Crashing Back Down

17

After getting home, taking a shower and nap, the long day tailgating still weighed heavy on my mind. Even though it was a great day, the regret of how Mitch found out about Walker and I was a little rough for me to deal with. I pushed the guilt and stress from my mind once Walker’s truck turned off in the parking lot of The Saloon. I was determined to not let anything ruin this night with Walker.

Walker’s hand rested on the small of my back as we made our way to our usual spot at the back bar top of The Saloon. Even with all of the line dancing, boots stomping and music blaring, I could still hear my breathing and heartbeat quicken at the slightest touch from him. Through the dim lighting, I turned and beamed up into his light green eyes, happy we weren’t fighting anymore. Right then, I promised myself Randy would not assault my thoughts and ruin the evening again, but it was getting more painful as the smell of the bar brought back so many memories.

The dirty carpet reminded me of the first time Walker and Randy took Cali and me to The Saloon during freshman year. She and I were appalled the guys brought us to such a dump. After a few shots, Cali and I were tearing up the dance floor, making Randy and Walker teach us every line dance possible. The smile on the bartenders’ faces brought back how Randy knew every one of the veteran barkeeps. Hot red filled my cheeks at that thought; most of the people here knew Randy before he died and here I was making goo-goo eyes at his best friend. Suddenly, I felt sick.

Climbing onto the bar stool, I gestured a polite nod at a not-so-pleasant grin lurking at the other end of the bar. Cindy’s long blonde hair whipped around as she made her way, huffing to the back room. After the events of the last time we saw each other, I would have done the same thing. I smiled to myself knowing t tramp had tried to sink her claws into Walker’s flesh for the last time. The little moment of victory was incredibly sweet. I heard him chuckle next to me, obviously seeing my triumphant grin. He ordered us two Bud bottles and shots of whiskey, calling it our usual to our bartender. His hand slid into mine as I turned to face him. The dark haired bartender smiled warmly and winked at me as she placed our order in front of us; apparently she enjoyed my effect on her co-worker just as much as I did.

“To roommates.” Walker grinned at me, holding his beer up for mine to clank against.

I replied with a giggle, “To us,” and took a long swig of my beer.

Next, we quickly threw back our shots. I thought Walker was going to spit his out from laughing at the awful face I made while letting the amber liquid burn my throat.

“Come on Mags, don’t turn into a lightweight on me.” Walker knew exactly how to get my attention, and I gestured to have two more shots slammed onto the bar. We smiled at each other, saluted to a good night out, and fired the second round down. Chasing my whiskey with some beer, I popped off the stool and held my hand out for Walker. My favorite dance was starting and I was ready to do some boot scooting. Smiling, Walker grabbed my hand and led me onto the dance floor.

We jumped in line and started to dance away, laughing and letting our drinks soak into our blood. Slowly I started to care less about who was watching, and more about the times Walker’s hand brushed my shoulder or hip. It was amazing to me how nice the shivers traveling down my spine felt. Huffing and puffing as the song ended, I threw my arms around Walker’s neck and kissed him hard on the mouth. He responded quickly and passionately but pulled away just as fast. I leaned back on my heels to frown at him, but his smile was too adorable to even fake a mad face at.

A two-step started and Walker began to lead me around the dance floor in unison with the other couples. He pulled me in close and kissed my hair before really getting into rhythm with the rest going around the wood floor. As we made our way around the circle, our eyes met with tons of people we knew and to my surprise, they all waved and smiled warmly. Maybe no one saw me as the harlot I felt I was, and that notion was comforting.

Once the song came to an end, I felt Walker’s soft lips barely brush my ear asking me if I was ready for another drink. My entire body buzzed with excitement as I agreed and let him lead me through the crowd by our intertwined fingers. I was practically giddy with attraction and lust by the time the beer brushed my lips. I turned my back to the bar, leaning against it to relax and people watch for a moment. Walker turned to me, resting his hand on my knee and leaned in to give me a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’m having a great evening, for the first time, in too long …” His husky, southern voice trailed off in my ear as a goofy grin spread across my face.

I nodded and mouthed the words “me too” in his direction.

A familiar pair of eyes caught my attention from across the bar and my blood went cold. Kris Brennan was a fling that had entertained me during one wild spring break cruise Cali and I took together during college. Kris and his fraternity brother, Braden, were a secret buried down deep in our girl’s week we swore to never tell our guys about. Randy and I were in the middle of an epic battle of stubbornness during that time and were on a “break”. That week had forever been referred to as our spring fling but only in the confidence of Cali’s and my friendship.

I had barely seen Kris since, even though we went to the same college and were both actively part of Greek life. I think it was because I avoided him, and his entire fraternity for that matter, at all costs. The handful of times I had seen him, he always referred to my love for key lime pie or some other snide reference to our sex-capade of an encounter. I gulped as he held his beer up to gesture 'hi' to me with a wide devilish grin on his charming face as his eyes darted to my ring-less finger. To my horror, he started to make his way around the bar to us. He was just about a few inches shorter than Walker, built kind of like a soccer player, which, standing next to Walker’s line-baker form, made Kris look puny. If Kris wasn’t such a sleaze ball, I would have still considered him attractive with his sandy blonde hair and big, round, chestnut eyes.

My entire body tensed as his velvety voice, as sexy as he could make it, breathed a hello in my direction. I did the polite half hug, kiss on the cheek gesture of, “Hey Kris,” that he went in for as Walker’s grip on my knee tightened to an almost painful level.

Pulling away as quickly as I could from Kris’s awkward embrace, I put my hand on top of Walker’s and introduced the guys. Walker’s eyes were sending laser beams into Kris’ as they greeted each other with only head nods; not even shaking hands or words were attempted.

“How do y’all know each other?” Walker had been protective of me the whole time I’d known him, so this was not a new response, and I was a little uneasy to answer the question.

While I fumbled for words, Kris answered for me, “We met on a cruise a few years back during spring break.”He paused, winked at me and then unfortunately added, “We had the pleasure of getting to know each other really well.”

That was it; the deal breaker. I saw the statement register in Walker’s brain, settle in, and then fester. His face was boiling red within seconds. I was paralyzed. I knew I was about to watch a train wreck in slow motion and there was nothing I could do about it. When I saw Walker’s fist connect with Kris’ cheekbone, I knew this could escalate into an awful situation quickly.

I jumped off my bar stool and stood in between Walker and Kris, while Kris stumbled back a few steps, holding his cheek.

Behind me, Walker huffed and grunted. “Got something else to say, Slick?”

To my surprise, even with the gentle stream of blood staining his white cotton shirt, Kris shook his head, wiped the blood off with the back of his hand and chuckled. “Nah, man. I didn’t realize you two were together. Sorry Mags. See ya.”

I leaned back on my hip, arms crossed, looking at Kris with complete bewilderment. “Yeah, see ya around, Kris.”

Without another word, he left us alone.

Walker wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his broad, protective body, kissing my shoulder gently. “No one will ever imply something like that scumbag just did and get away with it. What a douche, trying to make it sound like he hooked up with you.” He laughed a little and then stopped, realizing I wasn’t denying it. Quickly, he spun me around in his arms and looked dead into my eyes. “Mags, he was lying, right?”

I broke my gaze from his, ashamed of the week I was locked in a cruise ship cabin with that jerk. “Actually, Walker, he wasn’t lying. It was the spring break where Randy and I were fighting and he dumped me. You guys went to Panama City without Cali and I. We got mad, went on a cruise and had our own fun.” I looked back up at him quickly, seeing the rage and confusion mixing in his eyes. “Come on, Walker, I’m sure Randy did shit too.”

Walker shook his head. “No, Mags, he was miserable that entire trip. I think he cried himself to sleep every night. I had to leave him in the hotel room to be able to have any fun. He basically drank by himself in the room. It was a waste.”

My heart sank and my eyes got watery, trying to push out the guilt that was bubbling up, yet again.

Walker’s arms wrapped tightly around me, shielding me from the terrible thoughts scolding me, in a gentle acceptance of the woman I was to him right then and there. Brushing my neck softly with his cheek then lips, he whispered, “Hey, it’s okay. I defended you, we’re together and that was a lifetime ago. Why let it ruin our night?”

I relaxed into Walker’s chest, breathing in his delicious smell of cologne and whiskey. “Let’s do another shot and get back on that dance floor.” Walker agreed and turned to our bartender who apparently had read our minds even before we were thinking it. She raised her brow, arms crossed across her almost exposed chest. “Nice punch, Walker.” A sly grin spread across her face and she whipped her black curls around to talk to another customer.

We offered cheers with our whiskey to putting the past right where it belonged, into the past, and finished our last beers sitting at the bar. We’d had a pretty eventful day and I didn’t protest when Walker suggested we grab some beer and hang out for the rest of the evening on the couch. The thought of comfy pajamas, curled up in Walker’s arms was inviting, and I jumped at the opportunity.

As we made our way past the front bar, trying to exit, a snide comment pierced into my ear. “I guess the widow enjoys sloppy seconds, huh? Nice one slut, going for your dead husband’s best friend.”

I whipped around to see the cocky stance of a glowering, Cindy, behind her side of the bar. My blood boiled, it took everything I had to not jump over the bar and punch her for her hard-hitting words. “What the fuck did you say to me? As I recall, you were the one doing the walk of shame out of my front door after getting rejected, not too long ago. Don’t flatter yourself thinking you’re better than me, or that I give a flying fuck what you think you know about my situation.”

I shoved open the front door, pushing passed the crowd of college kids getting their IDs checked by the bouncer. I forced a few calming breaths while huffing towards the truck. Walker had to jog a little to catch up to me.

“Mags, that was amazing!” His hand rested on my shoulder to stop me. I turned to look at him with tears streaming down my face.

“Fuck that damn bitch, and fuck you for bringing her to my home. What the hell were you fucking thinking, Walker?”

His head fell, staring at the floor, unable to make eye contact with my death stare. He muttered in a broken tone, “I thought we were over this shit. I am so sorry. Everyone else is in my past. My heart beats for you. I will do anything; just name it, to make you see that.”

I wanted to yell, kick, and scream. I hated what he had done, but I was not innocent in the situation. With a few deep breaths and some escaped tears, I forced my rigid body to relax. There was no use in fighting with Walker. He was right, we needed to move passed all of this and just allow ourselves to be happy, and it needed to start right then and there.

I cupped both of my hands onto his cheeks. “I’m sorry, it’s her I’m mad at. I won’t bring it up again.”

He took my hand in his and led me to the truck saying he was sorry about five more times before slamming my door shut for me. “Well, I’ll say we had a crazy day, let’s get you home to some wine, a chick flick and that couch.”

I sighed and scooted across the bench seat to climb into Walker’s arms. “Thanks, Walker, you’re amazing. But I just acted like a child. Don’t let me act like that again, promise?”

He nodded and playfully pinched my ass, “Alright, I think of a few ways to punish you.” His eyes narrowed as his southern accent seductively twisted into his words making breath catch.

“You’re truly the perfect girl.” He sighed, breathed in deeply and started the truck. It grumbled and groaned while it carried us home to finish out our night of passionate roughness and pleasure.