Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
ELLE
T urning into the parking lot of the Fencepost, I shifted my truck into park, and looked up at the neon sign. I’d told Fallon I would drive tonight, mostly so I had a way to escape if I felt like I didn’t belong here.
There were very few established friend groups that eagerly welcomed someone new, and I was a pro at getting out of uncomfortable situations. When I’d been married, Troy was desperate for me to fit in with the other wives so he didn’t feel guilty about going out and leaving me alone. I never fit in, and I was sure this would be no different. Beginning to chicken out, I reached for the keys to turn my truck back on, this wasn’t where I should be, but a knock on the window made me jump.
Turning saw Kristin’s face beaming outside my window. Pulling the keys out, I reached for my purse and opened the door. “Is scaring me a thing everyone likes to do?” She looked at me, confusion crossing her face. “Jake did the same thing at the hospital.”
Kristin laughed. “Sorry, I just recognized the look of someone planning their escape, so I wanted to stop you.” Her dark eyes sparkled, her makeup perfect and her long dark hair cascaded over her shoulders.
“I don’t know what I’m doing here.” My words were quiet, almost a whisper.
“You’re here to have a drink and get to know the girls. They aren’t scary, they are going to ask you a million questions, but they’re harmless.” She laughed and put her arm around my shoulder. I didn’t really know her that well, but the few times I’d seen her around town, she’d always been nice.
“You came. I had my doubts when Fallon said you were driving yourself.” Nora stood as we walked into the bar. Throwing her arms around me, I stiffened a little, uncomfortable when people entered my bubble, but I hugged her back. “Sit beside me.” She pulled out the chair and patted the seat.
Looking around the place, I was surprised at how nice it was. I didn’t have time to come out to the bar because if I didn’t have Parker, I was at the hospital, so time for myself was limited. The walls were adorned with pictures of sprawling pastures dotted with cattle. Brands looked like they had been burned into the walls, filling the empty spaces between the pictures. A fake barbed wire fence was the chair rail along the walls.
A corrugated metal bar, with stenciled barbed wire and another fence post for the lip of the bar, sat along one end of the room. The wall of booze was lit up from behind, and I stared at the beer taps long enough to realize they were a half of a horseshoe. The parquet dance floor looked like it had just been polished, and I was sure I’d be able to see my reflection in it. There was a stage in the corner, and the neon lights lit up the way to the bathrooms. It wasn’t dark and gloomy like I’d imagined when I would drive by it.
“Ok, it’s time to spill. How long have you and Griff been together and why haven’t we heard about it?” Fallon reached for her beer and took a drink.
“Getting right into it, I see.” I took a deep breath and tried to think quickly. Griff didn’t want his business blasted all over the place, and he was taking great pains to make sure they didn’t know about his shoulder. “Well, after Griff had been in the hospital last year, I ran into him again and we just kind of started hanging out casually.” I shrugged, hoping it was believable.
“So, just hanging out?”
“Seeing one another?” I said with a little question in my voice. hoping they missed it.
“But you’re living together, so that’s a little more than seeing one another,” Fallon said as she used air quotes around seeing one another.
“We’ve been dating, and with the issues I’d been having at the Hays place and it getting sold out from under my rental agreement, he offered Parker and me a place to stay, no questions asked. And he's been really amazing.” Whatever I’d said made them all say aww at the same time.
“Okay, we need to welcome Elle to the group,” Kristin said as she lifted her drink. The other women followed and she grinned at me. “This group has grown a lot over the last year, and we’re so excited to get to know you, Elle, and make you officially one of the girls.” We all took a drink.
“Since it's official now, how often do you all get like this for a girls’ night?” I asked, trying to shift the discussion away from me.
“We try to get out once a month, but we usually end up at one of our houses weekly.” Nora shrugged. “And now we can add Griff’s place to the rotation.”
“Oh my god, you’re the woman he had to buy the bra for,” Fallon basically yelled as she slapped the table, and her grin made me laugh. People turned to see what all the commotion was about, and I could feel myself turning twelve shades of red.
“Guilty.” I nodded.
“But that was only like a week ago.” She leaned back in her chair and her. Dark eyes bore into me. Shit, I hadn’t planned on him telling anyone about that. Music filtered through the bar and I needed to come up with something fast.
“Well, I was on my way home from the hospital after a shift. and his horses were loose,” I explained the story, and they all burst into ruckus laughter. Fallon explained how Griff had looked when he went flying into Nora’s house that day, desperate to figure out how to replace my bra.
“Up to that point, we’d been keeping things pretty casual. He kind of broke through the walls I had erected, keeping him out until the day he showed up with an electric blue, see-through lace bra.” I couldn’t help but start laughing along with the women. Their mouths dropped open, and I relaxed back into the chair.
“You know, I’m not surprised he picked out something amazing. Have you seen the way that man dresses? He always looks fantastic, even when he’s just working with his horses.” Kristin said as she leaned her elbow on the table, resting her head in the palm of her hand.
“Well, I’m glad to know he did good.” Nora reached for her glass of water, and I assumed she was driving tonight. The conversation turned from me, and I was more than happy to have a break in the inquisition.
Reaching for my purse, I grabbed the phone.
Me: So, we’re dating, and we’ve been seeing one another on and off for a year. Apparently, you keep secrets very well. And after the trouble at the Hays place, you decided it was time for us to live together.
I watched the phone as the chat bubbles popped up almost instantly. They were on the screen and off, then back and gone. This went on for a bit, and then his words popped up.
Griff: Well then, I guess if we’ve been together for a year, I can take you to bed tonight.
Me: No, Griff, that’s the story I told the girls. I just wanted you to know.
Griff: Thanks for the heads up, but can I still take you to bed tonight?
Me: GRIFFIN FOCUS.
Griff: Always focused on you, Puddin’
Me: Excuse me? Puddin’?
Griff: Puddin’, ‘cause I just want to eat you.
Me: No, not happening. How’s Parker?
Griff: He’s great. He and Cooper have decided they’re best friends.
Me: Thanks, Griff.
Griff: Now about that bed situation.
Me: Goodbye.
Tossing my phone back into my purse, I turned my full attention to the other women at the table. It felt good to laugh with women who seemed like they just wanted genuine friendship. I also realized that as long as I was helping Griff, I would be around these women, and I already liked them.
“I need to hear how you and Kipp got together.” I turned to Nora who giggled and turned very red, even in the poorly lit bar.
“You can have the short version tonight. I started working for Kipp, and well things happened, well a lot of things, but when I was nineteen, I had a one-night stand with a cowboy after a rodeo. A fake ID, too much alcohol, the back of a stock trailer, and I ended up pregnant.” She took another drink and shook her head.
Thinking back to last night, I could see they were meant to be together, the way he looked at her with absolute adoration, he hung on every word she said. And Nora was so incredibly comfortable at his side. Love radiated off her. I’d seen people I thought should be together, but Kipp and Nora were true soulmates. “You seem so perfect for one another.” Nora beamed, and if I’d had any questions about how in love with her husband she would have squashed them with that look.
“We’ll tell you the rest when we meet at your place next week,” Fallon said. “Mine’s way too complicated to get into when I’ve had this much to drink.” She looked at the empty bottles in front of her and laughed.
Our evening wound down, and I was almost sorry it was over. I couldn’t keep the smile off my face as we all walked out of the bar together, laughing. Fallon threaded her arm through mine as I helped her walk to Nora’s vehicle.
“I’m glad you’re with Griff. I like you.” Fallon said as she tripped and fell into the open door of the SUV.
“I like you too,” I said through fits of laughter.
“Do you need a ride?” Nora asked as I turned to walk to my truck.
“No, I’m good, thank you. I only had one beer, and that was hours ago now. Thank you though. Good night.” I waved as I kept walking.
When I drove into the yard, the porch light was on, and the warm yellow light glowed through the windows. How had this place so quickly felt like home? Pulling up beside Griff’s truck I grabbed my bag and headed for the house.
As I opened the door, the sound of laughter floated into the entryway, and I stood for a moment and listened. Parker’s laugh wasn’t forced or nervous. “No, look Griff, watch,” Parker said through his giggles. Quietly, I closed the door and moved to peek around the corner. They were watching the cowboy blooper videos that Parker loved, and I had to say Griff looked like he was enjoying them just as much.
Troy never made time to do this with Parker; he was always working. Parker always enjoyed his time with his dad and never complained about it. But seeing him now in the simplicity of being just a ten-year-old boy stole my breath.
Moving around the couch, I sat beside my son and reached for the popcorn on the table. Griff tilted his head back, and I could feel him looking at me. He moved his arm to rest on the back of the sofa and grazed my shoulder. Turning, I looked at him and smiled before he turned back to the television that was hanging on the wall above the large fieldstone fireplace.
“Hey bud, time to get ready for bed,” I said as I patted Parker’s leg.
He grumbled as he stood and headed to his room. Griff shifted, so he was looking at me. “How was your evening?”
“It was really good. I was nervous when I got there and was about to bail, but I’m glad I stayed. How was your night?” Grabbing another handful of popcorn and listened to Griff.
“Amazing. Do you have any idea how great of a kid Parker is?”
“I do.” I nodded as warmth filled my body, and I couldn’t help the grin spreading across my face.
“He and Cooper are inseparable, and I hardly saw him all night. The guys have been looking up some websites to learn ASL, and Parker got a kick out of them trying to spell their names for him. Parker kept telling them they didn’t have to keep trying, but they were all determined to get it right.” Griff’s eyes were shining, and he looked so proud of his friends.
I couldn’t fight the overwhelming feeling of tears filling my eyes. The tip of my nose tingled, and I blinked faster. “Hey, what’s all this about?” Griff shifted, closer and wiped a tear from my cheek.
“The only thing I’ve ever wanted for him was to be accepted. Without me having to fight tooth and nail for it.”
“You don’t have to fight for anything here. You’re both a part of us now.” Griff cupped my cheek, and I nodded. “We’ll continue this when he’s in bed.” Griff pulled away as Parker came back into the living room.
“Night Griff. Thanks for a great night.” Parker grinned and hugged Griff without hesitation.
“Any time, kid.” Griff patted him on the back.
“Come on, let’s get you tucked in.” I put my arm around my son’s shoulders, and we walked down the hallway.
“You really had a good time?” I asked as I pulled his blankets up right under his chin.
“Yeah, I did. Everyone was so nice, and the guys even tried to sign. It was hilarious, but they kept at it until they figured it out. I can tell Griff’s been practicing. He’s doing good.” The smile on his face was infectious, and I leaned down, hugged him, and kissed his cheek.
“Good. Ready to zone out?” I asked as I reached for the case for his implant.
“Yes,” he sighed and reached up to unplug. I zipped the case shut and changed to sign language.
Have a good sleep. Love you lots.
Night, Mom, love you too.
I got off the bed and flicked the lights twice, and he smiled at me. It was one last signal at night to tell him I loved him. Pulling the door closed, I leaned against the wall taking a deep breath in the moment, and counted today aa a win. We’d had so many losses in the last few weeks, we deserved a day like today.
My phone buzzed in my back pocket, and I reached for it.
Unknown: I want to make you scream nursey
My stomach lurched, and I deleted the text. Nothing was going to ruin this perfectly wonderful evening. Not even the asshole that I used to rent from.