I pull out my phone and send Cherry a quick text. The picture she posted as her profile to my phone stares at me. Her bright smile, her dark hair blowing, and her dark-blue eyes jump out of the picture. It was a selfie she took on our way here. We had taken a scenic route so she could see the ocean, and she loved it. I’m amazed by her in many ways. How is it that someone could once be so broken but still come out swinging at life as she does?
Focusing on my words, I send the text.
09:29 a.m. Won’t be home ‘til late. Sleep in my room. Don’t dodge me again. That couch sucks and you know it.
Inviting her to my room, to be around all my things, is probably a mistake. But that couch isn’t comfortable, and I’m sure as fuck too big for the damn thing. I know she’s not sleeping with her nightmares are keeping her up at night.
Before stepping out of the truck, I get a return text.
Cherry 09:30 a.m. Couch does suck, but your snoring is worse. I’ll take my chances with the couch.
Denial, added with insult. What the fuck?
09:30 a.m. Do as you’re told.
Cherry 09:31 a.m. ’Cause it’s that easy? Couch.
09:32 a.m. If your ass is on that couch when I get home, it won’t be for long. Sayin’.
Cherry 09:33 a.m. Don’t you have to practice your banjo? I’ll sleep in your room, but only if Trav can take me out tomorrow. Compromise or lose, Ace.
I smile. Challenging little shit. We’ll see about that.
* * *
Once the guys and I wrap up, I check the time. It’s already eight o’clock in the evening and we’ve not gone to have our traditional end-of-practice beer. Fuck, I’ve lost a whole day. Although it felt good to hang with my friends like we used to, I keep thinking about Cherry sitting home in that fuckin’ apartment with Bean and Sarah all day. It’s now I make my decision. I’ve got to let her start living a life and finding friends, and the safest friends she could have are mine.
“Take her, Travis. Enjoy the day. Whatever you wanna do, I’ll back off.”
Hayden stops packing his bass and looks to Trav, who is breaking down his keyboard. Travis is as surprised as I am by my blessing. “You’re serious?”
“Serious. I trust you, just don’t let her out of your sight, okay? Like I said, there are things she’s lived through. If she wants to share those, that’s on her.”
Travis puts his case down and comes toward me, offering a fist bump. “She’ll be okay, Ace. Give her some space.”
Toby is lost with the entire conversation. He’s standing in the middle of the room, looking around at all of us as if we were a bunch of women making up after a quarrel.
Hayden notices and walks to him, pats him on the shoulder and explains his version. “Dude, don’t ask. You wouldn’t believe what I witnessed at Ace’s place this morning. Worse than castration, man. Jerry mother-fucking Springer episodes pale in comparison. Definitely rough.”
Toby laughs. “I’m gonna take your word for it, but I don’t remember the last time Travis said so many sentences in a row, so whatever Raegan is doing for him, let her do it.”
I actually hear myself growl in frustration to that statement, but let it go. It’s one fuckin’ day that she’ll be out of my sight and back in the public eye. One long, mother-fuckin’ day.
“Beer at The Ward, I’m not buying.” Of course, Hayden isn’t buying; he never does.
“Mooch,” Toby ribs.
“True that, mother fucker. I gotta spend all my money on the women. I’m getting older, and they’re starting to require more drinks then they used to.”
Each of us groan to one another before heading out to our cars and making our way to The Ward.
The parking lot is even packed. It’s Saturday night, so it’s no less packed than I would expect, but after the night we had last night, then the run-in with Travis this morning, and practice all day, my mind is spent.
Finding a table is easy when you use Hayden Flynn to do it. Two innocent women, out
Focusing on my words, I send the text.
09:29 a.m. Won’t be home ‘til late. Sleep in my room. Don’t dodge me again. That couch sucks and you know it.
Inviting her to my room, to be around all my things, is probably a mistake. But that couch isn’t comfortable, and I’m sure as fuck too big for the damn thing. I know she’s not sleeping with her nightmares are keeping her up at night.
Before stepping out of the truck, I get a return text.
Cherry 09:30 a.m. Couch does suck, but your snoring is worse. I’ll take my chances with the couch.
Denial, added with insult. What the fuck?
09:30 a.m. Do as you’re told.
Cherry 09:31 a.m. ’Cause it’s that easy? Couch.
09:32 a.m. If your ass is on that couch when I get home, it won’t be for long. Sayin’.
Cherry 09:33 a.m. Don’t you have to practice your banjo? I’ll sleep in your room, but only if Trav can take me out tomorrow. Compromise or lose, Ace.
I smile. Challenging little shit. We’ll see about that.
* * *
Once the guys and I wrap up, I check the time. It’s already eight o’clock in the evening and we’ve not gone to have our traditional end-of-practice beer. Fuck, I’ve lost a whole day. Although it felt good to hang with my friends like we used to, I keep thinking about Cherry sitting home in that fuckin’ apartment with Bean and Sarah all day. It’s now I make my decision. I’ve got to let her start living a life and finding friends, and the safest friends she could have are mine.
“Take her, Travis. Enjoy the day. Whatever you wanna do, I’ll back off.”
Hayden stops packing his bass and looks to Trav, who is breaking down his keyboard. Travis is as surprised as I am by my blessing. “You’re serious?”
“Serious. I trust you, just don’t let her out of your sight, okay? Like I said, there are things she’s lived through. If she wants to share those, that’s on her.”
Travis puts his case down and comes toward me, offering a fist bump. “She’ll be okay, Ace. Give her some space.”
Toby is lost with the entire conversation. He’s standing in the middle of the room, looking around at all of us as if we were a bunch of women making up after a quarrel.
Hayden notices and walks to him, pats him on the shoulder and explains his version. “Dude, don’t ask. You wouldn’t believe what I witnessed at Ace’s place this morning. Worse than castration, man. Jerry mother-fucking Springer episodes pale in comparison. Definitely rough.”
Toby laughs. “I’m gonna take your word for it, but I don’t remember the last time Travis said so many sentences in a row, so whatever Raegan is doing for him, let her do it.”
I actually hear myself growl in frustration to that statement, but let it go. It’s one fuckin’ day that she’ll be out of my sight and back in the public eye. One long, mother-fuckin’ day.
“Beer at The Ward, I’m not buying.” Of course, Hayden isn’t buying; he never does.
“Mooch,” Toby ribs.
“True that, mother fucker. I gotta spend all my money on the women. I’m getting older, and they’re starting to require more drinks then they used to.”
Each of us groan to one another before heading out to our cars and making our way to The Ward.
The parking lot is even packed. It’s Saturday night, so it’s no less packed than I would expect, but after the night we had last night, then the run-in with Travis this morning, and practice all day, my mind is spent.
Finding a table is easy when you use Hayden Flynn to do it. Two innocent women, out
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