I Love This Bar

by Carolyn Brown

  He picked up his beer bottle and tapped it to their wine glasses. Afterwards he gave them each a hug while everyone yelled, "To fifty more!"

  When he sat back down he leaned over and kissed Daisy on the cheek again. "Momma wants to know if you would please serve the groom's cake after we have eaten."

  Chapter 14

  A photo shoot had been set up at the end of the barn. An archway had been arranged with yellow roses and twining ivy with two velvet chairs for Liam and Frankie centered under it. The photographer arranged groups and Daisy watched from a table back in a far corner. The further she could stay from Jewel, the better. She was studying Jarod, thinking that he definitely was the best looking one of the McElroy sons, when someone touched her bare arm. It startled her so badly that she jumped and came close to falling backwards, chair and all.

  "Didn't mean to scare you. You must have had your mind somewhere else," Frankie said.

  "I thought I was the only one in this corner."

  If you knew what I was thinking about doing to your son, you'd be the one startled out of your mind.

  Frankie touched her arm. "I snuck up on your blind side. I haven't had formal pictures of my boys in years."

  "Good looking bunch of men. I'm sure you are very proud of them," Daisy said. And that youngest one can sure make my body sing a country song about getting lucky.

  "I wanted a minute with you alone. I'm glad Jarod brought you to the party today. I owe you an apology," Frankie said.

  Daisy was glad she didn't have beer in her mouth. She would have spewed it all over the woman.

  Frankie went on. "I judged you by those other three and it wasn't fair."

  "Apology accepted, then."

  The floodgates were opened and Frankie couldn't stop talking. "Jarod came along after I thought I was all through with having babies. Mitch and Stephen were born a year apart right after we married and fifteen years later I had Jarod. I spoiled the hell out of him. When he brought Sasha home I thought she was the one who'd complete his life. That fell through and we helped Jarod pick up the pieces. A few years later he brought Mallory to meet us and she and I became friends. I wanted to string her up with a worn out rope when she left him. Then there was Emily wanting a rancher to move to New York City. Three times I was nice and three times he got burned. It's not easy to be nice again," Frankie said.

  "You don't have to be nice. I was dead serious when I told the whole bunch of you that I love my bar. I like my job. I like the people. I like the hours. It's my life and I have no desire to change it," Daisy said.

  "We'll see." Frankie smiled.

  Liam crossed the room and held his hand out to Frankie. "May I have this dance, pretty lady?"

  She smiled brightly up at him, put her hand in his, and walked beside him to the middle of the dance floor. The band struck up the first chords to an old Faron Young song, "Slowly."

  Jarod sat down beside Daisy and draped an arm loosely around the back of her chair. "I'm glad that's over. I've smiled enough for six years. Do you have that song on your old jukebox? It's the first song they ever danced to. Daddy used to bring out Faron's album and play it on the record player on their anniversary and they'd dance around the living room floor."

  It wasn't hard to believe they'd danced more than fifty years together. They were as smooth as Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.

  "That is so sweet," Daisy said.

  "Takes a lot of practice to get that good. Think we'll ever match them?"

  "Only if we spent the next few weeks dancing every minute of the day," she laughed.

  During the instrumental in the middle of the song, the singer spoke into the microphone. "Liam says this is the song that was playing the first time he asked Frankie to dance with him. Now they're inviting their three sons to join them in the dance."

  Mitch and Maria were on the floor first.

  Then Jewel and Stephen.

  Jarod held out his hand to Daisy.

  She looked across the floor at Frankie who slyly winked.

  Daisy put both her arms around Jarod's neck. He looped his around her waist, pulled her close, and sang the words to the rest of the song softly in her ear as they moved gracefully around the floor.

  The song ended and the singer said, "And now the golden couple have asked that their grandchildren come on out to the dance floor for the next one. After we finish this song, everyone is invited to dance. A light supper buffet will be served at six and Miz Frankie says the party will be over at seven thirty. So grandkids, come on and honor your grandparents as we sing 'Rockin' Years.'"

  Jarod wrapped his arms around Daisy's waist again. She fit like she had been molded especially for him.

  "We aren't grandchildren," she said.

  "It's a whole family dance and today you are part of it," he said.

  Today. That word stuck in her head. Today she was part of the family. Today she could win the catfight with the abominable Jewel. Today she could serve groom's cake with the real daughters-in-law. Today she could pretend to be Jarod's woman. That part wasn't so difficult; she'd already been his wife.

  Tomorrow she'd be the bartender. Tomorrow she'd take care of Rack's hairballs and check on Tommy's goat, Runt. Tomorrow she'd be plain old Daisy O'Dell.

  Today was fantasy. Tomorrow was reality.

  After the final notes of the song, the McElroy sons led their women to the cake table. Jewel cut the white bride's cake topped with the same bride and groom figurine that had been used on Frankie and Liam's original wedding cake. Maria poured punch from a brass punch bowl into crystal cups. Daisy took her place behind the three-tiered chocolate cake topped with fresh dipped strawberries.

  "I'm surprised Momma Frankie asked you to do that job," Jewel said.

  "I promised her I wouldn't lick my fingers or pick my nose between bites," Daisy said.

  Maria giggled. "Jewel, be nice. She's not Emily or Mallory or even Sasha. You aren't going to intimidate her."

  "What's your problem with me anyway, Jewel?" Daisy asked.

  "You are a gold digger. You know he's rich and you're nothing but a bartender," Jewel said.

  "I didn't know he was rich and it wouldn't matter to me if he had nothing or owned Fort Knox. But I do know that you are a bitch," Daisy said.

  "How can you say something like that?" Jewel snapped sharply.

  "I know as much about you as you do me and you made a judgment on me without knowing me so I can make one about you," Daisy said.

  "Touché, Daisy," Maria said.

  "Whose side are you on anyway?" Jewel asked.

  "I'm not on either side, Jewel McElroy. You know me better than that after twenty-five years of marriage for both of us. But you are doing the same thing Momma Frankie did. You're judging her by those other three and it's not fair. We didn't judge you by Stephen's former lovers and we damn sure didn't judge you for yours, did we?" Maria said.

  Jewel's mouth gaped like a fish out of water for a couple of seconds. "That was all in the past."

  "So are Jarod's former relationships. Don't be so narrow-minded," Maria said.

  An elderly lady with blue hair stopped and picked up a piece of groom's cake. "How did you and Jarod meet? Don't remember ever seein' you around these parts. You a Texan?"

  "Arkansas is my home state, but I've been in Texas eight years. We met in a beer joint," Daisy answered.

  She gasped and hurried back to her table of friends so fast that Daisy feared she'd fall forward and land with her face in the chocolate cake. She hoped the strawberry didn't poke her in the eye. She delivered the news in whispers behind her veined and diamond ring–decorated hand.

  She'd barely finished talking when another of the gossip squad decided she needed groom's cake also.

  "So are you a rancher like Jarod or maybe into the oil business like the McElroys?" she asked when Daisy handed her the cake.

  "No, ma'am, I'm the owner and bartender at the Honky Tonk beer joint in Mingus, Texas," she said.

  "I see
. Well. Okay, then. I—" She rushed back to the table.

  When the third one headed in her direction, Daisy sighed.

  "I'm Inez Perkins. Don't believe I've seen you around before."

  "Pleased to meet you, ma'am. I'm Daisy O'Dell from Mingus, Texas. I knew Jarod's Uncle Emmett and Aunt Mavis," she said.

  "Oh, that side of the family. So what is it you do, darlin'? Got to give it to you, you got a good sense of humor. When you told Wanda you were a bartender she about stroked out. That can't be true. You're just jerking them around, aren't you?"

  "Yes, ma'am, it surely is true. I own a beer joint called the Honky Tonk. I'm a bartender most of the time. If you are ever down in my area, stop by and I'll make you a margarita that'll knock your socks off," Daisy said.

  Inez barely took the time to nod and hurried back to the table where eight women put their heads together.

  "What'd you do that for?" Jewel asked.

  "It's the truth. Cover it with cow shit or chocolate and it's still the same underneath," Daisy repeated Chigger's saying.

  "It's a wonder Inez didn't have a heart attack and ruin the party. You could have said you were a business woman or even a vet tech," Jewel said.

  "I could have but I didn't. I'm not ashamed of the Honky Tonk or being a bartender. It's good honest work. The rest of the cake is cut and ready. See you two around," Daisy said.

  She made a beeline for the door. No one had better get in her way or ask a million and two questions either. She'd had all she could stand of Jewel and nosy neighbors. Luckily she made it to the pickup truck where she crawled inside the steaming hot vehicle, left the passenger door open, and leaned the seat as far back as it would go. She'd rather have a root canal with no Novocaine than go on another cowboy date. She shut her eyes against the hot sunlight and hoped that when she opened them it would all be a crazy nightmare.

  When Jarod touched her arm, her eyes flew open. She sat straight up. Damn it! She was still in the pickup. She was still in northern Oklahoma and it damn sure wasn't a dream.

  "Jarod!" Jewel screamed not two feet from the truck. "It's Butler and the vet is out of town in Albuquerque on a convention. He sent his regrets, but what are we going to do?"

  "What in the hell are you talking about?" Jarod asked. Leave it to Jewel to interrupt a private moment.

  "Look," she pointed. "I was coming to the house to get Frankie some aspirin for a headache."

  An old dog with a white muzzle was trying to get under the fence, dragging a hind leg that was bleeding profusely.

  Daisy was out of the truck before anyone could say another word. She opened the back door, grabbed her black bag, and started to run toward the dog.

  Jarod hadn't even realized one of the bags he'd loaded had been her vet bag. He'd just figured they were all luggage. He reached the fence at the same time Daisy did and sat down in the grass beside Daisy. He had the bag open when Jewel arrived, out of breath and still crying. Daisy took out a hypodermic and shot the wound full of deadening medicine to start with, then set about cleaning the tear.

  "Looks like he's been in a terrible fight. Has he had his rabies shots?" she asked.

  "Probably coyotes and yes, he's had his shots," Jewel said.

  "How old is he?"

  "Ten this last spring. He don't know he's old and he'll go after a coyote with blood in his eye. Never came home like this," Jewel said.

  Daisy gave him a shot of antibiotic, sewed him up, and carried him to the porch where she laid him in the shade. "You'll be fine, Butler, but you've got to stop chasin' coyotes. Let the younger boys have that job and you supervise."

  Jarod followed every step she took. Admiration and pride filled his heart and soul. This was his woman and after today by damn Jewel should stop giving her a hard time.

  "I was so scared. Thank you so much," Jewel stammered.

  "I'm a vet tech, not a vet. I did the best I could but you might want to take him in for his normal doctor to take a look at him," Daisy said.

  "You did fine and he likes you," Jewel said. "And I'm sorry."

  "Me too. I can't stand to see an animal hurting."

  "I mean I'm sorry I gave you a hard time. Forgive me?" she asked.

  Daisy looked at Jarod and back at Jewel. "Of course."

  "I'll stay with him. You two go on and do whatever you want." She sat down beside Butler and rubbed his head.

  He whined and licked her hands.

  "Take a ride with me," Jarod whispered in Daisy's ear.

  "You can't just run out on a party," she said as she allowed him to carry her bag and lead her around the house.

  "Oh, yes I can. I've smiled enough for a year. I'm glad these things aren't every week. I'll bring in your bags. You'll want to change into something else. We'll be taking a four wheeler out for a ride over the property. I'd like to check on my cattle. The sale is in a few days and I want to double-check what I've got down to sell this year. We'll get our bags out of the truck and change our clothes."

  "How in the devil do you decide which ones to sell and which ones to keep? If I ever had a ranch that would be the hardest part."

  "Depends on a lot of things. How much money I need to make for the year. How productive each head of cattle is. You should know all that. You are a vet tech. You've probably helped lots of ranchers make those decisions," he said.

  "Nope, not once. I've vaccinated. I've given medicine for hairballs, set broken hips when cats and dogs got run over by cars, put them down when they couldn't be saved, lots of things. But no one ever asked me to help decide which cow to save and which one to grind up into hamburger," she said.

  He wasn't sure that he'd make the right decisions with Daisy at his side. Ever since she stepped out of the Honky Tonk that morning wearing that cute little dress that stopped at her knees and those pink boots, he'd had tunnel vision and the light at the end did not have an Angus cow blocking the view.

  He unloaded her bags into a bedroom at the end of the hall. "This is where you'll be sleeping unless you want to go home tonight. I'll be across the hallway. There's a bathroom through that door."

  When he left she threw herself across the queensized bed. The room was spacious with the bed taking up only a small portion of the room. The walls were painted a soft summer sky blue and the view looked out over a pasture full of black cattle. Sheer white curtains fluttered at the windows when the air conditioner clicked on.

  After five minutes she hopped off the high bed and went to the bathroom. The mirror said she'd sweated off every bit of her makeup but she didn't apply more. Not when they were about to ride four wheelers out into the pastures. She opened her bag, removed ponytail holders, and quickly braided her hair into two ropes. She peeled the sundress off her body and replaced it with a bra, plaid shorts, and a hot pink knit tank top. She changed into old worn mustard colored work boots. Pasture grasses could be tough on bare legs and chiggers, in the real sense, were miserable creatures.

  Thinking about the red bugs, she remembered that Chigger and Jim Bob were still on their honeymoon. She wished she had a phone number so she could call Chigger and tell her all about the day. Jewel, in particular.

  "I probably shouldn't tell Chigger a damn thing. She'll read more into it than really happened. She's already got me and Jarod halfway down the aisle toward the preacher. And if she knew about bitchy Jewel, she'd be buying a couple of brand new shovels and driving up here to help me dig a six foot hole to put her in."

  Jarod peeked inside. "Who are you talking to?"

  "Myself. I'm a hermit. I talk to myself," she said.

  He opened the door wider. Jesus, but those long legs were sexy as hell going from the hems of those short shorts all the way down to the pink boots. "Nice outfit," he said huskily.

  He wore a white gauzy undershirt that hugged his muscular stomach and hung outside a pair of jean shorts with a cargo pocket on the side. He'd changed his dress boots for hiking boots that laced up to his ankles where the rim of white socks showed. His cal
ves and his arms looked like they belonged on a professional boxer or wrestler, but then ranching was hard business and not for sissies. Even the Walker triplets with their tall lanky frames had strong arms.

  "Get thee behind me, Satan." She smiled.

  "So you think I'm the devil?"

  "Yes, I do. Only the devil could make me think things that are this sinful. Let's go before I not only think but do sinful things," she said.