Chapter 18
WILLOW
“You heard from Tannen yet?” Unc asks for the fifth time today. Forgetfulness is not a side effect of his medication or his condition. However, he’s as anxious as I am about Bobby’s trip to Nashville and wanting news.
Good news.
“No, and quit asking. I’ll tell you when I do, just like I said I’d tell Olivia and half the damn town when I hear.”
I’m not exaggerating. Last night was busy, even for a Friday night, with everyone coming up to the bar to order their beers instead of letting Olivia wait on them.
They’d been using their drinks as cover to oh-so-casually mention Bobby and inquire what I’d heard.
Nothing, nothing, nothing, I’d said all night.
I’m expecting tonight to be more of the same, the Saturday night crowd wanting their piece of flesh and the latest gossip.
But the answer’s the same. I don’t know anything.
I’m not worried. Bobby said he had no idea what Jeremy’s plans were for this meet and greet, so he didn’t know when, or if, he’d get a minute to call or text. But he assured me he’d be thinking of me the whole time.
“Well, excuse me for giving a shit about the boy. You just make sure that when he gets that first Country Music Award, he mentions his start at Hank’s, the best honkytonk in Great Falls, y’hear?” Unc grins, but he’s dead serious.
“Come on, we’ve got orders piling up. Hit the taps and call out my mixers.”
He takes the cue that we need to focus. Or actually, that I need to focus on anything but Bobby for a few minutes. I’m a big ball of jangly nerves, bouncing around like jingle bells inside a maraca.
Please let this go well for him. If anyone deserves a dream coming true, it’s Bobby.
“Two Jack and Cokes and a Long Island Iced Tea—don’t mouth about how gross they are again—and a Girly Beer, table four.
Three Girly Beers, table five.” One corner of Unc’s mouth tilts up in devilment as he looks across the room.
“You feeling lucky tonight? Want to make bets on which of my pitchers of Coors Light are going home with your Girly Beers?”
I glance over, seeing three women out for a night on the town at a table next to three guys who are already calling dibs. I’ve seen it a thousand times, but I’ve also seen this go the other way.
“I’ll take that bet. My call is that the guys buy at least two rounds before they realize none of them are getting lucky tonight. The ladies are looking for a buzz and a spin around the floor, nothing else.”
Unc holds out his hand and we shake on it.
Standard bet rules apply, loser pulls closing duty.
Not that it matters, I’ll clean up either way, but fun stuff like this makes the time pass by quicker and adds some fun to the night.
And it’s the much needed distraction I was hoping for, which Unc full-well knows.
An hour later, we still don’t know who’s won the bet. The guys are sitting with the ladies now, paired off evenly, which Unc thinks bodes well for him. But they’ve done two rounds and at least one spin around the floor. Until someone makes a move for the door, we’re at a stalemate.
A blonde comes up to the bar, all smiles. “Amaretto sour.”
“You want to start a tab?” I ask, already putting a glass on the bar.
“No thanks. You heard from Bobby yet?”
I sigh and look at her again. She looks familiar. I’ve definitely seen her in here before, but I don’t know her name. “About what?”
I’ve decided that playing dumb is more entertaining than giving nosy people informational fodder. Keeps things interesting, Unc told me, and so far, he has been right about that.
“The music deal, of course,” she snips. Her eyes widen, “Oh, unless you two aren’t dating anymore. Bless your heart, did he already ditch you for the big city?”
Instead of sorrow, her tone is one of evil glee. And loud enough so that people four stools down can hear her. She’s good at playing the rumor mill.
“Loretta, take your drink and sit down. Everybody in here knows that you’ve thrown yourself at Bobby Tannen’s feet more times than Ilene’s made biscuits and that he’s turned you down every single time.
So don’t be starting trouble where there ain’t none to be had, ’specially when you ain’t ready to finish it. Because I am.”
“Hmmph,” Loretta snorts as she hair flips away with her drink.
“What was that all about?” I ask.
Unc sighs. “Just what I said. You got a man that a lot of people like, and a lot of people don’t.
Both for no good damn reason I can see. And some people are sad sacks who want everyone to be as miserable as they are.
Loretta’s all right. She just never had nobody tell her no, about anything, if you know what I’m saying, so it sticks in her craw a bit. ”
I glance over at Loretta. She’s pretty, at least on the outside. Not so sure about her insides, though. They seem a bit sketchy.
“Not a thing to worry about with that one, girl. Or anyone else. That Tannen boy ain’t never followed no one around the way he does you.” He nods like that’s that and goes back to pulling beers.
A little while later, the door creaks open and a group of women I do know come in. Shayanne, Sophie, Katelyn, Rix, and Allyson all walk directly to the bar and me.
“Hey, Willow!” Shayanne yells. “Round of Girly Beers, please!”
“Sure thing. Where you gonna sit? I’ll have Olivia bring them over.”
Rix points to a stool. “We’re sitting right here with you. Brody’s orders, Bobby’s too.”
The other girls laugh like she said something ridiculous. I don’t know what it was until Katelyn manages to huff out around her giggles, “Brody’s orders? As if you take orders from anyone, much less Brody.”
Rix’s grin says Katelyn might be on to something. “Well, I take his ideas into consideration, at least.” She shrugs, and I get the feeling nobody tells Rix what to do. Ever.
I set the beers onto cocktail napkins in front of each woman. “What was the part about Bobby’s orders?”
Shayanne jumps in. “Oh, he told us to check in on you since he was gonna be gone. Pretty sure he wanted to make sure you didn’t make a run for it while he was distracted. You’re lucky he didn’t tie you up and just leave enough water and sandwiches on the nightstand to last till Monday.”
“That is oddly specific and concerning that you’ve considered kidnapping enough to have a meal plan for it.” I couldn’t explain it if I tried, but her outrageousness makes her more endearing somehow. She says crazy things, but they come out more amusing than terrifying.
She frowns, feigning sadness. “Lessons learned the hard way. I always forget to feed and water the hostages.”
Unc appears at my shoulder. “Sophie, where the hell is Doc tonight? You leave him high and dry at the clinic?”
Sophie bites back defensively, “You know I didn’t. When I left, he was petting a new kitten and watching Andy Griffin reruns.” Her voice softens. “We had a mama cat birth four today. They were feeding okay, but Doc said he’d probably sleep over to make sure they didn’t need to be bottle fed.”
“Aw hell, you know he’ll be there every night for a week then. Never seen a man like cats as much as he does.”
Rix snorts first, then Shayanne, then the rest of us catch what Unc just alluded to accidentally. Unc grins big when he realizes why we’re laughing. “You ladies, and I use the term loosely, need to straighten up.”
We try. We make a truly valiant effort for about two seconds before we all bust out again.
God, I needed that. Silly giggles about a stupid, accidental joke. I feel like my whole body is bathed in champagne, bubbly and warm.
Unc rolls his eyes, fighting his own laughter to appear sternly authoritarian. “Actually, I got another plan. Shayanne, you go get that table right there,” he orders her, pointing across the bar to a round booth that just opened up.
She doesn’t question it, zig zagging her way over to flash a thumbs-up.
He dips his head in recognition then sticks two fingers in his mouth. The whistle is loud and unexpected, quieting the bar in an instant as all eyes turn to him.
“Y’all know my niece, Willow. She’s been in here putting up with your shit for a while now, without so much as a fuss.”
What is he doing? I hate being the center of attention and this little speech of his has everyone in the room, and that’s a lot of people, looking from him to me. A few tip the necks of their bottles at me and several smile.
“More importantly, she puts up with my shit. So here’s what’s going to happen.
I’m pulling beers and Willow’s got one batch of Girly Beer left for tonight.
That’s all that’s on the drink menu. So if you want mixed drinks, go home and make ’em yourself because she’s taking the night off to hang out with her friends. ”
Mouth agape, I blink. Finally finding words, I mouth at him, “What?”
Unc smiles wider. “Take the night off, girl. You deserve it. Hell, take Olivia with you. She deserves it even more than you. Poor thing’s been putting up with my grumpy ass since the dawn of time.”
“I ain’t that old, old man!” Olivia calls out, but I see her coming toward the bar and taking her apron off. “And neither are you.” Kinder and quieter, she asks, “You sure, Hank?”
“Hell yeah, I’m sure. I used to run this place by myself and I can damn sure do it for a couple of hours.
” Louder, to the crowd, he says, “In case you didn’t notice, your waitress is off duty and I don’t do that shit.
If you want something to eat or drink, then you’d best get up and come to the bar and order it yourself, capiche? ”
Heads nod, and from over by the pool table, a guy calls out sarcastically, “Yes sir, Hank.” His laughter can be heard across the bar and his buddies high-five him.
“Keep it up, Chuckles, and I’ll cut you off,” Unc threatens.
The table of guys sobers and eye their almost empty pitcher. I’m pretty sure they’ll be ordering another one any minute in case Unc decides not to serve them any more tonight.
“Glad we understand each other, gentlemen. As you were.”