Chapter Eleven
Reid
SQUAD CHAT
“Ayyy, what’s everyone getting into tonight?” Carter texts the group chat.
REID: “I’m about to get off work and go crash. It’s been a long ass week”
CARTER: “Nahh, come chill! I need a drink & some grub. Anyone wanna hit up Melwood Tavern tonight?”
LEVI: “You are such a local, but sure they have the best wings.”
REID: “I’m in. Someone come swoop me up in 30?”
LEVI: “I got ya, on my way after this game.”
CARTER: “Meet y’all there, leaving Claire’s in a bit.”
As much as I wanted to not move tonight, a beer with the guys sounds nice.
Carter gets a little wild, but Levi will be there as a buffer and man, am I hungry.
I feel like such a townie showing up to the tavern with all the old people that never left, but sometimes the high school reunion environment can be a good time.
I head home for a quick shower to remove the stench of animals from my skin.
I decided to throw on a plaid button down flannel over my white undershirt and a good pair of jeans.
As I finish brushing my teeth, I hear Levi start honking his horn outside.
Quickly throwing on a spritz of cologne for good measure, I slip on my boots and grab my wallet as I head for the door.
∞∞∞
The tavern is busier than usual tonight, but Levi and I manage to grab a couple of barstools at the end of the cherry wood bar. I slam back a Jack and Coke while waiting for my order of fried pickles to come out and enjoy letting the warmth of whiskey flow through my veins.
A Luke Combs song plays over the Touch Tunes jukebox and karaoke is sure to start up on the little corner stage here soon.
We might be a small town, but having less bar options means everyone only has one place to gather and it ends up turning into a party.
The old people or ‘townies’ as we call them, that have been locals since the dawn of time, really do know how to get down and it’s quite entertaining to witness.
Carter shows up fashionably late as always, but appears to have pre-gamed on his own with a head start of Natty Lights.
By the time he waltzes in, we’ve finished our appetizers and have a couple drinks in our system as well.
I hop up and offer him my seat, so I can make my way to the restroom.
I finally gotta break the seal before I piss my pants and I can already see a line forming down the hall.
Standing up makes me finally feel the buzz in my head that I haven’t welcomed in a while.
Heading back towards the front of the bar, I make my way through the crowd as a flash of long blonde hair catches my eye and makes me do a double take.
I must be seeing shit. I’m sure my mind is playing tricks on me, since I’ve seen articles of Cara being in Chicago with Grant.
But sure enough, I can’t mistake that head of hair for nothing.
I decide to dodge that bullet and veer to the left to make a beeline for the restroom before she can see me.
After relieving myself, I take a deep breath before I head back out there.
Scrubbing my hands well at the sink, I catch a glimpse of my reflection and take a moment to clean up.
The alcohol may have given me a false sense of confidence, but the 5-o'clock stubble is kind of a look. Or at least, that’s what I’m telling myself.
Bangs on the door snap me out of my haze and I realize how long I’ve been in here.
I tuck my shirt in and unlock the knob before I get mobbed for holding up the line.
“Chill man,” I calmly spit out as I whip the door open to more constant bangs. Knowing I should probably shut my mouth before I get my ass beat, but not expecting to open the door to a group of females outside of the men’s room.
“Hurry the fuck up, we gotta pee!” A group of four women are crowded at the door, trying to make their way in since the line to the women’s bathroom has no end in sight, but that’s not why I’m caught off guard.
The two brunettes and a curly red-head push past me without a pause, but I’m frozen in a staring contest with the breathtaking brown-eyed beauty that stands less than a foot in front of me.