Chapter 1
Axel: Don’t think you can hide from me Shanice. <angry emoji>
I read the text again, for the fifth time, before turning my phone over.
You are safe Shanice. He will not find you. I repeat the affirmation in my mind hoping like hell it will become true.
“Another Old fashioned?” The bartender at George Country Western Bar ask me.
“Yes please,” I reply. “Oh, and another shot of bourbon too.” It took little convincing from myself to come out tonight. Honestly, I welcome the excuse to get away from my new apartment, with the many boxes that I have yet to unpack and the empty four wine bottles I drank as my mind contemplated if I made the right decision or not.
Should I have left?
“I haven’t seen you here before,” The bartender interrupts my thoughts, as he shakes up two drinks. Mentally sighing, I decide tonight I’m going to enjoy myself and worry about my fucked up life tomorrow.
“Are you sure?” I reply with a tilt of my head as I turn my phone off and place it in my pocket. He chuckles.
“Yes ma’am,” he replies with a smile. “Here in Green Valley, Tennessee, everyone knows everyone.” He points behind me, I turn and find an elderly man drinking a beer and watching the highlights from yesterday’s football game. “You see him, that’s my dentist.” His dentist?
“I think you’ll be proud of me, Jerry.” The bartender shouts. “I’m flossing everyday now.” Jerry, the dentist scoffs, not taking his eyes off the games he says.
“I’ve been trying to get you to floss since you were a wee boy Rory, I’ve given up.” Rory, the bartender laughs and points to a middle-aged woman sizing up the dart game.
“That lady down there.” Rory says, handing me my drink. “Was my highschool history teacher.”
“Another cosmopolitan Mrs. Dukes.” Rory shouts in her direction to which she replies with a thumbs up.
“Oh, and Rory.” Mrs. Dukes turns to him with a glare. Oh oh.
“Yes, ma’am.” Rory replies as he hands me my shot.
“Be a little more generous with the liquor.” Rory chuckles again.
“You bet.” He turns his attention back on me. “Like I said, everyone knows everyone.”
“Which means.” A deep masculine voice interrupts our conversation. “We don’t know you.” I turn prepared to tell him to butt out, when I’m rendered speechless.
The man sitting next to me is absolutely gorgeous and tall. I don’t know how he fit all of his 6ft frame on this tiny stool but damn, I sure did want to be that stool at the moment. His peaches and cream complexion appear golden in the dim bar light. His short spiky ginger hair with a matching ginger beard, wrapped in dirty overalls gave me sexy viking vibes.
“And” Sexy viking adds with a shot in his hand. “No one in Tennessee drinks bourbon.”
I turn to the bartender to confirm if this is true. He nods his head.
“Yea, Beau or Duane.” He shakes his head. “You know I can’t tell you guys apart.” Wait, a minute. This sexy viking of a man has a twin?! “Is right, we don’t drink bourbon down here.”
“Uh, huh.” I give sexy viking my undivided attention. “Well, what does the small town of gravy -”
“Green valley.” He and Rory say simultaneously. I giggle.
“Same difference.” I reply and wave my hand to which Rory opens his mouth in an O expression, shocked. While my sexy Viking shakes his. “What do you guys drink down here?
“There’s only one drink.” Sexy Viking says loudly and stands to his feet, opening his hands wide. “We drink down here and that is -”
“WHISKEY!” Everyone in the bar shouts and I jump, started by the camaraderie. I only thought stuff like this happened on tv shows. I couldn’t imagine what would happen if someone tried this at the bars back home. Small towns are definitely different.
Sexy Viking takes his seat and leans in closer to me, smirking. Gosh even his smirk is sexy.
“Whiskey you say.” I reply as I down my shot. “Even my mom’s yorkie wouldn’t drink that swill.” He clutches his chest and leans back with his eyes closed.
“I reckon.” he recovers and sits back up. “I’ll allow that because you are breathtakingly beautiful.” My face suddenly becomes hot and I know I’m blushing. Of course, men have complimented my beauty before but I don’t think they’ve ever used the words breathtaking before. He extends his hand.
“My name is Duane.”
“Callie.” I lie and grasp his bigger surprisingly calloused hand and shake.
“Callie.” He says. “I like it.”
Why did I lie about my name? Start writing here…
