Chapter Thirty-two
Thirty-two
Maverick
Looking over towards my friends, I finish of the lyric I’m singing, as the song ends.
“Not bad for one rehearsal,” Colter says sitting in the corner, leaning against his old and beat up guitar.
“If anyone’s gonna pull this shit off, it’s us.” Luke laughs as he hold his drumsticks in one hand and drinks his water bottle in the other.
I wipe the sweat from my brow and take a swig of the bottled water I have beside me. “We got time for another go?” I ask, placing the water bottle down on the table.
The boys check their watches at the same time and look back at me with unease. “Don’t think so, it’s almost half six,” my brother says, giving me a sympathetic look.
“Besides, Hope’s just text me, the girls are heading to McCoys,” Luke gives me a sheepish look. Placing my guitar down, I stand up, knowing that the girls means that my one will be there.
“What are we waiting for?” I ask, placing my guitar back in my stand.
My mom and dad never did change the music room they made for me, and then in turn Jake when he took after me and learned how to play.
This small slice was our place of sanctuary and peace, us boys would spend our lives in here, the girls always tagging along listening to us play.
But right now, I’m so glad this hasn’t changed.
We never called ourselves a band. I loved to sing and play, and they just loved to play. It worked when we were kids.
The boys snicker at my eagerness to get down to our local dive bar. Luckily Jake isn’t due to perform tonight as the whole town will be out tomorrow to see him.
And me.
The thought dawns on me and I slightly shit my pants at the thought. My throat becomes dry, and my hands start to sweat.
Just as my panic attack starts to form, Colter slaps me on the back and pulls me out of the forming hole. “You good, brother?” He asks, and I see the concern written across his face. I let myself take in a deep breath before answering him.
“Yeah man, nervous,” I shrug back at him.
He offers me a reassuring grin, “Don’t be, we’ll pull it off.”
I fucking hope so.
I place my hand onto his shoulder and offer him a nod back.
“Come on ladies, I need a beer.” Luke shouts, swinging his truck keys in between his fingers.
Remembering who’s at the bar waiting for me, I lightly jog towards my brother and Luke, Colter tailing along behind me; all three of the jerks laughing at the spring in my step.
****
Pulling into the bar’s parking lot, all four of us bundled into Luke truck, the atmosphere’s changed from tense to electric. Country music on the radio, all four of us singing along to the classic hits.
“Ready boys?” Colter asks from the front seat.
I pull open the back door and almost throw myself out of it, excited to see my girl again.
This time, I hope it will be a much better Friday night.
Walking from the truck to the front door, my brother shoves into me and I playfully shove back.
I never want to leave this town again.
Luke holds open the door to McCoy’s, and I hear her before I see her. That hysterical laugh hasn’t changed, the snort as she breathes in from her belly laugh.
I spot her with her hand over her mouth, trying to hide the large grin I know she’s wearing. Leaning against the bar with Hope and Iris she throws her head back in a fit of giggles at whatever one of them has just said to make her laugh like that.
I watch her neck as the memory of last night comes back to me, remembering the kisses I planted there, my dick standing to attention at the mere thought of being consumed by her once again.
She looks in the direction of us, locking her eyes with mine, hand still covering her mouth.
I bounce towards her, only just dodging the ridiculous amount of chairs and tables that Cole has throughout this place. I hit my thighs on more than I like to admit to but I couldn’t care less about the potential bruising to my hips.
I want to get to her.
“Hey, Firefly,” I say, finally reaching her and standing in the spot next to her. “Hey, Mav,” she replies, looking sheepish towards me. I watch her cheeks flush as she looks up at me.
I struggle to move my eyes away from hers, my breathing and head calming at the sight of her; the world becoming silent around us.
I hear someone clear their throat.
“Yeah, hello to you as well, Dipshit,” I look in the direction of the voice to find Iris waving at me.
“I’m sorry,” I lean forward and plant a kiss on both hers and Hope’s cheeks.
“Ladies. Drinks?” I ask, signalling Mack over to take our orders.
We order a round of beers; the girls go for some fruity concoctions; but not my girl; my girl goes straight for her favourite, whiskey.
As the night continues on, I never stay far away from my girls side. I’m not certain what she’s told the girls about us, as I haven’t really said much to the boys about what’s going on.
Throughout the night I catch them all eyeballing us from across the booth we decide to perch on.
The bar isn’t overly busy tonight because of the town fair tomorrow, but Cole’s put on a bit of light music as background noise for the few of us keeping the bar filled for the evening.
I give Mack my card, with explicit instructions to buy this group anything they ask for. I’ve got thirteen years of rounds of drinks to catch up on, and I wasn’t going to let my side down.
Looking back down at Mabel who, as the whiskey went down ridiculously smoothly, becomes a lot more relaxed and leans into me, resting her head on my shoulder; I see her bright smile on full display.
I look around the table and see everyone smirking at us, but no one says a thing and I just laugh. It’s like these fuckers knew before we did that this would happen.
And that thought alone causes my own shit eating grin to spread across my face; right back at them. “Another round?” I ask, already sliding out from the booth.
“I’ll help,” Mabel gets up after me as I watch each of our friends agree back with me for a refill on their drinks.
Wolf whistles follow us as Mabel takes my hand in hers and leads me towards the bar, where Mack’s already seen us coming.
“Same again?” He asks.
“Please,” I start before Mabel tugs on my arm. “And seven shots of tequila, please,” she asks Mack, but winks at me.
As Mack’s preparing our drinks, I hear the music being turned up louder than it’s been all night and Morgan Wallen – Spin you round fills the bar.
I look back at our group of friends and watch Luke pull Hope over to the small dance floor and I look adoringly over at them.
Colter is next to stand, holding his hand out to Iris which she graciously takes, joining the other two on the floor.
My brother stays put, sipping on his beer smiling at the couples pair off on the dance floor.
I look down at Mabel. “Would you join me in a dance?” I ask as I watch her eyes sparkle at my question.
“I never thought you’d ask,” she replies, taking my hand as I walk her over to the dance floor, once again avoiding the chairs.
Reaching the dance floor, I spin Mabel around under my arm before pulling her in close, placing my hands around her hips.
Mabel follows suit, reaching her arms and cradling my neck, swaying along to the music.
I lean my forehead against hers on her tiny frame and sway gently with her. My feet moving and leading hers.
Mabel doesn’t speak but holds her gaze with mine. I, as if on impact, start singing to her, moving my hand onto her lower back, and taking her hand with the other.
Holding her gaze in mine, I know that I love her. More now than I ever did all those years ago.
All the years that followed when I refused to let her go. Loving her was the only thing that kept me going all this time, in the hopes that one day all of this would be a thing of the past.
When I came back into town, I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I hoped it would be this. One thing was clear; the pull was always there for the both of us.
In this moment, the world completely stops.
It’s just me and her.
If I never saw another sunset over the mountains again, I wouldn’t care. If I never got on another horse again, so what?
As long as I have this girl here in my arms, for the rest of my days, whether they be long or short; then I’ll die a happy man.
I love her, whole heartedly, completely and consumingly. I’ll do anything in my power to make her, and her little girl have the best life they so willingly deserve.
The music stops, but we don’t stop dancing, holding onto each other like we are each other’s only life source.
“Hey Mav?” I hear her whisper, and I pull my head away from hers. “Yeah, Firefly?” I ask.
“The music’s stopped,” she giggles out in a whisper.
“And?” I ask, smiling down at her which makes causes her to blush, pulling her head into my chest.
I take my finger, hook it under her chin and lift her head back up so her eyes are back on mine.
“It’s always been you-” I start, holding onto her chin so I have her attention. “No matter where I went, or what I did. It has always been you.” I say as I watch a stray tear slide down her cheek.
“I love you, Mabel; I have always loved you,” I say, trying to bare my soul to her, to give her peace to know that it has always belonged to her.
“Oh, Mav,” she chokes out, letting the sob she’s holding in out. “It’s always been you,” but I refuse to let her finish her sentence.
I won’t let her finish it because I already know, I already know that it’s always been me as well.
I crash my lips down to hers, holding onto her back as I dip her down into a passionate kiss, in front of our friends and in front of the bar.
I hear screams, and crashing fists banging on tables, but I don’t care.
In this moment I only care about her.
I only care that she loves me back.
I have hope that after the fair when I bare even more of my soul to her, that this, us, will be enough for her to forgive me.