Rockstar Retreat

It’s Friday night and like any other Friday, Ray and I were hustling to get everyone’s drink orders out. From having our hands full with drink orders, being tour guides and then having to deal with regulars who seem to forget the general rule of drinking past their limits.

I didn’t try to give myself away when I was engrossed in the live band performing on the stage. Watching the lead guitarist’s fingers, caress the strings of the guitar created a yearning in me. Sometimes I would catch myself impersonating him—tapping my fingers against the bar counter.

It’s been two months since I touched the strings of a guitar or any other instrument. My notebook was covered in the dust of California. The lyrics I used to think meant something, suddenly sounded so empty. Like I was high when I wrote them.

“Can I have another, darling?”

I nodded my head and refilled their glass.

Bartending wasn’t my first choice. I was desperate. I had no clothes other than the pair I was wearing. I barely had a thing to eat. I was left with ten dollars in my pocket. I didn’t have any experience waiting but I had enough experience dealing with people who had more than they could have.

“I heard that Dylan asked you out again,” Ray noted coming up beside me and helping unload the big bags of ice.

Ray was like a brother I never had. He didn’t flirt or try to get under my skirt. He was a fresh breath of air to have around. I was a few years older than him and I wish I sometimes dared to tell him to stop wasting his skills as a barman. He had so much potential and a promising life ahead of him. I know what it feels like to grow up in a small town and have to leave everything behind to find your muse.

“He did,” I wasn’t surprised by how fast rumours spread. The small, isolated town of Beaufort is known for people coming here to retire. Families from generations living up here. Everyone was acquainted with everyone.

I don’t know how forthcoming I can be to make him understand that I wasn’t interested in him or a date.

Everyone in town was rooting for him because he was the town’s sheriff. People assumed because he had a badge that he was a good man. According to rumours, he only got the job because of his father who is the mayor.

It’s been barely a week since he came up to me, ignoring the desperate look in my eyes to be left alone and started flirting with me like I was a tramp from the street.

I started to believe that I attracted danger and that I was the cause of all my downfalls.

“Busy night,” Dylan noted coming up to the bar and pushing his way through after saying his greetings to everyone.

“A bit, yeah,” I conceded. I didn’t mind the people around me. It prevented me from overthinking when I heard them talk about the weather, fishing and sports.

“Why don’t you let me buy you a drink? Or at least dinner?” He tried again and I was ready to smash a glass over his head but I composed myself when I felt his presence. Tall and stubborn. Cavernous eyes that hypnotized my soul. Arms that made me back away into a corner. A well-fortified body that made me second-guess my motives. It was no secret that his body was powerful and he could snap me like a twig. He had tattoos running up his arms like sleeves making him almost seem dangerous.

He didn’t immediately wound his way over to the bar. He was embraced by friends and getting stopped by the sheriff himself.

I took the moment to cut the bag of ice and wipe the counter clean to distract myself before I fell into his hypnotizing gaze.

He hasn’t been trusting my intentions from the moment he saw me. We made an unspoken agreement not to talk to each other. I got so distracted by a table of young women placing cocktail orders that I missed Cade standing right in front of me. Not looking at me but at Dylan.

“Heard you and your team had your hands full with a tough case,” Dylan noted.

“Yeah, some nutcase thought it was a good idea…” He stopped midsentence when he noticed me. “To blow up a building,” He finished.

“Can I get you anything?” I tried not to stare too long at him. I held my head low and my voice soft.

“Beers all around,” He gestured to his teammate’s table.

I grabbed six glasses and filled them up. I headed then up to their table greeting everyone. Tess smiled and winked at me. I was still impressed to see a woman on a SWAT team who is kicking ass by being one of the boys without being a boy.

“I thought we were going out for ice cream,” I mentioned.

She playfully rolled her big, blue eyes at me. “I didn’t forget. You are still on shift,”

“What if I told you that my shift ended five minutes ago?” I have been working double shifts for the last few days to keep up with rent and food.

“Then I would say that we better leave right now before the sheriff catches a whiff and ends up asking you out again,” She sarcastically remarked getting to her feet.

“He already has,”

“Oh,”

I raised my shoulders feeling like there was nothing left I could do. “I am just going to grab my things and we can leave,” I turned and stopped when Cade’s massive body blocked my path. We did the little awkward dance of wanting to pass each other that we gave up simultaneously.

He took a step back and motioned for me to go first. “Thanks for the dance,”

I kept my head down to suppress a smile and shuffled my way towards the back. I said my goodbyes to everyone in the kitchen and Ray before I left.

Tess waited for me at the door. I had to dodge slightly to the side when Dylan obscured my path. “I thought I could give you a ride home,”

“That’s nice but I am leaving with Tess,” I tried not to be abrupt. I didn’t want to upset him and have him make a scene.

“When are you going to give me a chance?”

Probably never. “I don’t think it’s a good idea,”

“Why are you afraid of what the town would think?” He immediately assumed.

I didn’t care about what the town thought or assumed. I feared more for the sake of my own life. I don’t need to be pushed or forced into something I am not comfortable with.

“Just let it go, please,” I sidestepped him and as he wanted to come close, I found Cade appearing out of nowhere. His eyes caught mine and it felt as if he lured me out of Dylan’s trap.

He headed towards the bar but I felt like it was something else. I could be wrong and overreacting. Cade won’t protect me. He made it clear that he despises me.