Chapter 28
Twenty-eight
Maverick
Walking into the coffee shop that Colter recommended down main street, I look around at the surroundings whilst I wait for my shot of espresso. The walls are a cream shade, fake plants decorating the shop to add some colour.
“Good to see you back, Maverick,” Lilly Short says as she hands me my coffee.
“You too.” I nod back at her, taking the cup from her hands.
The stores have certainly changed as time has gone on, the town’s certainly grown with the times; however, the people remain exactly the same.
I take my phone out of my jeans pocket as I reach the table, waiting for the boys to let me know when they’re going to be at McCoys.
Thursday’s boys night at the dive bar, well not officially but it was decided between Colter, Luke and my brother that it’s the day that they would all shoot their shot at pool and drink some beers, hiding away from all that they could.
“Maverick Bennett,” I hear, looking up from my phone I see Mrs Hamilton towering over me in my booth.
“Mrs Hamilton, you look as lovely as ever,” I smile at her, taking off my hat and placing it on the table.
“So, the rumours are true then,” she smiles, taking a seat opposite me.
“Very true, unfortunately,” I laugh out at her.
“Not for me it’s not.” she waves her hand at my statement, and I cock my eyebrow at her, wondering what the hell that means.
“You still sing?” She asks bluntly, completely in her fashion; she definitely hasn’t changed.
“Uh, I- Yes, Ma’am, I do?” I question her, wondering her goal from asking me.
“Good,” she pauses. “My band has cancelled for the spot before your brother on Saturday,” she pauses again, and I now know where this is going.
“Mrs Hamilton, I can’t,” I start before she interrupts me. “You’ll do perfect, will be like a big welcome home, no?” I don’t think she’s asking me anymore, more like demanding.
“I can’t, I have-” I start to say a date, but I don’t manage the words out.
“Excellent! You my boy, are a life saver.” She stands up from her booth as I start to stutter.
What is wrong with me?
Why can’t I get any of my words out?
“I’ll email your Mama the details so she can pass along to you,” she starts to walk off.
“But I-” I stutter out.
“You’ve just saved the whole fair! Send my love to your parents.” And with that she’s out the door.
How did that just happen?
How am I performing at the fair on Saturday before my brother.
How the fuck am I going to pull this off?
Lord, help me now.
****
“So, she just, cornered you?” Colter laughs as he leans down against his pool cue, ready to take his shot.
“Pretty much,” I shrug, taking a swig of my beer.
Colter shoots his shot on the pool table, takes hold of his beer and stands to the side as I line up my shot.
“Are you gonna do it?” Luke asks from his bar stool next to my brother.
“I don’t think I’ve got much choice,” I snicker, shooting the cue and potting a ball, which annoys my best friend as he lets out a growl.
“I don’t think you do-” my brother starts. “That woman terrifies me,” he chuckles.
“Some things certainly don’t change,” Luke winks back at me.
I feel slightly more at ease laughing about it now with these fuckers; however, the problem is still there.
The fair is in two days’ time, I don’t have a band, songs picked out, nothing. Not to mention I’ve already asked Mabel and Ellie there as a date.
Sweat drips on my brow as all these things are running through my head, my hands are becoming clammier as the minutes wear on.
I hold onto my chest and practice my deep breathing exercises the doctors gave me with my anti-anxiety meds, not that they’d ever helped much; I don’t need to have a panic attack in front of these boys.
“What about...” Luke starts, and I look at him, still holding tightly onto my chest. “I can drum for you. Jake can help on the guitar and backing vocals-” Jake and Colter join me and look at Luke whilst he’s brainstorming.
“Colter, you good to pick up a guitar?” My brother asks and my best friend nods back at him.
“We can suck up a half hour set?” Luke asks.
“Fuck yeah, we can,” my brother agrees, turning to me with one of his famous shit eating grins.
“You sure you don’t mind? You’ll be playing for an hour and a half?” I ask back at him, concern sweeping over my face as I slowly release the grip on my shirt.
“Naa’, bro’, anything for you and this town,” he winks at me, holding his bottle up in my direction.
How the hell did I survive thirteen years without these boys? I’ll never understand it.
My breathing comes back down to a normal level, and my head start’s to think a lot clearer.
“Right,” I start, my mind becoming fuller. “We need a setlist.” And songs automatically fill my head as I take another swig of my beer.
I know what I want to do.
“Do we know any female singers around here?” I ask.
“My sister?” Colter laughs, missing another pot on the pool table. “Fuck,” he mutters to himself.
“No, not your sister.” I let a devilish grin escape. I want to dedicate the performance to her, not with her being forced up on stage with the whole town looking.
“Speaking of...” Luke looks back up from his bottle. “How’s that going?” he snickers.
I decide there and then I’m not going to reveal the intimate times that we’ve shared together since Tuesday, or if truth be telling; before that, well by me anyway.
They’re for us, and ours only.
I shrug, taking another swig of my beer, finishing the bottle. I signal the bartender for another.
“I heard you asked her and Ellie to the fair on Saturday,” my brother adds.
“And how did you hear that?” I ask.
“Ellie,” all three of them say in unison and I let out a laugh, running my hand through my hair, I’d heard that little lady’s a gossip.
“Anyway,” I try get back onto the topic at hand. “Female singers? Jake?” I look at my brother.
“I have someone in mind, lemme’ give her a quick call,” he says as he hops off of his bar stool and heads towards the back door of the bar.
I really hope we don’t fuck this up.
Feeling my phone buzzing inside my back pocket, I lean against the pool cue and take my phone out.
Firefly; Missing you xo.
My heart does a backflip at the small but effective text.
I put my pool cue back into the case and type back with both hands.
Me; Miss you too x
Firefly; How’s boys night? x
Just as I’m about to type out my reply, my brother comes rushing back through the bar door.
“She’s available!” He hollers.
“Well, make a group chat and I’ll send the songs on there,” I say, placing my hat firmly back on my head.
“Hey, where you going?” Colter asks.
I smirk back at them.
“I’m going to catch me a Firefly,” I laugh out, moving quickly towards the bar door.
Hollers and “Yee-haw’s” follow me as I leave the building and jog towards my truck that’s parked at the far end of the bars parking lot.
Miss me all you like Firefly, I’m never going to be far enough away from you again.
I’m on my way.