. “But then I need a break, or else my feet are gonna fall off.” Laughter bubbles out of my chest as she pulls me back to her side.
With her hand still holding my wrist, Olivia steps closer, keeping her voice low as she says, “There’s a handsome guy at the table across from ours who’s been watchin’ you.”
It has been such a long time since a man has paid me any attention.
It’s been a long time since I’ve wanted anyone to pay attention to me.
Knowing that I’ve managed to catch the eye of a stranger, I can’t help but want to look over my shoulder and steal a quick peek.
When I go to do just that, Liv tugs on my wrist, pulling my attention back to her.
“Don’t look! Keep on pretending you haven’t noticed him. ”
“I haven’t noticed him,” I say. “I’ve been too busy making sure I don’t trip over my own feet and go flying face-first into the floor.”
She laughs and releases my wrist. Looping her arm through mine, she pulls me toward the front of the line-up, near the edge of the dance floor, conveniently putting us closer to the stranger in question.
Unable to resist, my gaze lifts and immediately collides with green eyes so intense, it’s like looking through a forest of pine trees.
Curls of light brown hair peek out from underneath his dark baseball hat.
Because, apparently, when I decided I was going to let loose and have some fun tonight, the universe thought I meant with a six-foot-something stranger.
As if finally noticing that he has caught my attention, the corner of his mouth tips up into a smirk. He brings his hand to the bill of his hat, holding my gaze as he removes it from his head and flips it backwards. Heat rises to my cheeks from the gesture, which only makes his smile widen.
When the instructor announces the next song, I glance nervously at Liv, who shrugs with a smile. “We got this,” she says.
Only I’m not so sure. All of the songs that have been played so far were much slower in comparison.
The song has an amazing beat, and I know the lyrics by heart, but any of the dancing I’ve done to this song has been silly nonsense in the privacy of my own home.
Where I’m not on display for strangers to gawk at and criticize.
“A little somethin’ extra to wrap things up before we take a break.
Those of you watchin’ from the sidelines, y’all are gonna love this one.
” The confidence in the instructor’s voice makes me a tad uneasy, but with the weight of the handsome stranger’s gaze settling on me, I’m determined to give it my all.
The instructor takes her time walking us through each step without the music.
The dance is a series of quick steps and hip sways with the occasional spin thrown in, and it doesn’t feel as complicated as I imagined.
But I know that as soon as the song starts and we have to pick up the pace, the chances of me looking absolutely ridiculous are fairly strong.
When the song finally begins, the stranger’s gaze feels burned into me like a branding iron. The first beats of the song drop, and my eyes widen as I watch him say something to his group of friends. The few men surrounding him all smile and laugh, shaking their heads before they glance my way.
Did he say something about me to them?
Warmth spreads through me as my stomach does a little flip. Being a solo parent, even with all of the help from family and friends, I don’t often get a chance to let loose. I can’t even remember the last time I actually allowed myself to relax and have fun.
By the time the song ends, and I can’t possibly do any more kick-turns or hip-sways, I toss my hands into the air. “Now I’m out! I need a drink,” I say with a laugh.
Olivia’s smile is bright across her face as she waves me away.
With the break in dancing, she’s probably heading to find her sister.
Knowing them, they’ll be wanting to do a quick run-through of how the night is going so far.
From what I can tell, the mechanical bull has been a huge hit.
Every time I’ve glanced that way tonight, there’s been a line of people waiting to give it a try.
In another life, I would’ve been right there with them.
But things are different now. I can’t take uncalculated risks, and I can’t do anything that could potentially be dangerous.
Maybe I’m a little too careful sometimes, but there’s a constant fear living in the recesses of my mind, reminding me of how quickly things can turn down a dark path.
I have to walk by the man’s table to get to the bar, and I catch myself looking for him.
A few of the guys he’d been talking to are still standing around the table, a few of them I know or recognize, but he’s nowhere in sight.
A wave of disappointment rushes over me, and the feeling catches me off guard.
Why the heck am I disappointed? I wouldn’t even know what to do if someone were to show genuine interest in me, and just because we made brief eye contact across a crowded room of people, doesn’t mean anything will come of it.
I have no reason to be feeling any sort of way about not being able to catch his attention again.
Shaking the thought from my head, I make my way over to the bar and scan the shelves lined with various bottles of liquor.
“Hey, Tessa. What can I get for you?” Owen asks, tapping the wooden bartop as he steps in front of me on his side of the bar.
Tilly promoted him to Bar Manager a few months ago.
I didn’t think she would ever willingly relinquish control over any aspect of The Stampede, but it seems like she did so just in time with the way business has been picking up steam.
“Hi, Owen.” I smile. “Can I get a Red Stag and Diet Coke?” This will probably be my only real drink tonight, but it has been such a long time since I’ve been anything besides “Momma,” and it feels good to be able to hang out with friends, order a drink, and just be Tessa.
“And a water,” I add. I want to have fun, not be irresponsible.
The last thing I need is to be battling a headache tomorrow.
“You got it.” He turns around to grab the bottle of Jim Beam Red Stag down from one of the shelves, and I take a moment to look back over the room full of people.
Mr. Backwards Hat is nowhere in sight, and I’m almost wondering if he was merely a figment of my imagination.
Maybe it’s been so freaking long since I had the desire to meet someone, to flirt and enjoy their company, that my mind conjured up a man who may as well have been crafted from my fantasies.
Owen sets both drinks in front of me, and I take one in each hand before turning away from the bar. I've barely taken two steps when I run straight into a wall. One that wasn't there a moment ago and is now covered in black cherry bourbon and sticky soda.
“Oh my gosh, I am so sor—”
The deep rumble of a man's laughter draws my attention up, away from the soaked T-shirt, until my gaze collides with the deepest green eyes I've ever seen.
Eyes that belong to Mr. Backwards Hat himself.