by Kylie Scott
Once again the door swung open, this time care of the opposite sex. A tall dude with a massive beard and the sides of his head shaved walked in with a growler full of beer in each hand. Almost every inch of skin on him was covered in ink and a silver ring hung from his nose.
The instant he saw Nell, he stopped dead. “Shit.”
“Pat,” she said in a low careful voice. “I thought you were going to Whitefish.”
“Changed my mind.”
She nodded, gnawing at her lip.
“Hey.” Joe walked in behind him, another couple of growlers in hand. Seemed everyone was planning a party.
Last came a slightly older guy. Not as tall as the other two, but built and very good looking, in an I’ve-seen-some-life way. Gray streaked his short spiky hair and the stubble on his jaw and cheeks. In one hand he carried a guitar, in the other he balanced a couple of big pizza boxes.
“Andre.” In a rush, Vaughan got to his feet. “Fuck, man. Good to see you.”
“Thanks for letting me know you were back.” Andre thrust the guitar at Vaughan, all the better to grab the pizzas with both hands. “Joe had to tell me.”
“Sorry.” Vaughan took the guitar under one arm, holding it ready to play. Then he strummed a chord. “She still sounds sweet.”
“Course she does. Martins only get better with age.”
With a wry smile, he handed the instrument back, taking charge of the pizza. “I don’t want to go falling for something I can’t afford.”
Andre laughed, shook his head.
“Lydia,” said Vaughan. “Want you to meet some old friends of mine, the one with the Gandalf-length beard is Pat. He owns that tattoo parlor next to the bar.”
“Hi.” I raised a hand in greeting and the man gave me a chin tip.
“And this here is Andre.” Vaughan gave the man’s shoulder a squeeze. “He’s the one who taught me to play. Bought my first guitar off him when I was ten. He’d just opened his store.”
“Yep,” said Andre. “Took all your Christmas and birthday money.”
“Typical.” Joe set his growlers down on the dining table. “Ripping off small children. Should be ashamed of yourself. Bet you stole their candy too.”
Ever so discreetly, Andre flipped him off.
“Oh, it cost me,” agreed Vaughan. “That secondhand Epiphone had taken some hits, but you were right. She had a beautiful sound, did the job and then some. I’ve still got her.”
“No shit?”
“Haven’t played her in a long time. But I couldn’t bring myself to let her go.”
They both smiled.
“Anyway,” said Vaughan. “I used to work in his shop sometimes after school and stuff.”
“The music shop near the Dive Bar?” I asked, sipping my wine. Excellent quality, Rosie was right.
“That’s the one,” answered Andre, setting the acoustic down on a chair. He wandered my way, looking me over. “Good to meet you, Lydia.”
Then he came closer, dropping his voice to a murmur. “Delaney’s a dick. That was a lucky escape on your part. You can do a hell of a lot better, honey.”
I huffed out a laugh. “Thank you.”
The man leaned in, giving me a kiss on the cheek, smiling. Damn, he was smooth. He also wore a very nice aftershave.
“Hey,” came a cranky voice. Vaughan was instantly by my side, shooting laser beams at his old friend. “Go easy, man. You only just walked in the door.”
“I’m sorry, Lydia,” said Andre. “Did I make you uncomfortable?”
“No.”
The laser beams and frown turned my way.
“Good.” After a pat on Vaughan’s shoulder, Andre walked away. Next he went to Nell, kissing her on the cheek, and then Rosie. Clearly, it was just his way of being friendly with women he liked. As if I’d suddenly be catching the eye of every hottie.
“You have a lot of good friends in this town,” I said, moving the conversation along.
A grunt.
“It’s great to get to meet some of them.”
“Yeah,” he said. “Listen, Andre is a bit of a player and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
I covered his mouth with my hand. “Stop right there. You think I’d take up with one of your friends?”
His worry didn’t seem to ease.
“I wouldn’t—especially after today,” I lowered both my voice and my hand. “Remember the part where you kissed me?”
His gaze dropped to my lips. Ye gods, this man. “I remember.”
“And the part after when we talked about crazy at first sight?”
“Yeah.”
“That wasn’t a commitment on either of our parts. I know that. But it was a statement.”
His hand slipped beneath my low ponytail, thumb stroking the back of my neck. Shivers ran down my spine. Just that easily he got me all stirred up. Stupid me for not dragging him to the closest mattress earlier.
“Forty-eight hours,” he muttered.
“What?”
“I’ve known you for forty-eight hours.” He lowered his face, bringing us closer.
“That’s right.” This was a safe space. And it was beautiful. “Feels like we’ve covered a lot of territory in a very short amount of time. Kind of speed-friendship with the potential for benefits.”
“Mm.”
“And I just want you to know that I don’t think less of you for driving a gas-guzzling environmental disaster of a car.”
“Thanks, babe.”
I screwed up my nose. “You caught me in a weak moment earlier. I didn’t really mean to say you calling me babe was all right.”
“No?”
“No.”
“Sucks to be you.” He placed a soft kiss on my forehead.
“Vaughan,” said Joe, clapping his hands together loudly. “Still got that fire pit out back?”
“It’s overgrown, but it’s there.” He gave the nape of my neck one last squeeze, then he took a step back. “You thinking we should get it working again?”
“You read my mind.”
“Let’s do it,” said Andre.
Vaughan looked between Pat and his sister, neither of whom appeared to be particularly relaxed. Nell’s smile seemed strained, the wine in her glass disappearing at lightning speed. A muscle jumped in his jawline. “Yeah, let’s do that. Leave the girls in here to do their thing.”
“Thank you, gentlemen,” sang Rosie, the wine in her glass also greatly reduced. “My husband only agrees to baby-sit once every blue moon. I mean to make the most of it.”
“Have fun.” Vaughan picked up the growlers Joe had left on the table, then moseyed over to the big glass doors heading out back. “Grab some glasses.”
“On it,” said Joe.
“Coming, Pat?” Andre asked before going out into the early evening.
Without a word, the tattooist followed. Nell’s gaze did too. There was love, in all its pain and glory, written over her face. In comparison, what I’d felt for Chris was laughable.
“We grew apart,” said Nell, meeting my eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
She shrugged and drained the last of her wine. “These things happen, right? Grab the bottle from the kitchen, would you?”
“Sure.”
All three of us crowded together on the couch, topping off our glasses.
“Shit, I forgot. Pizza!” Rosie raced into the kitchen, bringing back one of the boxes. “Calabrese, tomato, and basil. My favorite.”
“Nice.” My stomach rumbled to life and I helped myself to a slice.
“Want me to heat it up?”
“There’s no time for that,” I said, taking a bite. “Oh. This is good. Really good.”
“Sure about that?” Rosie laughed.
“You just wish you could talk with a mouth full of food, and still look this attractive.”
That even made Nell snicker. Score.
“Made them for us before abandoning ship. I’m glad you like my cooking,” she said.
“Since I see my brother hasn’t bothered to stock the house. You’ll likely be relying on me for the duration of your stay.”
“I’ll go to the supermarket tomorrow,” I said, pausing to gulp down a mouthful of the very good wine. “Vaughan’s been busy.”
“Wouldn’t matter if he hadn’t been,” she said, swirling her glass of red. “He won’t do anything that feels like settling in here. This place … it’s just too hard for him. Too many memories, I guess. He’ll be gone as fast as he can be.”
“You really think he’s going to sell it?” asked Rosie.
Nell lay her head back against the top of the couch, staring up at the ceiling. “All he ever wanted to be was a guitarist, play in a band. He needs the money.”
“Shit,” whispered Rosie. “I’m sorry.”
I ate more pizza and drank more wine. My heart hurt for her, but there was nothing I could say.
“It’s like I lost him when I lost Mom and Dad. Now Pat’s gone too.” Nell sniffed, quickly wiping at her eyes. “Fuck. Sorry, girls. Didn’t mean to get all weepy on you.”
“It’s okay,” I said, touching her elbow. “You’re safe here, Nell.”
“What she said,” echoed Rosie, rising to grab an old box of Kleenex from the corner. I really did like her. She was good people.
“I’m the hard-core bitch,” said Nell. “I’m not allowed to cry.”
“We all cry sometimes. It’s no biggie.”
“My period’s due any day now. Let’s blame it on that.”
“Done.” I smiled.
Rosie shoved the box of tissues at her, then ran off to the kitchen to grab another bottle of wine. This night was going to get messy. Everyone needed to cut loose now and then.
I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the only end result of love. Feeling lost, hurting, clinging onto what was left of your life? Thank goodness I hadn’t gone through with the wedding. And thank god this thing with Vaughan had an end date. Otherwise, who knew what might happen. I could wind up broken, left in an even worse state than after Chris’s betrayal. Because Vaughan could do that. Forty-eight hours in, and already he stirred up feelings I didn’t want to mention. We were a train wreck waiting to happen. But, damn, it’d be hard to avoid going down that track. Even if I’d regret it for the rest of my life.
“Considering we work in the same building, Pat’s gotten amazingly good at sticking close to the tattoo parlor and avoiding me,” she said. “I haven’t seen him in weeks. I think that’s what caused our split.”
We kept quiet, letting her spill. Sometimes, that’s just what a girl needs.
“When he took over the parlor it was shit. A total mess. He worked his ass off to get it to where it is today and I supported him. I thought when we opened the bar that it was my turn, my thing. I figured he’d understand. But it didn’t work that way.” She held out her glass and Rosie filled it up again. “We were hardly ever seeing each other and we just … we drifted. One day he got up and said, I don’t know why we’re even bothering. What can you say to that? How the fuck are you supposed to react? It was like every bit of emotion had drained right out of him. His body was there, but his head and his heart were on another planet.”
Her mouth opened, but for a moment nothing came out. Nell looked ruined. Christ, if this was marriage, if this was trusting another person body and soul, it scared the living shit out of me.
Suddenly, her chin lifted, her shoulders squared. “Like I’m supposed to smack him around the head with our marriage certificate? I told him if he didn’t want to be there then he should go. I wasn’t going to stop him. Fuck, I didn’t think he’d actually leave.”
Outside there was shouting, laughter. It seemed so out of place. Wrong. But I guess life went on, even when it shouldn’t.
Nell flipped her hair back, licked her shining lips. “Anyway…”
“I’m sorry,” I said, not that it helped.
She turned her splotchy red face my way, tears trailing down her cheeks. “Can’t you just accidentally get pregnant and make Vaughan stay in Coeur d’Alene? I want some family around.”
“Um, no. Sorry.”
She barked that signature laugh. “Fine. Ruin everything, Lydia. See if I care.”
“Gosh, Lydia,” chided Rosie with a smile. “She’s not asking for much.”
I laughed and drank more wine. Everything would make more sense inebriated. I just knew it. And boy, was it going straight to my head. I guess having eaten only a piece of pecan pie today wasn’t the best way to start a night of wine drinking.
“I’m not being funny.”
“I know,” I said. “I’m a selfish ho.”
“Yes. You are.” Nell blew her nose and refilled her glass, attempting to pull herself together under our watchful eyes. “You should just let me do what I want with your uterus.”
The woman was nuts. Children weren’t even on my radar yet. Let alone with Vaughan.
“Your brother and I are just friends, Nell,” I said.
Both women laughed so hard it was a wonder they didn’t fall off the couch. I stoically ignored them as best I could. Female friends, so overrated. Though also kind of wonderful in all the ways. Damn Coeur d’Alene for getting so great just as I was about to leave.
“A toast!” Rosie held her wine glass high. “To bullshit and broken hearts.”
“Ha. Nice one.” I grinned.
“Here, here,” said Nell, drinking deep.
“To bullshit and broken hearts,” I said. Then I drank too.
Hours later someone knocked on the door. Hours and hours and many bottles of wine and slices of pizza later. Nell slowly got to her feet and stumbled on over to answer it. I’ll admit, it kind of surprised me when the person didn’t just charge inside the same way everyone else did.
“Oh. It’s you.” Nell turned around and returned to the couch.
Behind her was Eric, his anger from last night missing. Well, mostly. His lips were pressed tight together, but his eyes were completely devoid of the fire and rage. “You’ve made your point.”
“Glad to hear it,” said Nell, picking up her wineglass.
“It was a shitty thing to do, leaving me to run the bar on my own,” he said. “But I get why you felt the need.”
Nell just watched him with eyes slightly glazed.
“We’re lucky we weren’t nearly as busy as last night. As it was, we had a few complaints about the slow service. More than one table left without tipping.”
“Hmm.”
Eric studied his shoes, and shoved his hands in the pockets of his pants. He looked like a schoolboy called to the principal’s office.
He really was a good-looking man, I thought, as I eyed his long dark hair and sculpted face. Some expensive underwear company could have put him on a billboard. He didn’t dress casual like the other guys. He wore a white button-down shirt that was rolled up to his elbows, and nice black trousers instead of jeans.
“Where’s Vaughan? I better talk to him,” he said. “Set things right.”
“He’s busy,” blurted out Rosie, sitting up straight, all of a sudden at full attention.
“We can tell him.” Again, Nell clambered to her feet, red-tinged eyes suddenly far more open. “But I appreciate you offering to smoke the peace pipe.”
“No, I’ve been thinking,” said Eric. “There’s something I want to say to him.”
“But—”
“Vaughan!” Eric craned his neck right and then left, checking out the hallway and the dining area. “Hey, Vaughan, you got a minute?”
“Eric, don’t.” She grabbed at his arm, yanking him toward the door. “Later. Talk to him later.”
“Relax, Nell. I’m not going to cause any trouble.”
The kitchen door flew open, banging against the wall so hard you could hear the glass shudder. Though it wasn’t Vaughan who stood there, fury etched into the skin of his face, above the mammoth beard.
“What are you doing here?” Pat growled, taking several la
rge steps into the room.
Nell released Eric’s arm, taking a hasty step back. “Patrick…”
“It was a work thing,” said Eric, tone calm, placating, even. “I just stopped by to tell her something. I’ll leave now.”
“Shit,” Andre mumbled, looking far from happy. The other guys had come inside too, Vaughan hanging back by the dining table, confusion in his eyes.
But Joe hustled ass around the room, getting over to his brother’s side, pronto. “Come on, Eric. Let’s go. Catch you guys later.”
“What is this?” Vaughan stepped up beside Pat, brows pulled in so tight they almost touched.
“I just wanted to say I’m fine with you working at the bar,” said Eric. “It’s fine with me. That’s all I came here for.”
Nell stood at the edge of the room, wringing her hands, looking like she’d bolt at the first opportunity. I set down my wineglass. Whatever was going on, the party was most definitely over.
“Pat,” said Vaughan. “Man?”
Pat just stood there, steaming. And I’d thought Vaughan’s laser beam eyes were impressive. He had nothing on Pat. With the way Pat was glaring at him, Eric should have turned into ashes. Dust.
“Don’t,” warned Nell, eyes silently pleading with her ex. “Do not bring my brother into this.”
“Everyone fucking knows.” With some mumbled expletives, Pat offered her a bitter grin. “Did you really think he wouldn’t find out eventually?”
“Find out what?” asked Vaughan, voice beyond tense. “Nell?”
“They screwed,” said Pat. “Your sister and him. Can you believe that shit?”
“What the fuck?” said Vaughan, eyes huge as he turned to his sister. “Nell?”
“Don’t you look at me like that, Vaughan. You weren’t here, you have no idea what this has been like for me.” Fists tight against her stomach, Nell struggled to stay calm. “It only happened a few weeks ago. Pat and I have been separated for over a year. I am not a cheater.”
“Sorry,” muttered Vaughan. “Didn’t mean to accuse you of anything.”
Nell just shook her head. “And you … you were at the goddamn Iron Horse every night tapping all that ass, weren’t you, Pat?”
His jaw trembled with rage.
“You hypocritical bastard,” she said.