Jesse
Sweet fucking Jesus, she ate every damn bit and I have no damn clue where she put it all. The last few mouthfuls were a struggle, I could tell. She practically had to push the last bite in, but props to her, she did it. Shit, that meant I was going to have to give her a lap dance! Never mind, I could do that knowing what I’d get afterwards.
“You sure you want to go to Rowdy’s?” I asked as Millie unbuttoned her jeans and groaned.
“Hmm, yep.” She breathed heavily and took a huge gulp of water. “Just give me a few minutes.”
I started to laugh and waved to Janet for the check. Thankfully, she’d delivered our food without saying much else, other than asking if we needed any relishes. Yeah, she’d been one massive mistake when my head was fucked over Melody, but that was how I used to get through the days; sleeping around, getting drunk, and ignoring my family, especially Addy. At least I’d come through that and things were changing for the better.
“Okay,” I announced. “You’ve had long enough, I’m taking you dancing to work off some of that food. I don’t want you falling into a meat coma later.”
Millie gave me a small smile quickly followed by a grimace. “I may lose my jeans, I don’t think I can fasten them.”
“I’ll help you when we get outside,” I replied in all innocence.
“Yeah, I’ll bet you will,” she scoffed.
At that moment, Janet appeared and quietly placed the check on the table. I picked it up and fished my wallet from my back pocket, thumbing a couple of twenties and a ten out, placing them on the check; a good tip was the least I could do after what I’d said to her.
“I want to pay,” Millie protested, fishing around in her purse.
“Nope, not a chance. Now shift that sweet ass, we’ve got dancing to do.”
When we got over to Rowdy’s, the place was starting to fill up. It was Saturday night and most people, unlike me, didn’t have work the next day. With Millie’s hand in mine, I moved through the locals that were gathered and pushed to the bar.
“Hey, Janelle, busy night,” I stated.
Janelle smiled and threw a bar cloth over her shoulder. “It’s open mic’ night, and it’s a Saturday, never changes. So, what can I get you, honey?”
“Two beers, but make one light would you?”
Janelle nodded and reached into the refrigerator for two beers; she popped the caps and placed them on the bar.
“You singing tonight?” she asked, taking the money I handed over.
I glanced at Millie, who was still holding my hand but was talking to Cynthia and Tommy.
“Maybe, depends how much I need to impress the lady,” I said, nodding my head to the side.
Janelle looked down to see Millie’s hand in mine. “Wow,” she said with a huge smile. “That’s a change. For the better.”
“We’re just taking it slow,” I replied.
“Pleased for you, honey. But, hey, didn’t she come in here with Brandon a few weeks back?”
My back stiffened and my grip on Millie tightened.
“Yeah, it was just a date.”
“Well whatever. Like I said, pleased for you, Jesse. Okay, Frank what can I get you?”
With that, Janelle moved a little further down the bar to the next customer in her section.
“You okay?” Millie asked, placing a hand on my forearm.
“I’m fine.” I forced a smile and passed her a beer. “Let’s go find a table.”
I hated that she’d been on a date with Brandon, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it now. I just dreaded telling my buddy that there would be no more dates, because Millie was mine now.
We were lucky to find a high table free, right next to the small dance and stage area. But, as soon as we sat down, I wished it hadn’t been vacant. At the next table was Angie and another girl, Wanda, who had been on the cheerleading squad with Melody. I sat Millie with her back to them; if Angie decided to pull any shit I wanted to be the first to see it coming. I nodded at her and sat down once I knew that Millie was comfy.
“It’s really busy in here,” Millie said, leaning closer to me. “Is everyone here just to hear you sing?”
“Hah, doubt it,” I laughed. “I can throw a tune out, but I’m not some local celebrity, you know.”
She had a wicked glint in her eye as she quickly glanced over her shoulder. “Amongst the ladies you are. Any more likely to creep out of the woodwork tonight?”
Thankfully, she was smiling, so she wasn’t upset – at least I hoped not.
“No baby, no more.”
I dropped a kiss to her shoulder and thanked God that I’d only shit on my own doorstep twice; the other women I’d slept with over the last two years lived out of town.
We talked and laughed for a while, all the time I kept an eye on Angie, but apart from throwing me the stink eye occasionally, she behaved herself and I was grateful she wasn’t spoiling our night. The more time I spent with Millie like this, the deeper I was falling. She was fun to be with, not caring about laughing at herself, or me for that matter. Too many women that I’d been with tried to be something they weren’t, but not Millie. We’d laughed hysterically when she’d belched the alphabet for me; some friend of hers had taught her apparently – go figure.
A few people had started dancing when a slow number came on and I knew it was an opportunity to have her in my arms.
“Wanna dance, Miss?” I asked, holding out my hand as I got up from my seat.
Millie gave me the most beautiful smile and nodded.
I led her onto the dancefloor, and all eyes were upon us. Most folk around here would probably be thinking she was another of my one night stands, but some, like Janelle, those who knew me, would know this was something more. They’d know because they’d seen us talking and laughing and being affectionate. I was never like this with Janet or Angie. They were lucky to get three words from me, which were usually ‘just one night’. The eyes of Angie, on the other hand, were probably crossed with being so bat shit crazy mad at me.
As I pulled Millie into my arms and we swayed to Ed Sheeran’s ‘Thinking Out Loud’, I listened carefully to the words, and the face in my mind was Millie’s. The thought that it wasn’t Melody took my breath away, but she would never be the one I grew old with, could never be. Millie could, and the fact that I wanted her to be, scared the shit out of me