A soft ripple of excitement tittered through the only bar in town—Ruby Jane’s—as I stepped inside the door. It didn’t take more than a couple of seconds for all those whispers to roll into silence, though.
It wasn’t surprising given the facts, what with every-fucking-body knowing everybody else’s business in Cold’s tiny pot of people. They knew me—and they had since birth—and they knew my story. And now they knew, with exquisite detail, the part of that story that had made it all the way to Hollywood. In turn, Hollywood had made its way to us.
I guessed the buzz of fame and chaos of a premier film operation in town had everyone excited—until my buzzkill ass had walked through the door.
I ignored their stares and expressive eyes and made my way to the most important part of Ruby Jane’s—the alcohol. After the day I’d had today, I needed a drink.
Fucking Ivy Stone. She had a mane of red hair that would rival a lion and a superiority complex big enough to fill this entire bar. And she’d been so desperate to get out of getting a ticket from me that she’d attempted to fake a scenario where she’d lost control of her bladder.
I bet she’s used to getting her way.
A tiny smirk pursed my lips. Well, she hadn’t gotten her way today. I’d made sure of that.
Neither did you, a mutinous, sadistic voice inside me taunted. Chief’s edict this morning was still in full effect, and I couldn’t do a damn thing to change it. I was the official fucking liaison for a Hollywood film I wanted nothing to do with.
“Jack,” I ordered from Lou, bar manager and bartender since his wife Celia had died of cancer three years ago. He’d been the bartender for years, but something about being home after his wife passed lost its appeal. With the number of hours he spent here, stepping up to be the manager too just made sense.
I settled my ass onto one of the high-backed stools and dropped my keys onto the bar. Lou’s eyes were lifeless and, unlike the others, his curiosity nonexistent. He got my drink with practiced ease, but he didn’t have anything else to offer. I didn’t blame him, especially with the experiences he’d had in the past. And tonight, I wouldn’t have wanted it any different.
“Take these,” I told him, shoving my keys to his side of the sticky bartop surface as he set down a tall glass of Jack Daniel’s, cut by nothing more than a cube of ice. I planned on being just shy of forgetting my name by the time I got ready to stumble out of here, and I didn’t want even a hint of lingering temptation to drive.
I wanted to get blitzed out of my mind, but I wasn’t suicidal.
Just a quiet night of inebriation. That was all I needed.
Mary Lynn Tenner had different ideas. The stool next to mine scraped loudly across the beat-up wood floor as she took a seat and leaned in to crowd me. It wasn’t subtle, and neither were her tits. Any higher and they’d be around her ears.
“Good to see you out, Levi,” she said, her vowels rolling with the sweet promise of all her loose pussy had to offer.
And trust me, it was fucking loose. She’d seen a hell of a lot more dick than I had, and I had one attached to my body.
“You looking for some company?”
I shook my head and looked into the amber-brown liquid in my glass.
“Just here to drink.”
“Shame,” she pouted, leaning even closer, so much that the top swells of her breasts rubbed lewdly against my arm. “If you change your mind, let me know.”
Instead of answering, I picked up the tumbler off of the bar and tossed it back, downing damn near the whole glass in one go, and set it back with a smack. Lou didn’t even look up as he picked up the bottle of Jack and poured until the glass was full again.
My vision tunneled, and the room disappeared as I did it again and again. Rinse and repeat. Mary Lynn disappeared at some point—I knew by the lack of offensive perfume clogging my nostrils—but I didn’t really care.
It was just me and my glass, sliding further and further into numbness.
I had no idea how long I sat there before my best friend Jeremy was beside me, one hand to my shoulder, the other prying the glass from my hand. “I think that’s enough for tonight.”
“Jeremy!” I greeted happily, like seeing him was a surprise. And, in a way, it was. Jeremy had a wife and two daughters and too much self-respect to spend his nights in Ruby Jane’s getting shitfaced. “Wha’ er you doin’ here, bro?” I slurred.
“I’m here for you, buddy.”
“Nahh, Jer. I’m good. I am goo-ood.”
He nodded obediently. “I know you are, Levi. But I miss you. How about we go back to your place and chat?”
“Thas a good idea. Old Red chatted me this mornin’. Did he tell you?” Jeremy shook his head. At least, I think he did. I rambled on anyway. “You’re lookin’ at the lee-ay-zon. Official. Me and Hollywood and a fucking movie. Can you believe that?” I patted the bar around me. “I jus’ gotta fine my keys.”
Lou held them up behind the bar. “You gave them to me, Levi. I’ll hold on to them for now.”
I nodded. Lou was such a nice guy. So nice and lonely and always fucking giving me all the booze I wanted. I liked him.
“I’ll come back for his car after I get him home,” Jeremy said.
“Goooooood I-dea, guys!” I said on a shout and attempted to pat Jeremy on the shoulder. I missed. Or he moved. I didn’t know which. But I knew I shouldn’t be driving any-fucking-where.
I stood up and stumbled a little, but Jer, the fucking best friend ever, he was there to catch me. He wound my arm around his shoulder after that.
“You’re the bessst. Do you know that, Jer?” I asked as he walked me out the door. There weren’t any prying eyes this time, though. They’d long since gone home.
“I know, Lee. You’re not bad yourself.”
Everything in me turned melancholy as the cold wind slapped at my cheeks. “I’m the worst,” I admitted. “Draggin’ you out here in the freezingness. The frozen? The fucking snowww!” I shouted at the end.
Jeremy patted my hand that dangled over his shoulder. “It’s okay. Living with three girls, they’ve always got the fucking heat turned up to the Hades setting. I needed a little cold air.”
With some creative maneuvering, he got the passenger door to his Yukon open and poured me into the seat. I snuggled into the soft leather and closed my eyes.
Red hair and green eyes singed the backs of my eyelids as vividly as a picture.
“She’s pretty,” I mumbled as Jeremy muscled my legs into the space in front of the seat.
“Who is?” he asked.
Though I heard the question, I didn’t have time to answer. I was already asleep.